Affordable and good 28mm f/2 lens ?

MMouse · Joined: 18 Apr 2018 Posts: 58

Hello,

I may be interested into a good 28mm f/2 lens that I can use both on FF and APS-C (40mm equivalent).
Thanks to your advices, I already have the OM 28mm f/3,5 which is very small and sharp, so I'm really looking for something complementary, a bright lens good from wide open. Would be better if it could be available in Nikon mount, even if it's not obligatory.

What about Nikkor 28mm f/2 ? Is it any good before stopping down ? Which version ?
Found an extraordinary and cheap Nikkor 35mm f/2, wish I could get the same in 28mm Wink

Thank you for your help.

eno789 · Joined: 27 Aug 2010 Posts: 159 Location: California

All Nikkor 28mm f/2 are the same optical design with 9 elements in 8 groups and CRC. I like mine a lot.

DSC05593 by Brian Zhou, on Flickr

For Nikon lenses, it's a good idea to keep a bookmark of http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/specs.html

Another recommendation is SMC Pentax M (or A) 28mm f/2, see http://www.takinami.com/yoshihiko/photo/lens_test/pentax_28-30.html
It's even sharper than the zeiss design "hollywood" K 28mm f/2.

Lucio · Joined: 28 Jan 2018 Posts: 64 Location: Italy

I only got one copy of the Nikkor-N C 28/2, so it could have been a bad one, but WO contrast was extremely low (nothing better than the much cheaper Kiron 28/2, for exemple) and border sharpness was low even stopping down, even on an APS-C sensor. Still, I consider it one of the most beautiful 28 I've ever used, because of its "character".
I've used both the Zeiss "Hollywood" 28/2 and the Pentax-A 28/2... to be honest, I'm starting to doubt that a fast vintage wide angle that's good wide open is actually a thing. Smile

I'm talking about using those lenses on a digital sensor, it's possible that on film they would perform much better.

MMouse · Joined: 18 Apr 2018 Posts: 58

Thank you. Bokeh on your picture looks really nice.

Well, the Kiron can be found for less than 100 € while the Nikkor seems to be much rarer and goes from 230 €, can be a lot more. Might test the Kiron...
Tested the modern version of the Hollywood Distagon, nice lens but very heavy. I could have afford it second hand but I don't know if it's worth the price, even if Zeiss colors and build quality are nothing but outstanding.

I have Olympus OM for short focal lenghts and manual Nikkor lenses for longer ones. Love them all. Thought interesting to know if the brighter versions of OM lenses are any good, but they are rare and expensive. Kiron seems to work good with close subjects, may be what I'm looking for.

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

There are also Vivitar (Komine 28xxxx) Close Focus and RMC Tokina (Soligor) 2/28 both very good.

invisible · Joined: 06 Jun 2013 Posts: 343

pepperberry farm · Joined: 02 Jan 2017 Posts: 16

I've been evaluating a copy of the Spiratone Plura-Coat (by Mitake) 28mm f2 and it's surprisingly good for an unknown 35+ year-old lens

glass & light by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr

dragonfly by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr

southern view by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr

IAZA · Joined: 16 Apr 2010 Posts: 2587 Location: Indonesia

I have Canon FD SSC 28/2 here https://ihyaahsani.blogspot.com/2013/07/canon-fd-282-ssc.html
and Minolta Rokkor 28/2 MC samples here https://ihyaahsani.blogspot.com/2013/02/minolta-rokkor-w-mc-282.html

I like both, they have same 55 filter thread. canon is lighter,

MMouse · Joined: 18 Apr 2018 Posts: 58

Thank you.
I'm tempted by the Vivitar because of the price and close focus abilities. Already have one of the 2.8 version, it's a quite good lens, not as good as my OM but nice to use.