First shots Petri MC 28mm f/2

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 2180 Location: The Netherlands

This lens is apparently the same as the Cosinon-W 28mm f/2. Some first shots. Click twice for full size.

First, wide open:

PetriMC28mmf2_3 by devoscasper, on Flickr
Wide open, there is softness from spherical aberration, but there's still quite a good amount of detail. Contrast and colors of the image are very good.

Stopped down to f/2.8:

PetriMC28mmf2_2 by devoscasper, on Flickr
Softness is mostly gone, good resolution and very contrasty image with popping colors.

Again, wide open:

PetriMC28mmf2_8 by devoscasper, on Flickr
Good saturation, nice bokeh, good contrast.

Stopped down to f/4:

PetriMC28mmf2_9 by devoscasper, on Flickr
Nice popping image with still good bokeh. There's a tiny loss of sharpness due to the long shutter speed (1/8 sec, handheld).

Shot at f/5.6:

PetriMC28mmf2 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Resolution is very high, at least in the center area (I didn't test corners yet).

f/2 maximum aperture allows for this kind of shots:

PetriMC28mmf2_7 by devoscasper, on Flickr

PetriMC28mmf2_1 by devoscasper, on Flickr

I have to say I'm really happy with this lens: it's well built, compact (filter size 49mm) and it delivers popping images without the need for additional post processing.

jamaeolus · Expire: 2015-08-20

Nice evaluation. Thanks.

Ultrapix · Joined: 06 Jan 2012 Posts: 457 Location: Italy

Nice samples! This is a lens I'm curious about; may I please ask for a couple of shots at the two largest apertures of a subject that would make clear the homogeneity of detail across the field? Even a landscape is fine.

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 2180 Location: The Netherlands

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 2180 Location: The Netherlands

Here's a test @ infinity. Camera used: Sony A7R2.
First, the area's in the image I used for the crops (center, edge,corner):

PetriMC28mmf2_5circle by devoscasper, on Flickr

Then, the results:

comparison by devoscasper, on Flickr

I think we can conclude that there are 28mm lenses with better edge and corner performance. Nevertheless, the Cosinon / Petri generates a very pleasing image, perhaps more suitable for street photography / indoor pictures etc. My favorite classic 28mm for landscapes remains the Pentax (K) 28mm f/3.5, but the Cosinon is a great alternative when speed / shallow DOF are needed.

marcusBMG · Joined: 07 Dec 2012 Posts: 1266 Location: Conwy N Wales

Thanks for doing the test pics, those results are very comparable to those from my komine vivitar 28mm f2 and kiron 28mm f2. I have yet to find a 28mm that really knocks me down for edge and corner performance - and that's with apsc cameras.

Dejan · Joined: 05 Jan 2021 Posts: 87 Location: Belgrade, Serbia

I suppose you'd be more pleased with Olympus or Minolta 28mm F2 then (I haven't used those personally). I do like my SMC Pentax 28mm F2 though, it's fantastic but rare and too pricy. I also have this Petri (branded as Cosinon), I liked it for close ups (mushrooms in the forest etc., also with achromatic close up glass) on FF, and it performed decently on APS-C years ago (stopped down). It's sharp for close ups, like it's already been mentioned, and that's where I saw it's potential use. Since I prefer SMC Pentax 28mm F2 and Olympus 28mm F3.5 for most of my needs, I'll just give this one to a friend. It's a fun lens and it deserve to be used. For landscapes I'd choose something else, there are cheaper and better choices.

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 2180 Location: The Netherlands

Dejan · Joined: 05 Jan 2021 Posts: 87 Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Oh yes, they usually go for over a hundred or thereabouts. I've paid mine 30 eur, a few years ago. I imagine that would be impossible if the name was at least Konica, if not Nikon or Pentax. It's not really well-built like those though, just a bit clunky and the focusing goes very easy with mine, but perhaps too easy? I don't know, I was still perfectly happy. I also like how it works when reversed for macro. I think this is the first lens I've tried that technique with.

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 2180 Location: The Netherlands

D1N0 · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 2270

It is more like the Vivitar 28/2 by Komine than it is like the one by Kino, which has more distinctive bokeh. When adding another 28/2 to the collection I would probably skip this one unless it came very cheap. The Pentax-m or Pentax-a 28mm/2 still has my interest though.

Ultrapix · Joined: 06 Jan 2012 Posts: 457 Location: Italy

Yep, the usual mixed bag that these lens all end up turning out to be.
At 25 of course I'd buy it on the spot!

marcusBMG · Joined: 07 Dec 2012 Posts: 1266 Location: Conwy N Wales

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 2180 Location: The Netherlands

haytypical · Joined: 14 Mar 2023 Posts: 2

kypfer · Joined: 27 Sep 2017 Posts: 458 Location: Jersey C.I.

I bought a Petri 28mm f/2 (cheaply) mostly for astro work … it's OK but does suffer from coma in the outer field at wide aperture, even on APS-C.
I've been fortunate enough to also accrue a Kiron 28mm f/2, also very economically, more in hope than in anger, but found it to be much of a muchness, neither significantly better or worse than the Petri.
I don't remember using either lens for more "conventional" photography, so I've nothing to add in that direction.