28mm f/2 choices for Olympus OM ?

pdh · Joined: 21 Jun 2010 Posts: 7

I'm just moving into the OM world and I'm wanting a 28mm f/2 for my OM-1n (I want the extra stop, 2.8 is no good to me)

The Zuiko versions are tricky to find and seem a bit variable. Of two I've recently found, one looked like it had been cleaned with Ajax and the other had fungus. Both only just under �200 ... I see others on e(xpensive)Bay for �400-�500 and that just seems a bit mad of a price

There are Kiron and Vivitar (Komine) alternatives which are much more inexpensive, but I wondered what the compromises are compared to the Zuikos?

Will I really notice the difference (shooting Tri-X or HP5+ and printing 11x14 or smaller) if I spend �50 rather than �250 on a 28/2?

berraneck · Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 11:16 am Post subject:

From my friend�s experience, who has got the Kiron 28/2, it is at least comparable to OM 28/2.8 in terms of picture quality. I think for this kind of films investment into better lens will not bring much better results. However �250 is price for OM28/2 in excellent condition AND all equipment(sun shade,leather box). Pieces in user condition and without equipment can be had for much lower. My advice is to go for Kiron and save money for film.

pdh · Joined: 21 Jun 2010 Posts: 7

thanks berraneck.

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

Just be sure to check that the Kiron / Vivitar is fully functioning. Oil on blades seems to cause problems with this model.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

pdh · Joined: 21 Jun 2010 Posts: 7

I wondered if someone might say "Isn't 2.8 fast enough? ... it's only a stop faster than 2 " ... but of course then at 2.8 it's only a stop faster than 4 ... and at 4 it's only a stop faster than 5.6 ... and ... "

In the kind of photographs I take, in the sort of light I often have available, It's the difference between being able to shoot at 1/30s handheld (which I can do) and 1/15s handheld (which I can't easily).

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

pdh · Joined: 21 Jun 2010 Posts: 7

I like to "travel light" and dislike carrying more than just a camera.

I only very rarely use a tripod, for the odd night shot and when I'm shooting 4x5 pinholes.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

hoanpham · Expire: 2015-01-18

For film bodies, it is critical, but for digital it is not.
The Kiron 28/2 is good for film bodies.

SXR_Mark · Joined: 12 Jun 2010 Posts: 506 Location: England

It may well be true that the Kiron 28/f2 is as good as the Zuiko 28/f2.8 on film, but on digital (specifically m4/3) there is simply no comparison. The Zuiko at f2.8 beats the Kiron at f4 in terms of sharpness. The Kiron is unusably soft and low in contrast at f2 (on digital) in my opinion. Note that "unusable" is a subjective personal opinion here.

The Zuiko 28/f2.8 is one on my favourite lenses. It gives superb results at f2.8 and is a lens that I consider 100% effective wide open (meaning I am as happy to use it wide open as stopped down).

I should note that I have had two copies of both the Kiron and the Zuiko and had the same relative opinion of them all.

Mark

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

FWIW, I don't find the Kiron 28/2 unusably soft.
I do find it difficult to focus accurately at f/2
Wide angles are not so easy to manually focus anyway.
At f/2 because of the narrow DOF for critical sharpness, but relatively broad DOF for so-so sharpness, it makes it hard to get results that stand up to pixel-peeping.

pdh · Joined: 21 Jun 2010 Posts: 7

None of my lenses - Leica included - stand up to pixel-peeping on scans of the sorts of film I use.
I shan't be using this lens on my digital camera, remember, it's for an OM-1n

it's how my pictures look wet printed that I care about, so the overall impression of sharpness and consistency across the frame into the corners is what I find most important.