28-50mm zoom lenses

[D1N0]

I am looking at some compact zooms in the wide to normal range and specifically 28-50mm (not 24-50mm since those are generally less compact and higher end and also not 28-70/80 or 35/70 those are larger too. Let's say the lower limit is 28mm and the upper limit is 55mm.

So far I am looking at:
SMC Pentax(-M) 28-50mm 1:3.5-4.5
Tamron Adaptall II 28-50mm 1:3.5-4.5 07A
Vivitar 28-50mm 1:3.5-4.5 (Komine made 28xxxx version)

Do you have a experience with those or any other 28-50/55mm lenses please post in this topic.

I'll list them here (if I find it I will post width, length and weight, filter thread CFD and the presence of a macro close-up option one or two touch):

- SMC Pentax(-M) 28-50mm 1:3.5-4.5 (65 x 52mm 310 grams) 52mm filters, CFD 60cm (55 for the non-M version) no macro option two touch
- Tamron Adaptall II 28-50mm 1:3.5-4.5 07A (64.7mm x 46.2mm (depending on mount) 297 grams) 58mm filters, CFD 0.25mm (1:4 macro at 50mm) two touch
- Vivitar 28-50mm 1:3.5-4.5 (Komine made 28xxxx version) (65.6mm x50mm 285 grams) 58mm filters, CFD 60cm no macro option , one touch
- Zoom-Nikkor 28-50mm f/3.5 (68.5mm x 65.5mm 395 grams) 52mm filters CFD 60cm macro option @50mm 35cm. One touch. Thx Ken
- Zoom-Nikkor 28-45mm f/4.5 (75mm x 79mm 440 grams) 72mm filters CFD 60cm, no macro option, two touch
- Sicor 28-50mm F3.5-4.5 (Gold Edition or not) 52mm filters, one touch
- Olympus Zuiko 28-48 mm f/4.0 (65 x 54mm 300 grams) CFD 65cm no macro option Filters 49mm two touch
- Soligor C/D 28-55 mm f/ 3.3-4.5/SUN 28-55mm 1:3.3-4.5 Macro NRC
- Soligor 28-50mm 1:3.5-4.5 (Kobori) 52mm filters CFD 60MM + macro option
- Yashica ML Zoom 28-50mm F/3.5 (75x74.5mm 475 grams) 72mm filters CFD 1m no macro one touch.
- Canon nFD 3.5-4.5/28-55mm (63mmx60.9mm 220 grams) 52mm filters CFD 40cm + macro two touch
- Canon FD 3.5/28-50mm (69mmx99.5mm 470 grams) 58mm filters CFD 1M +macro CFD 25-60mm two touch
- Cosinon Z 3.5-4.5/28-50mm two touch
- Mamiya Sekor E 3.5-4.5/28-50mm (..x.. 290 grams) 55mm filters, CFD 60cm no Macro option, one touch
- Osawa MC 3.5-4.5/28-50mm filter thread 55mm two touch
- Auto Chinon Zoom Macro 28-50mm 1:3.5-4.5 two touch with 52mm filter thread.
- Cimko (Super-Paragon) PMC Auto Zoom 28-50mm 1:3.5-4.5 55mm filters, two touch
- SIGMA Zoom 28-50mm f/2.8-3.5 (64mm x 49.3mm 300 grams) 52mm filters CFD 50cm no macro function
- Fuji Fujinon-Z 29-47 mm f/ 3.5-4.2 (**x65mm) 300grams CFD 60cm Filter thread 55mm one touch

Some of the third party ones will have to be traced down to the original manufacturer so I can throw them in one bunch.

I am guessing they are all either -
Cimko 10/30 meter/ft .5m cfd Beroflex, Paragon, super Danubia, Auto revuenon, Magnon, Rokinon.
Sun (28-55mm just seen as Soligor and Sun),
Cosina (Petri, Hoya, Cosinon and a Vivitar (no serial on name ring, but aperture ringand VMC instead of MC, two touch) .5m CFD and ft/mt 20/10 markings, 55mm filters
Kobori (Soligor 28-50mm, Osawa, there is a Chinon with 52mm thread (CHINON 28-50mm f 3.5 - 4.5 MC Macro)) .6m cfd + macro ft/mt marking 12/5
Komine (Just the Vivitar 28-50mm one touch with 58mm filters so far)

There is a CHINON Multicoated 28-50mm f 3.5 - 4.5 with 58mm filters 0.5m cfd and 15/5 ft/mt two touch a bit of an outlier. Also a Revuenon but that says 30/10 ft/mt again. I am not sure about the Sicor, The Mamiya -Sekor. The Zykkor MC 28/50mm. f3,5-4,5 look very off beat. The CPC Phase 2 CCT 28-50mm Macro 1:3.5-4.5 is yet a mystery.

[eggplant]

There's also the following that might be worth considering

Zoom-Nikkor 28-50mm f/3.5 (1984)
Olympus Zuiko 28-48 mm f/4.0 (1975)
Soligor C/D 28-55 mm f/ 3.3-4.5 (? 1970s)

Here's a hot take, though- why not an average speed 28mm prime + digital zoom? Providing you own a camera that allows for it.

My Tamron Adaptall-2 28mm f2.5 is pretty small, even smaller than these wide to normal zooms. 28/2.5 = 11.2 aperture diameter

50 / 11.2 = 4.46

So you could have a 28-50mm f2.5-4.5, essentially, with hopefully enough megapixels left for you.

[D1N0]

[D1N0]

This one caught my eye for obvious reasons:

Pentax PK Sicor 28-50mm F3.5-4.5 Gold Edition


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[eggplant]

[RokkorDoctor]

[D1N0]

Another example the SUN 28-55mm 1:3.3-4.5 Macro which is also sold as Soligor:


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Not the most compact option i'd guess.

[bp_reid]

The Yashica ML 28-50 is a stand-out in this range.

[stevemark]

[iangreenhalgh1]

There's a Sigma AF 24-50 that is dirt cheap and quite decent, certain usable.

[Lloydy]

The Tamron Adaptall II 28-50mm 1:3.5-4.5 07A is a very good lens, and it is compact Macro 1:4. It's a lens I use a lot with my A7II when I don't want to be changing lenses when I'm out walking in the rain. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

A few other options that I have -

Soligor CD Zoom Macro 24-45 / 3.5-4.5 ( SUN ) it's slightly heavier and slightly longer than the Tamron, but it's slightly wider focal length and Macro 1:3. It's a very well made lens, but it is my second choice after the Tamron. It's still a very good lens and worth looking for.

Getting bigger and heavier

The Tamron SP Macro 27A 28-80 / 3.5-4.2 Is another good Tamron with 1:4 Macro

My long time favourite - the Vivitar Series 1 VMC 24-48 / 3.8 ( Kiron ) It's big - 85mm long with 77mm filter thread, and heavy. Great focal range, constant aperture, and fast enough. Well made, sharp and no serious vices

And the surprise option is the Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 EX Aspherical - I bought this lens for next to nothing because it was a horrible sticky mess, it had a soft drink spilled over it, but it cleaned up perfectly. I'm not a huge fan of Sigma, I wasn't going to keep the lens. Until I tried it, and it impressed me straight away. It is almost twice the length of the Tamron 07A and 10mm bigger diameter, and a lot heavier. But it's fast, reasonably usable at 2.8, very sharp and a good focal range

[D1N0]

A Thanks gentlemen. I am adding all of your suggestions to the first post as long as they don't go wider than 28mm or longer than 55mm, since that is the scope of this topic.

[eggplant]

I thought allphotolenses would list a few of these, but seems to be sorely lacking! Nevertheless.

[D1N0]

[stevemark]

[heritagecameras]

[bp_reid]

This review of Yashica lenses from Photo Techniques in ‘79 shows how good the ML 28-50 is. I regret selling mine, given the prices now.

Yashica ML Lens Review by bp reid, on Flickr

[heritagecameras]

[quote="D1N0"]

[Alsatian2017]

The OP explicitly asks for 28-50 mm lenses so it would make most sense not to include "24 to something" lenses

Among the 28-50 mm species, I only have and use the Canon nFD 28-50 mm f/3.5 and the Olympus OM-System S Zuiko 28-48 mm f/4 lenses. Both are very good in optical terms, with uniform sharpness throughout the frame when closed down a few stops.

The Canon is a 1970s "professional class" zoom lens with two group conception, very similar in build to the 35-70 mm f/2.8-3.5 but shorter in length. Both were very expensive when sold new, only slightly less expensive than the 24-35 mm f/3.5 L, which hints to the excellent performance. Nethertheless, most samples nowadays suffer from degraded slider bearings so changing the 9 rollers would be an essential thing to do in order to restore the best possible quality.


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[D1N0]

Some can already be found here http://forum.mflenses.com/super-paragon-pmc-auto-zoom-28mm-50mm-is-this-a-rarity-t71935.html

Super-Paragon PMC Auto Zoom 28-50mm 1:3.5-4.5





Believed to be Cimko and I found one on eBay so it is:

[Alsatian2017]

[lumens pixel]

[D1N0]

Obviously there is a disparity in this focal range. Small and compact zooms aimed at consumers who carry it around on trips and larger hefty ones more aimed at the professional looking for the best IQ.

[Alsatian2017]

[Alsatian2017]