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Your best 28..and how you got there :)
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 2:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So far, I've accumulated four 28mm lenses...

My very first 28 was a Nikkor 2.8cm f/3.5 F; it's also my oldest 28, being manufactured around 1963. It doesn't have the sharpest corners and it doesn't focus very close (0.6m); but considering the fact that it's single-coated, it's actually surprisingly flare/ghost-resistant and contrasty enough. Another big plus (in my opinion) is the diaphragm, consisting of 5 straight blades. This is a very unique trait for a Nikkor, as it was Nikon's only F-mount lens to have 5 blades. The simple diaphragm makes for intensely-sharp 10-pointed sunstars; this, coupled with its decent flare/ghost resistance, makes it a prime candidate for night photography.



I then ventured into the land of Vivitar for some reason, in search for something better. I was disappointed with what I found...

My second 28 was a Vivitar (Kiron) 28mm f/2.5 preset (T-mount). Muted colors, low contrast, horrendous flare/ghosting.. not my cup of tea. I still have it, only because the preset version isn't as common as the regular fixed-mount version.

My third 28 was a Vivitar (Tokina) 28mm f/2.5 TX. Same performance as above, even though the TX is a more modern optic. I still have it, only because it's just that mediocre.

My fourth and most recently acquired 28 is a Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 Ai-S. I had been lusting over this lens for quite some time and finally found one locally for $200. This is by far, my best 28mm lens. It's insanely sharp, especially stopped down a little. It has the least amount of barrel distortion of all of my 28s, has the highest contrast and focuses very close (0.2m), making it a great on-the-fly macro lens. It also has rather decent bokeh for a wide prime. The only drawbacks are that my sample has curved blades for some odd reason (making for soft-pointed sunstars) and that it flares/ghosts a little more than the ancient f/3.5.




PostPosted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 9:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A 28/2.8 Ai-S was my first, and only 28 lens. While I still haven't warmed up to it after all these years, I can't quite bring myself to get rid of it. The close focus and nearly non-existent distortion come in handy from time to time. But 28mm isn't terribly wide on a crop body, but it felt just wide enough to be not a normal lens.

I've mostly replaced it with a Sigma 30/1.4, which is the antithesis of the Ai-S lens. It's big, bulky, not built very well, suffers from some wicked CA, and it's difficult to focus automatically or manually... but when it does it's got fantastic bokeh and color.

Nikkor 28/2.8 @ ƒ/2.8



Sigma 30/1.4 @ ƒ/2.8


PostPosted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Someone died a poodle pink????

Isn't that animal curelty?

Nice shot though.


PostPosted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tamron 28mm f2.5, because it oozes character. Also a Tokina RMC 28/2.8, but I'm going to off-load that because it's too clinically sharp.


PostPosted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NozPhoto wrote:
My favorite 28mm is a sigma 28 F1.8 It is the sharpest 28 I have, sharper at 1.8 than my others at F4 (and that's saying something!)

ManualFocus-G wrote:
I had the older AF sigma 28/1.8 for a while but wasn't impressed. Resolution was poor at larger apertures and vignetting awful on ff. I suspect there's been a few versions though.


I that is the AF lens EX 1.8/28, I can assure you that this new series offers some excellent lenses.


PostPosted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

GrahamNR17 wrote:
Tamron 28mm f2.5, because it oozes character.

Jimmy637 wrote:
SMC PENTAX-M 28mm f2.8 is my go to 28mm lens. It just does not disappoint.


I agree to those two lenses: very, very good!


PostPosted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 11:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Someone died a poodle pink????

Isn't that animal curelty?

Nice shot though.


I thought I was seeing things at first, but, yep someone died their poodle. He didn't seem to mind, however.


PostPosted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 11:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Blarf, I want that buggy space frame ! Cool


PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Someone died a poodle pink????

Isn't that animal curelty?

Nice shot though.


Dyed - it's less cruel that way.


PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 2:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thread continues with good posts--TY Smile

Usually we have 3 feet of snow at this point: not this year..







Leica 28/2

full of last:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7175/6638108543_2f680e78f8_o.jpg


PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 2:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been enjoying the pictures in this thread, nice work!

@uhoh7, thinking you might be in the Stanley Basin area (?) and the word I get
from folks in my hometown (Sandpoint, ID) is the snow is scarce there, too. Bad
news for a ski resort town. Sad

Nice pics, though!


PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 5:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Katastrofo wrote:
I've been enjoying the pictures in this thread, nice work!

@uhoh7, thinking you might be in the Stanley Basin area (?) and the word I get
from folks in my hometown (Sandpoint, ID) is the snow is scarce there, too. Bad
news for a ski resort town. Sad

Nice pics, though!


40 miles south Smile

leica goes indoors:





one funny thing about the little beast: focus ring light as a feather. At first I thought it was my copy--but others report the same. This in contrast to other M lenses.

snow drought from the grand canyon up in the west, i think----though not sure about Canada.


PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 7:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lovely pair of photos, uhoh!

Banff is getting the snow, and looks like Whistler isn't doing much better than Schweitzer.

You must have like a 10-15 minute drive to Sun Valley, if that.


PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 8:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

****I then ventured into the land of Vivitar for some reason, in search for something better. I was disappointed with what I found... ***

No problem with your view if you have plenty of money but if you can't afford the best lenses, then the Vivitar 28mm f2.8 and close focus version are quite good lenses (well on film)...yep you need a hood sometimes for flare but I would still recommend them if you can pick them up cheap.

Vivitar 28mm f2.8 Komine, min focus @ 0.3 metre


Vivitar 28mm f2.8 Komine close focus version, min focus @ 0.23 metre


PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the problem with Vivitar is the lack of QC, there's a lot of variation in quality between copies. All the Vivitars I've had have been pretty poor, hence I sold em all.

I took my Hexanon 3.5/38 EE version out the other day and I'm yet again amazed by the amount of detail it renders and the sense of depth and dimensionality the images it produces have. I'll never part with this lens and know i can't find a better 28mm without spending a small fortune and arguably I wouldn't gain much of anything in IQ terms.





PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 3:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1: not that these photos aren´t interesting, but they don´t tell much about performance of the lens Sad but the konica 28/3.5 is known to be nice lens


PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ManualFocus-G wrote:
I had the older AF sigma 28/1.8 for a while but wasn't impressed. Resolution was poor at larger apertures and vignetting awful on ff. I suspect there's been a few versions though.


I don't know which version mine is, but I've never had a problem with vignetting (though I've only shot maybe a dozen rolls of film with it) or lack of resolution. As a bonus, it does great work in IR as well.


PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 4:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe these single frame shots will give greater insight into the Hexanon's IQ.




PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 6:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very nice pics and processing on these.
Where were these pictures taken?
I like the color... Smile


PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 8:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Millom, Cumbria, UK, the railway station is 100 yards from my house.


PostPosted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Maybe these single frame shots will give greater insight into the Hexanon's IQ.



as said the shots are fun, but PP dominates. Really impossible to tell anything about the lens.

However, you do show us what you use it for Smile


PostPosted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 7:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I posted em more to show ya why I love it and how I use it, it really excels at this type of work as it gives you an image where everything is razor sharp (fully stopped down of course) and has no discernible distortion, which makes it perfect for making these stitched shots. This lens and my Tokina 3.5/17 are the lenses I use all the time and I wouldn't part with either of them for love nor money.

I do get a greater sense of depth and dimension with the Hexanon 3.5/28 than any of my other lenses though, Tokina 17 included, not sure why but it's definitely there and obvious to my eyes at least, when comparing to shots I make with other lenses.

I'm exploring perspective at the moment and using just the Hexanon 3.5/28 as it is so good for this sort of work.





In my eyes, the only real weakness of this Hexanon is the way it renders out of focus areas, very smooth and very good for a wide angle lens, but the transition from in focus to out of focus is very gradual and the bokeh just isn't very artistic, that's the main reason I still sometimes use my Hoya 2.8/28 (Tokina SL28) as it has painterly bokeh that I adore.


PostPosted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 12:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hoya 2.8/28 (Tokina SL28) as it has painterly bokeh that I adore.

Perhaps you could give us an example of this lens, as well... Smile


PostPosted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here ya go:


#1

#2

#3

#4


PostPosted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

...painterly focus...

I see what you mean by this.
Very nice, and I love the colors!!
Well presented... Smile