Your best 28..and how you got there :)

indianadinos · Expire: 2011-12-05

Well, the best 28mm ever mounted on my cameras is undoubtely the SMC Pentax-K 28/3.5:

SMC Pentax-K 28 3.5 - IMGP7673 by indianadinos, on Flickr

SMC Pentax-K 28 3.5 - IMGP7654 by indianadinos, on Flickr

Engine Alliance GP7200 Inlet - _IGP2925 by indianadinos, on Flickr

Too pity, up to now i didn't yet have the time for playing with my other 28mm ...
But i think it will be harder to find one better than this one (at least, in my closet) ...

timo832000 · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 544 Location: Germany / Cologne

Tried two cheap Porst 2.8/28, a Vivitar 2.8/28, a Pentax m 2.8/28, a Pentax A 2.8/28 and a SMC Tak 3.5/28. Except the Tak al those lenses did not fulfill my requirements, maybe some of them are not htat bad, but I did not like them.
The Tak is a very good lens with solid perfomance and fantastic haptics. For me the only disadvantage of the Tak is it`s mount. I don`t like using M42 lenses on Pentax cameras.
So I hope for me the story ends with my newest aquisition, the Pentax M 2/28.

If you are interested in, have also a look on this thread:

http://forum.mflenses.com/smc-pentax-m-12-28mm-pix-added-t45201.html

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

my order is Konica 28mm f1.8 UC Hexanon, Konica 28mm f3.5 EE, Nikon 28mm f2.8 close focus, vivitar series 1 28mm f1.9 , etc

barnaby · Joined: 21 Mar 2010 Posts: 59 Location: Hampshire UK

I have not tried many, so comparisons would be difficult for me. My first wide lens was the Pentacon 30mm 3.5 so I was kind of happy from the start. However I did discover the Tak's SMC's and have built a rather nice collection of them, of cause a collection would not be complete without the 28 3.5 SMC Tak. I now find myself jostling between the Pent. and the Tak.

I am very happy with the two lenses and can't see any reason why I would want to change that, but, and there is always a but! A good friend of mine has just given me a Tamron 28mm 2.8 BBAR Multi C. in FD mount, I quite like using M42's on my Canon EOS and am now after a mount for this Tamron so I can give it a try, I just hope it does not prize me away from my Pent and beloved Tak.

indianadinos that SMC Pentax-K 28/3.5 really is something special, I am loving the shot of the turbine inlet.

NewStuff · Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 847 Location: Wales, UK

I don't actually own a 28 of any variety. I like my Pentacon 30/3.5 too much, and 28 isn't that much wider.

james · Expire: 2011-12-28

Let's see....started out with a Nikkor 'E' 28/2.8 years ago when I was shooting film. Never took to the lens; as I recall, soft in the corners even to ƒ5.6 and color fringing. I "upgraded" to the pricey 24/2 which wasn't much of an upgrade, sadly.

Years later, bought a Nikkor 28/2 AIS; very fine bit of glass; little to complain and more than usable at ƒ2. Had a ZF 2/28 for a stretch but found that its quirks of strong field curvature and CA adding little to what I already had from the Nikkor, so I sold it (at a profit!).

Last but not least was a Leica R 28 Elmarit v.2 that unexpectedly made itself available. Broke the bank with that one but the delicate subtleties of color reproduction, lower contrast, *very* different drawing style than my Nikkor and startling resolution almost to the last 1-2mm in the corner of the frame at 2.8 has plainly been revelatory.

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

Ooh I tell you what is good...the Nikkor n.c. 28/2. There is a fast, Sharp lens with good coating Smile

uhoh7 · Joined: 24 Nov 2010 Posts: 1300 Location: Idaho, USA

great thread

incredible jet engine! I need to learn to make image hot for clicks to full like that

DSG · Joined: 04 Mar 2007 Posts: 544 Location: London, UK.

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21

Tedat · Joined: 08 Nov 2011 Posts: 800 Location: Berlin/Germany

I think he is talking about the Photodo MTF/Grade:

http://www.photodo.com

those results doesn't mean very much to me... but if they realy are the ultimate measurements for quality, I should be happy.. a Minolta AF 2/28 (which I own too) gets a Grade 4.1.. not bad especially since I like the Konica UC Hexanon 1.8/28 even much more. It's not listed there, should get a very high grade then. Very Happy

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21

std · Joined: 09 Feb 2010 Posts: 1826 Location: Bulgaria

I had only 3 28's and kept just 1 of them.

Vivitar 2.5/28, Tamron 2.5/28 and Contax G Biogon 2.8/28

And i know you can guess which one is better. Smile

AhamB · Joined: 22 Jun 2008 Posts: 733 Location: Germany

DSG · Joined: 04 Mar 2007 Posts: 544 Location: London, UK.

Tedat · Joined: 08 Nov 2011 Posts: 800 Location: Berlin/Germany

sichko · Joined: 20 Jun 2008 Posts: 2475 Location: South West UK

DSG's results appear to come from the list under "Easy Guide Index" (scroll down within the link) where we are told that the results are average marks derived from tests from 5 photo magazines from all over the planet. Because of potential copyright violation we are not told the names of the magazines.

rawhead · Expire: 2014-04-29

I don't know about any tests, but my Zuiko 28/2 is effin' awesome contrast & resolution-wise.

http://web.archive.org/web/20050208000949/members.aol.com/olympusom/lenstests/default.htm

This guy says it's one of the sharpest Zuiko lens. If it "scores" so low, then I guess all the other OM lenses must suck worse Razz

Nordentro · Expire: 2015-01-29

Industar 69, perfect match for my Pen. Wink

Small, sharp and cool looking soviet old timer Very Happy

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

28mm?

OMG, I had so many, I guess I cannot even remember them all... Embarassed

OK, let me just list some and write something about them, only approx. in order of acquisition:

Pentax-M SMC 2.8/28 - SOLD (and bought again!)

One of the first manual lenses I had and a really good one. I sold it and did not really miss it, because as a PK-lens it did not want to play with my 5D. Wink

But when I got my NEX, I started to miss it again, because of it's very compact size and very good IQ, so I bought another one just recently.

Raynox Auto 2.8/28 - SOLD

Some of the first MF lenses I bought. Nicely built, but IQ nothing special.

Vivtar 2.8/28 (Komine)

Cute and compact lens, pretty good, really. I resisted to sell it several times because of three reasons: 1. it wouldn't sell for much, 2. I shot with it shortly beforehand, saw the results and decided not to sell it and 3. it now lives on my Sigma SD9 as a standard lens. Wink

Vivtar 2.5/28 (Kiron) - SOLD (another copy given to my dad)

Also a pretty decent lens. perhaps not as sharp as the Komine 2.8/28 above but a tiny little bit faster and more robust.
I had another copy which I have given to my dad who loves it on his Fuji S2 Pro.

Kiron 2.0/28 MC - SOLD

I had two copies of this lens and either one mad me think. On the one hand I really liked the results and the f/2, but on the other hand it never really gave me the goosebumps if you know what I mean.

Yashica ML 2.8/28 - SOLD

Good lens, but I never got warm with it. Others like it much more!

Petri 2.8/28 MC Macro - SOLD

Also a good lens and with a nice close-up performance, but all-in-all not spectacular.

Tamron 2.5/28 - SOLD (and bought one again!)
(Sorry, no image at hand.)
This is another lens that I had, liked, sold, missed and bought again. Wink

Olympus Zuiko Auto-W 3.5/28 - SOLD

That was one of the best 28mm lenses I've ever shot with. And today with the NEX I kind of miss it.

Vivitar MC Close Focus Wide Angle 2.0/28 (Komine) - SOLD

This lens is fantastic on APS but loses a lot on fullframe.

Schneider-Kreuznach Curtagon 4/28 - SOLD

Schneider-Kreuznach meets EOS by LucisPictor, on Flickr
I sold it, because I fell in love with the way it looks. I sold it because I could not use it on my 5D.
I would love to see it on the NEX, though!

Super Albinar 2.8/28 SC (FD)

I only have used it on my Canon FTb QL and there it constantly amazed me.
On film it's great. I don't know about digital.

Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 2.0/28 ZE - NEVER MINE Sad

Amazing lens! I was allowed to borrow it from Zeiss. The built is absolutely top-class! The IQ is great, apart from the CA at high contrast edges. Those are there without discussion!

Rollei Rolleinar 2.8/28 (QBM)

Rolleinar HFT 2.8/28 @ EOS 5D by LucisPictor, on Flickr
I like that lens a lot. Unfortunately, it does not work 100% on my 5D.

Minolta Rokkor 3.5/28

Minolta W.Rokkor 3.5/28 @ NEX-3 by LucisPictor, on Flickr
Bought for my NEX and liked it from the beginning. It is a bit slow, though.

Leica Elmarit-R 2.8/28 - NEVER MINE Sad

Was allowed to use the copy of a friend of mine. This was, for a long time, the best 28mm I have ever shot with! Until I got my absolute favourite:

Minolta Rokkor 2/28

Rokkor @ EOS by LucisPictor, on Flickr
This lens combines the speed of the fastest 28mm lenses and the IQ of the best ones!
And a good friend of mine adapted it to an EF-mount and thus transported it into the EOS world! Yeah!!

You can find some shots with my 28mm lenses here...

BTW, the lens of this cam also is effectively a 28mm:

DP1s by LucisPictor, on Flickr
And I tell you, it stands up to the best MF lenses I have used on my DSLRs!

natebarnz · Expire: 2013-01-23

For me it's surely my Distagon 28/2. Superb close focus and sharp as a tack at infinity. It's predecessors in my bag were a never enjoyed JC Penny 28/2.8 followed by a never liked Vivitar 28/2.5. Although I wouldn't mind trying out an Elmarit, Angenieux, and a Schneider, I doubt my hollywood will ever be replaced Smile

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

I have not purchased many 28mm lenses, maybe because I found a good one and didn't feel a need to seek out anything more. My first was the Takumar 28/3.5 and I wasn't crazy about it. The images were good, but I found the focusing difficult. I sold it. I then bought the Vivitar 28/2.8 Close Focus and fell in love with it.

The images shared here from the Soligor look good and the Tokina appears excellent. I have to believe the Konica is quite good based on all the positive reports, however, I won't have any opportunity to use one until I get a NEX at some future point. What confuses me somewhat is Ian's report on his Vivitar experience. Ian, are you certain you lens looks like this with the actual words "CLOSE FOCUS" on the front?

Did you use it on the old Canon that couldn't focus, or on the NEX? I suspect it should do quite well on the NEX. And since you had two copies, it isn't as likely you had bad copies. My intent is not to get into a pissing match like on another Konica thread as I respect that we all have our own opinions, but what you described is quite different from my CLOSE FOCUS (CF) experience. For instance, I consider my CF to have VERY good contrast and sharpness is right up there with my Flek 35/2.4. So, could you confirm it's the CF you have and possibly provide a side by side of images from the CF and the Konica straight out of the camera? I would like to see that. If I found an affordable 28mm noticeably better than my CF, wow.

I know I have posted these images before, but they remain good examples of what I get with the CF lens:

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Yes, I had two copies, neither was good. We've been over this before.

I'm not inclined to bother testing them again, I gave one away.

F16SUNSHINE · Expire: 2011-11-18

I tried many.

Zeiss Distagon f2.8/28mm
Zeiss Distagon f2/28mm (Hollywood)
M Hexanon f2.8/28mm
Kiron 2/28

I loved the Hollywood but it is too large for my preference.
The M hex 28 is world class. Probably the best 28mm lens I ever tried.
It was too big for an RF lens compared to my other wides and I rarely used it so I sold it.
The one I'm staying with is the Zuiko f2/28mm.
It does exactly what I want and is the size of an RF lens.
Performance is brilliant even at wide open. I don't use a 28 often.
Mostly when space is tight or I want a special effect of wide open wide angle. The zuiko is perfect on 5Dii or film.

a few old ones.

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03