short focal length budget lenses

[ramcewan]

I know this is probably a discussion rehashed many times over already but I figured maybe we could try again.

I am interested in shorter than 35mm (wide angle) lenses that are decent and cost less than $100 USD for use on micro four thirds with adapter. Mounts could be; M39, M42, Nikon F, Konica AR, Cannon FD, or any of the other ones for which adapters are readily available.

Thus far my list is of possibilities are as follows (updated and formatted)

[iangreenhalgh1]

I can recommend these ones:

Tokina RMC 3.5/17
Konica Hexanon 4/21
Konica Hexanon 2.8/24
Tokina RMC/Hoya HMC 2.8/24
Konica Hexanon 3.5/28 (earlier EE version with 7 elements is better)
Konica Hexar 3.5/28
Pentacon Prakticar PB 2.8/28
Tokina RMC/Hoya HMC 2.8/28

Of those, the Hexanons are the best, the others are also very good.

[heartcat]

The RMC Tokina 28mm 2.8 is probably my favourite lens. And I was never a wide angle shooter. It is sharp from wide open, sharp through infinity, gives beautiful, natural colour straight out of the camera, is close focusing and focuses easily. My photos taken with this lens require minimal processing. It's a consistent performer that never disappoints.

I recommend it every chance I get. I have it in M42 mount and picked it up for $11 on the 'bay. While that's the cheapest I've personally see it sell for, I have seen it sell regularly for well under $100.

I also have a Vivitar 19mm 3.8 (Nikon F mount). I paid close to $100 for mine, but have seen it sell for less than that. So I wouldn't say that it's definitely out of your budget. I haven't really used it much since I got it a few months ago. I'm waiting for better weather and more outdoor shooting.

It's an okay lens after initial test shots. It hasn't impressed me the way the Tokina has. That might change though once I take it out more and use it outdoors in nice lighting conditions.

[johnboy]

The Minolta 24mm f2.8 MD (49mm thread version) should be in budget, its a great lens too.

[Aanything]

Rmc tokina 28/2.8 is one of the best quality/price lenses I've seen.
Among 28's, I like very much also the mamiya sekor sx 28/2.8, but I don't know the actual price, since mine was bought at a flea market for €10.
Going wider than that in that budget is getting quite hard these days. I paid 90 euros for my mc Mir 20 m, but it was a long search.

[Lloydy]

Vivitar 28mm f2.8 Close Focus - Elsinor 24mm f2.8 and where are the Takumars and Pentax?

[Aanything]

[iangreenhalgh1]

[Farside]

Don't forget the Tamron 24mm - a good performer

[Esox lucius]

The Nikkor 28/2.8 Ai-S is a 4 out of 5 stars lens even on full frame DSLR, and on crop sensor I'd give it 4.5 out of 5.

It has very little (0.35%) and simple barrel distortion, you won't see vignetting on a NEX and there's a little CA only in corners, which your NEX crops out. Center sharpness is very high even wide open, and your NEX enjoys the benefits of a crop sensor so you'll see good corners as well.

I would really love to find a Nikkor 28/2.8 Ai or Ai-S for less than $100, good luck with finding one at that price

Samples (on a D800, original size)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vuokrakamera/tags/28mmf28ais/

[ForenSeil]

The difference between a 17mm and a 28mm is very huge!
That about ~ 85° VS ~ 55° on APS-C
You should consider that.

I can also recommend Tokina RMC/Vivitar 17mm f/3.5 and Minolta 24mm
They often go a little higher but they should be in your price range if you can wait a little.

I used the Tokina a lot on NEX, it's a very nice lens. On APS-C it has some distortion especially in extreme corners but it's very sharp especially stopped down to f/5.6 or f/8. The Minolta is already pretty sharp wide open, has low distortion and produces great warm colors.

And the Tokina RMC/Hoya 28mm and 24mm are indeed good price/value choices. They are easy to find. But the Tokina 17mm and the Minolta 24mm are visibly better.

[ramcewan]

[ramcewan]

Here's my updated list. I have given up on formatting this. I have it stored in excel but no matter how I export it when I post it the result has formatting removed

Anyways so far the lenses with the most recommendations are the Tokina/Hoya in 28, 24, and 17 this is no surprise to me as I have a Tokina made Hoya HMC 80-200mm that is really very nicely made and sharp as any modern zoom.

I really appreciate everyone's input and thought on this. As those using interchangeable lens mirror-less crop cameras micro 4/3 and otherwise know the under 35mm focal length is a sweet spot for street/candid shooting and thus these lenses are highly desirable. For those unable to afford the Panasonic 20 f1/7 or 25 f1.4 or those who just prefer manual focus lenses (um what site is this again?) finding a good lens to fit this niche without dropping more money than they did on the camera body is a challenge. Hopefully this list will help others too in this quest.


Maker Focal Max Aperture Notes Price Recommended Price

Hoya 28mm f2.8 HMC (Tokina) iangreenhalgh1, heartcat, Aanything, ForenSeil
Tokina 28mm f2.8 RMC (also available as Hoya) iangreenhalgh1, heartcat, Aanything, ForenSeil
Konica Hexanon 28mm f3.5 earlier EE version with 7 elements is better iangreenhalgh1
Konica Hexanon 28mm f3.5 later 5 element version iangreenhalgh1
Konica Hexanon 28mm f2.8 *
Konica Hexar 28mm f3.5
Nikon 28mm f2.8 Esox lucius
Olympus 28mm f2.8 *
Olympus 28mm f2 **
Olympus 28mm f3.5
Pentacon Prakticar 28mm f2.8 PB iangreenhalgh1
Sigma 28mm f2.8 Mini-Wide
Tamron 28mm f2.5
Tokina 28mm f2.8
Vivitar 28mm f2.8 close focus Lloydy
Vivitar 28mm f2.5
Vivitar 28mm f2
Mamiya Sekor SX 28mm f2.8 Aanything
Tamron 28mm f2.5 CW-24
Tamron 28mm f2.5 02B

Konica Hexanon 24mm f2.8 iangreenhalgh1
Hoya 24mm f2.8 HMC (Tokina) iangreenhalgh1, ForenSeil
Tokina 24mm f2.8 RMC (also available as Hoya) iangreenhalgh1, ForenSeil
Miranda 24mm f2.8
Nikon 24mm f2 **
Nikon 24mm f2.8
Olympus 24mm f2.8 *
Olympus 24mm f2 **
Olympus 24mm f1.8 **
Pentax 24mm f2.8 Auto 110 fixed aperture
Sigma 24mm f2.8 Super-Wide
Minolta 24mm f2.8 49mm thread version johnboy, ForenSeil
Elsinor 24mm f2.8 Lloydy
Tamron 24mm f2.5 CW-24
Tamron 24mm f2.5 01B

Konica Hexanon 21mm f4 ** iangreenhalgh1
Konica Hexanon 21mm f2.8 **
Olympus 21mm f2 **
Soligor 21mm f3.8 **

Nikon 20mm f3.5 **
Nikon 20mm f2.8 **
Nikon 20mm f4

Sigma 19mm f2.8 MFT
Vivitar 19mm f3.8 ** heartcat

Pentax 18mm f2.8 Auto 110 fixed aperture

Tokina 17mm f3.5 RMC (also available as Hoya) iangreenhalgh1, ForenSeil
Hoya 17mm f3.5 HMC (Tokina) iangreenhalgh1, ForenSeil
Tamron 17mm f3.5 51B

[declan]

So i did have something with common with op regarding wide on 4/3/mft, since this always be a funny things considered the 2x cf and here it is:
-you can go wrong with sigma 24/2.8 sw mark II, sharp like razor, good build to quality, like the color rendering but then it equals 48mm so not wide anymore

-this tokina sl 17/3.5 had stolen my attention, will had someday or perhaps the anti distortion flektogon 21/4

I think tamron 24/2.5 you also wanna consider.

Even the widest voigt 15 just Just became 30mm on our 4/3

[eddieitman]

I can echo the good comments on the Tokina 28mm I have one excellent lens, and i can also recomend

Kenlock MC tor 28mm
http://forum.mflenses.com/infinity-bridge-stockton-on-tees-with-kenlock-mc-tor-28mm-t42166.html
Kiron 28mm F2
http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=44922&start=0&sid=204234c68848ca31181982e9f78e157c
Super Paragon 24mm F2.8 (same as the ensinor)
http://forum.mflenses.com/super-paragon-24mm-f28-om-mount-t42718.html

[DigiChromeEd]

Clubman/Ensinor 24mm f2.8
Clubman/Ensinor 28mm f2.8
Asahi Pentax SMC Takumar 28mm f3.5
Sigma 18mm f3.5 Widerama

[ramcewan]

[fermy]

I've just compiled the list of my lenses and priced all non-critical lenses for sale. I'll just quote from the list. All prices are in Euros.

[ramcewan]

[iangreenhalgh1]

I have yet to see a c mount lens apart from a 50mm one that could compare to an SLR or RF lens in quality so they are probably best avoided. The 50mm one I speak of is actually larger with adapter than a Jupiter-8 2/50 on an M39 adapter.

[fermy]

My favorite c-mount is a bit unexpected choice: it's Cosmicar 50mm f2.8, which I consider essential lens and won't sell unless I get a second copy. I'll post a review of that lens one day.

As for the lenses above, Fujian is the new Holga, although a lot more fun due to the large max aperture. Here's my mini-review of that lens: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1041&message=39547854 It's actually quite fun and useful, although not in the same sense as most SLR lenses.

Cosmicar 25mm/1.9 is more normal in rendering and optically better lens than Fujian. However, I have Pany 20mm pancake, and Cosmicar can not compete with it in IQ, is slower and I prefer 20mm FOV over 25mm on top of it. So Cosmicar does not find itself on my camera very often. The neat thing about Cosmicar is that one can easily adjust infinity (just unscrew 6 screws), and get it to focus insanely close. That's the way I intend to use it.

Overall, there is some truth to what Ian wrote, but I disagree with "best avoided" part. As a rule you won't get SLR IQ from c-mounts, but there is more to photography than resolution.

[bhargav]

How about a Cosina 24/2.8 and a Vivitar 24/2? Cosina shouldn't be that expensive but vivitar could be. I like them both a lot.

[declan]

however, if the fl have to be more narrow to 30-50 eqivalent then some of what i mention might had the solution, of course exceeded the budget. The mos near was the tokina/vivitar 17/3.5

[RioRico]

First, 28mm isn't really wide except on FF or MF. But my cheap favorites there are:

* Vivitar-Komine 28/2 CFWA -- my favorite manual prime
* Vivitar-Kiron 28/2.5 -- pretty damn good
* Tamron BBAR 28/2.5 -- also pretty good
* TOU Five-Star 28/2.8 -- surprisingly sharp

At 24mm, the Vivitar-Kiron 24/2 ain't cheap, and both mine had the iris stuck wide-open. My Lentar-Tokina 25/3.5's were cheap but also had stuck irises. Nice optics though. Otherwise I'd recommend the Super-Paragon (Cimko) PMC 24/2.8. Much better than my Sigma 24/2.8's.

Going wider, I'll recommend the Tokina-made (badged as Lentar, Vivitar, Soligor, etc) 21/3.8. The only lens that makes me leave that one home is a newly-acquired Vivitar (Tokina?) Series 1 19-35/3.5-4.5. It just arrived a few days ago and I have a hard time putting it down!

[ramcewan]