Wide angle zoom lens

[iangreenhalgh1]

I've been thinking of getting a wide angle zoom, something wider than 28 on the wide end.

I had the Tokina RMC 25-50, it was garbage.

There is the Vivitar Series 1 24-48 but it's big and heavy and the other Series 1 Vivs I had were garbage.

What else is there out there?

[Gurdie]

I like my Zoom-Nikkor 28-45/4.5 and 25-50/4 lenses, but they are not light. I have also read favourable comments about
Minolta 24-50mm f/4 Zoom Rokkor.

But you would be very lucky to find moderately priced wide-angle zooms, that can quality wise compete with primes.

[iangreenhalgh1]

I'm not expecting prime lens quality but I do want good quality

[Excalibur]

I've bought a Pentax smc M 24-35mm and am checking it out now, but as I'm a film user I take shots sparingly, but have just bought an as new Konica FS1 +50mm f1.4 for £12 so will change the film to this camera to check it out, and will get the results sooner.

[Gurdie]

Have you seen these threads:

http://forum.mflenses.com/old-wide-angle-zoom-mf-lens-are-they-rare-and-expensive-t26716,highlight,%2Bangle+%2Bzoom.html
http://forum.mflenses.com/good-wide-angle-zooms-t15969.html

From camera manufacturers:

Canon FD 20-35mm f/3.5L
Canon FD 24-35mm f3.5 L
SMC Pentax-M 24-35 mm f/3.5
Minolta MD Zoom 24-35mm f/3.5
Minolta MD Zoom Rokkor-X 24-50mm f/4
Nikon Zoom-Nikkor 25-50mm f/4 AI and AI-S
Leica 21-35mm Vario Elmar f3.5-4

As far as I know, Olympus never built wider than S-Zuiko AUTO-Zoom 28-48mm f/4.0

Third Party

Tamron Adaptall-2 SP 24-48mm f/3.5-3.8 (13A)
Vivitar Series 1 24-48mm f/3.8 (Kiron)
Tokina ATX 24-40mm f/2.8
Tokina RMC 25-50mm f/4
Sigma 21-35mm f/3.5-4.2 http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=18180
Sigma 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5
Sun Wide Zoom Macro 24-40mm f/3.5
Hoya HMC 25-42mm f/3.5 Zoom&Macro http://forum.mflenses.com/hoya-hmc-3-5-25-42-zoomandmacropknew-wide-angle-zoom-t2791.html
Cosina/Vivitar/Phoenix Zoom Wide Angle 19-35mm f/3.5-4.5
Samyang/Panagor/Exakta 18-28/4-4.5 http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/reviews/24mm_lenses.html
http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=38438&view=next


Wide angle zooms are optically complex and maybe there is more sample variation than with prime lenses. Perhaps you just had bad luck with your copies.

[iangreenhalgh1]

Thanks useful Markku, Cheers.

Of those, the FD Ls are too expensive for me, there is a 24-35 I've been watching on ebay, too expensive for my budget.

I'll certainly look for the Pentax and Minolta ones, those shouldn't be too expensive, the Nikkor too.

The Tamron SP and Tokina AT-X sound interesting too. The 18-28 I've seen loads of results from, it's not upto the standards I want, sadly. The 19-35 made by Cosina seems okay, but I'm yet to be convinced it's good enough for my needs, seen many so-so samples.