F2.8 wide zooms, starting ~20mm or wider?

beomagi · Joined: 14 May 2010 Posts: 46

Hi all. I found a 35-105mm F2.8 Tamron for cheap and attached to my focal reducer on MFT - I'm liking the results (pics to follow).
This gives me a 25-75mm F2.0 zoom, 50-150mm equivalent fov on my EP3.

I'm actually a little surprised at the quality. I had it in my mind that legacy zooms were bad, but the quality here is very nice, especially down one stop. It's also small for a 2.8.

Now I'm curious about what F2.8 zooms are available that would give me below 50mm fov. Anything adaptable to EF is game, but of course I'll need aperture control. What options are there?

At the moment I can only think of a 20-35mm F2.8 Tokina. Cost is of course a factor.

Thanks!
Beo

philslizzy · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 4744 Location: Cheshire, England

Most lenses will look exceptional on MFT because you are using only the centre.

Oldhand · Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 10:58 pm Post subject:

That combination for wide angle zooms is going to be very restricting - especially in MF lenses.
Even modern AF wide zooms are mostly not close to 2.8.
Good luck
OH

kenetik · Joined: 02 Mar 2014 Posts: 521

Vivitar Series 1 28-90 / 2.8-3.5 is a beauty.

Oldhand · Posted: Sat May 31, 2014 6:49 am Post subject:

kenetik · Joined: 02 Mar 2014 Posts: 521

I think you're right OH. I was a little confused. I have 2 copies of that Vivitar and it makes beautiful pics. I think I saw a thread when I was looking back at some point where you had taken some fine photos with that lens. The 28-90 is one of those lenses I couls shoot with all the time, wondering all the while why I had so many others.

I had the Sigma 10-20 for Sony Alpha. It was my first big lens purchase after getting into digital photography as an adult. I remember agonizing over the $500. Later I had the Tamron 10-24 and that Samyang 8mm. I never used the faster version of the Sigma, but I really loved that lens for many things. I remember going on a photo walk five years or so ago thinking I would shoot some buildings. All of a sudden a frigging coyote was there about 10 feet away. And there I was with nothing but an UWA lens. I have a pic where the thingnlooks tiny amidst the giant parking lot I was standing in. Lol.

Lightshow · Joined: 04 Nov 2011 Posts: 3666 Location: Calgary

beomagi · Joined: 14 May 2010 Posts: 46

EF mount, so most stuff is up for grabs Smile

Sorry I haven't responded earlier. Main media hard disk giving problems, so had to pick up a couple drives.

I figured this would be a tough one. BTW, I have the Vivitar 28-90 already. Think I prefer the tamron though.

The 20-35mm looks promising, thanks! On the focal reducer it would be f2.5. Would require an edmika conversion, but that's not to bad.

Any idea if the aperture ring on this Tokina works if not on a powered mount?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tokina-AT-X-20-35-mm-F-2-8-AF-Lens-For-Nikon-/121347951754?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item1c40e6cc8a
I prefer straight up manual lenses though. Focus movement is so much another.