Which 28mm lens?

Krosya

Krosya

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Hi All,
Can you recommend a 28mm lens to me? There are so many out there - CV, Leica, Zeiss, Konica, etc. What is a better choice and why? I'm tempted by CV 28/1.9, but its a bit too large. However shots I have seen with it are very good. Don't know much about others. So, whats a good choice without getting way too expensive. I also have a CV 25p/4 lens - will 28 mm be too close and I don't really need one?
Opinions and examples of photos are welcome.
Thank you.
 
what's way too expensive? is the L 28/2 not within your means....it is outside my fiscal situation; if such is your case, let us cross it off any potential shortlist, so that no one tells you why you should consider it.

my qyestion is what sort of speed/shooting will you want it for? street, landscapes?
is 2.8 fast enough? or can you get away with 3.5 or 4? because you already have a 25, you'll find the 28 quite similar, jsut a little narrower but very much the same in terms of fov. why do you want another very similar fov? is it a rendering quality you are after?

respectfully thomas
 
the two focal lengths have distinct flavors. you can tell koudelka used a 25, and winogrand, et al used a 28mm.

top choices are the biogon and m-hexanon (one is on ebay right now).
 
I like the 28mm/1.9 Ultron. It is the only CV lens I have bought or intend to buy. It is moderately large, but smaller lenses with comparable performance generally cost a bundle more. The size is actually an advantage for my clumsy fingers. Unfortunately, I believe it has been discontinued. If you like your 25mm, maybe you could make do with that until CV (hopefully) comes out with a smaller, killer 28mm.

Richard
 
I'd like to use it for well,......just about anything. Inside, outside, etc. I'd like to stay with a faster ones, up to 2.8. But even with CV 25P I find it pretty useful, being f4. I guess what I'd like to see is different fingerfrint of each possible lens to see if I like one vs others. So, if you got some pics - please post them. I'd say price range would be - whatever new Biogon sells for.
Thanks for the answers thus far.
 
I'm curious about the CV 28 f3.5 Skopar. Any thoughts on that one?
Click to expand...
I've got one and I think it's one of the best lenses I've ever used - it's very sharp and contrasty and produces very nice colour slides, and it also has very nice b&w tonality. If you don't need anything faster than f/3.5 then I think it's hard to beat.
 
I had the C-V 28/3.5 - it was a great lens, but not fast enough for my needs. I sold it and bought a C-V 28/1.9 which has proved to be a superb lens. I think I have a few shots in my gallery.

The complaints about the 28/1.9 size are seriously overstated IMO.
 
Ken Ford said:
I had the C-V 28/3.5 - it was a great lens, but not fast enough for my needs. I sold it and bought a C-V 28/1.9 which has proved to be a superb lens. I think I have a few shots in my gallery.

The complaints about the 28/1.9 size are seriously overstated IMO.
Click to expand...


I have both and both are excellent. Compared to the other 28s, the 1.9 is large, which could be an issue, but the combo of its price, performance and speed can not be beaten.

I actually use the 3.5 more as I use it outdoors where light is not a problem.
 
There are previous threads on this topic here that include photos so a couple of well chosen key words entered into the search engine might prove useful. My personal favorite is the Konica M-Hexanon 28/2.8, but I have only that lens and a Nikkor to compare in my own experience. The online pictures I have seen from the Zeiss M 28mm have also looked very good indeed. Another thing you might try is going to flickr and seaching for images that are tagged with a lens you are interested in.
 
Cv 28/1.9

Cv 28/1.9

I agree with x-ray. The Ultron is big, but not unmanageably so. Good lens for the price, and @2, works very well, and did anybody mention fast? I keep it on my M6 most of the time.
 
The budget alternative is the 28f3.5 VC and budget here refers only to the price, not performance. It is one of my favourite lenses of all time for bl/w. It has a tonality and smoothness that is unmatched!
If you need the extra 1/2stop of speed and let's face it, sometimes that can be important, the Biogon 28/2,8 is a good choice. It has the smooth tonality that is typical of the ZM line and is comfortable to use.
Another alternative is a used 1980's version Elmarit 28/2.8. very good lens and not too big and clumsy. Still a bit pricey though with the Leica label on it. I think that the Biogon 28/2,8 and the III/IV generation Elmarit 28/2,8 are pretty much equal with the Elmarit's looking a touch "sharper" due to contrast, but the Biogon being better in overall smoothness. just a matter of taste.
If you really are pining for speed, go for the Ultron 28/1.9. For the money, it is the best high speed 28 around. The 28/2 Summicron was disappointment to me - I had one parallell with the Ultron 28/1,9. For the slightly sharper edges at f2 with the Summicron, the harsh rendition of black/white was not worth it.
The Hexanon 28/2,8 is a good, small alternative, but i feel that both the 28/3.5 VC and the Ultron 28f1.9 are better lenses for a similar price.
 
One other very nice alternative, if you can live with f3.5 is the Canon LTM 28/3.5. I have one of these tiny jewels and it's a marvellous shooter. It would be an excellent choice if you wanted the mid-50's look of sharpness with lower contrast than is typical of modern lenses.

William
 
I think I'll stick with my 25p/4 CV lens for now and use it more. If I come across many situations where I need a faster lens, I'll try CV 28/1.9.
Time will tell.
 
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