28 vs 35mm + Orion 15 question

[Florian1234]

Hello guys,

I'm considering to get myself an Orion-15 28mm lens.

How "good" is that lens? The biggest contra I can see at the moment is that it is only f:6.

Also, how big is the difference between 28 and 35mm ?

 

[brachal]

Maybe this helps?
http://lens-reviews.com/Technical-Talk/Technical-Talk/Lens-Field-of-View-Visualisation-Tool.html
I find the difference is noticeable. 28mm is where things start to look "wide-angle" to me. I used an Orion-15 for a day in Prague ... then the focus ring locked up. It's very compact, and the aperture control is really a pain to use. I found it to be very sharp and high-contrast. I'd get one if they were cheaper, but they are pretty expensive for a f/6 lens. I don't feel it's very good value for the money, unlike most FSU lenses. $200 or $300 seems to be the going rate. I bought the CV 28mm f/3.5 Skopar, and have never regretted it.

 

[Bob Michaels]

Also, how big is the difference between 28 and 35mm ?

Well, I shoot about half my photos with a 35mm lens and the other half with a 28mm lens when using a 35mm camera. I find them different enough that I am now carrying two bodies when in the car. One has a 35mm lens and the other has a 28mm. On a recent airline trip, I carried one 35mm body and two lenses, a 35mm and a 28mm. So I find them different enough to use both.

I am sure I could get by with just one or the other. I do so when in the one body / one lens mode.

 

[40oz]

35 to 28 is a significant difference. 50 to 40 to 35 is a relatively mild series of steps, but 28 is, as has been said, "wide-angle." Not distortion-inducing in good lenses, and yet clearly wide. 35mm is wider than 50mm, sure, and a very nice focal length for use as an only lens for some. But 28mm is where the point of view starts to change from tunnel vision to including the environment or being able to get a building facade without always having to cross the street. Or to get a shot of a small group at a party without entirely leaving the group to stand in the weeds.

 

[cjm]

Other than the novelty of having a vintage FSU 28mm lens, I think a used Voigtlander 28mm f3.5 is a far better lens for about the same price ($250-$300 USD).

However, the Orion is a capable performer when stopped down. Tom A. has some good examples of this lens on his flickr.

 

[Rayt]

The Orion is a good lens and like you said it is kind of slow. I paid around $250 for it which is kind of high given the alternatives. The construction is aluminum which is kind of cheezy. I used it on the M8 with good success but $300 can get you a CV 28/1.9! I was going to put the Orion up for sale but didn't think anyone would pay $250 for it.

 

[Doug]

I agree that while 35 can be considered normal-ish, 28 is truly into the wide realm. The 35mm has a 63° angle of view, whereas the 28mm has 75°. I find the 28 makes a nice companion for a 40 or 50mm, while a 24mm goes well with a 35.

As I recall, the Orion has a relatively simple design of 4 elements spaced apart in a symmetrical arrangement, and needs to be slow for this to work well at this angle of view.

 

[Florian1234]

Thanks for the hints. I just lost that bay auction. Ended at 92€ - pretty low, I guess, when like new ones go for 250 approx.

 

[monocyte]

A heads up if you are still considering this lens- or for anyone else who is interested- there is one at Adorama for $154 right now, search for Zorki and look at the first item.

 

[wlewisiii]

Another very good lens to watch for is a Canon/Serenar 28/3.5. Tiny, sharp & genereally farily inexpensive. I had some really great results with mine.

William

 

[januaryman]

Another very good lens to watch for is a Canon/Serenar 28/3.5. Tiny, sharp & genereally farily inexpensive. I had some really great results with mine.

William

I was very glad to hear this as I just picked one up and started asking myself "My God! what have I done??!!" It looks like a winner, glad you like it for yourself. They are really not so cheap any more.

 

[Uwe_Nds]

Another very good lens to watch for is a Canon/Serenar 28/3.5. Tiny, sharp & genereally farily inexpensive. I had some really great results with mine.

William

William,
The Canon RF lenses are quite uncommon here in Germany, so adding p&p, customs and VAT makes them actually quite expensive. 🙁

Cheers,
Uwe

 

[wlewisiii]

Ah, I can sympathize. My problem these days is finding something, anything, wider than 35mm for Contax RF mount cheap enough for me. Similar issue in the end. Still if you can find one, that little Canon lens is very good and worth more than most.

William

 

[reagan]

[[sorry to get in on the thread so late, but i gotta]]

from the day i laid down the plastic to actually buy my orion until the day it arrived from the motherland, i was literally sick. what was i doing? "am i out of my mind to pay that much for a comrade's f6?" ... well ... time goes by. and from the first shots processed, i've never had any regrets.

my 35mm is a J12 of course and the difference in it and the Orion is the difference in good and great. i like the wider ... but that's me.

and yep, there are others out there with better everything. but the orion works for me. can't see me ever getting rid of it.

for samples (none too recent) you can go to my ol' ghosts blog and search "orion."