28mm, what gives?

sanmich

sanmich

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After looking around for a 28mm viewfinder, I cam to realize a few things that kind of surprised me:

There is no current offer of a high end brightline 28mm finder neither by Leica or Voigtlander (there are 25/21mm choices). The Zeiss offer is a combined 25/28 which I found difficult to get used to.

There are zillions of 35mm lenses from Voightlander, and they receive upgrades pretty often. The Nokton 1.2 is at its 3rd revamp. there is the 1.4, the 1.7, the 2, 2.5...
But 28mm? back then there were the 3.5 and 1.9 LTM, and there is now the M mount f/2. That's it. And for years now, nothing really new.

Why does 28mm feel somehow the unloved FL of these times in terms of offer of lenses or accessories? I personally love it...

[EDIT] I see that there are FOUR 21mm lenses in the VC portfolio right now, and no 25mm at all. Puzzling too...
 
I find the 35mm focal length fairly wide enough and a lot of RF cameras have that frameline built in the Viewfinder so it is handy to use. I don't see much advantage to a 28mm lens when ease of use and fast 35mm lenses are around and so plentiful.

If I want to go noticeably wide I will use a 25mm lens.. then I don't mind the nuisance of a separate VF on top the camera .
 
I love 28mm lenses, I always make sure to have one for all my camera systems. I usually go for the 21-28-35-50mm range, and I often find the 28mm very useful in street photography. The last 28mm I acquired was the Orion-15 in LTM mount. Just like you Michael I had to find a matching viewfinder and went for an Avenon. They can be pricey, but you can also be lucky. I'm not buying much new lenses, the newest I have is the Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 ZM. But I don't need an external finder for that on the Zeiss Ikon.
 
The OP is right. There needs to be more 28mm chioce. A VC 28mm f2 APO maybe to take on the Leica f2 28mm.
 
Kai-san said:
I love 28mm lenses, I always make sure to have one for all my camera systems. I usually go for the 21-28-35-50mm range, and I often find the 28mm very useful in street photography. The last 28mm I acquired was the Orion-15 in LTM mount. Just like you Michael I had to find a matching viewfinder and went for an Avenon. They can be pricey, but you can also be lucky. I'm not buying much new lenses, the newest I have is the Zeiss Biogon 2.8/28 ZM. But I don't need an external finder for that on the Zeiss Ikon.
Click to expand...

28mm is great for all kinds of event and street photography. Set it at f 8.0 and your DOF sharpness is from 5 feet to infinity. I use it on my Pentax P3n set the lens on f 8.0 and set the shutter on auto; shoot away.

It is too bad about the finders being thin on the ground. I have an adapter(s) that allows me to mount my 28mm M42 on my IIIf but no viewfinder. Sometimes I put the 28mm M42 on my Bessa R and just use the complete VF which is close to a 28mm view.
 
Leica made a zoom finder with click stops at 21, 24 and 28.
It's pretty 'high end' made of metal with a lock down for
the accessory shoe. I got it for the Canon 25mm/3.5 lens
thinking ahead, I may get a 21 or 28.
 
When it comes to the rangefinder world... you sometimes have to buy older discontinued and used stuff. If this stuff sold like hot cakes, they’d be making them. If I was in your shoes, I’d be looking for a used Voigtlander 28mm Metal Brightline Optical Viewfinder. There are some in eBay right now. It’s just how it is when you choose to use antiquated camera types.
 
28mm is my go-to focal length on 35mm. I have an M6 0.58x just because of this. No need for accessory viewfinders, despite my very strong glasses prescription.
 
kram said:
The OP is right. There needs to be more 28mm chioce. A VC 28mm f2 APO maybe to take on the Leica f2 28mm.
Click to expand...

The 28 Summicron ASPH is an idiosyncratic optic. Focus shifts, renders cooler, more gradual, smoother transition OOF. Evokes very mixed emotions among users, weighted toward the indifferent. Latest version was a tweak of the old design; improved but not earth-shattering.

If Cosina came up with a 2/28 APO, sales of the Summicron would crater. But by then, the 28 Summicron APO will be imminent.
 
28 is tough call or just another dross lens. In RF, street world. Look how many images from GR which looks the same. And so are tough cookies with Q. Gift-less close up shots of strangers. Not Bruce Gulden quality, but photo registrator at close distance. Zero content.
Garry Winogrand and Dmitry Markov are two kings of 28 I'm aware of who brings the content. And at this wide it is still no distortions, but you have to analyze a lot more than with 35 and key hole 50. You are close, lots of happening and you have to nail it. Tough call.

Of course you could get Q(2) and dump hundreds of photos on Q(2) Flickr group
of every plate they have served to you. This is dross and gross.

Winogrand liked 21. It was matching his FOV. Check. It will match yours, most likely.
But once it is close to the edge. Do you like martian heads? Winogrand was classic artist. He couldn't stand 21 distortions. But we are not him. We are just having fun and 21 is great for it.

So, demand matching it. 28 is awesome in mass photography. Phones have 28. Do you need dedicated camera for selfies, drooling toddlers and crap you paid to be cooked?
Camera and 28 attachable lens, less demand, not so many with balls and vision, capabilities.

Leica Q(2)? It is first camera I'm aware of with 35, 50 framelines in EVF. Cool. To me.
 
If 0.58 was the standard viewfinder magnification (I wish it was!), then 28mm would be easier to use and there would be many more lens options. The 0.72 mag finder is too high so it cuts off at 35mm.
 
Before I got into M Leica I never owned a 35mm focal length nor did I ever consider getting one. It was always 28(or 24), 50, and 85. After getting the M6 twenty years ago I got used to the 35mm due to the framelines for street and general photography and of course Leica and now Voigtlander had always offered more choices in this focal length.
 
aizan said:
If 0.58 was the standard viewfinder magnification (I wish it was!), then 28mm would be easier to use and there would be many more lens options. The 0.72 mag finder is too high so it cuts off at 35mm.
Click to expand...

0.58 is very nice but focus not nearly as accurate. Without glasses, a 0.72 & 28 is perfectly fine.
 
As I understand it, the OP is not looking for a 28 viewfinder. He is rather making a point about the use of the 28 FOV and the empirical evidence of a minority of 28 new lenses and accessories from Leica, Voigtlander etc.

IMHO the hegemony of phones photography is one reason people are looking for a different FOV in cameras.
The other is many photographers take the 28 for a too close FOV to 35. personally for me it is totally different in many ways.

28 is a difficult FOV to master. it is where a professional is apparent and also a very individual connection to a certain point of view.
 
I have a bit of love/hate for the 28. I absolutely love my tiny littleHektor 28/6.3 on my barnack (fiddly aperture setting and all), but hate my Nikkor 28/2 on my FM3 (in spite of it being very sharp). Go figure.
Sometimes, the haptics make all the difference.
 
I've been using 28mm for awhile now- quite like it. I'm amazed people would dismiss a focal length because it is common on (older) smart phones. I suppose 4:3 photos must make them bubble up with angst!
 
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