Which 28mm lens

[kermaier]

If you can find a Voigtlander 28/3.5 Skopar, it's a great lens: sharp, contrasty and solidly built. These are typically in the $450 range, I think.
The Canon 28/3.5 is another very nice lens, but lower contrast and gives an old-style color palette, if you like the look. Should run about $300 in good condition.
I'm also a big fan of the Minolta 28/2.8 M-Rokkor -- but it's hard to find one without spots in the front element, and it brings up the 35mm frame lines unless you have the mount modified. Clean and modified, might be as much as $500.
The Zeiss Biogon and Konica M-Hexanon will be more in the $800 range.
The fast CV 28s are much bigger than any of the above lenses, if that's a consideration for you.

 

[ferider]

Since 28mm is my favorite focal length, I have lots of them, including Elmarit, M-Rokkor, Color Skopar, Elmarit, vintage Nikkor 28/3.5, and CV LTM 28/1.9.

My favorite, and if I had to choose only one, would be the CV VM 28/2, both on film and digital. Outstanding lens, technically almost perfect f2.8 and up, and you have the extra stop. And reasonably compact and mechanically very easy to use.

Roland.

 

[asimplefarmer]

I have the CV 28mm f1.9 and the results on my M240 are great 2.8 and onwards. It's stupidly soft less than 2.8.

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[MCTuomey]

IMHO, the best value in 28mm is the Hexanon-M 28/2.8.

+1 also worth a look is the zeiss M 28/2.8

 

[Jake Mongey]

If you're any fan of the Ricoh GR, Ricoh made a 28mm lens to the same design as the GR one in LTM and M mount I think

 

[Dektol Dan]

28??

28??

The Elmarit would be my first choice, but I chose the Zeiss Biogon; if you shop you can get a good used one for around $600.

I like mine!

Leica M6, Ektar:

 

[sepiareverb]

Not to be contrary, but I'm a big fan of the V2 Elmarit-M. Shoot that, a summicron ASPH and a Hektor. I'm all over the effing place. They all do what they do. Some time spent at Flickr is my favorite means of making a lens decision. Just decided I have no interest in a summilux 75.

 

[Lss]

There's also the Voigtlander 28mm 1.9.

I have this lens, it's very good both on film and the digitals I have used it with (Epson R-D1 and Leica M8). The only problem I have with the lens is its handling. I don't know whether the newer 28/2 is better in this respect, but it looks closer to the 35/1.4 which handles nicely.

Given the size of the lens and how little I use it, it might make sense for me to switch to a smaller lens (2.8, 3.5). I really felt the need for the speed with the R-D1, but it is now less important.

 

[ChrisN]

I'm going to go wild and suggest another track here.

Is this for film or digital? I'm playing with the idea of a 28 myself to add to my rangefinder kit, but the price for a lens (and a separate viewfinder) keeps driving me back to my old film SLR cameras when I really want to shoot a bit wider than 35mm. An Olympus OM body with a 28/3.5 lens, or a Pentax body with their 28/2.8 (or either of the Canon or Nikon equivalents) will cost you very little and might be a better choice if this will not be a mainstream focal length for you and cost is a consideration. If you are looking for a lens to match your existing digital rangefinder then that's another story. Good light!

 

[brennanphotoguy]

Don't know what your exact budget is but the Voigtlander 28/2 Ultron is cheap brand new and the best bang for the buck in terms of fast wides imho. If you want something that's really good, a little more expensive but will hold value a little more then I think the Ricoh 28mm LTM GR lens with an M adapter is super cool and not something you see every day. Super awesome and unique lens. If you have a bit more money then the Leica 28/2.8 ASPH is awesome as well. I like the newest version with the screw on hood the best but if you wanna save a little money then the previous ASPH model is just as good but has the clip on plastic hood.

 

[jsrockit]

If you can find a Voigtlander 28/3.5 Skopar, it's a great lens: sharp, contrasty and solidly built.

Yep, agreed.

 

[Perks]

I am looking at getting a 28mm, how much m6 viewfinder blockage do you get with the biogon, hexanon and voigtander 3.5?

I have seen that the ultron 2.0 is considerable.

Cheers

 

[iaeaix]

M-Rokkor 28/2.8 is a good option. It is a M mount lens with focus tab, the character is more modern than Canon and Nikkor


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[Phil_F_NM]

The Kobalux (Avenon/Bower/Pasoptik) 28mm f/3.5 is a fantastic lens.
After I sold mine I went through maybe three other 28mm lenses and was never satisfied with them like I was with the little Kobalux. It has a character to it that I loved.

Then I found 21mm and the lenses like the Super Angulon and O-Nikkor...

Phil Forrest