AI/AIS Wide Angles..!!

Ambar · May 10, 2011

Howdy!

So, I guess I'm in the market for a wide angle fixed lense and I'll only buy an AI or AIS nikon for now (I have many reasons that conspire towards this so, I'll limit myself to this family).
It basically boils down to which one! 28mm, 24mm? Both f/2.8.
I've resonantly come across the opportunity to buy an AI 28mm f/2 that seems to be in beautiful shape. Does anybody have any experience with this lense?
The criterion I go for: is it sharp and constrasty? Barrel distortion is to be expected so, as long as it doesn't look like a fish eye I guess I'm happy.

And should I be considering a 20mm? I know it's up to taste but are there any thoughts and feelings about it? I tend to stay away from it for I feel like it's too much image to control and compose.. At least in the urban settings I'm frequently in..

ps:This is My first APUG post.. !

"Shooting in a FM2n.. What a joy!!"

CGW · May 10, 2011

Start with the lens reviews at www.nikonlinks.com. Bjørn Rørslett's take on most lenses is fair and accurate.

Ambar · May 10, 2011

Great website! Thanks for the tip!

RalphLambrecht · May 10, 2011

Ambar

Welcome to APUG.

If you don't own a 35mm lens then the 28mm may be OK. To me, it's not wide-angle enough, so, I opted for a 24mm and a 20mm lens, and I'm happy with both if stopped down to f/5.6 or smaller.

parkpy · May 10, 2011

do you like 17-18mm focal length on a aps-c sensor digital slr? then you'll basically like the 24mm focal length.

I wanted width. the 24mm is nice. great walk around lense and good for some nature photography. I bought a Nikkor-N auto, and had it converted to AI for my FM2n

Ambar · May 10, 2011

Thanks Ralph!
I don't own a 35mm.. All I've got for primes are a 50mm/1.4 and a 105mm/2.5. Absolutely LOVE them both. But I wanted a little wider angle for those shots that just don't fit in my 50mm (90% of my fotography is done through it). I think I'm leaning towards this 28mm f/2. A decent amount of what I shoot is done in poor or low light conditions so I think I'll benefit from the extra f-stop, as compare with the f/2.8 counterparts. This triple combo of 28,50,105 seems reasonable. If I decide for something wider I'll probably get the 20mm and if I decide I want something longer I'll get the 35mm. Does this sound reasonable or am I just going glass crazy? Sometimes I feel a bit drowned in option..

Ambar · May 10, 2011

Parkpy, I'll keep my eye out for a 24mm but I just might not let this 28mm go by unscathed by my anxious little hands!

Sirius Glass · May 10, 2011

RalphLambrecht said:
Ambar

Welcome to APUG.

If you don't own a 35mm lens then the 28mm may be OK. To me, it's not wide-angle enough, so, I opted for a 24mm and a 20mm lens, and I'm happy with both if stopped down to f/5.6 or smaller.

I am with Ralph on this. The 35mm is not wide enough and much too close to the 50mm lens. I use the 20mm [or 21mm] and 28mm but I would also find the 20mm [or 21mm] and 24mm combination a worthy contender.

Steve

Ralph Javins · May 10, 2011

Good morning, Ambar;

In the wide angle lenses, the stable here has; 35mm, 28mm, 24mm, 20mm, and 17mm rectilinears, and a 16mm "full frame fisheye." That 16mm produces a full 24 by 36mm negative image and covers 180 degrees from one corner of the negative to the diagonally opposite corner.

I find the 28mm lens to be very much like a 35mm; point it and take the photograph when you have the framing and composition where you want it. The 24mm lens is the one I like to use for room interiors. It does require some careful attention to how it is positioned and used, or you can have some odd looking effects. The 20mm lenses and shorter all require very careful usage with attention to exactly how it is positioned and held to avoid weird effects.

As you have suggested, the best combination is having both of those lenses; the 28mm and the 24mm. Then you are covered for just about anything you are probably going to want to do.

The 21mm, 20mm, and shorter lenses are all special purpose lenses that require very careful usage. My 17mm lens has a reputation for its wide angle correction, to the point that many do include the term "rectilinear" in referring to it, but I have found that it still requires very careful work to make sure that the camera is level and that I am positioned in the optimum location to avoid weird effects.

Have fun with your camera, and with whichever of those two lenses you are using.

fstop · May 10, 2011

I'll only buy an AI or AIS nikon for now (I have many reasons that conspire towards this so

You are not alone.

eSPhotos · May 11, 2011

28mm f/2 is a stunner. Don't look anything else.

OldBodyOldSoul · May 12, 2011

Just got one in pristine condition, non-AI, for $130. With the hood. And a filter. Currently on the way to John White for conversion. Me happy.

Ambar · May 12, 2011

Thanks Everybody!
Yesterday I settled for the 28mm f/2 AI! Don't think I payed cheap for it but I'm feeling pretty confidant in my purchase and can't wait for it to arrive.. (it's in the mail). It should be arriving with my new scanner.. so, hopefully I'll be shooting and scanning my prints and slide with it soon! Thanks alot for all your input! It's was really helpful.

Newt_on_Swings · May 13, 2011

I love my 24mm F2, f8 and set to infinity, you'll have everything sharp from 5ft and out. easily hand holdable at 1/20 sec. focus from up to 1ft away. its a sweet lens to use

Brian Legge · May 13, 2011

I picked up a nice 24mm 2.8 here last year. Turned out to be just a bit too wide for me. I was going to post it in the classifieds here but there were a few up already. It is a great lens but I'm just not using it that much - too much medium format/rangefinder shooting recently.

tony lockerbie · May 13, 2011

The 28mm F2 is the one to go for (as you have) and you will be well pleased with it. Low distortion and they have CFC, definitely one of the very best 28's around!

perkeleellinen · May 13, 2011

Used to have the 28/2 and it was a nice lens. Initially I thought it was soft at the corners but it turned out the culprit was my enlarging lens. I love wide angles and I now have the 24/2.8 and the rather nice 18/3.5, I also have the 16 fisheye which I think is my favourite wide.

Sirius Glass · May 13, 2011

Brian Legge said:
I picked up a nice 24mm 2.8 here last year. Turned out to be just a bit too wide for me. I was going to post it in the classifieds here but there were a few up already. It is a great lens but I'm just not using it that much - too much medium format/rangefinder shooting recently.

I like 20mm, 21mm and 24mm lenses, but they have a very limited usefulness compared to the 28mm lens. I would caution anyone buy one of those without trying one out first.

I never bought anything wider for two reasons:

cost
I do not like taking photographs that have the front of my shoes showing in the bottom of the photograph!

Steve

AI/AIS Wide Angles..!!

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