RustyBug Offline Upload & Sell: On
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timballic wrote:
I thought someone might be interested in all the 20mm-ish lenses I uncovered in my researches.
It soon became obvious from going to review to review that a circular pattern was repeated: Lens A better than lens B; Lens B better than lens C; Lens C better than lens D: Lens D better than lens A !
Anyway for what it's worth here's the list with a few comments: (for which I may be shot down in flames!)
Canon 20/2.8 USM............Good edge to edge definition F5.6 on, (contra many reviews), but rather flat.
Canon 17-40/4L .....My copy @20mm, very good edge to edge definition, clarity and contrast, better than OM 21/2
Leitz Elmarit-R 19/2.8 II .......Worthy of 2nd place to Zeiss 21/2.8, but requires surgery and 2x cost!
Leitz Super Angulon R 21/4...............Meh! (For a Leitz) Designed and made by Schneider under licence
Nikkor 20/4 and 3.5Ai........................2.8 AiS better
Nikkor 20/2.8AiS................................. Sharp centre but weak corners, flare prone, vignette, CA
Nikon 17-35/2.8..........................I include because it rates so highly in several comparison reviews (eg 16-9.net)
Pentax K/A 20/4.............................Small and plasticky but reasonable performers
Pentax A 20/2.8..............................All metal and most flare prone of any I came across, rare.
OM Zuiko 21/3.5.............................Tiny "gem" v. highly rated, but 1 stop less depth of field,
OM Zuiko 21/2.....Rated as 2nd only to Zeiss by some, I found centre definition iffy, low contrast, sharp vignette
Sigma 20/1.8.................Widest aperture 20mm but poor performer until 5.6 and even then not among the best.
Voigtlander 20/3.5....Very good centre definition, colour and contrast, but poor edges and wide open, needs F8/11
Zeiss Jena Flektogon 20/4......(Zebra style) Reputation for least distortion, single coated only, reasonable sharpness
Zeiss Jena Flektogon 20/2.8......Not as good as above
Zeiss Distagon Z* 21/2.8.The undisputed "King" Contrasty, sharp and colourful, but moustache distortion.
Zeiss Distagon C/Y 21/2.8............. =1st. Very little difference. Currently more expensive than Z*!...Show more →
I've only personally used about 60% of the above ... but my observations are very much @ +1 from personal use / research ... with the Oly 21/3.5 and Nikon 20/2.8 AIS still in my bag. The Oly being better suited for when the entire frame is important, the Nikon for when the central portion matters most. (I could probably interchange the Nikon with the Voigt, as long as I retained the Oly).
Nice summary.
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