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Archive 2013 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?

  
 
eightfold
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


I'm looking for a compact and relatively fast (preferably not slower than f/2.5) 35mm lens. Mirrorless (like M mount) lenses are out because I want to use the lens with NEX cameras via a Metabones Speed Booster. The Canon EF to NEX looks like the best Speed Booster together with adapters for different mounts looks like the best option.

The H-Zuiko AUTO-W 35mm f/2.0 is the closest I've come in my search so far. It's 43mm long. From what I understand it should be possible to use it with the EF Speed Booster using something like this.

Are there any other lenses that I should have a look at?

This is the size/look I'm going for:
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1181879/15#11300118



Aug 20, 2013 at 08:25 AM
mcbroomf
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


Welcome to FM eightfold

The trouble is that you're showing a 40mm pancake lens. 35mm fastish lens will be bigger. Can you deal with 40mm instead? The SLII shown and the OM are good, as is the Rokkor. If you can go down to 2.8 you will be looking at a better package.

The 35mm/F2 OM is not as well regarded as the 21, 24 and 28 (others please chime in here as the 35mm is one I've never owned).

Mike



Aug 20, 2013 at 08:57 AM
eightfold
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


Thank you!

I'm afraid 40mm is too narrow. From what I understand the Speed Booster achieves a crop factor of 1.1x making the 40mm a 44mm (FOV wise). I have almost exclusively shot with the 35mm focal length for 6 years now, it is programmed into my eyes/brain and any deviances affect me quite a lot. I recently bought the Ricoh GR, and the 28mm (a 7mm difference from my 5D Mk II with 35mm f/2.0) feels almost like (sorry for sounding over dramatic) worlds apart. For me, It's a different kind of photography. Hence, I suspect the 40mm will not do.

I might be open to the 2.8 options if they present a good size reduction and give me more options. Also, a bit larger 35mm lenses (not as pancakey) could be okay too.



Aug 20, 2013 at 09:12 AM
ISO1600
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


I use the Nikon 35/2 on my NEX6 and Lens Turbo. It's not tiny, but it's not big either.


Aug 20, 2013 at 09:20 AM
LightShow
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


The OM 35/2 & 35/2.8 will likely be the smallest lenses you'll find short of getting a rangefinder 35 and a FF NEX which hasn't been announced yet.

But I did find one that is 42mm
http://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-Pentax-M-35mm-F2-Lens.html
You'll need a K mount to EF adapter.



Aug 20, 2013 at 01:03 PM
ISO1600
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


I am worried that when FF NEX happens, the market for the Voigtlander 35's will absolutely blow up. They are good lenses, well-built, and for the money can't be beat.


Aug 20, 2013 at 01:12 PM
mawz
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


The ZA 24/1.8 is superb, provides about the same DoF & total illumination as a 35/2.5 on a Speed Booster and is similar in size to a smaller 35 on a Speed Booster. Oh, and you get AF. Not cheap though.

In terms of small but good I always was fond of the Nikon Series E 35/2.5. It's IMHO better than the 35/2 (albeit less flare resistant). The Nikkor 35/2 AF(-D) is another option, comparable in size to the Series E and much smaller than the AI-S 35/2 while maintaining similar optical performance.



Aug 20, 2013 at 01:26 PM
mawz
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


LightShow wrote:
The OM 35/2 & 35/2.8 will likely be the smallest lenses you'll find short of getting a rangefinder 35 and a FF NEX which hasn't been announced yet.

But I did find one that is 42mm
http://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-Pentax-M-35mm-F2-Lens.html
You'll need a K mount to EF adapter.


The OM 35/2 is in no way small. It's comparable in size to the Nikkor. The 35/2.8 is smaller (but still bigger than the tiny SMC Takumar 35/3.5).



Aug 20, 2013 at 01:27 PM
ISO1600
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


Haha isn't the ZA 24 like $1000(or more)?


Aug 20, 2013 at 01:30 PM
mawz
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


ISO1600 wrote:
Haha isn't the ZA 24 like $1000(or more)?


Yep, but price was not a criteria in the original post and given the other requirements it is actually a pretty good option, especially since it will beat the pants off any of the other options being discussed in terms of optics and comes in at a similar size.


It's a pity that there are no good fast M mount 24's aside from the Summilux.



Aug 20, 2013 at 01:42 PM
redisburning
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


mawz wrote:
It's a pity that there are no good fast M mount 24's aside from the Summilux.


I wouldn't say there is enough difference between 24 and 25mm to count out the Biogon. which is really, really, really good.



Aug 20, 2013 at 02:48 PM
alundeb
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


redisburning wrote:
I wouldn't say there is enough difference between 24 and 25mm to count out the Biogon. which is really, really, really good.


Isn't the Summilux f/1.4 and the Biogon f/2.8? The Biogon will be equivalent to 37.5 mm f/4.2 on APS-C and that is a bit on the slow side for the OP.



Aug 20, 2013 at 03:06 PM
ryankarr
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


ISO1600 wrote:
Haha isn't the ZA 24 like $1000(or more)?


Isn't a speed booster like $600?



Aug 20, 2013 at 03:14 PM
CVickery
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


LightShow wrote:
The OM 35/2 & 35/2.8 will likely be the smallest lenses you'll find short of getting a rangefinder 35 and a FF NEX which hasn't been announced yet.

But I did find one that is 42mm
http://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-Pentax-M-35mm-F2-Lens.html
You'll need a K mount to EF adapter.



Hmmm...what about the Pentax FA 31/1.8 Limited ( http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/394223-REG/Pentax_20290_smc_Pentax_FA_31mm.html ) ... somewhat bigger, but the odd focal length ends up very close to 35mm with the 1.1x multiplier. I've heard good things about the FA Limited lenses but have never used one. (as above you'd need a K mount to EF mount adapter)



Aug 20, 2013 at 03:35 PM
eightfold
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


mawz wrote:
In terms of small but good I always was fond of the Nikon Series E 35/2.5. It's IMHO better than the 35/2 (albeit less flare resistant).

Thanks for this one! Doesn't seem very costly either.

CVickery wrote:
Hmmm...what about the Pentax FA 31/1.8 Limited ( http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/394223-REG/Pentax_20290_smc_Pentax_FA_31mm.html ) ... somewhat bigger, but the odd focal length ends up very close to 35mm with the 1.1x multiplier. I've heard good things about the FA Limited lenses but have never used one. (as above you'd need a K mount to EF mount adapter)

I totally overlooked this one! It's quite large but looks like a gem, but — I know it didn't mention price was a factor — darn that is expensive. And as you say it is very close to my preferred FOV too. Interesting read:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/columns/sm-02-05-02.shtml



Aug 20, 2013 at 04:34 PM
mawz
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


redisburning wrote:
I wouldn't say there is enough difference between 24 and 25mm to count out the Biogon. which is really, really, really good.


The Biogon is in no way 'fast'. OP is looking for a 35/2.5 or faster on a Speedbooster (ie around a 24/1.8 without a speedbooster), the Biogon would effectively be around 1.5-2 stops slower than that. And it's not much cheaper than the ZA 24/1.8 Sonnar.



Aug 21, 2013 at 07:41 AM
Jonas B
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


I have a black FA31/1.8 Limited. It's a great lens (most people like the rendering very much).
If you happen to live close to Gothenburg we can meet and you can try it, perhaps borrow it. I'm pretty sure I have a K - EF adapter somewhere. My FA31 has a somewhat scratched front element but that doesn't hurt the IQ in general, nor is it a problem for checking the lens out.



Aug 21, 2013 at 11:49 AM
Peire
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


Very good,fast and pretty small 35mm lenses:

Pentax M 35/2
Canon FDn (not SSC or chrome nose) 35/2
Planar G 35/2
Oly Zuiko 35/2

They are lot more very good and small 35/2.8 lenses though.



Aug 21, 2013 at 11:55 AM
Sam_W
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


Not to throw cold water on this, but if you're going the route of two adapters (lens mount adapter plus speed booster), you're going to introduce enough mechanical tolerance variation/warping/etc. that you can end up with a seriously skewed focal plane, meaning that your infinity will only work for part of the imaging plane. Essentially you wouldn't be able to do proper landscapes. May not matter to you, though. (At the very least, Leitax whatever lens you end up going with, to eliminate one of those sources of variance.)


Aug 21, 2013 at 12:38 PM
ISO1600
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Small & fast manual 35mm lenses?


Sam, it is not a sure thing that A) two adapters will skew anything, or B) Leitax will make it any better.

The quality of adapters used, and chance/luck will play into this lol.



Aug 21, 2013 at 12:42 PM
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