Just received my copy last week, using on the A7. First think that surprised me is just how light it is - lighter then my Zuiko 28 3.5 with adapter. Focuses very quickly, plenty sharp, contrasty. For those who enjoy 28mm I think most are going to really like this lens - this lens trounces my Fuji 18mm f/2 (and it like that little lens). A few samples...
TheEmrys wrote:
You may have just tipped.me.from the 35/2.8 to the 28/2. Looks wonderful.
It's pretty nice.
It's plenty sharp in centre and mid zones wide open and at f2.8; sharp across the field from f4 (and that's with the distortion correction enabled - it has a lot of native barrel distortion, but enough sharpness to cope with the correction)
The 35 is better on the edges at 2.8, though. They are hard to tell apart for IQ from f4.
So it depends on what you want. But it is such fun at F2! And a great deal.
The only pictures I have where the extra edge shapness of the 35 wide open matter are things like cityscapes at night which are at infinity and you might want to use wide apertures. For almost all images I take at wide aperture the corners don't matter. Indeed given that there are trade-offs in design between corner sharpness and central sharpness, I'd go with the latter (I think it's an artefact of lens reviews these days that even if you'd be better off with more centre and mid sharpness at the expense of the periphery, you need to avoid the dreaded claim "not sharp in the corners at wide apertures"
I think if I had to choose between them it would come down to FL preference, or what else I had in my kit.
Corner sharpness, to me, is the most over-rated desire. Probably because I can't think of a time I wouldn't stop down for deeper dof for sharper corners. Give me good center sharpness, strong contrast, and good micro-contrast and color, and I am happy. The 35/2.8 really appeals for its size. Beyond that, I haven't shot enough 28 or 35 primes to have an overly strong opinion.
TheEmrys wrote:
Corner sharpness, to me, is the most over-rated desire. Probably because I can't think of a time I wouldn't stop down for deeper dof for sharper corners. Give me good center sharpness, strong contrast, and good micro-contrast and color, and I am happy. The 35/2.8 really appeals for its size. Beyond that, I haven't shot enough 28 or 35 primes to have an overly strong opinion.
Well if you have no FL preference between 28 and 35, and you don't care about corners at f2.8 (I'm with you there!) then you just saved yourself some money; get the 28. Not only is cheaper it opens up a lot of creative fun at F2. And DXO says it's peak sharpness is a touch higher (I've never noticed that, largely because both lenses have peak sharpness above anything that can detected without measuring)
TheEmrys wrote:
Corner sharpness, to me, is the most over-rated desire. Probably because I can't think of a time I wouldn't stop down for deeper dof for sharper corners. Give me good center sharpness, strong contrast, and good micro-contrast and color, and I am happy.....
Agreed - plus look at my shot with the cross-country skiing sign - that's in the lateral third of the frame and still plenty sharp at f/2. When I want really nice corners I will be shooting at much smaller apertures.
I got my SEL28F20 on Friday and have been shooting it ever since. I really like it. I've been a ~50mm person for a while, with the Contax G 45mm f/2 being my main lens since getting an A7 in December. I think it'll pair up nicely with the G45.
There's something magical about a fast wide.
This is my first native FE lens. AF is faster than I expected, definitely an improvement over the NEX-5R with SEL35F18 I had used a fair bit. Getting used to AF is a chore, but the face detect seems to work pretty well, much better than it was on my NEX-5R. Like my RX100, it can do face detect with center point or movable point focus. The NEX-5R couldn't, it would only work in multi-point AF, which made the feature useless ot me. AF-C tracking certainly works a lot better than it did on the NEX-5R or NEX-6 as well.
My main ergonomic gripe at this point is that I wish I could have customize one of the keys to flip between face detect on and off. If in MF, turn on face detect and AF-S w/ center point focus. I have face detect in the Fn menu, but I'd rather have a toggle than a menu. Even better would be if I could use that button to do back button focus with face detect.
Anyone know if there's a profile to use in LR 5.7 for the lens, or settings you'd recommend?
Yes, the SEL 35mm f/1.4 with its large aperture has stolen the show but in my book, that FL is simply too close to the 55mm f/1.8, one of my favorite FE native lenses. In addition, the 35mm f/1.4 lens is quite a bit bulkier and heavier than the 28mm f/2. For my needs, the 28mm lens is a more sensible choice in wide angle to accompany my 55mm and it follows more the same line of small and lightweight aspect of a mirrorless system.
I have been using and enjoying this tiny and lightweight lens for 2 weeks but I captured more family images until the last two days on a short trip. The bokeh at f/2.0 and MFD is pretty nice but is lagging behind that of the 35mm f/1.4 but really at that aperture, I am pleased with what the results. And yes, the lens is also very capable of generating fabulous images. I may get the 35mm lens but for the time being this small 28mm lens will be my wide angle prime of choice. Here are two samples taken at wide open and at basically the MFD.
arduluth wrote:
I got my SEL28F20 on Friday and have been shooting it ever since. I really like it. I've been a ~50mm person for a while, with the Contax G 45mm f/2 being my main lens since getting an A7 in December. I think it'll pair up nicely with the G45.
There's something magical about a fast wide.
This is my first native FE lens. AF is faster than I expected, definitely an improvement over the NEX-5R with SEL35F18 I had used a fair bit. Getting used to AF is a chore, but the face detect seems to work pretty well, much better than it was on my NEX-5R. Like my RX100, it can do face detect with center point or movable point focus. The NEX-5R couldn't, it would only work in multi-point AF, which made the feature useless ot me. AF-C tracking certainly works a lot better than it did on the NEX-5R or NEX-6 as well.
My main ergonomic gripe at this point is that I wish I could have customize one of the keys to flip between face detect on and off. If in MF, turn on face detect and AF-S w/ center point focus. I have face detect in the Fn menu, but I'd rather have a toggle than a menu. Even better would be if I could use that button to do back button focus with face detect.
Anyone know if there's a profile to use in LR 5.7 for the lens, or settings you'd recommend?...Show more →
You can set the camera up so that you can have eye detect focus (basically reverts to face detect when it can't lock an eye) to an assigned button, and then normal AF, such as center point otherwise.
Works really well because you can use face/eye detect when you want it, but then not be stuck on some lame all point AF when there are no faces
millsart wrote:
You can set the camera up so that you can have eye detect focus (basically reverts to face detect when it can't lock an eye) to an assigned button, and then normal AF, such as center point otherwise.
Works really well because you can use face/eye detect when you want it, but then not be stuck on some lame all point AF when there are no faces
Ah, thank you! Can you tell I haven't used any AF lenses on my A7 yet?
arduluth wrote:
Ah, thank you! Can you tell I haven't used any AF lenses on my A7 yet?
There are a pretty vast array of focus types and options on the camera's for sure.
You've got the custom buttons, the AF/MF button, which depending in the toggle position can do two different things etc.
You could also set the camera up so the AF isn't linked the shutter, and then you can arrange it so the AF/MF button focuses, and the shutter just fires the shot, and then have an additional button for face detect/eye focus, then yet another custom button to change AF point location etc.
I actually have my A7II set up where the C2 button on the top is the Face/Eye focus, and then the C1 button on the top is the AF ON button, set to small center area (though moveable with just a double tap of the down button on the DPad) and the shutter simply fires the camera.
Works perfect for my needs as I can use face detect and compose with the subject anywhere in the screen, or at the same time have a fixed center point, with both buttons right under my finger.
Just customizable camera once you understand how some of the stuff works and what all you can custom assign
millsart wrote:
You could also set the camera up so the AF isn't linked the shutter, and then you can arrange it so the AF/MF button focuses, and the shutter just fires the shot, and then have an additional button for face detect/eye focus, then yet another custom button to change AF point location etc.
I tried out back button focus for a while, but ended up not really liking it. In a perfect world, I could do BBF and Eye AF in MF.
millsart wrote:
Just customizable camera once you understand how some of the stuff works and what all you can custom assign
I've got my buttons customized, but without an AF I definitely needed fewer buttons.
arduluth wrote:
I got my SEL28F20 on Friday and have been shooting it ever since. I really like it. I've been a ~50mm person for a while, with the Contax G 45mm f/2 being my main lens since getting an A7 in December. I think it'll pair up nicely with the G45.
There's something magical about a fast wide.
This is my first native FE lens. AF is faster than I expected, definitely an improvement over the NEX-5R with SEL35F18 I had used a fair bit. Getting used to AF is a chore, but the face detect seems to work pretty well, much better than it was on my NEX-5R. Like my RX100, it can do face detect with center point or movable point focus. The NEX-5R couldn't, it would only work in multi-point AF, which made the feature useless ot me. AF-C tracking certainly works a lot better than it did on the NEX-5R or NEX-6 as well.
My main ergonomic gripe at this point is that I wish I could have customize one of the keys to flip between face detect on and off. If in MF, turn on face detect and AF-S w/ center point focus. I have face detect in the Fn menu, but I'd rather have a toggle than a menu. Even better would be if I could use that button to do back button focus with face detect.
Anyone know if there's a profile to use in LR 5.7 for the lens, or settings you'd recommend?...Show more →
I don't think they bought out an update toLR5.7 which included the profile, but there's an easy work around: the profile is installed with the latest version of the Camera Raw, so if you have PS you can simply extract it from the relevant folders and move it to the lens profile folder inside you Camera Raw folder in Application Support in your user library. On the mac you'll find the one you want in your system library, you just need to put it in your user library.
Sorry don't have the exact paths (or the windows equivalents) to hand, but if you google a bit you'll find ins ructions. It's an often asked question.
