nehemiahphoto wrote:
Is this lens known for suboptimal qualify control? I have a copy, but noticeably decentered on the left side till f4. It has pretty decent coma correction though, which it doesn't get enough praise for given the small size and moderate price.
It definitely varies. I keep getting better copies.
The first image, so sharp, great transitions, nice bokeh, perfect colours!
thousandths wrote:
Here's a few a dug out of the archives. It was a great value lens that for me got superseded by the 24GM, but for $400 and its tiny size, it's a pretty good.
I want to revive this thread since I’m hoping to see what others produce when using this lens and include people (portrait, street, children) within the frame.
robfilms wrote:
I want to revive this thread since I’m hoping to see what others produce when using this lens and include people (portrait, street, children) within the frame.
Does this lens still make sense in 2021?
Thumbs up.
Rob
Same as it ever was.
A nice light 28 that works particularly well for genre photography and street work.
28s generically have a foot on either side of the wide-normal divide - 28mm lies at that point of separation in the modern day at least. They often render a normal perspective with subjects off a little way, but get too close and some of them distort heavily, for good or ill. So compositions should try for some strong primary object to anchor the frame for subjects at some distance - because 28 gives you a lot of content; or careful placement of near subjects. 28 is a great group shot FL for the same reason.
These two competing uses tend to be either stopped down somewhat for distance, or wide open or near to it for close ups. I've never wanted faster than f2.8 for what I do, for reasons of bokeh context. Zeiss recognise this dual character and worry much less about field curvature in their 28s (and pre-Loxia/Batis 25s too). Here are (i) a set off image and (ii) a closer image.
Got this lens used for cheap a week ago from the B&S forum. Need a 28mm for some indoor shoots this month and in October.
Great image quality overall. Clean and sharp rendering. Sometimes a bit of green aberration wide open in tricky lighting. Distortion isn't really a big deal since it's designed to be corrected.
The stuff I shoot is all mood and vibe and not super technical, so a regular non-Zeiss/G/GM lens like this works as well as anything! Nice little fast prime that doesn't break the bank.
I actually miss this lens. All these 1.4 releases made me thing I needed them. And I do love them, that's for sure, however when I had the 28 2.0, it was a great solid sharp lens!
I love the 28/2, warts and all. It was lenses like the 28/2, 35/2.8 ZA, and the 55/1.8 ZA that drew me to Sony in the first place.
This is my almost 4 year-old Pembroke Corgi, Hank. I've had dogs all of my life, and Hank is the best yet. An old, sweet soul, and the best frisbee catching Corgi on earth...
Sony 28mm f/2 at f/2 on my A7RV, 1/125 sec, ISO 100
I found this lens always had bad reviews, no one liked it, never sure why. My copy purchased about 10 years ago is sharp in the centre wide open, sharp everywhere stopped down, has decent bokeh, minimal aberrations wide open and none stopped down a little to f4 ish.
It's light, compact, focuses quickly, unobtrusive, has that beautiful and practical 26-28mm AOV, takes cheap filters and most of all produces great images without fuss.
Such a shame it has such a poor reputation, because I think Sony would have updated it if it did and I'd replace mine with a new one in a heartbeat if it was similarly sized but has minor improvements throughout, I'd happily pay four times as much also, I'd pay my 1.4/24GM money.
The reason I use the 28 instead of my 24GM is the size.
