p.3 #1 · Brightin Star 28mm f/2.8 lens for Leica M-mount
Desmolicious wrote:
t+4, still nuthin'
Here, someone purchased one, but the samples indicate significant astigmatism in the corners, even at an aperture of f/5.6. Personally, this is unacceptable as I anticipated excellent performance when the aperture was stopped down.
p.3 #3 · Brightin Star 28mm f/2.8 lens for Leica M-mount
Desmolicious wrote:
smearing at 5.6? I wonder if this is one of those lenses which would work much better on a film camera. Like the original CV 25 and 21 f4 lenses.
To be frank, my enthusiasm for this pancake lens completely vanished when I saw the noticeable blurring along the edges in the "resized for the web" samples taken at f/5.6 and f/8.
p.3 #4 · Brightin Star 28mm f/2.8 lens for Leica M-mount
Fred Miranda wrote:
To be frank, my enthusiasm for this pancake lens completely vanished when I saw the noticeable blurring along the edges in the "resized for the web" samples taken at f/5.6 and f/8.
I get it. Sounds a lot like my Lomo Minitar 32 2.8 which has a very similar form factor. It seems there is a reason why 28mm f2 lenses look like a Summicron or Ultron, and not a Brightin Star!
But on film it may not be so bad. And my standards are embarrassingly low.
p.3 #7 · Brightin Star 28mm f/2.8 lens for Leica M-mount
Desmolicious wrote:
I get it. Sounds a lot like my Lomo Minitar 32 2.8 which has a very similar form factor. It seems there is a reason why 28mm f2 lenses look like a Summicron or Ultron, and not a Brightin Star!
But on film it may not be so bad. And my standards are embarrassingly low.
Perhaps we are overly harsh in our critique of the lens' performance considering its size and especially when comparing to the pricey MS OPTICS APOQUALIA 28mm f/2. Take, for example, this wide-open sample shot captured by @Juha Kannisto, where the corners appear noticeably soft from the APOQUALIA version III:
p.3 #8 · Brightin Star 28mm f/2.8 lens for Leica M-mount
Fred Miranda wrote:
Perhaps we are overly harsh in our critique of the lens' performance considering its size and especially when comparing to the pricey MS OPTICS APOQUALIA 28mm f/2. Take, for example, this wide-open sample shot captured by @Juha Kannisto@, where the corners appear noticeably soft from the APOQUALIA version III:
p.3 #9 · Brightin Star 28mm f/2.8 lens for Leica M-mount
Fred Miranda wrote:
Perhaps we are overly harsh in our critique of the lens' performance considering its size and especially when comparing to the pricey MS OPTICS APOQUALIA 28mm f/2. Take, for example, this wide-open sample shot captured by @Juha Kannisto@, where the corners appear noticeably soft from the APOQUALIA version III:
Apoqualia 28/2 is known to have field curvature and at the widest apertures there is a big difference in sharpness between the center area and edges/corners. Yes, I believe this specific sample shot was taken wide open. I usually stop down to f8 for the best corner-to-corner sharpness (when desired) for long distance shots. With my version II only very tiny bits of image around the extreme corners remains weak at f8, but with my version III a slightly bigger area around extreme corners is affected. All my experience with these lenses is with Sony and Sigma cameras but I think the same would apply to Leica M cameras (at least the digital ones).
Apoqualia 28/2 are more popular for street photography and stuff like that and they would not be the best option for landscape use or anything that requires best possible corner-to-corner sharpness. I like the lenses for wide open shots for their character as well as for the stopped down city shots but if the goal is optimal and even sharpness across the whole frame they wouldn't be the best choice.
p.3 #10 · Brightin Star 28mm f/2.8 lens for Leica M-mount
Best, smallest 28mm is perhaps the Elmarit ASPH if you want that kind of performance. I believe it is the smallest Leica lens in the modern era until the Summaron 28 reissue. The Elmarit was released to pair with the new M8. Not exactly a pancake but it's possible to get too small (no room for comfortable handling). I love my copy.
p.3 #11 · Brightin Star 28mm f/2.8 lens for Leica M-mount
rico wrote:
Best, smallest 28mm is perhaps the Elmarit ASPH if you want that kind of performance. I believe it is the smallest Leica lens in the modern era until the Summaron 28 reissue. The Elmarit was released to pair with the new M8. Not exactly a pancake but it's possible to get too small (no room for comfortable handling). I love my copy.
I shoulda kept my Elmarit Asph v1. Super lens. But I traded it and a 7A 28 1.4 for a Cron Asph v2, figuring that would be the happy medium. And it is. But still, often I think I should have kept it and just sold the 7A.
Anyway, this thread isn't about the best small lens, but this pancake lens, which is way smaller than the Elmarit Asph. It really is not in the same category/design brief/budget. I don't think anyone shopping for the Brightin 28 is cross shopping an Elmarit, or Ultron v2 etc.
p.3 #12 · Brightin Star 28mm f/2.8 lens for Leica M-mount
Desmolicious wrote:
I shoulda kept my Elmarit Asph v1. Super lens. But I traded it and a 7A 28 1.4 for a Cron Asph v2, figuring that would be the happy medium. And it is. But still, often I think I should have kept it and just sold the 7A.
Anyway, this thread isn't about the best small lens, but this pancake lens, which is way smaller than the Elmarit Asph. It really is not in the same category/design brief/budget. I don't think anyone shopping for the Brightin 28 is cross shopping an Elmarit, or Ultron v2 etc.
Certainly, the compact size limitation of pancake lenses unquestionably compromises image quality, making them less competitive compared to larger lenses. Take, for example, the Voigtlander 28mm f/2 II, which stands as one of the finest 28mm lenses available. It outperforms the Leica 28/2 Cron by a slight margin, despite being only around 5mm longer than the slower Leica 28/2.8 Elmarit.
p.3 #20 · Brightin Star 28mm f/2.8 lens for Leica M-mount
Desmolicious wrote:
I had it in my cart - with tax it is $327.41.
but have not pulled the trigger. I already have Summicron 28 Asph v2, Ultron 28 V2, CV 28 3.5, TTA 28 5.6.
And if I consider the Minitar 32 2.8 in the same category based on size/form factor. So...
It's strange that they haven't included it on their Amazon page in the US.
I find shooting with a 28mm lens enjoyable, and I'm satisfied with the three lenses I currently own: the CV 28/2 II, Leica 28/1.4 Lux, and Q2. Among them, the Voigtlander lens is the smallest in size, yet its performance is outstanding. On the other hand, the Brightin Star 28/2.8 lens is incredibly compact, but the sample images shared so far have left me somewhat disappointed. To achieve acceptable corner sharpness, the lens requires stopping down to f/11. I wonder how it compared to the APOQUALIA.
