well, i paid the same, euro is quite strong at the moment. Mine does not come with a hood but a customized adapter for 5D. Have bought 28mm/3.5 with a hood, guess i can use the same one.
I was going to get the Nikon 24D which is optically same as Ai-S 24, but the reviews on photozone didn't look good. In addition to what Tariq said, too much vignetting on even the crop frame and too much CA as well.
What about the Sigma 24mm f2.8 Super-Wide II? The build's kinda bleh, but the optics are excellent. And $250 should net you 2-3 examples in MF mounts (avoid the EOS version due to Sigma Brain Damage, firmware issues are guaranteed with any EOS DSLR).
justruss wrote:
I currently have 1 multicoated Oly 24 f/2.8 and one single-coated Oly 24 f/2.8. My multicoated copy is sharp wide open, whereas my single-coated copy is OK and needs 2 clicks to get really sharp. The MC also handles flare much better.
I love the Oly so much that my 35L has been sitting in the bag unused.
Same, my hand always seems to go past the 35L and reach for my zuiko 24/2.8
I only use the 35L these days for flash photography.
prashant wrote:
well, i paid the same, euro is quite strong at the moment. Mine does not come with a hood but a customized adapter for 5D. Have bought 28mm/3.5 with a hood, guess i can use the same one.
Just received the newer copy of Zuiko 24, and I was wrong about the hood. It says 2.8/24 on it, not 28/24. I have a feeling you might get vignetting if you tried using the hood off of your 28/3.5 on this.
Reflections on this newer 24 are shades of purple/green as opposed to my old H.Zuiko 24 which are only purple/yellow (under warm white light). So I guess I managed to score a MC version.
Comparison tests to follow when I get a chance to get out.
did you consider the Zeiss 25/2.8? I love mine. I have a Canon 24 TSE and although this is the benchmark for absolutely nothing i will say htat the 25 is all over it.
Here is a slightly corrected list of jcolwell's serial numbers for the Zuiko 24/2.8:
100,080 to 101,920: can be either "H.ZUIKO" = single coated, or "ZUIKO MC", multicoated; Olympus seems to have reset its numbering to 100,000 when introducing the MC version, but after ca. 101,920 jumped back to where the SC numbers finished.
101,925 to 130,750 H.ZUIKO single coated, chrome front, though a few black front lenses are found from 120,000 on
131,300 to 180,408 H. ZUIKO single coated, black front
180,500 to 193,200 ZUIKO MC AUTO-W 1:2,8 f=24mm sn;
I don't think that 189,782 is marked "ZUIKO" only as claimed in jcolwell's list
195,700 to 225,160 OLYMPUS OM-SYSTEM ZUIKO AUTO-W 24mm 1:2.8 sn Japan; the last lenses were probably produced in April 2003, but might have been sold mostly in Japan (= hard to find).
I purchased several copies of the Olympus 24mm f2.8, both with H.Zuiko markings, and both were pretty ugly in the corners, possibly due to many years of abuse. I didn't have the patience to search around for a late model MC version, so I took a chance on an Oly 24mm f2, and it has been outstanding.
I know this thread is about $250 lenses, but has anyone had a positive experience with any of the Leica R 24's? I'm really captivated with the color of my Leica R 28. I believe the 24s are a Minolta design which shouldn't be bad in and of itself.
