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The reason to buy a 28mm lens

P

Paul Spinnler

Well-known member
Its my favorite focal length. It is also perfecto for architecture. You will not get too much distorted stuff on the sides (ie not too wide, like often the 24mm) and you can still do architecture if you step back.

For environmental or documentary work it is the way to go, I often feel the 35mm is too limiting.

That's why, across all my systems and lenses, the Leica S 35 is the best lens. Its 2.5, so extremely fast for medium format and sharp like a razor with barely vignetting.

Summilux 28 is as a result a biggie on my wish list.
 
P

Paul Spinnler

Well-known member
1704878694171.jpeg

Shot with the S3 and S35 – cropped in a little. 28mm equivalent is very flex.

My understanding is that Leica also chose this focal length for their Q series – which is the best stelling camera they have – for the reason of flexibility and acceptance. Most phones have an equivalent 28mm in 35mm terms FoV lens too.

Wide enough to capture everything, but not too wide as to make portraits look weird!

I'd say 80% of my S3 shots – 10k and counting – are with the 28mm equivalent for this reason.
 
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J

Jon Warwick

Member
Paul Spinnler said:
View attachment 209647

Shot with the S3 and S35 – cropped in a little. 28mm equivalent is very flex.

My understanding is that Leica also chose this focal length for their Q series – which is the best stelling camera they have – for the reason of flexibility and acceptance. Most phones have an equivalent 28mm in 35mm terms FoV lens too.

Wide enough to capture everything, but not too wide as to make portraits look weird!

I'd say 80% of my S3 shots – 10k and counting – are with the 28mm equivalent for this reason.
Click to expand...
I find that image very appealing. Did you do anything much in post, including correction to get the verticals upright?
 
P

Paul Spinnler

Well-known member
I find the 28mm the most useful documentary focal length; the 24mm is the one for the Masters. You really need to manage perspective and composition hard with the 24mm whereas with 28 and more so 35 you can get away with paying attention to finding a nice center subject. 28 is in between.
 
MGrayson

MGrayson

Subscriber and Workshop Member
PeterA said:
nice shot Matt
Click to expand...
Thank you, Peter.
Silver FX does a nice High Key. After a while, I learned to do it myself, but it was nice to have 50 different processing possibilities to mess around with. This was my rant against "High DR => All shadow detail must be visible!" which was the Sony Sensor rallying cry off the day. :LOL:

Matt
 
PeterA

PeterA

Well-known member
MGrayson said:
Thank you, Peter.
Silver FX does a nice High Key. After a while, I learned to do it myself, but it was nice to have 50 different processing possibilities to mess around with. This was my rant against "High DR => All shadow detail must be visible!" which was the Sony Sensor rallying cry off the day. :LOL:

Matt
Click to expand...
I like the chintzy frames one can get out of Silver Fx the most - even though I don't use them...:p
 
Photon42

Photon42

Well-known member
In the beginning, I could not really bond with 28. But since I purchased a Leica Q in 2015 (I think), I really started liking it a lot. Great combo with a 50 or 75. On a Leica rangefinder anyways usually (with the 0.72ish finders) the widest lens to use without any helpers.
 
PeterA

PeterA

Well-known member
My favourite focal length for walk-around shooting is 24mm - I found that 28 is not wide enough for a wide and tooshort for anything else - it was a tweener focal length for me - I don't know if 28 is better than 35mm - since I am naturally 'uncomfortable with both these focal lengths. Sorting through my last two years of shooting I see that I have gravitated towards 21/24 for walk-around stuff. I guess what I am saying is (as usual) it all depends on what a person is comfortable with and how they 'see' the world before they compose and make a shot.
 
iiiNelson

iiiNelson

Well-known member
I’ve loathed 28mm for awhile. I’ve tried to like it but it never felt wide enough for me nor close enough. I’m gonna give it one more go sooner and try to like it if I can’t love it. I’ve for 21-25mm to be the area I prefer for wide lenses to pair with a 35-55mm lens.
 
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Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
iiiNelson said:
I’ve loathed 28mm for awhile. I’ve tried to like it but it never felt wide enough for me nor close enough. I’m gonna give it one more go sooner and try to like it if I can’t love it. I’ve for 21-25mm to be the area I prefer for wife lenses to pair with a 35-55mm lens.
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I assume a "wife" lens is one your partner approves of? :). (My wife doesn't approve any of mine.....)
 
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