Sigma Mini-Wide 28mm query

kypfer · 10-26-2019, 09:55 AM

I see lots of "good things" written about the Sigma Mini-Wide 28mm and I'm considering ... "Do I need another 28mm m/f lens in my drawer?"

I have a Tamron 02B Adaptall-2 BBAR 28mm f/2.5 (with PKA adaptor), an SMC Pentax-M 28mm f/2.8 and a Fujinon EBC 28mm f/3.5 (screw-mount), plus a couple of other older lenses, am I likely to notice any advantage from the Sigma?

Comments from anyone who's used one or more of these lenses AND the Sigma will be appreciated

**pepperberry farm** · 10-26-2019, 10:03 AM

I've had, used, and sold both the Sigma Mini-Wide and the Tamron 02B 28mm lenses...

the Fujinon and the SMC-M 28mm lenses are better...

that being said, I am also not a fan of 28mm lenses and prefer 24mm...

**pres589** · 10-26-2019, 10:06 AM

I love a good 28 but I can't see a reason to go with that lens considering what you already have. I don't think the Mini-Wide is all that great; it's alright but it's nothing to crow about. I really like my M-series 28mm f2.8 mk2 (non-chromed snout) and I believe it's in another league beyond the Mini-Wide.

**luftfluss** · 10-26-2019, 10:43 AM

I've had a couple copies of the Sigma Mini-Wide and found good center sharpness and contrast and color but meh in the corners and poor flare resistance.

Like pepperberry farm I'm not a fan of 28mm on APS-C... but if I were a fan, I'd sell whatever Sigma or Tamron I had and just get the F 28/2.8.

kypfer · 10-26-2019, 02:31 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by pepperberry farm

I've had, used, and sold both the Sigma Mini-Wide and the Tamron 02B 28mm lenses...

the Fujinon and the SMC-M 28mm lenses are better...

that being said, I am also not a fan of 28mm lenses and prefer 24mm...

Originally posted by pres589

I love a good 28 but I can't see a reason to go with that lens considering what you already have. I don't think the Mini-Wide is all that great; it's alright but it's nothing to crow about. I really like my M-series 28mm f2.8 mk2 (non-chromed snout) and I believe it's in another league beyond the Mini-Wide.

Originally posted by luftfluss

I've had a couple copies of the Sigma Mini-Wide and found good center sharpness and contrast and color but meh in the corners and poor flare resistance.

Like pepperberry farm I'm not a fan of 28mm on APS-C... but if I were a fan, I'd sell whatever Sigma or Tamron I had and just get the F 28/2.8.

Thank you one and all for a seemingly unanimous conclusion ... I'll leave the Sigma (unless I find a really cheap one) and stick with what I've got

**clickclick** · 10-27-2019, 02:34 PM - **1 Like**

If you want to play with some older vintage glass, try the SMC Takumar 20 or 24. They can be found for not too much on eBay if you're patient.

niblue · 11-05-2019, 01:01 PM

I've got several 28mm lenses including the mini-wide. It's a nice little lens and handles well but I wouldn't put it above the SMC-M 28mm F2.8 - which I also have. If you wanted another 28mm then why not look for one of the Vivitar/Kiron F2 lenses instead?

kypfer · 11-05-2019, 03:35 PM

Originally posted by niblue

If you wanted another 28mm then why not look for one of the Vivitar/Kiron F2 lenses instead?

A 28mm f/2 is "on the shopping list", the Petri-branded example turns up quite often in the UK, but as yet I've not found one at a price I want to pay (cheap!) There's no rush, I only asked about the Sigma 'cos they seem to be readily available ... maybe because people aren't happy with them?

Lowell Goudge · 11-05-2019, 05:49 PM

I am not sure the mini wide and mini wide II are the same optics, but I bought a mini wide II because it is in KA mount, and found it suffers badly from lateral CA. However, if you have a lateral CA tool that does the correction based upon different magnification ratios for each of the three color layers, and apply this tool, the sharpness achieved is excellent. But this is a ton of Post processing that is a waste of time compared to the other lenses you have.

If I can find the link I did on the lens I will add it

Check the link to this thread. You can see examples of the mini wide and how to fix the issues.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/32-digital-processing-software-printing/...-software.html

Ronald Oakes · 11-05-2019, 07:48 PM

I loved the images Pepperberry Farms posted of the 02-B.
However after using it for a while I ended up selling it recently as I liked the K and A series lenses much better..

**pepperberry farm** · 11-05-2019, 08:45 PM

Originally posted by Ronald Oakes

I loved the images Pepperberry Farms posted of the 02-B.
However after using it for a while I ended up selling it recently as I liked the K and A series lenses much better..

thank you - I liked the 01B (and 01BB) much better, however....

I've found that I'm not much of a fan of the 28mm focal length...

10-26-2019, 09:55 AM	#1
kypfer Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Jersey C.I. Posts: 852	Sigma Mini-Wide 28mm query I see lots of "good things" written about the Sigma Mini-Wide 28mm and I'm considering ... "Do I need another 28mm m/f lens in my drawer?" I have a Tamron 02B Adaptall-2 BBAR 28mm f/2.5 (with PKA adaptor), an SMC Pentax-M 28mm f/2.8 and a Fujinon EBC 28mm f/3.5 (screw-mount), plus a couple of other older lenses, am I likely to notice any advantage from the Sigma? Comments from anyone who's used one or more of these lenses AND the Sigma will be appreciated

11-05-2019, 05:49 PM	#9
Lowell Goudge Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 16,437	I am not sure the mini wide and mini wide II are the same optics, but I bought a mini wide II because it is in KA mount, and found it suffers badly from lateral CA. However, if you have a lateral CA tool that does the correction based upon different magnification ratios for each of the three color layers, and apply this tool, the sharpness achieved is excellent. But this is a ton of Post processing that is a waste of time compared to the other lenses you have. If I can find the link I did on the lens I will add it Check the link to this thread. You can see examples of the mini wide and how to fix the issues. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/32-digital-processing-software-printing/...-software.html Last edited by Lowell Goudge; 11-05-2019 at 06:05 PM.

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10-26-2019, 10:03 AM	#2
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,385	I've had, used, and sold both the Sigma Mini-Wide and the Tamron 02B 28mm lenses... the Fujinon and the SMC-M 28mm lenses are better... that being said, I am also not a fan of 28mm lenses and prefer 24mm...

10-26-2019, 10:06 AM	#3
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Baltimore, MD Photos: Albums Posts: 3,402	I love a good 28 but I can't see a reason to go with that lens considering what you already have. I don't think the Mini-Wide is all that great; it's alright but it's nothing to crow about. I really like my M-series 28mm f2.8 mk2 (non-chromed snout) and I believe it's in another league beyond the Mini-Wide.

10-26-2019, 10:43 AM	#4
luftfluss Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,107	I've had a couple copies of the Sigma Mini-Wide and found good center sharpness and contrast and color but meh in the corners and poor flare resistance. Like pepperberry farm I'm not a fan of 28mm on APS-C... but if I were a fan, I'd sell whatever Sigma or Tamron I had and just get the F 28/2.8.

10-26-2019, 02:31 PM - 1 Like	#5
kypfer Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Jersey C.I. Posts: 852 Original Poster	Originally posted by pepperberry farm I've had, used, and sold both the Sigma Mini-Wide and the Tamron 02B 28mm lenses... the Fujinon and the SMC-M 28mm lenses are better... that being said, I am also not a fan of 28mm lenses and prefer 24mm... Originally posted by pres589 I love a good 28 but I can't see a reason to go with that lens considering what you already have. I don't think the Mini-Wide is all that great; it's alright but it's nothing to crow about. I really like my M-series 28mm f2.8 mk2 (non-chromed snout) and I believe it's in another league beyond the Mini-Wide. Originally posted by luftfluss I've had a couple copies of the Sigma Mini-Wide and found good center sharpness and contrast and color but meh in the corners and poor flare resistance. Like pepperberry farm I'm not a fan of 28mm on APS-C... but if I were a fan, I'd sell whatever Sigma or Tamron I had and just get the F 28/2.8. Thank you one and all for a seemingly unanimous conclusion ... I'll leave the Sigma (unless I find a really cheap one) and stick with what I've got

10-27-2019, 02:34 PM - 1 Like	#6
clickclick Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2016 Location: East Coast Posts: 2,547	If you want to play with some older vintage glass, try the SMC Takumar 20 or 24. They can be found for not too much on eBay if you're patient.

11-05-2019, 01:01 PM	#7
niblue Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 181	I've got several 28mm lenses including the mini-wide. It's a nice little lens and handles well but I wouldn't put it above the SMC-M 28mm F2.8 - which I also have. If you wanted another 28mm then why not look for one of the Vivitar/Kiron F2 lenses instead?

11-05-2019, 03:35 PM	#8
kypfer Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Jersey C.I. Posts: 852 Original Poster	Originally posted by niblue If you wanted another 28mm then why not look for one of the Vivitar/Kiron F2 lenses instead? A 28mm f/2 is "on the shopping list", the Petri-branded example turns up quite often in the UK, but as yet I've not found one at a price I want to pay (cheap!) There's no rush, I only asked about the Sigma 'cos they seem to be readily available ... maybe because people aren't happy with them?

11-05-2019, 07:48 PM	#10
Ronald Oakes Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,366	I loved the images Pepperberry Farms posted of the 02-B. However after using it for a while I ended up selling it recently as I liked the K and A series lenses much better..

11-05-2019, 08:45 PM	#11
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,385	Originally posted by Ronald Oakes I loved the images Pepperberry Farms posted of the 02-B. However after using it for a while I ended up selling it recently as I liked the K and A series lenses much better.. thank you - I liked the 01B (and 01BB) much better, however.... I've found that I'm not much of a fan of the 28mm focal length...

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