Affordable wide angle lens?

Paragon · 12-29-2021, 02:42 AM

Hi and happy holidays!

I am using a Lumix G7 and it's great, however, I'd love to have a wider lens that will act as a 50mm with this crop factor.
Are there any modern or vintage lenses than can be had for a reasonable amount? Between 20mm and 38mm should be fine for my usage.

Thank you in advance!

Edit for more details:

My most used lens for daily stuff is the Helios 44m-4, even though I have a Canon FD 50mm f1.8, I find myself using the Helios a lot.

**Serkevan** · 12-29-2021, 02:59 AM

You should have several options. You can go for the classic 35mm lenses - there are plenty in different speeds and I got an old Porst 35/2.8 for like 20€ a couple years ago. Then, the 28mm and 24mm classics also fit the bill... The Pentax 28/2.8 should be reasonably inexpensive and it is pretty good. The Cosina 28 and 24mm lenses are also quite decent, same goes for the Tokina and the Tamron adaptalls.

**Stefan Jr** · 12-29-2021, 03:37 AM

Answer: Carl Zeiss Jena DDR MC Flektogon 35mm f2.4

Affordable, collectable (will not drop in value), variable (superb MFD), takes 49mm filters, small and light.

**BigMackCam** · 12-29-2021, 03:53 AM - **1 Like**

28mm is a very common focal length in film era wide-angle lenses, and there's a huge choice, many of them inexpensive. I've a soft spot for the Tokina RMC 28mm f/2.8, which you'll find in several variants with 49 or 52mm filter ring diameter and minimum aperture of f/16 or f/22. They obviously don't perform as well as very modern designs, but they produce decent contrast and colours, and they're sharp enough. Nice little lenses, and they can be bought cheaply...

Last edited by BigMackCam; 12-29-2021 at 04:07 AM.

Paragon · 12-29-2021, 04:13 AM

Originally posted by Stefan Jr

Answer: Carl Zeiss Jena DDR MC Flektogon 35mm f2.4

Affordable, collectable (will not drop in value), variable (superb MFD), takes 49mm filters, small and light.

The Zeiss is everything but affordable, especially in EU. But I will look for one in a questionable state to see if it can be fixed. Thank you for the recommendation!

---------- Post added 12-29-21 at 04:23 AM ----------

Originally posted by BigMackCam

28mm is a very common focal length in film era wide-angle lenses, and there's a huge choice, many of them inexpensive. I've a soft spot for the Tokina RMC 28mm f/2.8, which you'll find in several variants with 49 or 52mm filter ring diameter and minimum aperture of f/16 or f/22. They obviously don't perform as well as very modern designs, but they produce decent contrast and colours, and they're sharp enough. Nice little lenses, and they can be bought cheaply...

I forgot about the Tokina lenses, thanks!
I will have to shop around for a decent mount, a lot of them in my area are using the Konica mount, and some have been badly converted to M42.

---------- Post added 12-29-21 at 04:26 AM ----------

Originally posted by Serkevan

You should have several options. You can go for the classic 35mm lenses - there are plenty in different speeds and I got an old Porst 35/2.8 for like 20€ a couple years ago. Then, the 28mm and 24mm classics also fit the bill... The Pentax 28/2.8 should be reasonably inexpensive and it is pretty good. The Cosina 28 and 24mm lenses are also quite decent, same goes for the Tokina and the Tamron adaptalls.

The Pentax looks to be the most common one. The Tokina and Tamron for some reason are more expensive than the Soviet MIR lenses.

**BigMackCam** · 12-29-2021, 04:36 AM

Originally posted by Paragon

I forgot about the Tokina lenses, thanks!
I will have to shop around for a decent mount, a lot of them in my area are using the Konica mount, and some have been badly converted to M42.

There's a few K-mount versions on eBay UK right now, a couple of them under GBP £30. If you're patient, you should find one cheaper still. I seem to remember paying about GBP £20 for mine (I have two), but that was a few years ago...

Originally posted by Paragon

The Tokina and Tamron for some reason are more expensive than the Soviet MIR lenses.

Just a note on the MIRs... I collect Soviet lenses, and I wouldn't recommend the MIR-10 3.5/28 or MIR-1V/B 2.8/37... the MIR-10 has poor contrast, especially without a hood (but even with), while the MIR-1V/B just isn't that sharp - at least, the copies I tried weren't. They were OK... but nothing to write home about. The early MIR-1 (no V or B suffix) "Grand Prix" Brussels is excellent, but finding a good one at a sensible price will be a challenge. The MIR-24 2/35 is very good too, but not worth the expense unless you're a collector, IMHO...

Fogel70 · 12-29-2021, 04:54 AM

In general modern mft lens will be better and cheaper than most old vintage UWA lenses.
A used copy of Panasonic 20/1.7 or 25/1.7 would not be that expensive.

Or manual focus mft lenses like 7artisans 25mm f/1.8 or 35mm f/1.2.
They are also faster and lighter than old vintage lenses

Last edited by Fogel70; 12-29-2021 at 05:13 AM.

**Stefan Jr** · 12-29-2021, 05:07 AM

Originally posted by Paragon

The Zeiss is everything but affordable, especially in EU. But I will look for one in a questionable state to see if it can be fixed. Thank you for the recommendation!

First - you wrote "affordable", not "dirt cheap".

Second, sit cool and wait and you find a good Flektagon 35/2.4 for 180-200 euro. You can use it with sense for 5 years, and then sell it for 250 euro. How is that not affordable?

Paragon · 12-29-2021, 05:19 AM

Originally posted by Fogel70

In general modern mft lens will be better and cheaper than most old vintage UWA lenses.
A used copy of Panasonic 20/1.7 or 25/1.7 would not be that expensive.

Or manual focus mft lenses like 7artisans 25mm f/1.8 or 35mm f/1.2.
They are also faster and lighter than old vintage lenses

I do consider the 7artisans 25mm f/1.8, but I've never used any of their lenses. How are they sharpness wise?

---------- Post added 12-29-21 at 05:23 AM ----------

Originally posted by BigMackCam

There's a few K-mount versions on eBay UK right now, a couple of them under GBP £30. If you're patient, you should find one cheaper still. I seem to remember paying about GBP £20 for mine (I have two), but that was a few years ago...

Just a note on the MIRs... I collect Soviet lenses, and I wouldn't recommend the MIR-10 3.5/28 or MIR-1V/B 2.8/37... the MIR-10 has poor contrast, especially without a hood (but even with), while the MIR-1V/B just isn't that sharp - at least, the copies I tried weren't. They were OK... but nothing to write home about. The early MIR-1 (no V or B suffix) "Grand Prix" Brussels is excellent, but finding a good one at a sensible price will be a challenge. The MIR-24 2/35 is very good too, but not worth the expense unless you're a collector, IMHO...

Too bad to hear about the MIRs, it looks like they are the same type of lenses sharpness wise as the Jupiter 9 and 8 lenses. They look good on your camera, but honestly, if they can't be sharper than a Helios 44m-4 that I've got for 3 USD, then it's a fail.

**BigMackCam** · 12-29-2021, 05:32 AM

Originally posted by Paragon

Too bad to hear about the MIRs, it looks like they are the same type of lenses sharpness wise as the Jupiter 9 and 8 lenses. They look good on your camera, but honestly, if they can't be sharper than a Helios 44m-4 that I've got for 3 USD, then it's a fail.

A "good" MIR-1 Grand Prix Brussels is an excellent lens of its vintage, and the MIR-24 is very good - but both are priced for collectors, and don't offer value for money in terms of performance. Earlier Jupiter-9 lenses are also excellent, and my Jupiter-8 performs well too... so if your experience of those wasn't positive, it may be they were later versions, not in good optical condition or messed around with.

The 44M-4 is a good lens, especially the MC version... but there are numerous other Soviet lenses that perform as well or better.

**Serkevan** · 12-29-2021, 05:33 AM

Maybe the Panasonic 25/1.7 would fit the bill as well - it could be had for about 100€

Originally posted by Stefan Jr

First - you wrote "affordable", not "dirt cheap".

Second - a good Flektagon 35/2.4 go for 180-200 euro. You can use it for 5 years, then sell it for 250 euro. How is not that affordable?

Over and out!

While it isn't quite what I'd call expensive (though I'm seeing those more at 220-230€), "affordable" isn't the same for everyone

. "Dirt cheap" for me is anywhere around 15-30€, with "affordable" at less than 150€. Anything above that and I'd start considering.

Paragon · 12-29-2021, 05:40 AM

Originally posted by BigMackCam

A "good" MIR-1 Grand Prix Brussels is an excellent lens of its vintage, and the MIR-24 is very good - but both are priced for collectors, and don't offer value for money in terms of performance. Earlier Jupiter-9 lenses are also excellent, and my Jupiter-8 performs well too... so if your experience of those wasn't positive, it may be they were later versions, not in good optical condition or messed around with.

The 44M-4 is a good lens, especially the MC version... but there are numerous other Soviet lenses that perform as well or better.

I don't think that the one I have is the MC variant, but it's good enough for 3 USD. It has plenty of scratches but above F2 is very sharp even though the contrast is lacking in many cases. However, low contrast and weak colors I can fix later.

---------- Post added 12-29-21 at 05:42 AM ----------

Originally posted by Serkevan

Maybe the Panasonic 25/1.7 would fit the bill as well - it could be had for about 100€

While it isn't quite what I'd call expensive (though I'm seeing those more at 220-230€), "affordable" isn't the same for everyone

. "Dirt cheap" for me is anywhere around 15-30€, with "affordable" at less than 150€. Anything above that and I'd start considering.

I respect the Zeiss lenses but above 200 EUR I can just as easily find a good used modern lens with image stabilization and auto focus among other things.

wadge22 · 12-29-2021, 06:39 AM

Auto 110 24 2.8, possibly? It would mean buying a new adapter, I assume. It also doesn't have an iris in the lens. I'm not sure whether available adapters include one (or even whether they feasibly could). Pretty sure the image circle is perfect for m4/3, both have 2x crop factor. There is also the 20-40 zoom, although I don't think it's much of a performer.

**UncleVanya** · 12-29-2021, 07:26 AM

Originally posted by Paragon

Hi and happy holidays!

I am using a Lumix G7 and it's great, however, I'd love to have a wider lens that will act as a 50mm with this crop factor.
Are there any modern or vintage lenses than can be had for a reasonable amount? Between 20mm and 38mm should be fine for my usage.

I’m selling my m43 gear and one of the items is my Panasonic 20mm f1.7 which I think I’ve priced well, but I’ve limited sales to the USA. I’m saying this not to sell it but to suggest it as an excellent lens that is affordable in the range you mention. The 25 f1.7 and Olympus 25 f1.8 are also good options.

As to the seven artisans lens… maybe not: https://alikgriffin.com/7artisans-25mm-f1-8-review-sample-photos/

kypfer · 12-29-2021, 07:27 AM

The Tamron Adaptall-2 28mm f/2.5 is probably as good as any in its class, if slightly bulkier/heavier, and has the advantage of effectively being available in a wide range of mounts, so should be useable on most any adaptor you already have

Similarly for the Adaptall-2 24mm, though these usually fetch a higher price.

12-29-2021, 02:42 AM	#1
Paragon Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2021 Posts: 60	Affordable wide angle lens? Hi and happy holidays! I am using a Lumix G7 and it's great, however, I'd love to have a wider lens that will act as a 50mm with this crop factor. Are there any modern or vintage lenses than can be had for a reasonable amount? Between 20mm and 38mm should be fine for my usage. Thank you in advance! Edit for more details: My most used lens for daily stuff is the Helios 44m-4, even though I have a Canon FD 50mm f1.8, I find myself using the Helios a lot.

12-29-2021, 04:36 AM	#6
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,669	Originally posted by Paragon I forgot about the Tokina lenses, thanks! I will have to shop around for a decent mount, a lot of them in my area are using the Konica mount, and some have been badly converted to M42. There's a few K-mount versions on eBay UK right now, a couple of them under GBP £30. If you're patient, you should find one cheaper still. I seem to remember paying about GBP £20 for mine (I have two), but that was a few years ago... Originally posted by Paragon The Tokina and Tamron for some reason are more expensive than the Soviet MIR lenses. Just a note on the MIRs... I collect Soviet lenses, and I wouldn't recommend the MIR-10 3.5/28 or MIR-1V/B 2.8/37... the MIR-10 has poor contrast, especially without a hood (but even with), while the MIR-1V/B just isn't that sharp - at least, the copies I tried weren't. They were OK... but nothing to write home about. The early MIR-1 (no V or B suffix) "Grand Prix" Brussels is excellent, but finding a good one at a sensible price will be a challenge. The MIR-24 2/35 is very good too, but not worth the expense unless you're a collector, IMHO... Last edited by BigMackCam; 12-29-2021 at 04:56 AM.

12-29-2021, 05:07 AM	#8
Stefan Jr Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Sweden Posts: 338	Originally posted by Paragon The Zeiss is everything but affordable, especially in EU. But I will look for one in a questionable state to see if it can be fixed. Thank you for the recommendation! First - you wrote "affordable", not "dirt cheap". Second, sit cool and wait and you find a good Flektagon 35/2.4 for 180-200 euro. You can use it with sense for 5 years, and then sell it for 250 euro. How is that not affordable? Last edited by Stefan Jr; 12-29-2021 at 05:36 AM. Reason: grammar / meaning

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
New to DSLRs and am looking for suggestions on an affordable wide-angle prime lens	avoir	Troubleshooting and Beginner Help	29	05-05-2016 12:20 AM
Affordable aspherical wide-angle for a K5?	torontoem4o	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	18	10-15-2013 05:39 PM
Most affordable wide-angle lens for a beginner?	Fat Albert	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	20	08-02-2013 12:06 PM
Affordable wide angle?	Raptorman	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	38	12-06-2009 04:51 PM

12-29-2021, 02:59 AM	#2
Serkevan Site Supporter Join Date: May 2019 Photos: Albums Posts: 5,976	You should have several options. You can go for the classic 35mm lenses - there are plenty in different speeds and I got an old Porst 35/2.8 for like 20€ a couple years ago. Then, the 28mm and 24mm classics also fit the bill... The Pentax 28/2.8 should be reasonably inexpensive and it is pretty good. The Cosina 28 and 24mm lenses are also quite decent, same goes for the Tokina and the Tamron adaptalls.

12-29-2021, 03:37 AM	#3
Stefan Jr Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Sweden Posts: 338	Answer: Carl Zeiss Jena DDR MC Flektogon 35mm f2.4 Affordable, collectable (will not drop in value), variable (superb MFD), takes 49mm filters, small and light.

12-29-2021, 03:53 AM - 1 Like	#4
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,669	28mm is a very common focal length in film era wide-angle lenses, and there's a huge choice, many of them inexpensive. I've a soft spot for the Tokina RMC 28mm f/2.8, which you'll find in several variants with 49 or 52mm filter ring diameter and minimum aperture of f/16 or f/22. They obviously don't perform as well as very modern designs, but they produce decent contrast and colours, and they're sharp enough. Nice little lenses, and they can be bought cheaply... Last edited by BigMackCam; 12-29-2021 at 04:07 AM.

12-29-2021, 04:13 AM	#5
Paragon Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2021 Posts: 60 Original Poster	Originally posted by Stefan Jr Answer: Carl Zeiss Jena DDR MC Flektogon 35mm f2.4 Affordable, collectable (will not drop in value), variable (superb MFD), takes 49mm filters, small and light. The Zeiss is everything but affordable, especially in EU. But I will look for one in a questionable state to see if it can be fixed. Thank you for the recommendation! ---------- Post added 12-29-21 at 04:23 AM ---------- Originally posted by BigMackCam 28mm is a very common focal length in film era wide-angle lenses, and there's a huge choice, many of them inexpensive. I've a soft spot for the Tokina RMC 28mm f/2.8, which you'll find in several variants with 49 or 52mm filter ring diameter and minimum aperture of f/16 or f/22. They obviously don't perform as well as very modern designs, but they produce decent contrast and colours, and they're sharp enough. Nice little lenses, and they can be bought cheaply... I forgot about the Tokina lenses, thanks! I will have to shop around for a decent mount, a lot of them in my area are using the Konica mount, and some have been badly converted to M42. ---------- Post added 12-29-21 at 04:26 AM ---------- Originally posted by Serkevan You should have several options. You can go for the classic 35mm lenses - there are plenty in different speeds and I got an old Porst 35/2.8 for like 20€ a couple years ago. Then, the 28mm and 24mm classics also fit the bill... The Pentax 28/2.8 should be reasonably inexpensive and it is pretty good. The Cosina 28 and 24mm lenses are also quite decent, same goes for the Tokina and the Tamron adaptalls. The Pentax looks to be the most common one. The Tokina and Tamron for some reason are more expensive than the Soviet MIR lenses.

12-29-2021, 04:54 AM	#7
Fogel70 Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Photos: Albums Posts: 3,062	In general modern mft lens will be better and cheaper than most old vintage UWA lenses. A used copy of Panasonic 20/1.7 or 25/1.7 would not be that expensive. Or manual focus mft lenses like 7artisans 25mm f/1.8 or 35mm f/1.2. They are also faster and lighter than old vintage lenses Last edited by Fogel70; 12-29-2021 at 05:13 AM.

12-29-2021, 05:19 AM	#9
Paragon Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2021 Posts: 60 Original Poster	Originally posted by Fogel70 In general modern mft lens will be better and cheaper than most old vintage UWA lenses. A used copy of Panasonic 20/1.7 or 25/1.7 would not be that expensive. Or manual focus mft lenses like 7artisans 25mm f/1.8 or 35mm f/1.2. They are also faster and lighter than old vintage lenses I do consider the 7artisans 25mm f/1.8, but I've never used any of their lenses. How are they sharpness wise? ---------- Post added 12-29-21 at 05:23 AM ---------- Originally posted by BigMackCam There's a few K-mount versions on eBay UK right now, a couple of them under GBP £30. If you're patient, you should find one cheaper still. I seem to remember paying about GBP £20 for mine (I have two), but that was a few years ago... Just a note on the MIRs... I collect Soviet lenses, and I wouldn't recommend the MIR-10 3.5/28 or MIR-1V/B 2.8/37... the MIR-10 has poor contrast, especially without a hood (but even with), while the MIR-1V/B just isn't that sharp - at least, the copies I tried weren't. They were OK... but nothing to write home about. The early MIR-1 (no V or B suffix) "Grand Prix" Brussels is excellent, but finding a good one at a sensible price will be a challenge. The MIR-24 2/35 is very good too, but not worth the expense unless you're a collector, IMHO... Too bad to hear about the MIRs, it looks like they are the same type of lenses sharpness wise as the Jupiter 9 and 8 lenses. They look good on your camera, but honestly, if they can't be sharper than a Helios 44m-4 that I've got for 3 USD, then it's a fail.

12-29-2021, 05:32 AM	#10
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,669	Originally posted by Paragon Too bad to hear about the MIRs, it looks like they are the same type of lenses sharpness wise as the Jupiter 9 and 8 lenses. They look good on your camera, but honestly, if they can't be sharper than a Helios 44m-4 that I've got for 3 USD, then it's a fail. A "good" MIR-1 Grand Prix Brussels is an excellent lens of its vintage, and the MIR-24 is very good - but both are priced for collectors, and don't offer value for money in terms of performance. Earlier Jupiter-9 lenses are also excellent, and my Jupiter-8 performs well too... so if your experience of those wasn't positive, it may be they were later versions, not in good optical condition or messed around with. The 44M-4 is a good lens, especially the MC version... but there are numerous other Soviet lenses that perform as well or better.

12-29-2021, 05:33 AM	#11
Serkevan Site Supporter Join Date: May 2019 Photos: Albums Posts: 5,976	Maybe the Panasonic 25/1.7 would fit the bill as well - it could be had for about 100€ Originally posted by Stefan Jr First - you wrote "affordable", not "dirt cheap". Second - a good Flektagon 35/2.4 go for 180-200 euro. You can use it for 5 years, then sell it for 250 euro. How is not that affordable? Over and out! While it isn't quite what I'd call expensive (though I'm seeing those more at 220-230€), "affordable" isn't the same for everyone . "Dirt cheap" for me is anywhere around 15-30€, with "affordable" at less than 150€. Anything above that and I'd start considering.

12-29-2021, 05:40 AM	#12
Paragon Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2021 Posts: 60 Original Poster	Originally posted by BigMackCam A "good" MIR-1 Grand Prix Brussels is an excellent lens of its vintage, and the MIR-24 is very good - but both are priced for collectors, and don't offer value for money in terms of performance. Earlier Jupiter-9 lenses are also excellent, and my Jupiter-8 performs well too... so if your experience of those wasn't positive, it may be they were later versions, not in good optical condition or messed around with. The 44M-4 is a good lens, especially the MC version... but there are numerous other Soviet lenses that perform as well or better. I don't think that the one I have is the MC variant, but it's good enough for 3 USD. It has plenty of scratches but above F2 is very sharp even though the contrast is lacking in many cases. However, low contrast and weak colors I can fix later. ---------- Post added 12-29-21 at 05:42 AM ---------- Originally posted by Serkevan Maybe the Panasonic 25/1.7 would fit the bill as well - it could be had for about 100€ While it isn't quite what I'd call expensive (though I'm seeing those more at 220-230€), "affordable" isn't the same for everyone . "Dirt cheap" for me is anywhere around 15-30€, with "affordable" at less than 150€. Anything above that and I'd start considering. I respect the Zeiss lenses but above 200 EUR I can just as easily find a good used modern lens with image stabilization and auto focus among other things.

12-29-2021, 06:39 AM	#13
wadge22 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: NE Ohio Photos: Albums Posts: 897	Auto 110 24 2.8, possibly? It would mean buying a new adapter, I assume. It also doesn't have an iris in the lens. I'm not sure whether available adapters include one (or even whether they feasibly could). Pretty sure the image circle is perfect for m4/3, both have 2x crop factor. There is also the 20-40 zoom, although I don't think it's much of a performer.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

12-29-2021, 07:26 AM	#14
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,400	Originally posted by Paragon Hi and happy holidays! I am using a Lumix G7 and it's great, however, I'd love to have a wider lens that will act as a 50mm with this crop factor. Are there any modern or vintage lenses than can be had for a reasonable amount? Between 20mm and 38mm should be fine for my usage. I’m selling my m43 gear and one of the items is my Panasonic 20mm f1.7 which I think I’ve priced well, but I’ve limited sales to the USA. I’m saying this not to sell it but to suggest it as an excellent lens that is affordable in the range you mention. The 25 f1.7 and Olympus 25 f1.8 are also good options. As to the seven artisans lens… maybe not: https://alikgriffin.com/7artisans-25mm-f1-8-review-sample-photos/

12-29-2021, 07:27 AM	#15
kypfer Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Jersey C.I. Posts: 3,592	The Tamron Adaptall-2 28mm f/2.5 is probably as good as any in its class, if slightly bulkier/heavier, and has the advantage of effectively being available in a wide range of mounts, so should be useable on most any adaptor you already have Similarly for the Adaptall-2 24mm, though these usually fetch a higher price.