New Member Registered: June, 2017 Posts: 15 | | Review Date: January 27, 2023 | Recommended | Price: $17.33
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp F5.6 to 11 - as good as any, colour | | Cons: | edges and contrast sofetr F2.8- 4 | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 4
Handling: 9
Value: 9
Camera Used: APS and 35mm film
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This Cosina is available as branded as a VIVITAR - with a serial number starting 9......
It is small, mechanically good, and has a 5-blade aperture.
As with all the "amateur" wide-angles of its day the lack of aspheric and floating elements means there is some CA in the corners when the aperture is wide open and that very close focusing is limited - while the corners are softer with lower contrast below f5.6.
By F5.6 it is as good as any wide that I have tried from the 35mm film era. I especially like the colour rendition of greens while flare control is surprisingly good. It also takes a polarising filter without vignetting. It is as good as my SMC Pentax.
My usual caveat for film-era wide angles used in the digital era stands -
- The rear element of most wideangle designs is very close to the sensor so any optical problems get amplified.
- This is especially true of haze from vaporised lubricants from the aperture mechanics and focusing helicoid.
- Near every one of my wides has seen a big jump in image quality on unscrewing the rear elements and giving them a clean with 100% ethanol to dissolve oily residue.
- this is usually a much easier repair task than trying to get into the front element region.
New >24MP digital era wides are large, heavy and very expensive - for all those floating and aspheric elements - all of which makes them better performers at wide apertures, for sure. However, given how easy it is to focus a manual wide-angle at f5.6 - f8, these lenses are a bargain in comparison. For example - it is Cosina who makes the new Voigtlander Color-Skopar 28mm F2.8 launched 2021 that costs $600. How much added value is that over my 2023 buy at $17.33 USD (including postal costs).
On an APS crop digital these 28's become a sort of "40mm equivalent" lens - making them a great compact and affordable prime manual focus "standard lens".
Focus confirmation "aids" in APS DSLRs can be helpful with this lens - but I often have to fiind a high-contrast area to use as a target; which is much the same as with split-image and microprism focus aids in film cameras. I have no such trouble with telephotos as the subject tends to "snap" into place. On the other hand - with a 28mm you can just set f8 and "zone focus" !
This lens also makes a surprisingly good "standard lens" on micro 4/3. I use a telephoto size metal lens hood to cut back veiling flare from the internal reflections from the "redundant" 75% of the peripheral glass that is "cropped out" of the M4/3 sensor area - and this means you get good central resolution, colour and contrast even at f2.8. I find this a better experience, both in handling and in image quality than the new Chinese 25mm MFT lenses from the likes of Meike and 7-Artisans.
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New Member Registered: July, 2014 Posts: 2 | | Review Date: April 27, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $20.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Very sharp | | Cons: | Focus ring a little stuck but usable | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-500
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Very good build quality.
Bought on ebay and still came with the original box and filter UV.
F2:8
F:5.6
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New Member Registered: November, 2013 Posts: 14
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 5, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $35.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | very sharp lens | | Cons: | very few CA's in the corners wide open | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: kx-x,k-5,k200,sfx,mz10 etc
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even with a 5/7 tele-converter enormous sharp at f8.
suitable for cose-up photos, too
somewhat weak in the corners wide open, disappers when stopped down a few
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Senior Member Registered: June, 2009 Location: Finland, Kotka Posts: 183
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 18, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $10.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Quite fast | | Cons: | Not the sharpest lens | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 8
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Not the sharpest 28mm but usefull for landscapes.
Good build quality.
Snow and Ice by LeGuillotine, on Flickr
This can't be so rare that I have to add lens to database and make the review too  | |
