K-mount/M42 Wide Angle Primes

[airconvent]

Hi all
Starting a thread on wide angle primes, so we can discuss on their virtues and weaknesses.
I'm talking about lenses 21-30mm range.

I just bought a Vivitar 28mm f/2.8 Macro lens from Cash Converters Toa Payoh. They had 2 units selling at $75 and I bought one of them. Took some test shots and will upload later. In the meantime, you can see some of other people' s photos here :

http://www.pbase.com/cameras/vivitar/28_28

In the meantime, the lens condition is good and this is my first manual prime lens.
I had some problems using it at first but thanks to Feng wei who clarified on the characteristics of an "A" lens. I confirmed that the K100D (as well as istD series) version of the K10D "green" button is the end position of the on-off switch.

Anyone has any opinion of this lens of Sigma origin ? Does this lens use radioactive elements and does it turn yellow with age?
The box indicated it as made in 1990!

 

[southernoise]

I've used some Vivitar lens during my Olympus OM days. Decent lah.

 

[alvinsclee]

I read in many forum opinions that the older version of Vivitar Series-1 lenses are good. I am on the lookout for them too

 

[TrailSeeker]

Do Cash Converters sell different screw lens?

 

[TrailSeeker]

alvin.. can you post some macro shots?

 

[Zenten]

Hi all
Starting a thread on wide angle primes, so we can discuss on their virtues and weaknesses.
I'm talking about lenses 21-30mm range.

I just bought a Vivitar 28mm f/2.8 Macro lens from Cash Converters Toa Payoh. They had 2 units selling at $75 and I bought one of them. Took some test shots and will upload later. In the meantime, you can see some of other people' s photos here :

http://www.pbase.com/cameras/vivitar/28_28

In the meantime, the lens condition is good and this is my first manual prime lens.
I had some problems using it at first but thanks to Feng wei who clarified on the characteristics of an "A" lens. I confirmed that the K100D (as well as istD series) version of the K10D "green" button is the end position of the on-off switch.

Anyone has any opinion of this lens of Sigma origin ? Does this lens use radioactive elements and does it turn yellow with age?
The box indicated it as made in 1990!

Will the radio-active lenses hurt the sensor?:think:

 

[TrailSeeker]

@alvinsclee
Bro, where is the sample pic?

 

[alvinsclee]

@TrailSeeker
Alvin (alvinsclee) to Alvin (TrialSeeker)
I did not shoot macro... but did use 30mm Pentacon M42 lens for a sunset view. Will post the pics on the other M42 thread as soon as I've got the photos sorted out (took lots of photos in Myanmar... some good, some disastrous... I was simply playing with all kinds of settings on my K100D to see what effects I would get)

 

[TrailSeeker]

Do the macro features is good? for these prime lens?

 

[airconvent]

Hi
Have attached some early images here from the Vivitar 28mm f/2.8 Macro..
Intentionally chose some bad ones to seek your advice as to how to improve on them.
My concern is sharpness and focus. I also noticed some chromatic abberation too.

Thanks

In the shop:

Chromatic Abberation in this one.

 

[airconvent]

and one more....I tried several attempts but simply can't get the focus correct. I used f/2.8 as well as autopic mode...

 

[TrailSeeker]

try it on f3.0 maybe you can get a good focus..

 

[southernoise]

i don't see any CA on the one that you say that have CA.

i only see it as exposing the foreground therefore overexposing the sky.

For manual focus lens.... it really helps to get a split prism.

 

[airconvent]

i don't see any CA on the one that you say that have CA.

i only see it as exposing the foreground therefore overexposing the sky.

For manual focus lens.... it really helps to get a split prism.

if you zoom into the edge between the statue and the sky, you will notice the bluish tinge...that's CA. For ED lenses, this would be further reduced...of course you normally not notice it in general but I was nitpicking here...

 

[airconvent]

mmm.
what do you all think of these wide angle prime lenses :

28mm - Good price. Fast lens.
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3282&navigator=4

24mm - No price. Fast lens.
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3281&navigator=4

30mm f/1.4 AP selling around $900. HSM motor!
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3300&navigator=6

 

[seafone]

mmm.
what do you all think of these wide angle prime lenses :

28mm - Good price. Fast lens.
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3282&navigator=4

24mm - No price. Fast lens.
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3281&navigator=4

30mm f/1.4 AP selling around $900. HSM motor!
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3300&navigator=6

All three lenses looks interesting to me. I like the 24mm perspective in 35 equv. That 24mm will sit nicely for urban city landscape when use on film body. The 24mm perspective give a really different 'look' yet still 'normal' to our eye.

I am looking around for a 16mm AF prime to go with digital body. Anyone know any good one out there?

DA14 is little too wide, while DA21 is little too slow... so which lens maker has the fast 16mm AF prime that aren't fish?

 

[snapnut]

All three lenses looks interesting to me. I like the 24mm perspective in 35 equv. That 24mm will sit nicely for urban city landscape when use on film body. The 24mm perspective give a really different 'look' yet still 'normal' to our eye.

I am looking around for a 16mm AF prime to go with digital body. Anyone know any good one out there?

DA14 is little too wide, while DA21 is little too slow... so which lens maker has the fast 16mm AF prime that aren't fish?

Not sure if it has been brought up before.... there is this Zenitar 16mm f/2.8
It is manual and fisheye. But it is fast and it is cheap... ~USD$120 +$30 for delivery.
http://www.baltimorecameraclub.org/HTML/Zenitar_fisheye.html
DSLR 1.5X crop lessen the fisheye effect.

Anyone has tried this lens ? Is it good ? :dunno:

 

[seafone]

Not sure if it has been brought up before.... there is this Zenitar 16mm f/2.8
It is manual and fisheye. But it is fast and it is cheap... ~USD$120 +$30 for delivery.
http://www.baltimorecameraclub.org/HTML/Zenitar_fisheye.html
DSLR 1.5X crop lessen the fisheye effect.

Anyone has tried this lens ? Is it good ? :dunno:

Yes, I have the Zenitar 16mm/2.8. It is a very sharp fisheye for that kind of price to pay. I find that it is sharper than Peleng 8mm. The only thing is it is still little 'fish' when use on dSLR at 1.5x crop.

Here are two example taken handheld with Zenitar;

and

Notice that it is still 'fishy'.... :think: so, where is the 'non-fishy' AF lens at 16mm?

 

[Keltzar]

CA is inherent in the lens design.
Not much you can do except avoid high contrast pics .

I've had good results with the CZJ Flektogon 20/2.8 MC on digicams.

The vivitar WA lenses are good value for what they cost... though not the most stellar. Look out for the 19/3.8 or 20/3.8 ... both are essentially the same lens.
They were S$190 new, 10 years ago. about S$150 used these days. Available in PK.

There is also the belorussian(?) Mir 20/2.5 ... a bit hit or miss with this one. A bit flarey... but capable of good results. Also in PK.

 

[phantasmal]

mmm.
what do you all think of these wide angle prime lenses :

28mm - Good price. Fast lens.
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3282&navigator=4

24mm - No price. Fast lens.
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3281&navigator=4

30mm f/1.4 AP selling around $900. HSM motor!
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3300&navigator=6

Think the 30/1.4 is interesting. Altho i would prefer Sigma's 20/1.8