Nikon 28 f2.8 AIS vs others

<p>Wide angle wanted low in weight high in quality<br>

I've read great things about the 28mm AIS and wondered how it compared to the Voigtlander and the Zeiss 28mm on a D800E. The 16-35 is an outside option and scores on versatility but its weight and size are a disadvantage for world travel. I am guessing the 16-35 at 28 and an optimum aperture is as good or better than the others mentioned but its performance at 35 seems a let down. (If 35mm performance is poor then I wouldn't want it), if this is correct then its probably better to have a prime with manual focus and slow down a little but which one? </p>

<p>Have you considered the new 28mm f1.8 AFS?</p>

<p>Or the 'old' AF 28mm f2.8D Nikkor? I've never had issues with image quality with the lens I have had for several years.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I used to own a 28mm AI f/2.8, very sharp on film. I sold it before I got D800. I have 28mm AIS f/2 now. On D800, it is soft on corner until I step down to 5.6. On film, the problem isn't as apparent. Here is one of the review I can find on Voigtlander 28mm.<br>

<a href="http://blog.mingthein.com/2012/12/07/voigtlander-28-2_8/">http://blog.mingthein.com/2012/12/07/voigtlander-28-2_8/</a><br>

I have their 58mm and love it.</p>

<p>I only liked my 28mm/2.8 AF Nikkor well stopped down because it had pretty soft corners until f/8 or so. The 28mm/2.8 AIs Nikkor I had before was better at wider apertures, and best at f/5.6. I now have the Zeiss 28/2 ZF.2 and love it, but it’s bigger and heavier than any of the f/2.8 or f/2 28mm Nikkors. It has great infinity image quality. The Zeiss 28mm works well for close ups too, though you have to be careful of its field curvature until f/4 or so, which makes the corners drift toward infinity at wider apertures and short subject distances.<br /><br />Pictures I have seen on http://www.photozone.de/nikon_ff from the new Nikon AFS G 28mm/1.8 look very good too. They have some interesting test shots you can download, done with a Nikon D3X which show impressive detail. Photozone also has tests of the Zeiss 28/2, and the expensive discontinued 28mm/1.4 AFD Nikkor.</p>

<p>Thanks for the link I've been looking for a review of the voigtlander for ages. I had read Ming's reviews of his other wides but not that one. I have looked at all the Nikon options and eliminated all except the old faithful 28 AIS (I need to read a review with this on a D800) and the new 28G. </p>

<p>Hi,<br>

I have had a 28 f/2.8 AIS for a few years now and it is a great little walkabout lens. I used to use it on a D80 and have tried it on a D700. I now have a D800 as well but have not had the chance to try it on that - the <strong>plan</strong> is to do some close-up work on a project I have planned with a friends engineering company using a BR-2 reversing ring. I have the ring, lens and body - just waiting for a bit of free time.....<br>

andyc</p>

<p>go with the 28/2 instead, an outstandig lense,</p>

<p>The 28 f/2.8 AIs is a terrific lens for close up work and out to medium distances. It's not so great at infinity. I haven't tried my one on my D800E but I'll get around to it. It was razor sharp on my D3, especially close-up. Unlike a lot of the earlier Nikkor lenses the AIs 28 f/2.8 has a different optical configuration to the AI.</p>

<p>I echo sam, my 28 2.8 ais is best at closer distances and not terrifically sharp at infinity. I would not use mine for general landscapes. I do like it for indoors shooting natural light wide open, or even an environmental portrait when I want to include some background. </p>

<p>Haven't read Ming's evaluation of the Voigtlander 28, but the one DigLloyd tested was a disaster.<br>

I've got the ZF 2/28 and the AiS 28/2.8, as well as the old K/Ai 28/3.5, but have only used the ZF on the D800E so far, and it passes my requirements.<br>

There really is nothing as physically small and as good as the AiS 28/2.8; I agree that it's not as good("sharp") as infinity as it is close up, but at 1.5 to 2 stops down I think it's pretty good at infinity on my D3.</p>

<p>Haven't read Ming's evaluation of the Voigtlander 28, but the one DigLloyd tested was a disaster.<br>

I've got the ZF 2/28 and the AiS 28/2.8, as well as the old K/Ai 28/3.5, but have only used the ZF on the D800E so far, and it passes my requirements.<br>

There really is nothing as physically small and as good as the AiS 28/2.8; I agree that it's not as good("sharp") as infinity as it is close up, but at 1.5 to 2 stops down I think it's pretty good at infinity on my D3.</p>

<p>Attached is a picture of a Phantom f4 taken with my D800 & 28 f2.8 AIS at f5.6, handheld</p><div></div>

<p>The 28/2.8 AI-S is hard to beat. Much better than the 28/2.0 IMO (I bought both a pre-AI that did not impress, then got an AI-S that was exactly the same: soft wide open, and inferior to the 2.8 at all common apertures on both film as well as FX, sold both). Not sure why the 28/2.0 has such a following. </p>

<p>As for the 2.8 (AI-S), I have noticed the best performance at distance (e.g., for landscapes) is often NOT at the infinity stop. When used with this in mind, I have never been disappointed with it, even at distance. </p>

<p>What Mag Miksch said.... Not sure why one would shoot wide angle lenses wide open or a stop down. But then again I shoot landscapes where my preference is everything sharp in the shot...</p>

<p>I had a 28mm f/2.8 AIS with my D800. It's an excellent lens, it's small and you can get one in excellent condition for under $300. Get one with a serial number beginning with 9, for the newest production run.</p>

<p>If you think this lens is great, try the Nikkor 28/F2 AIS. It blows the F2.8 out of the water! No flare, no ghosting, magnificent colors and immaculate sharpness from foreground to infinity. What a package!</p>

<p>Nice to see the old thread revive. 28mm is my favorite focal length in 35mm photography. I've come to prefer the 28mm/1.8G AFS Nikkor for my DSLR 28mm, it has the opposite field curvature pattern to the Zeiss 28mm/2 ZF.2, whose corners arc toward infinity, noticeable even when stopped down on some landscape photography with close foregrounds, which can get a bit soft. I prefer the 28mm/1.8G's forward arcing field curvature which tends to sharpen near foregrounds on the bottom edge and corners. But being a G lens, it only works with full control on cameras that support body control of aperture in manual mode, like Nikon DSLRs, and the late Nikon SLRs like the F5, F6, F100. It will work in P or S mode on earlier SLRs like the F4, N8008/F801 and N90/F90. Manual focus pretty much sucks with the 28mm/1.8G lens too, the focus throw is far too short, and the down-geared clutch focusing system seems a bit sloppy. But AF on my D800E is perfectly reliable and fast though.</p>

On my D800E I use the nikon 28mm f/2 ai-s. I trust that lens.

Was that worth reviving a 6 year old thread for?

I've got some crappy lenses. But they are all trustworthy.

I've got some crappy lenses. But they are all trustworthy.

 

Oh, I don't know. I think my lenses are stealing from me. Every time I buy one, my bank balance goes down.

I've got some crappy lenses. But they are all trustworthy.

 

You must not have any Sigma lenses :)