Nikon 28mm f2.8 AI-s Lens Questions?

[Aurance]

I have a Nikon FM3a and I am considering purchasing a Nikon 28mm f2.8 AI-s Lens (currently I use a Nikon 50mm f1.4 AI-s Lens)

I want to use the 28mm for black and white photography.

It is supposed to be a very sharp lens at all apertures with very little 'if any' faults!

Has anyone used this lens and have any 'positives or negatives' regarding it?

Thanks in Advance!


Richard.

[chris91387]

i hear the 2.8 is sharper (and cheaper) than the 2.0.

i have the 24mm 2.8 AIS and it's my favorite lens along with my f2 85mm.

- chrus

[emraphoto]

i have it on the front of my d700 a large portion of the time. stellar performer! get one.

[emraphoto]

the 24mm f2.8 is another jewel.

[sepiareverb]

I'd say go for the 2.0, it was my favorite of the Nikkors after the 105/2 DC. Only the Summicron has as much character.

[Pablito]

28mm 2.8 AIs is the worst Nikon lens I ever owned. Very soft in the corners even stopped down. Maybe I had a lemon, but all four corners were blurry. No defects visible, glass was spotless, etc. 24mm 2.8 much, much better.

[BillBingham2]

Interesting observation Pabilto, yes I think you did have a dud.

I have the 28/2.8 AIs and love it. Sharp, focuses really close, very low distortion. My 24/2.8 does make heads into footballs (american footballs and just about anybody's head). Not near either right now so I can not speak to how close she focuses, but I do not think it was as close as the 28.

I think you had a dud sorry to say.

B2 (;->

[jonmanjiro]

Pablito, did you have an Ai or Ai-S version of the 28/2.8 (different optical formula)?

[leica M2 fan]

I have the 28/2.8 AIs and it is one of my very best lenses without a doubt. I recommend it highly. I use it on the FA along with the 50/1.4 AIs.

[ampguy]

I have the 28/2.8 that close focuses only to .3m, and not .2m. However, I love this ns, on both film and digital. Have not missed the closer focusing either.

[Pablito]

Pablito, did you have an Ai or Ai-S version of the 28/2.8 (different optical formula)?

I will check but I think Ai-S, with the orange f22. Will double check.

[uhligfd]

I use the f/2 28mm AIS and it is exemplary. Where did you read the praise for which version of the f/2.8? Check Rorslett in Norway and read his substantial reviews which I agree with wholeheartedly. (I did stay away from the f/2.8 28mm and am glad ... because the f/2 Nikon is about equal to the Zeiss Biogon of that focal length in output and surpasses all other Nikons, I think (?))

[jonmanjiro]

My experience has been:

Ai-S 28mm f2.8 - very sharp even from f2.8, and the close focus is a bonus.
Ai-S 28mm f2 - I must have got a bad sample, really soft corners at f2, only got better by f4 - f5.6 (as it should)
Ai-S 24mm f2.8 - very sharp even from f2.8, splittling hairs its a tad sharper on my D200 than the Ai-S 28mm f2.8

[Rob-F]

I have the 28/2.8 AIs. I have no problems with it. It's a keeper! Floating elements, close-range correction. And FWIW, Moose Peterson speaks highly of it as well.

[Nikon Bob]

I have both the 24/2.8 ais and the 28/2.8 ais and no real complaints with either. If you can live with the narrower angle of view of the 28/2.8 ais and want less distortion and possibly a slightly sharper lens then it is for you. I am not positive but I think it does focus closer too. It seems there are some duds around by previous comments made but my experience has been very positive.

Bob

[jonmanjiro]

I will check but I think Ai-S, with the orange f22. Will double check.

Orange f22 is the Ai-S version. Maybe there's an internal element loose inside the lens? I had that happen on an Ai-S 20mm F2.8 lens. It was a dog until I got it fixed.

Pic of Ai-S 28mm f2.8 courtesy of Ken Rockwell

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/images1/28-ai-s/DSC_5128-28-ais.jpg

[fixbones]

The 28mm f2.8 AIs is a superb lens. i bought them brand new (yes they are still being manufactured)

Was stuck to my D700 initially and now on my FE2.
I am not a pixel peeper but i am very happy with this lens from f2.8 - f16. Low distortion and close focus. Good contrast and sharp enough for me.

[Aurance]

Many thanks for the replies to my post!

The Nikon 28mm f2.8 AIs Lens has received great praise from this forum and other forums - where I have raised the same subject.

It is still being made and is available in the UK - its counterpart the Nikon 24mm f2.8 AIs is similarly reviewed and also available as new.

The Nikon 28mm f2 AIs Lens also reviews very well but is not that easy to locate in the UK - in fact I cannot locate any.

The other contender was of course the Zeiss 28mm f2 Distagon but it appears to have more issues to live with (Distortion, CA, Curvature Sharpness) than the Nikon. It is also larger but in fairness it has an excellent drawing signature, fast and precise manual focus, is sharp as a tack and has great bokeh!

Overall the Nikon 28mm f2.8 AIs wins for me, simply because it very compact, next to no distortion or CA, has great depth of field at f8, is corrected for close subjects and is sharp as a tack (f2.8-f8). Precise close focussing with the Nikon FM3a is a breeze thanks to the 'core' split focussing it employs. I know that the 28mm may be limited for border sharpness with far landscapes but for street, people and close in photography with film (plus Nikon FX Digital at a later stage) it should exceed my expectations!

Thanks Again!

[Spider67]

I have the 28mm f3.5 and the 28mm f2.
The f2 is a considerably bulkier than the f3.5.
So if you look for compact size that would be
another argument for the 2.8.
The 3.5 is a good and very compact lens that
could be found very often for a reasonable price

[BillBingham2]

Aurance,

Buy it new if you can. Wish I had, but in the end I still got a great lens just cost me more than i expected.

B2 (;->