30mm - Am I the only one that owns?

[RichardK01]

Is there anyone else out there in Xpan land that owns one?

What has been your experience? Do you use a polarizing filter? When do you use the 30?

[bun]

still trying hard to save enough money for this "must-have" lens...

[david b]

I am still not convinced that I need to spend $2200 on a used lens that has very limited applications.

I know several Xpan owners who have the ability to own the lens and none of them do. I could also purchase the lens but $2200 buys a lot of film or covers the expense of a kick-ass road trip.

When someone can give me, hell show me some work that proves that I need this lens, I will then buy it.

So Richard, what do you use your lens for? Got some examples?

[photogdave]

As with everything in photography, the merit of this lens is totally subjective. For my style of shooting I always found the the 45mm lens too constricting, so now I use the 30mm almost exclusively.
I can't afford the 30mm, or even the XPan itself, so I rent both from Leo's Camera Supply in Vancouver.
There are some shots with the 30mm in my gallery. I just love it!

[Ben1]

I agree with photogdave's comment. I personally think the 45 is wide enough and sometimes too wide. I have only owned an xpan for about 8 months, but i still find myself taking landscapes, and what appears close to my eye and in the viewfinder, ends up looking miles away in the tranny. (Sometimes is a good thing).

I think the 30 is seriously inflated, and the best works ive seen from an xpan have all been taken with the 45mm.
Like david said, $2200 is alot of film.

[david b]

$2200 buys 733 rolls of 24 exposure HP5+, without shipping. That would hold me over for about 7.5 years.

I agree with Ben. The best work I have seen comes from the 45mm.

[schaubild]

I use the 30mm quite often. The image quality is fantastic, like the other two lenses. It just needs significantly more light because it's slow speed and the filter. I wouldn't say its use is restricted, it depends what you make out of its specific characteristics. But I agree that this lens needs a lot more practice until you have accustomed to the extreme perspective and angles.

The lens (and camera) preferences change from time to time, some time one lens/camera is en vogue and seems to fit my actual view, sometimes it's another. But in general the 30mm (and a 35mm on 6x9) are the most used lenses. Seems like I'm more the wideangle type

[RichardK01]

Well, let me say that I regret not being able to post scans of some of my 30 photos. It is partly the necessity to maintain a roof over my head, partly lack of knowledge.

The times when I've used the 30 have been when I wanted to get more into a landscape with the 45 but couldn't - e.g., in Monument Valley, AZ. The spread of the lens is fantastic and sharp to the corners!

That said, yes, it is very expensive - though, I bought mine on ebay from someone local so mine was <$2000. On the other hand, one does not computes one's hobbies for every $.05 or crush every cost. One needs to decide how deeply one wants to persue things. I thought of going the Fuji 617 route but decided against that because of bulk - it is just too big to transport, setup, etc... Once the initial body was bought, I lusted for the 30 (after reading what Reichmann wrote at the Luminous Landscape).

I have not regretted it. Along with the other lenses, it forms a superb system doing things that almost no other camera can. How much are the photos worth? Each person must judge for himself.

Since Hassy has (likely) stopped making them, obtaining one on ebay may be more difficult.

I would certainly buy my 30 again.

[david b]

Richard, since it appears you are the "only" one who owns the lens, thanks for the insight.

[schaubild]

Interesting count.

[Westgarden]

Since a week or two I am the owner of a XpanII with the 30mm. After a long time of considering what 'portable' camera to buy for field trips (my Graflex Crown with all stuf around it is hoistable but not very portable), I went for the Xpan. But not before I was sure that I could also buy the 30 mm along with it.
Basically, I think that a good photographer can make excellent photo's with (almost) every camera. One restriction is the quality of the lens, but that doesn't have to be the only qualifier of a good photo. Another important restriction is the lens angle. However, that doesn't have to be a restriction, if you are used to standard 50mm lenses or telelenses. If you never experienced a ultra-wide, you simply won't miss it.
With the 30mm on my XPan, last sunday with nice clear weather and a great river in front of me, I was very happy when I looked through the external finder. I could have made a number of very OK photo's with the 45mm in standard format, but the 30mm just pushes me to make different photo's. And the possibility to zoom in to different angles.

[anglophone1]

I managed to buy a Noblex 135U for just under GBP 200, [a steal!] same FOV as 30mm XPAN, but MUCH cheaper , I already have 45mm and 90mm.[more to pack though]
Clive

[kbg32]

Originally Posted by RichardK01

Is there anyone else out there in Xpan land that owns one?

What has been your experience? Do you use a polarizing filter? When do you use the 30?

I have one. It never comes off my Xpan!

[quigley13]

I second that Keith. I own the 30 and it lives on my camera. I love the perspective the lens offers. About 90% of my xpan shotting is with the 30.

[JoeChan]

Originally Posted by RichardK01

Is there anyone else out there in Xpan land that owns one?

What has been your experience? Do you use a polarizing filter? When do you use the 30?

I own the 30mm lens too and I use it when I can. Here's an example:

Click Here

[RichardK01]

I'm so glad Joe and Keith spoke up!

I was begining to think I owned the only 30mm out there.

When I have the 45 or the 90 on my Xpan body, I can hear it whispering low, "Feed me; feed me; give me my 30."

For those of you who do not have it, pick a clear day with sun and some clouds. Get some of the new velvia. RENT the 30 and use it. Get the films developed.

It will be like the biggest photo high you have ever had! It is perfect Xpan addiction.

You will drool and lust and scheme to buy a 30! You'll think of selling one of your children to own it. (Well, maybe that is an exaggeration but not by much.)

[Doug]

Did posts 7, 11, 14, and 15 remain unseen?

[david b]

Well...since there are several owners of this lens, lets start seeing some examples.

Please post them in the xpan gallery.

[SHERPA]

I use the 30mm quite often. The image quality is fantastic
see my gallery : http://www.pbase.com/xpan