Skip to main content

Zuiko 28f/3.5 Vs 28f/2.8

I need to dust more often
  This is something that I kept thinking I should do for some time now. Compare the two Zuikos, the 28f/2.8 and the 28f/3.5. This is the second sample of the 28f/2.8 - I sold the first one as I did like the f3.5 more but recently i came across a nice f/2.8 which was cheap and in good condition so I thought I should have it.

I put the two lenses on my digital canon eos with an adaptor and went for a walk around the area I live, in taking pictures with both of them. Here are my overall impressions.

- Both lenses perform remarkably similar. If there are any differences, they are too small to be important. In the following picture, I shot both of them wide open and checked the centre sharpness - overall they both perform similarly

Click for bigger

 - Another picture taken wide open but looking now at the edge of the frame. Sharpness is quite good actually but you do see a lot of purple fridging. I think the older f/3.5 is doing worse here. Despite that I wouldn't call this a deal breaking.

Click for bigger

- At about f/5.6 I struggle to see any difference in performance between them. Both just as sharp, both of equal contrast.
Click for bigger

- Flare is the area that you will see a big difference in them. The newer f/2.8 does much better - it is multicoated. Keep in mind that the older f/3.5 came together with a very nice *metal* lens hood whilst the newer f/2.8 with a cheap plastic. Still, if you can source the older metal one it will work well on the f/2.8.
Click for bigger

- Both lenses peak at f/8 - performance becomes indistinguishable. Both very sharp corner to corner with no vignetting.
Click for bigger

- Talking about vignetting, the older f/3.5 performs much better as you would expect. Vignetting is practically gone by f/4 on both lenses.
Click for bigger


- Comparing centre sharpness for both lenses seem to be a draw. Both are just as sharp in the centre.

Click for bigger

 - Comparing edge sharpness is slightly different.  Performance is very very similar although push come to shove I would say that the f/3.5 is slightly sharper.  But whether you will ever notice that is a different question.

Click for bigger

- The newer f/2.8 is a more practical lens, it has 7 aperture settings compared to 5 of the older f/3.5 and is 1/2 stop faster meaning a slightly brighter viewfinder.

- Using them in real life, I have come to like the older f/3.5 more - why? No specific reason. Possibly because I have associated it with some of my favourite picture. It is more likely to reach out for it compared to the f2.8 but there is no reason or rhyme behind it.
Zuiko 28 f/3.5

Zuiko 28 f/3.5

- But the f/2.8 is no slouch - just as sharp, more practical, faster and with better contrast and flare resistance.  For many this is a winning recipe.
Zuiko 28 f/2.8

Zuiko 28 f/2.8
Conclusion
Two great lenses to have and use. Deciding which one to get is simple. Buy the one that is in better condition. If both are in the same condition, buy the cheapest.  If both are the same price buy the 2.8.

The difference in performance between them is too small to be meaningful. Me, I will stick to the demon I know - the 28f/3.5 - but the newer f/2.8 is not going anywhere any time soon.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nikon N90s (F90x)

This is a review of the Nikon N90s which is the same as the Nikon F90X in Europe. I came across this camera while I was browsing on that big auction site for a Nikon lens for the F4s. An online retailer was selling it for £23 including postage so I thought it would be silly to ignore it. The camera is in mint condition except from a small depression on the prism that has created a scratch. Everything else is shining new! Without going into too much details about the history of this model, the early 90's where still quite difficult for the AF Nikons as they where not the fastest systems around although they were offering backward compatibility with older lenses. In 1992, Nikon released the plain F90 which was an improvement over the older F-801s but still it wasn't a match for the Canons or Minoltas of that era. The F90x came in 1995 and placed Nikon back on the AF SLR map. It was the first Nikon with an AF module which was just as good - and at times better ...
2 comments
Read more

Nikon F801s

The venerable Nikon F801s  This is a review of the Nikon F801s and it's progenitor, the F801. I've been using the F801s for a few months now and I own a plain F801 since 2017. As it is usually the case, it was an impulsive buy, it was for £0.99 with no bids online and I decided that I wanted to compare it with the old trusty F801. * Background information and history. Nikon joined the AF race quite early on in 1986 - Minolta's surprising announcement of the Dynax 7000/9000 the year before forced Nikon to release a modified version of the F301 with an AF module - the F501AF. Canon joined a year later with the first EOS camera (EOS 650) featuring a new lens mount with no backwards compatibility. Nikon's F501 used a very basic AF module with 96 CCDs  - this was eventually replaced by the "legendary" (the emphasis is mine) AM200 module (an array of 20 by 10 CCDs) which found its way in all AF Nikons - from F401 to the F4 and even the third generation ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pentax MZ-50

Cute... This was an impulsive buy - found it for £5 and thought i could have it. It came with 2 CR-2 batteries and initial testing at the shop showed that it worked well. Anyway, the batteries alone cost more than £5. I am not sure how did Pentax experienced the 1990's. Pentax was big in the swinging and dancing 60's with the Spotmatic, did very well in the 70s with the MX and it was the LX that dominated Pentax's pro-line in the 80s. But in the 90s Pentax did not come up with any pro camera and did not introduce any exotic lenses either. The different iterations of the Z-1 were good cameras but in the same league such as the Nikon F90 or Canon EOS5. If you scroll down my blog you will find a review of the Z1 - a very good camera which I sold due to the complicated user interface.  I have to say that the photographic press was pleasantly surprised by the Z-20. I don't see a lot of them coming up online and some of the reviews I read describe it as functiona...
Post a Comment
Read more