Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 S -
IF you are convinced the 28mm focal length is a primary choice for a wideangle lens,
but unfortunately you have a tight budget to spare and you wish to own one of the
best value Nikkor lens around because you wish just to carry only one wideangle lens
to cover a trip or for official assignments - the Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 may just about
to fulfill everything that you are longing for in your wish list.
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It is compact & light, but quality feel is all over as it is solidly built. Its image quality has long been recognized as top class performer; it has also packed with some of the best optical innovation within, closes down to a minimum focusing distance that few other Nikkor lenses can while retaining same high optical performance. |
It packs with a distinctive hallmark of producing images of extremely high contrast and resolution. It has long been a favorite among many seasoned photographers as one of the best wideangle lens for all purpose photography. The 74 degree picture field view also enables it to be selected as one of the most practical lens for PR photography. It also stops down to f/22 for greater depth of field control while on the other hand, it is also one of the few Nikkor lens that can project a astonishing 9 x Magnification when reverse mount onto a bellow unit for closeup.
The most attractive factor is still at its price. The f/2.0 is no doubt a good lens, but the one stop faster lens speed also means one has to pay double in cost and thus, making it less appealing to many photographers who are cost concious. While the f/3.5's primary negative element is at its slow lens speed which also make it less practical to be considered as an for all round usage lens. The Nikkor 28mm lens is also one of the few Nikkor lens that I regarded it to have the best price over performance ratio. I used to own lenses of both 35, 24mm focal length - but when I decided to use 20mm as my ultrawides lens, the 28mm naturally becomes the lens that handle all my other wideangle needs. Primarily because picture angle of 35mm may often fall short to cover group picture comprised of 4-6 human figures; while distortion of a 24mm lens has become too prominent for general PR photography; so instead of carrying a few lenses of different focal length at the same time, I choose to settle with a moderate middle of the road 28mm lens instead. Well, those day I thought I have made a good decision, even by now, neither I think that decision was too bad.
This lens has gone through a few stages of upgrades over the years. The AI-S version which was introduced in 1981 and the second generation of the AI version of this lens has an improved optical design of 8 elements in 8 groups and focuses down to 0.2m (0.7ft), making this lens the closest focus Nikkor wideangle lens ever. While the earlier version has 7 elements in 7 group design and it can only focus down to 0.3m (1 ft). Further, the newer versions weighs 250g, which is slighter heavier than earlier one at 245g.
Some Technical highlight:
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ï Wide 74° picture coverage lets you handle wide scope of applications, such as it can be used to take candids, portraits of people in their surroundings, landscapes, travel photos, night lights, architecture and interiors, nudes, and star trails etc. |
ï Excellent for high-magnification close-ups
when mounted in reverse on a bellows unit - up to nearly 9X magnification is possible.
ï Superb picture quality
from center to edges because it is extremely well corrected for coma and spherical
aberration.
ï Exceptionally light - weighs
only 250 grams.
ï Accepts popular 52mm filters.
Specifications:
Focal length/Aperture: 28mm f/2.8
Lens construction: 8 elements in 8 groups
Picture angle: 74°
Diaphragm: Automatic
Aperture scale: f2.8 - f22 on both standard and aperture-direct-readout scales
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Exposure measurement: Via full aperture method with AI cameras; via stop-down method with non-AI cameras. |
Dimensions: 63mm dia. x 53mm long (overall); 44.5mm extension from lens flange
Filters: 52mm front screw-in
Front lens cap: Snap-On
Lens hood: HN-2 screw-in metal
Lens case: CL-30S herd leatherette, No. 62 soft pouch, or CP-8 plastic
Usable teleconverter: TC-200, TC-201, TC-16, TC-14A
ProductionSerial Number believed to have started from 635001 for AIS lens and 430001 for the AI-spec version
28mm focal length Manual
Focus Nikkor Lenses:
| Early
non-AI versions
| mid-1970 (pre-AI) |
Late
1970
| Early 1980 - Present: 28mm f/2.0 ; 28mm
f/2.8 | 28mm f/3.5
| Back | to Main Index Page of Manual Focus Nikkor lenses at 28mm focal length
Fisheyes - Circular | Full Frame | Ultrawide - 13mm 15mm 18mm 20mm | Wide - 24mm 28mm 35mm | Standard - 45mm 50mm 58mm | Telephoto - 85mm 105mm 135mm 180mm & 200mm | Super Telephoto - 300mm 400mm 500mm 600mm 800mm | Reflex - 500mm 1000mm 2000m
Special Application lenses: Micro-Nikkor - 50-60mm 85-105mm 200mm Micro-Zoom 70-180mm
Perspective Control (PC) - 28mm 35mm
Dedicated Lenses for F3AF: AF 80mm f/2.8 | AF 200mm f/3.5 EDIF
Depth of Field Control (DC): 105mm 135mm
Medical Nikkor: 120mm 200mm
Others: Noct Nikkor | OP-Nikkor | UV Nikkor
Nikon
Series E lenses: 28mm 35mm 50mm 100mm 135mm |
Zoom: 36~72mm 70~150mm 70~210mm
Zoom Lenses: 25~50mm
| 28~50mm | 28~85mm | 35~70mm | 35~105mm | 35~135mm | 35~200mm | 43~86mm | 50~135mm
| 50~300mm | 80~200mm | 85~250mm | 100~300 | 80~600mm | 200~400 | 200~600mm | 360~1200mm
Recommended links to understand more technical detail
relating to the Nikkor F-mount:
http://www.zi.ku.dk/personal/lhhansen/photo/fmount.htm by: Hansen, Lars Holst
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/nikonfmount/lens2.htm
| Back |
Index Page of Michael Liu's Nikkor lenses
| Back |
Index Page of Michael Liu's Nikon SLR Models
| Back |
Main Index Page of Lenses
| Back |
Main Index Page of Pictorial History of Nikon SLRs
| Message Board |
for your Nikkor optics
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Co-developed
with 
Denmark <LHHansen@zi.ku.dk> Creator
of the Nikon Repair Group Mailing-List; A contributing
effort to Michael Liu's Classic Nikon
SLRs and Nikkor optic site.
Credit: MCLau®, who has helped to rewrite
some of the content appeared this site. Chuck Hester® who has been helping
me all along with the development of all these Nikon websites; Lars Holst Hansen, 'Hawkeye'
who shares the same passion I have; Ms Rissa, Sales manager
from Nikon Corporation Malaysia for granting permission to use some of the official
content; Ted Wengelaar, Holland
who
has helped to provide many useful input relating to older Nikkor lenses; Some of the references
on production serial numbers used in this site were extracted from Roland Vink's website; Hiura Shinsaku from Nikomat
Club Japan. Lastly,
to all the good people who has contributed their own expeience, resources or kind
enough granted permission to use their images of their respective optic in this site.
It is also a site to remember a long
lost friend
on the Net. Note:certain content and
images appeared in this site were either scanned from official marketing leaflets
& brochures published by Nikon and/or contribution from surfers who claimed originality
of their work for educational purposes. The creator of the site will not be responsible
for may discrepancies arise from such dispute except rectifying them after verification. "Nikon", "Nikkormat", "Nippon Kokagu
KK"
& "Nikkor" are registered
tradename of Nikon Corporation Inc., Japan. Site made with an Apple IMac.