275.00 for a OM 28mm

[Flashover]

I was reading another Digital based forum and noticed a member selling some Olympus glass. He had a 28mm f2.0 listed at 275.00 . They were being used on a Canon Digital. The one I have is extra nice but are they really worth that much?

[mikeg]

John, I bought a Zuiko 28/3.5 on *Bay for $36-.
A bit slower, and mint with its own case and W/A
metal 49mm shade. $275- is definitely high!
mike

[harbourlight]

John, I'm not sure if it's high or not.

Zuiko 28/3.5 and 28/2.8 are the more common 28's, but a 28/2.0 is a bit of a rarity in the Zuiko line, which probably governs the price. When I owned OM gear I noticed that all 'fast' Zuikos carried a premium price, except for the 50/1.4. There are none on KEH at the moment to compare prices with.

Gene

[peterc]

A check on eBay shows one went for US$238 recently.

Peter

[mikeg]

Two points worth pondering: Do you need an f2, and
will it be sharper than a slower lens? When I was
lens hunting, Pete Chipman told me how sharp his
Nikkor 28/2.8 AI is. mike

[Flashover]

I have the lens in question. It came in a OM-1 kit I bought along with a 50mm 1.8 and a 135mm f2.8 I thought a 28mm f2.0 was a little unusual as most I have seen are 2.8 or 3.5. I wasn't planing on selling it just thought that was a little high but maybe not.

[Doug]

I have an f/2 28mm (Pentax, not Olympus), so will jump in only to defend high speed wides. :) The faster/wider they get (esp for an SLR) the bulkier and pricier they get, but the speed really serves to brighten the viewfinder and make focusing snap.

Of course these are not relevant factors with an RF, but here wide-open performance becomes more an issue since wide apertures are expected to be actually usable for photos. :D

[Flashover]

Doug I was just comparing the 28mm f2 and 50mm f1.4 the 28 is larger then the 50 1.4 In fact it's about twice as large as the Nikon 28 f2.8 I have here.

[mikeg]

Live & Learn; that's what were here for.
mike :)

[Doug]

Doug I was just comparing the 28mm f2 and 50mm f1.4 the 28 is larger then the 50 1.4 In fact it's about twice as large as the Nikon 28 f2.8 I have here.Yep, I agree... that's the trade-off. How did you like the view through the viewfinder, and the ease of focusing? :)

[Flashover]

very bright and easy to focus.

[Kin Lau]

A 28/2 has a 42mm or 45mm FOV on a 1.5x or 1.6x crop camera. That's probably raising it's status substantially as people are looking for a "normal" for their DSLR's. Even on a 4/3rd's body, that's about 56mm FOV.

I have a 24/2 Kiron in an FD mount that I should see about remounting.

[Doug]

I have a 24/2 Kiron in an FD mount that I should see about remounting.Do you think that's possible, Kin? The Kiron WAS available in a bunch of different mounts, but I wonder if it's a reasonable chore to switch mounts, and where one would find the needed parts.

I too have a Kiron 2.0/28mm, which just happened to come on a Pentax K2 I got on eBay... a brief test showed it's a good performer. Didn't really want or need the lens, should probably sell it.

[Kin Lau]

Do you think that's possible, Kin? The Kiron WAS available in a bunch of different mounts, but I wonder if it's a reasonable chore to switch mounts, and where one would find the needed parts.


I'm considering drilling some holes in m42 mount from junker lens to match the mounting screws of the Kiron. Not much of a risk either way.

[Ray_G]

Gene is right. The f/2 zuiko primes carry a premium, and the 28/2 is one of the sharpest zuiko's ever made. Not the most scientific, but see Gary Reese's tests HERE (http://members.aol.com/olympusom/lenstests/default.htm).

Prices may have come down, but I remember paying in that ballpark a few years ago for mine.

By the way, the 28/2.8 AI is sharp, but it is the 28/2.8 AIS that is highly rated (IIRC, by Bjorn Rorslett for one) and considered one of the "legendary" Nikkors.

[Trius]

Right ... the 28/2 has sold in the past for more, and if you find one "LN" or (truly) Mint, it will cost you big time. Fast wide primes are more expensive to make, so were more expensive to start with. My 21/2 cost me over $550 with employee discount around 1985 or so. A 21/2 in VG or better condition now would go for $800-1000 on the auction site.

The 50/1.4 was much more common (there were at least 3 versions), so prices range from the very cheap for low SN samples, to $80-100 for late versions. If you want an example of an expensive fast standard prime Zuiko, try the Zuiko 50mm/1.2 (not the 55/1.2) ... $300+. The 50/2 macro goes for even more.

Would I want a 28/2 at that price? Yes. I would keep the 28/3.5 but sell the 28/2.8, or better yet give it to my daughter.