Zou
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 05/02/2007
Posts: 3039
Loc: Edinburgh
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I'm pondering about wide lenses at the moment. If I want 24mm (real 24mm), what are the options? The SMC-A 24mm f2.8 seems to be the obvious candidate, but is it worth the money over a non-brand, say a Cosina 19-35 zoom? SRS have a Vivitar 24mm for under £40, which seems too good to be true, so probably is. Or is there something else out there worth looking for?
Any advice - take a cheap chance or go for the A 24?
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Zou's Flickr Page
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Wheelu
addict
Reged: 31/10/2007
Posts: 568
Loc: UK, up North
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Me too!
I bought a Tamron 24mm f2.5 Adaptall 2 type 01B after reading some rave reviews, but was not impressed. It is super sharp centre frame but truly diabolical moving towards the edges - and it lacks contrast. Maybe I got a duffer, but that's my two penneth.
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Web Site
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El Sid
Going potty
Reged: 14/04/2003
Posts: 10754
Loc: Sussex-by-the-Sea
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New or used?
Personally I'd be inclined to buy a used 24mm prime over the Cosina every time if budget is an issue. You really don't get owt for nowt with optics - I have a manual 19mm Vivitar prime in Nikon Ai which was less than £40 new and by and large it's easy to see why. On an APS-C format camera and well stopped down it's tolerable at the centre but the edges and, especially, corners are a bit dodgy - on a 35mm format I suspect it could well approach awful...
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Nigel
Completely BSRIPN 
ElSid Gallery
Terrorist?............or potential photographer?....... 
There are no people more opressed than those who willingly opress themselves
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Zou
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 05/02/2007
Posts: 3039
Loc: Edinburgh
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Used would be most viable. It'd be for use on film primarily, although I'd likely get good use out of it on digital too.
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Zou's Flickr Page
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nspur
addict
Reged: 20/07/2005
Posts: 534
Loc: Derbyshire
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Quote:
Any advice - take a cheap chance or go for the A 24?
The Cosina 19-35 is actually quite a good lens. Centre sharpness is good and it would do OK on an APS-C sensor particularly when stopped down to, say, f5.6 or smaller. My version is Canon fit.
I don't do a lot of wide-angle on my GX10 and apart from the adequate but unexciting kit lens I have a Sigma 24-135 f2.8-4.5 which I bought from SRS for £70 which is a very nice lens and 24mm is eminently usable with only slight barreling.
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Nick
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ojb28
newbie
Reged: 03/03/2009
Posts: 34
Loc: London
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You might be interested in my comments on the Tokina 19-35mm in this thread
I think it's a very decent lens on both my K10D and MZ-5n
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MatchNeedle
Reged: 26/04/2003
Posts: 16
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There's the old Sigma Super Wide in manual and auto focus variants, which had a good reputation, though is rather cheaply built (the markings wear off). It should come with the "Perfect Hood", a clip-on petal style which needs aligning, doesn't clip on in the reversed position, and doesn't allow the lens cap to be used at the same time -- so is rather less than "perfect".
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Manofolympus
addict
Reged: 01/04/2009
Posts: 696
Loc: Stafford
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I've got the Sigma 24mm In OM mount (cant afford the olympus one yet  ) and have been more than happy with it optically-though the standard of construction is noticeably less than the Oly ones.
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Nigel
www.flickr.com/people/nigelkell/
"Stuck in the seventies"
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El Sid
Going potty
Reged: 14/04/2003
Posts: 10754
Loc: Sussex-by-the-Sea
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Quote:
There's the old Sigma Super Wide in manual and auto focus variants, which had a good reputation, though is rather cheaply built (the markings wear off).
I'd have to agree with that. I had two 24mm Super-Wide II's (in Nikon Ai and Canon EF) fits - both of which performed very well. I still have the Canon version although I did trade-in the Nikon fit against a proper 24mm Nikkor which was on offer at a very good price...
Quote:
It should come with the "Perfect Hood", a clip-on petal style which needs aligning, doesn't clip on in the reversed position, and doesn't allow the lens cap to be used at the same time -- so is rather less than "perfect".
Probably explains why neither of my copies came with one........
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Nigel
Completely BSRIPN
ElSid Gallery
Terrorist?............or potential photographer?.......
There are no people more opressed than those who willingly opress themselves
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Done&rundleCams
Senior Member
Reged: 20/12/2001
Posts: 18122
Loc: Vancouver, BC
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Quote:
I'm pondering about wide lenses at the moment. If I want 24mm (real 24mm), what are the options? The SMC-A 24mm f2.8 seems to be the obvious candidate, but is it worth the money over a non-brand, say a Cosina 19-35 zoom? SRS have a Vivitar 24mm for under £40, which seems too good to be true, so probably is. Or is there something else out there worth looking for?
Any advice - take a cheap chance or go for the A 24?
Hi Zou,
Are you looking to get the equivalent of 24mm w/ your digital or do you want to
mount a 24mm and get the equivalent of 36mm on your digital?
If it's the latter (which I am kinda guessing it is); I have had the SMC 24/2.8 (excellent), Tamron
Adaptall 24/2.5 (excellent) and (almost) had the FA 24/2 (excellent from what I have heard and
seen) and nearly purchased a Kiron 24/2 (have yet to hear anything negative).
If you are looking for the former, I have had the Tamron Adaptall 17/3.5 which was a cracking lens
but w/ hood and filter turns this (relatively) small lens into a hulking lens
Hope this helps............ somewhat 
Cheers,
Jack
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Life is a Photo-op
(UPDATED NOV 16th)MY BLOG: www.nakedmanonawire.blogspot.com
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Monobod
'Phantom' of the forum!
Reged: 03/04/2003
Posts: 6878
Loc: Just West of Norwich, Norfolk
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Surely, you could look at the Sigma 10-20, wich is an EX lens. It will give you 15-30 equivalent. I have not had any issues with the quality of mine so far. Agreed it is F/4 to 5.6, so not as fas as some.
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David.
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Photos hosted by Flickr.
www.flickr.com/photos/monobod/
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My sharpest lens is a tripod - Chris Palmer.
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Zou
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 05/02/2007
Posts: 3039
Loc: Edinburgh
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Thanks guys. Whilst the 10-20 and the Pentax 12-24 are great options, I really would prefer something I can use on film. If I got the 12-24 I'd really start wanting a K-7 to attach it to... No such worries with the old A-series lens, and it'd be cheaper to get an LX than a K-7.
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Zou's Flickr Page
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spinno
Curmudgeonly Fellow
Reged: 07/02/2007
Posts: 4710
Loc: Meat and Fish
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I've got a Sigma 12-24 which works on both film and digital....very nice to use
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David
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I may not have been the best manager in football but I was in the top one -Brian Clough OBE..old big 'ead
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Zou
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 05/02/2007
Posts: 3039
Loc: Edinburgh
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Is that the one which doesn't get on with filters? If so, a bit of a no-no for me. Thanks for reminding me about it though.
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Zou's Flickr Page
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