The difference in resolution is huge. The 20mm is much, much sharper, although contrast is similar, and the 18-35's flare performance is excellent.
So I then compared the 18-35mm with the FA 24-90mm, the FA 28-105mm PZ, and the F 28mm 2.8, all at 28mm, obviously. [You can see I've been a bad boy on Ebay!]
Interestingly, both the FA zooms seem considerably sharper than the F 28mm prime, and pretty much on a level with the FA 20mm.
These were hardly scientific tests, but they do bear out my subjective impression that the 24-90 is a pretty good performer. It was nice to see the 28-105 keeping up; I haven't used it a lot because I got the 24-90 at around the same time, and find that I prefer more room at the wide end.
The 24-90 is an expensive lens. It cost me more than four times what I paid for the 28-105, and I thoroughly recommend the latter for those on a budget. The F 28mm will be going on Ebay, together with the 18-35 when I can acquire something wider.
Having said all that, I've had some nice results with the 18-35, including the Thames sunset I posted a week or two back.
John
On Wed, 04 May 2005 22:23:34 +0100, Mark Roberts <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
UncaMikey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I recently bought a FA J 18-35. The fact that it can zoom to 35 means that it can be a decent 'walking around' lens, while the 100 degree coverage at 18 means that I can photograph a whole room by standing in a corner. I love that! Larf! I know it is a much disparaged FA J, plastic mount and no aperture ring, blah blah blah, but the optical quality has been better than I expected. It is very compact and light, important considerations for me.
I did some shooting with this lens last summer. I borrowed one from Bill Owens at GFM for my overnight campout on the mountain. I was *very* surprised and pleased with the results. I got a couple of exhibition quality 12 x 18 prints from it. They may have compromised on the construction, but the optics are much better.
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