The ubiquitous manual-focus legacies and vintage AF 28mm lenses, the favour of famed photographers like Garry Winogrand and Bruce Gilden for their dynamic, close-up, and often unconventional shots, and others like Sebastião Salgado, is back in the limelight and making a comeback as equivalent 40mm standard normal primes when mounted on modern mirrorless and digital APS-C SLR cameras with 1.5x crop sensors.
The comeback is a choice driven by versatility, as the 40mm focal length, the 'sweet spot' lens for photography, is favored for its natural perspective, ability to capture both subjects and context, and suitability for travel and street photography.
The resurgence is also driven by the easy availability of high-quality, legacy manual focus or vintage AF 28mm lenses made for previous-generation 35mm film SLR cameras, easily adapted to modern mirrorless and APS-C cameras with low-cost lens adapters.
Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM
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Not actually a 28mm lens, but a 24mm instead, and on par with the equivalent 40mm focal length when mounted on Canon's 1.6x crop sensor APS-C DSLR series cameras, is the pancake Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM. It is one of the slimmest available on the market, at just 22mm, and equates to a 38.2mm prime on the full-frame.
The lens is extremely compact and lightweight, sharp even when wide open, comes with a smooth and quiet STM autofocus ideal for both stills and video, and is highly recommended for travel and street photography, and the occasional foray into the low-lights.
The Focal Equivalent
When mounted on APS-C digital SLR cameras with 1.5x crop sensors, 28mm legacy and vintage AF lenses provide a field of view equivalent to a 42mm prime on a 35mm full-frame camera, which aligns closely to the image and characteristics of a 40mm standard normal lens.
The focal length, a great all-rounder, sits comfortably between the 35mm and 50mm focal lengths, mimicking closely what the human eye sees, and captures scenes with natural perspective that feels natural and accurate without the potential of wide-angle distortion of a 35mm or the tightness of a 50mm.
Kiron 28mm f/2.8 MC
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Context and Content
For subject and context, especially for street and documentary photography, the focal length allows for a close enough proximity for intimate portraits while still having enough room to include the surroundings and a sense of context.
Minolta AF 28mm f/2.8
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Form and Adaptability
A 28mm lens, which is normally small and compact, is equally adept for a 'one-lens' camera setup, the perfect choice for travel enthusiasts who prefer travelling light. The focal length is capable of handling a wide range of situations, from portraits to documentary or wider environmental shots.
While vintage AFs may encourage spontaneity with a grab-and-go shooting style, manual focus legacies encourage a deliberate and observant approach, with framing and context for each and every shot.
Nikon Nikkor Ai 28mm f/3.5
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In Use
With either approach, either with a fully manual legacy or an AF vintage, the one thing you cannot do is to zoom in or out to change the view; you will have to zoom with your feet instead.
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