KIRON MC 28mm f/2 Wide-Angle     Tested March 1981.

Lens number 00100312                  

Mounts: Fixed mounts for the M42 universal thread, Canon FD, Minolta MD, Olympus, Nikon A1, Konica, Pentax K bayonet, Contax/Yashica, Fujica X.
Filter size: 55mm screw-in.
Min. foc. dist: 0.3m (12 in.)
Apertures: f/2 to f/16.
Serial No.: 00100312
Features: Color-coded focus scale in feet and meters, satin-black finish, multicoated.
Size:2 5/8 in. diam. x 1 7/8 in. long (65mm x 48mm)
Weight: 10oz, (284g)
Price:$209 with case.

This is not the first f/2 lens in the very wide 28mm category to be produced by an independent lens maker although its fast f/2 maximum aperture is unusual for lenses in the really wide range. It's a good indication that Kiron is out to capture a share of the serious photography market.

Practical comments: The inherently great depth of field of very wide lenses makes it harder to be sure about focussing with an SLR camera. But the bright image and limited depth of field produced by this lens at the focussing aperture of f/2 helps assure critical focus, even in dimlt lit interiors. Legible dual distance scales marked in both meters and feet, are welcome, though we wish the footage markings could be made brighter. In addition to operating smoothly, this lens is handsomely fininshed and features click-stopped aperture settings with positive half-stop detents.

                          PERFORMANCE
Our Standard Tested
Focal length: + - 5%
(26.60 - 29.420mm) 		28.68mm
Max. aperture: + - 5%
(f/1.9 - 2.10) 		f/ 2.06
Distortion: ( + - 2.5%) less than 1% (barrel)
Light falloff; at f/ 5.6
+1 stop from theoretical limit
(0 - 2.29 stops) 		0.50 stops


                    RESOLUTION

KIRON 28mm f/2
at 1:46 magnification
f/ no. Center
(f/mm) 		Corner
(f/mm)
2 V. Good 46 Excellent 41
2.8 Good 52 Excellent 41
4 Excellent 58 Excellent 46
5.6 V. Good 58 Excellent 46
8 V. Good 58 Excellent 52
11 Excellent 58 Excellent 46
16 V. Good 52 Excellent 41
                      CONTRAST

Kiron 28mm f/2
at 30 lines / mm
f/ no. Center
( % ) 		Corner
( % )
2 Low 36 High 36
2.8 Low 48 High 36
4 Medium 71 High 50
5.6 High 76 High 58
8 High 76 High 60
11 High 70 High 54
16 Medium 58 High 48


Field test slides: Sharp crisp images overall at f/2. As might be expected, when slides were compared, a marked improvement in image quality was seen at f/2.8. Image quality improved noticably between f/2 and f/2.8, more with the 28mm than with the 24mm. Results were judged to be very good overall, and reached optimum performance around f/ 5.6 - f/8.

Optical bench analysis On axis - at f/2 showed slight zonal spherical aberration and very slight yellow-orange flare, which was gone by f/4, plus very slight de-centering. Off-axis at f/2 we noted slight yellow-orange flare which was gone by f/5.6, plus slight chromatic aberration.

(March 1981)       Modern's Photo Buying Guide '85


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