KIRON MC 24mm f/2 Wide-Angle     Tested March 1981.

Lens number 00200348                  

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.: 00200348
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 (66mm x 47mm)
Weight: 10oz, (288g)
Price:$295 with case.

This is not the first f/2 lens in the very wide 24mm 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%
(22.80 - 25.20mm) 		24.26mm
Max. aperture: + - 5%
(f/1.9 - 2.10) 		f/ 2.03
Distortion: ( + - 4%) less than 1% (barrel)
Light falloff; at f/ 5.6
+1 stop from theoretical limit
(0 - 2.64 stops) 		0.50 stops


                    RESOLUTION

KIRON 24mm f/2
at 1:47 magnification
f/ no. Center
(f/mm) 		Corner
(f/mm)
2 V. Good 47 Excellent 37
2.8 Acceptable 47 V. Good 37
4 V. Good 47 V. Good 42
5.6 Acceptable 42 Excellent 47
8 Good 53 Excellent 53
11 V. Good 53 Excellent 47
16 V. Good 53 Excellent 42
                      CONTRAST

Kiron 24mm f/2
at 30 lines / mm
f/ no. Center
( % ) 		Corner
( % )
2 Low 40 Low 22
2.8 Medium 54 Low 22
4 Medium 71 Low 28
5.6 High 78 Low 32
8 Medium 70 Low 34
11 High 68 Medium 35
16 Medium 60 Low 32


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. Showed a slight reddish-tinged flare at wider aperture but other aberrations were well controlled. Image quality improved noticably between f/2 and f/2.8, but not as much as with the 28mm. 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 there was slight yellow flare, greatly reduced by f/2.8, diffraction limited by f/5.6. Off-axis there was slight yellow flare and slight coma, both of which were gone by f/4, plus slight to moderate lateral color seen at extreme corners.

(March 1981)

Modern's Photo Buying Guide '85
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