Before even I knew your video existed, I bought a 28mm f2.8 Z for my Nikon and realized how amazing this focal length is. You are 100% right

I thought I was the only one… 28mm and 85mm are my two most favorite focal lengths.

Thank you, great observations. I use 28 2.8 on Z8 for travel and with a quick switch to the crop mode it doubles as a 42mm for tighter street shots.

I agree with everything you say. The 28mm lens was the very first wide angle lens I shot with back in the 1980's - my dad saved up for a Canon FD 28mm and it was a massive difference to the 50mm lenses we had been using for years. So 28mm became a very familiar focal length to me and I have literally hundreds of slides shot at that length. Now years later I occasionally enjoy using a Nikon 20mm F2.8 on my D200 which gives me about the same FOV - limitations never enter my head - it's all good.

It never ceases to amaze me how one person's orthodoxy is another person's heterodoxy. In 1983 I started my photography journey with a Canon A1 and a 28mm. In 1985 I switched to a 24mm and 7 other prime lenses ranging from 17mm to 300mm. In 1995 I bought a Canon EF 28mm f/1.8. I wanted to love it, I barely liked it. It mostly collected dust until I switched to Nikon in 2008. I haven't owned a fixed 28mm since. If you were to scrutinize the millions of digital images I've taken with wide angle zooms, I'm sure you'd only find a handful of images that were made at 28mm. The 28mm is a fabulous focal length for millions of people, but it simply doesn't work for me. YMMV, and I think that's a good thing. Cheers

For most of my work I generally work with longer lenses anywhere from 80 mm up to 200mm. But recently I opted to dig my 28mm F2.8 Nikkor out of its slumber and put it to good use. And the set of portraits that came out of that exercise were as stunning as you describe. It was a wonderful experience to see those images while I was creating them as well as the amazing experience of observing what was produced after all of the editing was completed. You are absolutely correct: the 28 mm lens is not only a focal length but it is also an experience and an ethos that should be experienced by anyone and everyone who values photography.

I agree, especially with 35mm film and shooting in a busy city. My favorite film camera is a Chinon SLR with the multi leaf shutter fixed with a Fuji 28mm prime. My walk around zoom is 28-300 on a full frame DSLR.

Recently I did some portraits with a Nikkor 28mm f2.8. I must admit: they are the most compelling portraits I have shot recently. I am honestly quite shocked at how much I love the images from that shoot and am amazed by the way people resonate with and are amazed by this set of portraits. So, yes, I 100% AGREE!!!

Completely agree, never thought about that middle ground between 24-35, thanks!

Great video. I think my favorite part was the last line, about looking in your metadata to see where you usually zoom to

This is why my travel, EDC is a Leica Q3. 28mm f/1.7 and loving the focal length. Thanks for the video, really enjoyed it.

Great video. 28mm has been my go to lens for years. I love it for all the reasons you mentioned. My buddy who almost always uses 50mm tends to scoff at me for using 28mm, but I absolutely love it. I have shot a lot with the Hexanon 28mm f/3.5. It is an amazing lens. Thanks again! Keep up the great work.

I couldn’t agree more and have a 28mm f/2.8 hanging on my walk about camera often. It is also a great focal length for video. Thanks for sharing!

Nailed it! When I first bought my Ricoh GR III, I was a bit sceptical if I really would use it, but now it is one of my favorites!

I accidentally bought this few days ago and I am in love with this focal length for portraits and landscapes.

I became a fan of 28mm back when I was shooting Minolta A-Mount. I was a teenager 14 at the time and I could not afford a lot of lens so I got the 28-85mm zoom lens. I also had the 50mm and 135mm. Really nice combo and I had one big flash and a small flash. I do shoot Micro Four Thirds now so I have 28mm on a few zooms and the Panasonic 14mm f2.5 prime.

I got this lens recently and used it for a wedding this last weekend and I absolutely love it. It was fun, compact, lightweight and worked perfectly on my Z8. I’m looking for to using this on my Z F when it gets here tomorrow. This wedding had some tight areas so using this w/ my 85 1.4 F mount lens was a beautiful combination.

I just picked this 28mm for $60, love it. I was missing the wide angle perspective, I can still get portraits by just getting closer. Took few sample pictures. They came out great. Light and has the 2.8. Love it

Yes you are absolutely right about 28mm, i love my ricoh gr 18.3mm and panasonic leica 15mm on my olympus penF they are both very great lens for what i mostly shoot from lands/cityscape- street/documentary- food- snapping family and friends- to environmental portrait- etc.. Except for a tight portrait i use olympus 75mm f1.8 wich is really rare i need that kind of shot

Great video I’m looking forward to working with my newly acquired 28mm lens. Thank you for a very informative video.

Wonderful photos - enjoyed watching them.

the image at 4:19 sold me on buying the 28 over 35, beautiful shot!

the pub that is featured in some of the shots looks so cozy!

I had a 28mm with my full frame Nikon F Photomic FTN (great camera!) as early as in the 1970s and it was an absolutely lovely flexible wide angle lens. For a crop camera it is even more useful!

Over the decades, I have used the following focal length lenses as my one-lens solution on full-frame cameras: 21mm 24mm 28mm 35mm 40mm 45mm 50mm 55mm The 35mm is my personal favorite.

Thank you for wonderful insight. You have cleared doubts clouding my mind🙂

Great! This video just reinforces my thoughts. Came here two days after getting my new XF 18mm f1.4 which gives a FOV of 27mm in an APSC sensor. Happy about my decision. Cheers!

Great job. You're a natural teacher with an expressive voice.

Back in the 70's-80's when I was shooting with a Canon F-1n, I had a Canon FD 28-85mm f4.0 almost permanently attached to the camera. I had the 50mm f1.8 and 70-210 f4.0 as well, but hardly used them. I never got the chance to go lower than 28mm then, but it was perfect for me.

Great perspective on this! I think I'd have to agree. I shoot with Canon full frame, and the 28mm f/1.8 is fantastic all around, when I want to keep it simple. One other point that I would add is that 28mm lenses (outside of the Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4) are generally smaller profile lenses, so they are easy to carry and don't draw attention to you- a big bonus for travel, street, hiking, etc.

Thanks for sharing. I'm learning to shoot with a 28mm and I'm finding that it really does take more effort to frame a meaningful and aesthetic pleasing photo.

Thanks for this. Gearing up for a big trip next year and thinking of only taking my Leica Q

Matthew, awesome insights about the 28mm. I am looking for some inspiration for 2024 and this it. Documenting my travels with my Z6 and 28mm. Thanks, Brother!

28mm is probably the most used and most produced focal length in history - see the standard lens for the iPhone. It's my favourite general use focal length, use a sensor with enough resolution and you can crop in a little if needed. A fast 28mm is amazing.

Very interesting thanks. I recently ordered a 28mm lense for an elderly Sony A200 I own. I was so impressed with a 50mm I used on it I was keen to try this too. You seem to back up what I’ve been hearing elsewhere.

I have a Canon A1 that I bought new in 1981. My friend who ran a used camera shop insisted that I purchase a breech mount 28mm, 2.0 ssc lens. I wasn't particularly happy about it, until I shot my first roll of film with it. All I can say is thank you Steve for insisting that I get that lens

I’m a fan of the 28mm. Mine lives on my OM2 , zuiko glass is superb.

I mostly agree with you, and as I take a lot of architectural subjects, my go-to lens is a Schneider K. 28mm Shift lens, which they made for the Leica SL. I adapt it to my Sony a7R III, and of course everything is manual, but I'm used to that!

I bought a Nikkor 28mm f2.8 AiS lens about 40 years ago to use on my Nikon FM. It was a favourite of mine then and still is today. I use it regularly on my D750 it works so well being easy to focus and in aperture priority mode it seamlessly integrates with the meter. With its depth of field markings hyper focal focusing is easy. It’s a small and light lens which makes for a very usable package with the D750. As you say a very usable & versatile focal length which is why it’s the only lens from the film-era that I still use today.

I love my Nikkor 28mm f1.4D I agree, great for indoor low light w/ balanced fill. I can be part of the table or scene and not backed up into a wall or hanging out a window to get the shot. lol. It's an amazing close personal feel w/o distorting angles. I grab my old 20-35mm f2.8D if I need more but it isn't as crisp as the 28 I feel.

I love the look from a 28mm lens. I had two but got rid of them a while back. Now I’m thinking of getting a new one

Hi, thanks to remind me the value of having a 28 mm prime Lens. The first Time I had one (Minolta) was in 1989. It was well suites for taking pictures in a trip to Japan. This year, I'll visit Japan again. Since now I've moved to video, I have adopted the MFT format ( with crop Factor of 2). There are two 14 mm primes for MFT. None have enough speed. Hence one of my lenses will be a Sigma 16mm f1.4 for Bokeh and low light. The other will be the very versatile Oly 8-25 mm for daylight shots with no need for Bokeh (it has a constant f 4.0). For landscape and traveling, I love those two lenses.

Hey very good pictures, much better than mostly I see in tutorials! And yes my first lens beside the 50mm in analog times was a 28mm and I loved it so much, it was like a different world looking through the viewfinder, And now I am so glad and lucky with my light and small equipment with 2 Lumix GX880 and some super little prime lenses like 14mm (28mm), 30mm Macro or the 42.5mm 1.7. I know I know it’s so often said but I say it again, the best camera (and lens) is the one I take with me, and the 28mm could be the first vote… thanks for the Video! 👍✌️

The in between focal lengths of 28, 45, 75, and 90 are my favorites.

Man, I totally agree with you. I recently got 28mm F1.4 Dg Hsm/Art For Canon Mount. Since then, still on camera, and I love it.

Looks like you just decided which prime lens I should be getting 🎉❤...thank you

28mm is so versatile. Most phone cameras also seem to have around 28mm as their main lens. It just works!

Thank you for sharing this video. Great info.

Great video. I appreciate the real world photo examples as well. I do find 24mm too wide as well, but really enjoy 35-40mm.

I just got the Z 28mm lens today and this video popped up! I like walking around with this and the 40 for lightweight street photography and just walking about. I'm looking forward having more experience with it. Now to check my meta data...

Just magnificent bokeh at 5:07 in the picture with the watch. Well done.

Thank you Matthew. My 28mm is in the post! Great shots by the way 👍

Thank you, great post. I have been trying to decide on a prime and I was stuck at 24 and 35. You gave a different perspective to me.

I've had a 28mm f3.5 HC since the early seventies that I used on my Nikkormat. Now I have a 28mm f2.8 AF and a 24mm that I use with my N90s and F90. I've even used my 28mm during a fashion photography workshop I took in a smallish studio with studio strobes. My instructor couldn't believe it when I showed her the slides.

Lovely shots!

Indeed, a while back in the 1990's, using slide film, I shot exclusively on a 28mm lens on trip to India. 28mm felt right, with the right balance. It is small, lightweight, unobtrusive, very sharp and fast and was I was therfore able to capture a lot of candid shots and landscapes. I couldn't agree with you more! - Alex

Great job Matt..I just bought a Sigma 28mm F1.4. and can't wait to get out and use it..

I never understood the point of 28mm focal length but after spending some time with it, boy has it grown on me. Its literally the take it anywhere, capture anything lens. its extremely versatile and they are often small lenses. I currently use the 28 2.8 SE lens on my Nikon Z6II and absolutely enjoy it. There's a reason why Leica makes the Q cameras using 28mm...Great video!

Completely agree. I’ve just bought the Leica Q3 with a fixed 28mm lens. I love it. I had to sell my 2 Fujifilm bodies, 3 primes and 2 zooms to help pay for it, but it was worth it. I hardly ever swapped out the lenses anyway and wanted a ‘do it all camera’.

I have a Nikon F2SB and a Nikon FTN with lenses (20mm, 24mm, 28mm, 55mm macro, and 85mm), but when I traveled, I took my Olympus OM-1 with only a 28mm, 2.8 lens, in a "ever-ready" case, because it would fit into my carry-on hard-case with two-weeks of clothes. I forced myself to use only this focal length to capture scenic, close-up, portraiture, interiors just as you demonstrated. I heartily recommend trying a 28mm with film (or full-size sensor) and pay attention to minimizing extension distortion when doing portraiture, not too close to eliminate exaggeration of noses and keep the focal-plane as vertical as possible to reduce near-far distortion. David Riddle

I'm actually gonna be heading on a trip in a few days and I couldnt decide how many lenses to bring for my film stuff, you sold me on the 28mm think ill bring that and maybe a 105 macro lens too. Thanks for the great video!

Nice video!!! After a break of 12 years. from photography (I closed my studio in 12) I recently decided to get back into it. So with the Leica M11P in the bag and deciding which wide, I went with the 28mm Summilux. The focal length is a revelation. The 35mm by comparison feels like a lens you are always ready to take off after a shot for a more preferred focal length. It’s sort of in-between. I could do a major trip with just a 28. I guess that is why Leica makes the Q line of cameras.

Totally with you there! The Fuji 18mm f/2.0 (crop sensor size, of course) is by far my favorite prime lens. Super versatile, nice rendering and pancake(ish) to boot. Like you, I like to shoot people in their environment and the 18mm (28m) is perfect for that. Works like a charm for street work too (although I suck at it); especially in B&W. Liked your video; well presented and great shots! And that Nikon 28mm seems like the real McCoy; sharp and and beautiful bokeh. Subbed.

One of my favorite lenses is the Hasselblad HC 35mm which I shoot on my Leica S. The reverse crop of .80 translates to a 28mm in 35mm terms. It never disappoints.

Such a great video about the 28mm focal length. I couldn't agree with you more! The Nikon 28mm f/2.8 AI-s is still one of my all time favorite lenses.

Some time back I purchased a Nikon AI 28 mm which was more affordable than the 24 mm version which I thought I always wanted. Love it so much I never bothered getting the 24. I use just two lenses now the AI 28/28 and AI 50/1.4. Thanks for your nice short and sweet video.

Great video. I have a Canon A-1 and looking to get the 28mm 2.8. Was on the fence because of the aperture, but your video definitely helped my decision. Thanks!

Love this video kept me right to the end and coincidently only two weeks ago bought a 28 man for my D850 .. you make a lot is sense many thanks for the suggestion

Excellent Points! Thank you.

Yes 28mm (FF) is my favourite focal length too, and yes the Fuji equivalent 18mm 1.4 is superb.

Wanted to share this tidbit of information with you & others for a very creative way of using the 28/2.8 AiS lens - Nikon makes a "reversing ring" adapter, called the BR-2A. This adapter allows you to mount your 52mm threaded lenses (most AiS and older lenses) in "reverse" on your camera. In other words, the 52mm filter thread in the front literally screws into to lens mount on the camera, with the back element of the lens now acting as the front element. This yields a "macro" lens that goes well beyond 1:1. It works with 50mm and wider lenses, and the 28mm lens is ideal for this. Images quality is often better, but, of course, DOF is a micro-thin plane. Physically, your lens will only be a couple of inches from the subject. Creative abstract flower photography is great for reversing your 28mm lens, and then shooting wide open at f2.8 - masses of vibrant, blurry color with only a hint of sharpness on a tiny edge of a petal.

Like your assessment of the 28mm focal length and why you like it....bravo!

Love the photos of the French Quarter and Lafayette Cemetery.

When I started shooting film I shot a lot with a 28mm for similar reasons. It seemed to always be able to fit everything in. But then I realised that (for me) was actually a bad thing, I didn't have to work at all on my composition or positioning my subject and just ended up taking a lot of boring images that had everything in them but had no particular focus or unique composition. When I went to shooting mostly 35mm I did find there were situations where it was just a little too tight, but that was more than made up by the fact that it taught me to work my composition and subject just that little bit more, and I ended up getting more interesting images with a better composition.

Nice. Enjoyed this and have pulled my Nikkor 28mm AIS, bought in 1981, out of the bag. Going to play with it on my D810.

I only had one lens and one camera for years. That was a pentax me with 50mm 1.8. When you say you see the world in 35mm i fully understand, I see the world in 50mm. But only because thats what I am used to. Moving from film (now shooting Nikons) to digital I have just gone to full frame and now have a real 50mm perspective again. But Im watching this video and looking at a Nikkor 28mm 1.4 - 1.8 or 2.8. I hope changing things up will change how I photograph and inspire me to try out new things. I also love my 105mm prime.

Great video! Calm talking nice energy and confirmed choosing a 28.

Great video! Glad I found your channel. I’m a Nikon Z6ii shooter and looking at the new Z 28mm f2.8 and 40mm f2. I shoot landscapes , travel, street, low light.

I see out of one eye and my vision is wide - 28mm is my natural field of view. So this Lens on my Camera feels very natural. its really beautiful. I recently acquired the Nikkor 28-70mm F3.5-4.5D. This lens is absolutely perfect. Because of my one eye vision 70mm is my natural telephoto. I know this because i tested my 50mm 1.4 on my DX. That felt natural. So having one lens that covers how i see naturally is perfect. I love your video. 👍🏽

The 28mm focal length is my new favourite. Love it on my Fujifilm Klasse W!

Great video. I'm recently try 28 mm, switch from 24 and wanna say that I agree with author video!

Thanks for this excellent overview, Matthew. I love my Canon 24-105 L, but for an all-day lightweight and compact carry, whether hiking or around town, I use my Canon 6D with the 50mm 1.8 and an end of production line Canon 28mm 2.8 (the old non IS one) which was made in 2010. It's odd in a way that the 28mm focal length is relatively unloved on SLRs when millions of smartphone users love the in built cameras, which are often an effective 28mm

Thank you. I see the possible benefits in tight spaces where you can’t back up and still want to keep context.

I recently switched to a 28mm prime as my daily driver because I was gifted a leica m240 and the 28mm rokkor was the only lense I could find in my budget. I do mostly street portraits and the film look of the vintage lens plus the change from 50mm to 28mm has been an absolute joy to play with

When it comes to travelling, I'm a 24mm guy. I did few trips with 35mm. Love it. But I came across few situation I need to move back a bit but I have no more space for it. Recently I'm thinking of going for 28mm and carry another 85mm for travelling. Thanks for this great video 👍🏻

After 15 years shooting portraits and landscapes, using Nikon 20, 24, 28, 35, 50, 85, 105, 24-70, 24-120, 80-200... after some work on videos using rokinons 24, 35, 50 and 85 1.4... I totally agree with you! I sold out all my dslr gear and maybe i'll start now with only a 28mm 2.0 on a sony fullframe mirrorless body.

Way, way... wayyyy... back in 1970, when I was assigned to Vietnam with the Seabees, I had to choose my own photo gear (got repaid a year-and-a-half later). I settled on a 28mm lens as my "wide shooter" for basically all the reasons you mentioned... and kept using it in the Mekong Delta as my "primary" lens there and throughout my Navy/Naval Reserve career. In my final overseas tour in Vicenza, Italy in 1993 (lucky me), I used another 28mm lens I had with me. Took some nice portrait shots of sailors at work on board ship or ashore by the ship or in town when I visited Venice (lucky me, again!). The 28mm lens was just about perfect for all the reasons you noted. In my work (Kodak ISO 400 B&W, developed in D-76 -- last of the analog days!), I always made sure to take vertical and horizontal shots for the hometown newspapers to give the editors a choice of which shot they needed (layout in the paper was another consideration). I had a 35mm lens over the years, but it became more of a paper weight. If I were stuck on that desert island and could have only one lens, 28mm it would be, too! 😎

I love the 28mm myself. I like wide as a landscape and city photographer. So its a nice almost portrait lens that can do anything.

Great shots! Also great scans of your film (kudos to you or the studio who scanned em). The nikkor 28mm 2.8 AIS is a dream to use, and super sharp, even when used on higher resolution cameras like the Sony A7IV. Another thing I enjoy about shooting 28mm, especially with digital cameras, is that it crops so well in post. Ive been using the 28mm converter on my fuji x100v, and I've found it super useful for portraits or tighter compositions when cropping in post. It almost feels like a 35mm or 50mm at times when cropped. Its a zoom lens in one single lens :D

I bought a 28mm for my Canon AE-1 to take with us when my wife and I went to Scotland last year.I wanted something wide to capture landscapes, but like you said, not so wide as to cause distortion. I find now that it rarely comes off my camera!

Much as I love the 28 for *many* subjects; street, landscape, travel, nature... something I've never been able to do is a pleasing portrait with one. Portraiture? Use a 50 or even an 85. I usually can get away to cover *everything* (like travel) with a 28 *_and_* a 75 (on Leica) or 85 (on Nikon).

Hi, Matthew, thanks for your video! I do lots of still work, and now am moving into videography/documentaries. Size, convenience, and avoiding checking baggage for international trips is huge. For still work, no question, I just need the Sony a6600/(upcoming a6700 camera body), and two zooms---18-135mm Sony; 70-350 Sony; for sports, wildlife, and overall flexibility. I find zooms literally create new pics that I could never get with still lenses. That said, I use a small gimbal so for video work it is best to use a fixed lens. 28mm is fine :)

Very nice presentation, and a good tutorial!

Great video. You know how to do it. I'm a big fan of the 28mm lens. It's a good mix and a good always on top. Leica Q models also have a permanently installed 28 mm lens. And they know why! Your photos show a good photographer!

I so agree with you. I am waiting... waiting... waiting for canon to make a RF version f2 or wider. Till then my Ricoh GRii , and Pixel 2Xl give me the joy of 28mm. I had 28mm 1.8 when I was using the APSC camera, but have a 35mm now for last 8 years on full frame. 35mm is wonderful, but not quite there, in my liking - not wide enough and not long enough. 28mm focal length had something mystical in it that I can't really verbalize.

Great video,great pics !

Really nice images in the video! Good job 👍 - not sure 28mm is the answer to my photography dreams but will definitely give it a try!

I’ve seen this said a lot by experienced photogs, especially when they have to take just one lens. It’s wide, but not too wide, and not as compressed as a 35 or 40mm, where you often can’t fit much into the frame. I used this length a lot over the years, whether by itself or as the widest on zooms and it does feel just right. I also like the 42mm on crop- I used that a lot when I moved to digital back with the D70. Best of both worlds!

Wow lovely photographs. Thank you for sharing.

Great points made!