Why 28mm May Be The Only Prime Lens You Need

Today I tell you 5 reasons why I think a 28mm (full-frame equivalent) lens may be the only prime you need. It's a bit of an unsung focal length, but I'll do my best to show you why you'll want to consider it when looking for your next do-everything prime lens.

This video was shot on a Fuji XT3 with the new Fujinon 18mm f1.4 (27mm equivalent).

Let me know what your favorite focal length is and why!

[seeyah]

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

[kanglee]

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

[hertsman]

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.

[nerwin]

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!

[RANDassociatesinc]

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!!!

[samidaliphoto]

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

[MichaelVincentMagic]

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. 👍🏽

[mhcb]

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.

[cameronwheatley]

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.

[theowlfromduolingo]

28mm is an overlooked focal length - almost like 40mm. Because they are considered as boring. But that's their strength. They are allrounders with a very natural look.
And there seems to be an abundance of them online

[EdAb]

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

[RANDassociatesinc]

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.

[cjsansoo]

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

[np]

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.

[ecka]

My favorite focal lengths are 20, 28, 40 and 135(ish)(the 105F1.4E is great, but I don't shoot Nikon (yet)). I think that 28mm is just right for all sorts of stuff. For travel, for a walk in the park, street, forest, environmental portrait, landscapes, indoors, weather (sky and clouds), MilkyWay, cars, selfies, food, pets, kids, flowers, parties, etc.

[rhbraly]

28mm is my favourite lens as well. In fact I have the one that you have, the 28mm 2.8 Nikkor ais. This particular lens is the reason I fell in love with 28mm. The close focus distance of .2m along with tack sharpness and almost no distortion make it a very special lens. My first one I had was by accident as it came with a camera I purchased. For some stupid reason I sold it to purchase a zoom lens and regretted it almost instantly. Within a few months I purchased another one and plan to keep it forever. I agree fully that it is a very versatile lens. You can almost do macro with it, it’s great for portraits, landscape, street, whatever. And it’s compact. What more could you want. I don’t know but I always seem to find something 😆.

[Mostlyphotography]

Is a good practice to stick to a "new focal length" to force yourself to think differently. I have an old 28mm Pentax somewhere. I have a Pentax to Nikon adapter somewhere. It's time to give it a try. Nicely done video, Matthew!

[VoiceofFox]

Love 28mm. Such a versatile focal length and not as ‘obviously wide angle’ as 24mm depending on how you use it. It also helps that the Nikkor 28mm AI-S is one Nikon’s best lenses too. They were still making it until very recently.

[arunphillips]

Hi Matthew, completely agree, the 28mm is perfect for so many travel applications. I find the angles are not to severe, and distortions are kept at bay. Also great for street and people.

[teleaddict]

I recently went travelling with 3 prime lenses, a 28, 35 and a nifty 50. I thought that I would use the 35 the most, but I ended up using 28 for most of the shots and the 50 for those shots when you need a bit more zoom. The 28 and the 50 are the only lenses anyone really needs. The 35 focal length is a bit redundant for me as it’s not wide enough but also not long enough.