Moving On

Sometimes after a gear change transaction is completed there are regrets. This time my only regret is that I was cheated by MPB in their assessment of my trade in lenses and hoods as I ended up with significantly less than I should have. I could have declined the deal and had them send everything back to me but once a decision to exchange lenses is made it's hard to go back. I suspect MPB knows that.

But I consider this a net positive as I've resolved to do no further transactions with them. Their short term gain, my long term gain. 

I am very happy, cost aside, with the decision to exchange the 24mm f/1.8 and 45mm f/1.2 lenses for the 28-70mm f/2.8 lens. With the addition of the 28mm pancake lens I have a very small option and a very versatile zoom option. The 85mm f/2 half macro lens will also see occasional use.

Both the color and B&W versions of the Vertical 28 project are active with links on the sidebar to the right. Here are some shots added to the project along with some others from yesterday with the zoom lens.

Matton Shipyard
RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/4, 1/500 sec., ISO 100

Cluett Peabody & Co. Bleach Plant
RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 66mm, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 100

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 50mm, f/5.6, 1/750 sec., ISO 100

Peebles Island
RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/8, 1/180 sec., ISO 100

Mohawk River
RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 100

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 70mm, f/11, 1/180 sec., ISO 100

Newest Project

I have created a new gallery for a project I've just begun, Vertical 28. Eventually there will be galleries in both color and black & white but for now only the color gallery contains images. The subject matter is portrait orientation with the 28mm focal length. Aspect ratios will be either 2:3 or 3:4.

Either the 28mm pancake lens or the wide end of the 28-70mm zoom lens can be used. There is a link in the ongoing projects link list to the right. Here are some of the initial images.

Russel Sage College
RF 28mm f/2.8, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 100

Troy, NY Alleyway
RF 28mm f/2.8, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec., ISO 100

Oakwood Cemetery
RF 28-70mm f/2.8, f/2.8, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

Peebles Island
RF 28mm f/2.8, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 100

Peebles Island
RF 28mm f/2.8, f/5.6, 1/750 sec., ISO 100

Peebles Island
RF 28mm f/2.8, f/5.6, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

Waterford Visitor Center
RF 28mm f/2.8, f/8, 1/750 sec., ISO 100

Pancakes

I hadn't intended to have my most recent gear transaction include the RF 28mm f/2.8 STM pancake lens. But it did. This is the third copy of this lens I've had, most recently over the summer of 2024. I traded it in with some other lenses when I picked up my prior copy of the RF 28-70mm f/2.8 lens.

I'd like to say I'll hang on to this lens for an extended period. It's a very interesting design and the end result is pretty impressive. You can watch a tear down video showing the design of the lens here. Note the concave front element in the diagram below. You don't see that very often.

RF 28mm f/2.8 STM diagram

Camera/lens combinations which have the angle of view of a 28mm lens on a full frame, or 35mm film size, sensor are having their time in the sun. Main cameras on smart phones are generally this focal length equivalent. 

Ricoh makes a crop sensor camera with a built in 28mm equivalent lens in both color and black & white only versions. Leica has a series of full frame cameras with incorporated f/1.7 28mm lenses also in both color and black & white only models. More interesting to me is the Fujifilm GFX100RF with an f/4 lens which has a medium format sensor but lacks image stabilization. The design of these lenses are all pancake like to varying degrees. 

My version, with a full frame body with image stabilization and the f/2.8 pancake lens, seems a very respectable alternative. In comparison to the Leica Q series, the f/2.8 is slower than f/1.7 but the body has some better features like a 1/8000 sec. maximum shutter speed versus 1/2000. Advantages versus the GFX100RF include an f/2.8 rather than f/4 lens and image stabilization. Plus, I already have it.

Here is my now current kit with the pancake lens on the R6 Mark II.

And here are some scenes from my first outing with the combination in downtown Troy, NY this morning.

RF 28mm f/2.8 STM, f/8, 1/1000 sec., ISO 100

RF 28mm f/2.8 STM, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 100

RF 28mm f/2.8 STM, f/8, 1/1000 sec., ISO 100

RF 28mm f/2.8 STM, f/4, 1/350 sec., ISO 100