Why are there 28mm and 24mm, and why are the 24's always better?

Shakespeare · Apr 13, 2013

It's true of any brand of lens that I can think of, and many brands have made both (I'm mostly thinking about manual lenses). They're pretty much always f2.8. So why make two that are so close together, and what makes the wide so much more desirable?

Overread · Apr 13, 2013

Remember at the shorter focal lengths the difference in mm between two values is visually greater. So between 24mm and 28mm you can see the difference quite noticeably between the two frames you'd capture if shooting from the same position. Now at the longer end with say a 300mm and 304mm you wouldn't see any difference (there would be a very tiny difference but nothing viable in real world shooting terms).

usayit · Apr 13, 2013

* 24mm is not always better.. its a pure personal preference.

* 4mm on a wide angle lens IS very significant

* 24mm is often the widest FL you can go before introducing distortions at the corners that can be a distraction.

* Oh.. and there are many 24mm lenses that are not f/2.8. I occasionally borrow a 24mm f/1.4 Summilux and I used to shoot often with a Canon 24mm f/1.4L although I currently mostly use a 24mm f/2.8 Elmarit.

I shoot 24mm quite often.... its a wonderful FL for telling a story and conveying space without things looking abnormally "stretched" out to the viewer. if I observe a particular scene naturally (two eyes open) while take into account my field of view + mid-peripheral I generally can pre visualize. Its also a good lens for fast shooting in dynamic situations... lending to ample DOF as well as opportunities for crop (oh my...! not crop!... yes crop).