lens for night sky/milky way....
If you do decide to get it, make sure the aperture lever is snappy and the optics are clear with no fungal threads visible.
So ultimately, do you need it? Probably no. Would you like it? Probably yes!
I haven't tried an A 28/2.8 for astro work, but the fact that it has a manual focus ring probably means you can set it to infinity (and hopefully that will be the "hard stop" at the end of the focus throw) without having to worry about it moving (the AF lenses are easy to knock the focus out a little). I don't know of a lens that doesn't benefit from stopping down at least half a stop (preferably a full stop).
One of the advantages that Primes usually have over zooms is that they have a faster aperture, and it is the fact that you can gather more light that give you the ability to get more detailed images. My favourite lenses have included the FA35/2.0, F50/1.4 and K135/2.5 - all fast, and high quality
Thats the one that seems to give me the best images.
I dont really "want" the A 28mm (i recently sold the one i had!!), just thought it may have been a better option..ie, a little bit wider than the 35.
Pays to focus them in daylight Lenny. And then just use something like a bit of tape as markers to line up in the dark. My Sigma 18-35 seems to focus beyond infinity too. Managed it in the dark just manually focusing on a distance point
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321 posts
13 years
durham
I currently have a k3, and have a sigma 10-20, Pentax 18-135, and also the two plastic fantastic's...35mm 2.8 and 50mm 1.8.
I've had the best images from the 35mm 2.8 (the 50mm seems too narrow FOV).
or is there any other (cheapish) alternatives/recommendations.