Why is a 28mm prime so expensive compared to a 50mm

[Mike1980]

I have the 50mm f/1.8 and it's great. Far and away my most used lens.

Quckly searched on Amazon for a wider (actually looked for a 25mm prime to begin with). I expected it to be relatively cheap with it being a prime lens etc.

So, why is it so much more than the 50mm?



Thanks

 

[Markbrennan490]

If its Nikon, I got a 35mm f1.8 for about £140, I don't know about canon or other makes

 

[Jimi-the-fish]

If you are comparing the Canon 50mm and Canon 28mm 1.8s then I think the 28 will have better glass, full time manual focus, and USM. That's what you pay for. The Canon 50mm 1.4 is a better comparison with the 28mm on this basis. You might like to check out the Canon 35mm f2 or Sigma 30mm 1.4 as alternatives.

Cheers

J

 

[Phil V]

There's a link here somewhere recently about lens design that'll have clues, but basically a lens around 'std' is a really simple design and so cheaper to make. Wider lenses and long tele photo's are by nature more complex, so more complex. .

Add in the apples to pears comparison, the 28mm is a league above the 50 1.8, the economies of scale also kick in, the 50mm probably outsells the 28 10:1.

Why would you look for a 25mm ? 24 and 28 are the common focal lengths, with 30mm also edging in designed as a std for apsc sensors.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Here's the links:

http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2011/08/lens-geneology-part-1

http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2011/09/lens-genealogy-part-2

 

[wyx087]

35mm f2, not as expensive, very sharp centre. IMHO much better than 50mm f1.8.

 

[tijuana taxi]

Lucky you didn't look at the 24mm L then

 

[freefall]

I owned the 28 f1.8 and then sold it on here. It was brilliant on a crop sensor and decent on full frame too. When I went full frame it barely got used as I love 50mm. It was hard to let it go because it was that good.