28 // 35mm prime?

[hoodmeister]

I'm thinking about perhaps picking up some sort of mid-wide prime lens (somewhere between 28 and 35mm)

I really like my Sigma 50mm (macro) f2.8 prime, so that's where this stems from.

What i'd want from such a lens :

Good sharpness // general IQ (duh!)
low aperture (anything below 3)
Decent bokeh
compact!
not too expensive ¬_¬

i'm most likely to pick any recommendations up second hand, so even discontinued lenses are fine. I use a Nikon F mount.

Any recommendations chaps?

 

[Joe T]

Nikon 24mm f2.8 for around £300 is supposed to be pretty good. The 28mm f2.8 is not supposed to be as good, but is cheaper. The 1.4 version of the 28mm is prob out of your budget! There is also a 35mm f2 which will be nice and fast, and scores well.

Also worth looking at is the Sigma 30mm 1.4.

Reviews of the Nikons here: http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showcat.php?cat=12

(Prices quoted above are for new lenses, if you want 2nd hand, make sure you get AF not MF ones)

 

[hoodmeister]

Thinking about this a little more, I think I probably want a bit wider...

I'm now considering :
Sigma 20mm 1.8
Nikon 24mm 2.8

Both are a similar price (don't want to spend more than ~£200).
The Sigma is obviously wider and faster (good)
The Sigma is twice the size & weight (bad, but I can live with it)
The Sigma has an 82mm filter thread, the Nikon a 52mm (bad, but I can live with it)
There are reports of some copies of the Sigma reporting front focusing... Super bad, but I may not get a duff.

Hmmm. Decisions decisions. I can't find anywhere that suggests if either has significantly better general IQ than the other - both seem to be rather good (as long as the Sigma focuses properly)