28mm on M8 vs 35mm on film

[CooperS]

Hi there,

I have been thinking of getting a 28mm as I am missing a 35mm equivalent for the M8 lens line up.

However, looking at some 28mm pictures being used on the M8, I tend to suspect that subjects appear stretched or distorted. The 'feel' of a 35mm is merely due to the cropping of a 1.33 factor.

In a layman's term, does a picture from a 28mm on a M8 be any different from a 35mm on film?

Seeking answers from gurus out there. Thanks! :sweat:

 

[Hacker]

In my mind, a 28mm is still a 28mm, used on an M8, MP or RD1s.

 

[ckuang]

Hey CooperS, that's part of the reason why I'm not too crazy about digi cameras with crop factors, because even though your angle of view is that of a 35mm, the background depth of field is like that of a 28mm, making it feel like a strange hybrid.

 

[CooperS]

I get what you mean CKuang.

However, the convenience of the digi do has its trade offs. That being said, I am still thinking of selling the M8. Haha.

 

[Cactus jACK]

nothing of the lens property changes, only the FOV. the 28 is still a 28, it's just that the picture has it's edges snipped/cropped off, such that it looks like a 35mm FOV.

crop factors does have its benefits... it can help you automatically eliminate corner distortion and vignetting, esp when shooting wide open (if that is what you want), and still give you good pixel density in the middle... of course, when you talk pixel density, the more dense, the less well it handles noise... but that's another discussion for another day...

 

[CooperS]

Yes, of course the lens properties do not change.

I am just wondering if anyone can spot the difference if I use a 28mm on an M8 and a 35mm on film. Both shots taken at the same distance from the subject.

Will the one from the M8 appear distorted, just cropped to a FOV equivalent of a 35mm?

Similarly 35mm on M8 vs 50mm on film. :what:

 

[Cactus jACK]

it would make for an interesting test... but i think that the only tell-tale sign out be vignetting on the 35 if shot wide open, other than that, i think that it would be pretty hard to tell them apart.

as it is, distortion on the leica 28 and 35 are pretty well controlled. add to that, the edges (which are prone to distortion on the wider focal lengths) of the 28 would be cropped off. if anything, i would expect the cropped 28 to give a "cleaner" and "slightly neater" image... but that's not to say better. some would prefer the 35 DOF, likewise for the comparison between the 35 and the 50.