Hanimex Hanimex 28mm f2.8 Heritage

Overview

The Hanimex 28mm f/2.8 MC is a budget third-party wide-angle prime from the early 1980s, part of the vast wave of inexpensive Japanese optics sold under distributor brand names during the manual-focus SLR era. According to one reviewer, online comment attributes these Hanimex-branded lenses to Makinon, and this 28mm is part of the same family as the Hanimex 24mm. The pictured example was originally purchased new in 1983 and was found in M42 screwmount, though PK and other mounts of the era also existed. Lenses of this type were firmly in the 'cheap as chips' category, often bundled or given away with adapters or bodies. A closely related (and possibly rebadged) sibling appears to be the Ampro MC 28mm f/2.8, which one reviewer memorably tested and questioned whether it was 'the worst lens ever.' No established nicknames or community jargon exist for this lens. Its following, such as it is, comes purely from its rock-bottom price and curiosity value as an off-brand mystery optic rather than from any celebrated optical signature.

Verdict: The Hanimex (likely Makinon) 28mm f/2.8 MC is a budget-tier wide-angle for tinkerers, collectors, and adapters-on-mirrorless hobbyists who enjoy cheap vintage glass. Wide open it is soft, cool, and low in contrast, but stopped down to f/4 and beyond it offers genuinely consistent center sharpness in a solid all-metal body. It is a bargain curiosity rather than a cult classic; buy it for the price and the fun, not for standout optical character.

Optical Character

Bokeh

Rated moderate (7/10) with no detailed description; the related Ampro version is described as nervous and jittery.

Color

Cool and 'distinctly anaemic' color rendering.

Sharpness wide open

Softer at f/2.8 with visible aberrations, but good center resolution and consistent performance from f/4 onward; edges are never great.

Contrast

Weak; global contrast described as 'a tad weak.'

Community Insights

What people love

Excellent value; bought 'cheap as chips' for around $20, sometimes effectively free with an adapter or body
Good center resolution and consistent, reliable image quality from f/4 onward
Well made, all-metal construction with solid handling (rated 9/10 for handling)

What people dislike

Soft with visible aberrations at f/2.8
Cool, 'distinctly anaemic' colors and weak contrast
Edges that are never great
In the related Ampro version, near-unusable softness wide open that makes focusing 'IMPOSSIBLE' even with focus peaking, plus nervous, jittery bokeh

Pro Tips

Stop down to at least f/4 for consistent, usable sharpness; the center improves markedly from there
Avoid relying on f/2.8 for critical work due to softness and aberrations
With the related Ampro version, stop down to f/5.6 or more just to focus accurately, and use f/8-f/11 for the sharpest results
Expect cool, low-contrast files and correct color/contrast in post if you want punchier results

Sources (1)

Web-grounded synthesissecondary

The Hanimex 28mm f/2.8 MC is a budget third-party wide-angle prime from the early 1980s, part of the vast wave of inexpensive Japanese optics sold under distributor brand names during the manual-focus SLR era. According to one reviewer, online comment attributes these Hanimex-branded lenses to Makinon, and this 28mm is part of the same family as the Hanimex 24mm. The pictured example was originally purchased new in 1983 and was found in M42 screwmount, though PK and other mounts of the era also existed. Lenses of this type were firmly in the 'cheap as chips' category, often bundled or given away with adapters or bodies. A closely related (and possibly rebadged) sibling appears to be the Ampro MC 28mm f/2.8, which one reviewer memorably tested and questioned whether it was 'the worst lens ever.' No established nicknames or community jargon exist for this lens. Its following, such as it is, comes purely from its rock-bottom price and curiosity value as an off-brand mystery optic rather than from any celebrated optical signature.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/hanimex-makinon-28mm-f28-mc.htmlhttps://www.35mmc.com/22/06/2023/ampro-mc-28mm-f-2-8-a-few-frames-with-the-worst-lens-ever/