Budget Makinon wide-angle for Canon FD mount, affordable 28mm option for film and adapted shooting.
The Makinon 28mm f/2.8 is a budget wide-angle prime lens for the Canon FD mount, produced by the Japanese optical manufacturer Makinon as an affordable alternative to Canon's own FD 28mm lenses. The 28mm focal length was the most popular wide-angle choice during the manual focus era, offering a noticeably wider view than standard 50mm lenses.
Optically, the lens produces acceptable sharpness when stopped down to f/5.6 or f/8, with typical wide-angle characteristics including some barrel distortion and corner softness at wider apertures. The f/2.8 maximum aperture is standard for third-party 28mm lenses of this period and provides adequate viewfinder brightness for manual focusing.
Build quality is typical of budget third-party lenses from this era with an all-metal barrel, smooth focusing ring, and multi-coated optics. The compact size complements Canon FD bodies well, maintaining good balance and pocketability that makes the combination a practical everyday carry for street and travel photography.
The Makinon 28mm f/2.8 has minimal value on the used market but offers an extremely affordable wide-angle option for Canon FD system shooters. While it cannot match Canon's own FD 28mm f/2.8, the price difference is substantial enough to make this a practical choice for photographers on a tight budget.