[mst]

Was this here https://photozone.smugmug.com/Reviews/Si...-m6npqk7/A taken at minimal focus distance (0.28 m, I believe)?

Uhm, no. It's been a while since I shot that one, but I think it's closer to half a meter subject distance. Check this one in comparison:

https://photozone.smugmug.com/Reviews/Si...-CK8fQtn/A

This was at or near to MFD, the flower's are roughly the same size (the poppyseed flower maybe even a tad larger).

Do you have more wide-position, wide-open, close distance? I like very much how the object pops out, which is IMO the second reason to buy a fast wide-angle. The other is dealing with low light often.

I'll check as soon as I get home next week... currently on the road again

Personally, I'm always really tempted by large aperture lenses, of any focal length, because of the subject separation they allow... often to a degree that is fascinating from a photographer's perspective, but likely way over the top for potential viewers.

I'm not quite sure though if I'd prefer this f/2 zoom over two f/1.4 primes... been shooting with the 24/1.4 Art in parallel.

How was the AF behaviour? I think, the flower is already out of the range of the AF-points and I assume, LiveView was involved?

For shots like these I usually use center AF and recompose, and then, just to be safe, do some manual focus bracketing. Especially if it's windy and the flower moves quite a bit, as was the case in this one.

Oh, and btw.: PZ forum really sucks on an iPad!

Yeah... can't argue against that

-- Markus