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Nikkor 80-200 f/4.5 Ai vs Vivitar S1 70-210 f/3.5 (Kiron)
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 1:49 pm
Post subject: Nikkor 80-200 f/4.5 Ai vs Vivitar S1 70-210 f/3.5 (Kiron)
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 1:49 pm
Post subject: Nikkor 80-200 f/4.5 Ai vs Vivitar S1 70-210 f/3.5 (Kiron)
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I had posted earlier about this pair of similar focal range zooms. Photos of the moon showed the vivitar to be much softer; this could have been an infinity focus issue.


Then I tried some closer shots (target perhaps 30-50 metres away). Today I set up a still-life of bottles and shot from close range. Sensor to target (focus point) distance was 240cm. Total depth of the subject was 28cm.

Its a cloudy, dull day so I used ISO 400. I was looking for crispness, texture detail (in bottle glass and in the background of the yellow label), shadow and hilight detail. Shots were taken from a tripod and using remote shutter release. These are 100% crops. The full size images will be up on flickr in a moment.

f/5.6 1/1000s

Nikkor


Vivitar


f/8 1/500s

Nikkor


Vivitar


f/11 1/250s

Nikkor


Vivitar


f/16 1/125s

Nikkor


Vivitar


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Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 2:12 pm
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 2:12 pm
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The full size images are uploaded. To show where the crop came from, here is an uncropped image (Nikon, f/11).



The vivitar shots are taken at 200mm as near as i can judge, not the maximum 210,mm (to try to get the same framing for both lenses).


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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 1:16 pm
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 1:16 pm
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To my eyes the Nikkor has the edge - slightly crisper.


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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 2:50 pm
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 2:50 pm
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I agree with Richards assessment that the Nikkor has the advantage...However, it is also more expensive than the Vivitar & for most people, the Vivitar's IQ would be sufficient


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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 3:03 pm
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 3:03 pm
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Definitely the Nikkor!!


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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 3:39 pm
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 3:39 pm
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In my experience Nikkor lenses are better in every focal length than Kiron or Vivitars even at best Kiron lenses.


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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 7:27 pm
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 7:27 pm
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Especially at 5.6 the Nikon is much better.

Ironically I got the Vivitar because of the sloppy focus/zoom ring on the nikkor which is apparently a common fault. And it cost me more than the Nikkor did ...

So then I decided zooms were not as good as primes, hence the Telear. But its still not straightforward ...


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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 7:29 pm
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 7:29 pm
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Screamin Scott wrote:
I agree with Richards assessment that the Nikkor has the advantage...However, it is also more expensive than the Vivitar & for most people, the Vivitar's IQ would be sufficient


The Nikkor cost me 30.50 euro (plus postage), the Vivitar 32 pounds (around 43 euro at the time). Of course both were much more expensive when new.


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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 11:29 pm
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 11:29 pm
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That Nikkor 80~200/4.5 went for about $700 when new. It was the first zoom lens accepted by the pro's as being equal to the primes. I've got one of the early single-coated versions, and a first-generation multicoated lens that I got hold of the factory AI part to upgrade it.


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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 5:59 am
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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 5:59 am
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In my opinion, not even comparable. The resolving power of the Nikon is so much higher that the Vivitar photos even appear to be more noisy because of that.


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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 11:18 pm
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 11:18 pm
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Both the 4.5 and the Vivitar are really sloppy ones... you got to like that "not that good" feeling
of these lenses. I can't stand it, sold both and finally found a lens to maintain: The Nikkor 80-200mm 2.8 AIS ED
which produced and produces images just out of this world. No other 2.8 Telephoto found
that achieved these results (and I have testet the newest Nikkor 2.8 telezooms as well - the
legend just beats all successors. Very Happy

You can find images here: http://forum.mflenses.com/nikon-history-the-nikkor-80-200mm-2-8-ais-ed-t55661.html
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