Nikkor 80-200 f/4.5 Ai vs Vivitar S1 70-210 f/3.5 (Kiron)

ChrisLilley · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 1771 Location: Nice, France

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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Camera (ˈkæ mə rə), n. Device for taking pictures in bright light
There are 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don’t. Key: Ai-P, Ai, Ai'ed, AiS
Camera: Nikon D90, D40, DK-21M eyepiece, ML-3 remote MF lenses: Nikkor 20mm f/4 K, AI'ed | N.K. Nikkor-N 24mm f/2.8 | Nikkor-N.C 24mm f/2.8 | Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AiS late model | Арсенал (Arsenal) Мир-24Н (Mir-24N) 35mm f/2 | Cosina Voigtländer Ultron SL II 40mm f/2.0 | Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 AiS | Zoom-Nikkor 80-200 f/4.5 Ai | ЛЗОС (LZOS) Юпитер-9 (Jupiter-9) 85mm f/2 | Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90mm f/3.5 SL | Nikkor-P 105mm f/2.5 pre-Ai, Ai'ed | Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/4 | Schneider Kreuznach Componon 105mm f/5.6 | Nikkor 135mm f/2.8, Ai'ed 1976 model | Nikkor 180mm f/2.8 ED AiS | Арсенал (Arsenal) ТЕЛЕАР-Н (Telear-n) 200mm f/3.5 | Nikkor 300 mm f/4.5 Ai (full equipment list)

ChrisLilley · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 1771 Location: Nice, France

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).
_________________
Camera (ˈkæ mə rə), n. Device for taking pictures in bright light
There are 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don’t. Key: Ai-P, Ai, Ai'ed, AiS
Camera: Nikon D90, D40, DK-21M eyepiece, ML-3 remote MF lenses: Nikkor 20mm f/4 K, AI'ed | N.K. Nikkor-N 24mm f/2.8 | Nikkor-N.C 24mm f/2.8 | Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AiS late model | Арсенал (Arsenal) Мир-24Н (Mir-24N) 35mm f/2 | Cosina Voigtländer Ultron SL II 40mm f/2.0 | Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 AiS | Zoom-Nikkor 80-200 f/4.5 Ai | ЛЗОС (LZOS) Юпитер-9 (Jupiter-9) 85mm f/2 | Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90mm f/3.5 SL | Nikkor-P 105mm f/2.5 pre-Ai, Ai'ed | Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/4 | Schneider Kreuznach Componon 105mm f/5.6 | Nikkor 135mm f/2.8, Ai'ed 1976 model | Nikkor 180mm f/2.8 ED AiS | Арсенал (Arsenal) ТЕЛЕАР-Н (Telear-n) 200mm f/3.5 | Nikkor 300 mm f/4.5 Ai (full equipment list)

Richard_D · Joined: 21 Oct 2007 Posts: 2378 Location: Faversham Kent UK

To my eyes the Nikkor has the edge - slightly crisper.
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Richard

The interesting bit:

Nikkors: 20mm f2.8 AIS, 24mm f2.8 AIS, 28mm f2.8 AIS, 35mm f2 AIS, 50mm f1.4 AI, 50mm f1.48AI, 50m f2 AI,
55mm f3.5 AI'd, 105mm f4 AI, 135mm f2.8 AI'd, 135mm f3.5 AI'd, 200mm f4 AI'd .
Nikon E Series: 100mm f2.8 .
Soviet Nikon Mount: Zenitar 16mm f2.8, Arsat/arax/photex 85mm T&S f2.8 .
Other: Asahi Super Takumar 55 mm f2 (M42) ,Tamron 300mm f5.6 SP, Tamron 500mm f8 SP.

DSLR: Nikon D700. 35mm SLRsNikon FE, Pentax S1a.
TLR: Rolliecord II.
Sub-Minature: Pentax Auto 110, 18mm f2.8, 24mm f2.8, 50mm f2.8.

More to come...

Screamin Scott · Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 2:50 pm Post subject:

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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Cameras-Nikon D70s,N2000,FE2,FTN ,FT2,N90s &N70
Nikkor AF Zooms=28-105/3.5D,18-55/3.5GS,28-70/3.5D,35-135/3.5
Nikkor AF //50/1.8,//Nikkor MF//50/2ai,50/1.8ais 50/1.4ai,24/2.8ais,28/2.8ai,28/3.5ai,55microAis/2.8,105/2.5ai,200/4ai,300/4.5ai35-135/3.5Ais
Kiron /Kino madelenses//70-210/4ai,28-105/3.2ai,30-80/3.5ai,Viv 28/2ai,35-85/2.8aiVivS1,105/2.8AisDine,24-48/3.8ai VivS1,50-150/3.8aiViv,28-85/2.8aiViv,100/2.8Nai Viv,70-210/3.5Nai Viv,28/2.5ai VivKomine made Viv//24/2Ais,135/2.8aiCF,28-50/3.5ai,28-90/2.8ai Viv S1,80-200/4.5aiCosina made Viv 19/3.8 Ais...Also Sigma 24/2.8 Ais Tokina made24/2.8ai VivAF Sigma 21-35/3.5,& other lenses

LucisPictor · Expire: 2012-12-03

Definitely the Nikkor!!
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Asahi Spotmatic SPII, Mamiya 1.8/55
EXA Varex - CZJ Biogon 2/58
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Leica IIIa syn - Leica Summitar 2/5cm, Leica Elmar 4/90

Leica C2, Minox 35 GL,Yashica Electro 35 GS, Kodak Retina Ia, Agfa Super Silette, Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim, Adox Golf 66 and some others...
Sigma DP1s, Leica Digilux 2, Lumix LC-5 & FX37, Lumix FZ20, Canon G2, Sony Mavica 300, Fuji 4800Z + 4900Z, Oly C3030, Pentax Optio S, Nikon CP950, Sony V1 & F505 a.s.m.
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On sale: Vivitar 2.8-3.8/35-70

Attila · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 44750 Location: Budapest,Hungary

In my experience Nikkor lenses are better in every focal length than Kiron or Vivitars even at best Kiron lenses.
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ChrisLilley · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 1771 Location: Nice, France

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 ...
_________________
Camera (ˈkæ mə rə), n. Device for taking pictures in bright light
There are 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don’t. Key: Ai-P, Ai, Ai'ed, AiS
Camera: Nikon D90, D40, DK-21M eyepiece, ML-3 remote MF lenses: Nikkor 20mm f/4 K, AI'ed | N.K. Nikkor-N 24mm f/2.8 | Nikkor-N.C 24mm f/2.8 | Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AiS late model | Арсенал (Arsenal) Мир-24Н (Mir-24N) 35mm f/2 | Cosina Voigtländer Ultron SL II 40mm f/2.0 | Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 AiS | Zoom-Nikkor 80-200 f/4.5 Ai | ЛЗОС (LZOS) Юпитер-9 (Jupiter-9) 85mm f/2 | Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90mm f/3.5 SL | Nikkor-P 105mm f/2.5 pre-Ai, Ai'ed | Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/4 | Schneider Kreuznach Componon 105mm f/5.6 | Nikkor 135mm f/2.8, Ai'ed 1976 model | Nikkor 180mm f/2.8 ED AiS | Арсенал (Arsenal) ТЕЛЕАР-Н (Telear-n) 200mm f/3.5 | Nikkor 300 mm f/4.5 Ai (full equipment list)

ChrisLilley · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 1771 Location: Nice, France

Brian · Joined: 10 May 2008 Posts: 83 Location: Virginia, US

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.

Orio · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 26838 Location: West Emilia

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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Orio, Administrator

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