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

ChrisLilley · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 906 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 (lenses in use)
Camera: Nikon D40, DK-21M eyepiece, ML-3 remote MF lenses: Nikkor 20mm f/4 non-AI | Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AiS late model | Cosina Voigtländer Ultron SL II 40mm f/2.0 | Nikkor-S.C 50mm f/1.4 non-AI | Nikon 50mm f/1.8 E | Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 AiS | Vivitar Series 1 (Kiron) 70-210 f/3.5 | Zoom-Nikkor 80-200 f/4.5 Ai | Nikkor 135mm f/2.8, Ai'ed 1976 model | Арсенал (Arsenal) ТЕЛЕАР-Н (Telear-n) 200mm f/3.5 | Nikkor 300 mm f/4.5 Ai

ChrisLilley · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 906 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).
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Camera (ˈkæ mə rə), n. Device for taking pictures in bright light (lenses in use)
Camera: Nikon D40, DK-21M eyepiece, ML-3 remote MF lenses: Nikkor 20mm f/4 non-AI | Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AiS late model | Cosina Voigtländer Ultron SL II 40mm f/2.0 | Nikkor-S.C 50mm f/1.4 non-AI | Nikon 50mm f/1.8 E | Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 AiS | Vivitar Series 1 (Kiron) 70-210 f/3.5 | Zoom-Nikkor 80-200 f/4.5 Ai | Nikkor 135mm f/2.8, Ai'ed 1976 model | Арсенал (Arsenal) ТЕЛЕАР-Н (Telear-n) 200mm f/3.5 | Nikkor 300 mm f/4.5 Ai

Richard_D · Joined: 21 Oct 2007 Posts: 2313 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 f2.8 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, 300mm f4.5 AIS .
Nikon E Series: 100mm f2.8 .
Soviet Nikon Mount: Jupiter 9 (85mm f2), Mir-24N (35mm f2),
Tair-11a (135mm f2.8 ) .
Other: Meyer-Gorlitz Trioplan 100mm f2.8 (M42), Asahi Super Takumar 55 mm f2 (M42) ,Tokina 17mm f3.5 (AIS), Tamron 300mm f5.6 SP, Tamron 500mm f8 SP, Tamron 70-210 3.5(constant) .

DSLR: Nikon D200. 35mm SLRsNikon FE, Nikon EL2, Pentax S1a.

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 · Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 3:03 pm Post subject:

Definitely the Nikkor!!
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Attila · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 13818 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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Olympus E-1,Nikon FA,Pentax MX,Praktica VLC3,Olympus-OM2N,Yashica Eletro 35 GN,Exakta Varex IIb,
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Carl Zeiss Jena:Flektogon 2.8/20mm,4/25mm,2.4/35,2.8/65mm,4.5/4cm Tessar
Pancolar 1.4/55mm,1.8/50mm,1.8/80mm,Tessar 2.8/50mm,Biotar 2/58mm,1.5/75mm,1.5/7,5cm
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Pentax: Pentax 1.2/50mm,1.8/85mm,4/200mm
Helios: Helios-40 1.5/8,5cm,Helios-44-1 2/58mm,Helios-44-2 2/58mm
Olympus OM: 3.5/18mm,3.5/21mm,1.4/50mm,3.5/55mm macro,2.8/135mm,2/90mm macro,35-70mm,60-250mm
Meyer: 4.5/35mm Primagon,Primoplan 1.9/58mm,1.9/75mm,2.8/100mm,Orestegor 2.8/135mm,4.5/40 Helioplan

ChrisLilley · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 906 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 (lenses in use)
Camera: Nikon D40, DK-21M eyepiece, ML-3 remote MF lenses: Nikkor 20mm f/4 non-AI | Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AiS late model | Cosina Voigtländer Ultron SL II 40mm f/2.0 | Nikkor-S.C 50mm f/1.4 non-AI | Nikon 50mm f/1.8 E | Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 AiS | Vivitar Series 1 (Kiron) 70-210 f/3.5 | Zoom-Nikkor 80-200 f/4.5 Ai | Nikkor 135mm f/2.8, Ai'ed 1976 model | Арсенал (Arsenal) ТЕЛЕАР-Н (Telear-n) 200mm f/3.5 | Nikkor 300 mm f/4.5 Ai

ChrisLilley · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 906 Location: Nice, France

Brian · Joined: 10 May 2008 Posts: 43 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: 10940 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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Rob Leslie · Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 635 Location: UK Swindon

I would not wish to get into a discussion about the Vivitar and Nikon as I know nothing about the Nikon lens.
I did have a Vivitar S1 70-210 (New 76) and used it for about a year.
I still use a MF 70-210 which is worth a look at
http://www.adaptall-2.com/lenses/19AH.html
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