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cooltouch
Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas
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Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 6:33 pm Post subject: The Return of the Vivitar 135mm f/2.8 Close Focusing |
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cooltouch wrote:
I was at a local camera shop yesterday, digging through their junk bins, when I came across the subject lens, in Nikon mount, no less. I was absently turning the focusing collar as I was looking at other items and happened to glance down at it as I was cranking on the focusing collar, only to see a lens that had transformed itself into a macro-looking optic. Whoa, they weren't joking when they stated it was "close focusing." It has a scale that goes all the way down to 1:2, which is as good as many macro lenses get. Okay, I sez to myself, I'm definitely buying this one. Had to fork over the princely sum of $10 to own it.
Now, I had never heard of a macro 135mm before (excepting my Pentax 6x7, which has a 135mm macro lens) -- at least in 35mm. So I did a bit of googling, and ran across a link to a thread here at MF Lenses on this lens. The thread originated five years ago, and the last post in the thread was two years ago, so given that it's gone pretty stale by now, I decided to start a fresh thread on the topic of this lens. Another reason why I did is because I couldn't find it on eBay. However, I tried using eBay's "Completed Listings" function and got several hits. In the past this lens has typically sold at a wide range of prices, from about $50 all the way up to about $120.
Condition-wise, this one is quite clean. Still has some residual dust that I haven't gotten rid of yet that the following pics will emphasize. The optics are perfect -- no haze or fungus or scratches. Iris blades are snappy. Focusing collar turns smoothly. This is a well-made lens. Beefy construction -- weighs about the same as my NEX 7 with 18-55 lens attached. In short, just a solid lens that I suspect got relegated to the junk bins just because it is a 135mm f/2.8 -- surely one of the commonest lenses ever made for 35mm.
Following are some photos. The first two are shots of the lens, and they are followed by shots taken with the lens. Now, as for post processing, all I did with the shots taken with this lens convert from raw to jpg and add a bit of contrast, as needed. No sharpening of any sort was done. I was shooting indoors with my camera's ISO set to "Auto" and as a result a few of the shots came out rather flat and somewhat noisy. I had to cure this in post, and it was the camera, not the lens, at fault.
Close-ups with the lens set to 1:2 and shooting wide open at f/2.8
More distant shots, again shooting wide open.
One of the participants in the earlier thread mentioned he had paid $125 for his copy and was glad to get it at that price. I can see why -- it really does an excellent job with close-ups. Outstanding detail is evident.
Optically, I have observed some red and green fringing along well-illuminated hard straight lines and also some light purple fringing around bright objects. Very minor, however. If you look closely, you should be able to pick it up. But this is the sort of CA that can be removed with just a couple of mouse clicks, so I'm not concerned. I still consider it to be very well controlled at f/2.8. I haven't even tried it yet at smaller apertures. Chances are good that it clears up completely by about f/8 or so.
So if you have this lens and you've got pics you've taken with it, how about sharing, so the rest of us can enjoy them also? _________________ Michael
My Gear List: http://michaelmcbroom.com/photo/gear.html
My Gallery: http://michaelmcbroom.com/gallery3/index.php/
My Flickr Page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/11308754@N08/albums
My Music: https://soundcloud.com/michaelmcbroom/albums
My Blog: http://michaelmcbroom.com/blogistan/ |
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DigiChromeEd
Joined: 29 Dec 2009 Posts: 3461 Location: Northern Ireland
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Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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DigiChromeEd wrote:
Hi Michael
I've been looking for this lens for some time and recently found one in near mint condition - see below.
http://forum.mflenses.com/vivitar-2-8-135-close-focusing-t68393.html
I'll post some samples when I get a chance to use it, the weather here is dismal atm! _________________ "I've got a Nikon camera, I like to take a photograph" - Paul Simon |
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bernhardas
Joined: 01 Jan 2013 Posts: 1437
Expire: 2017-05-23
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Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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bernhardas wrote:
Edited
Last edited by bernhardas on Wed Jun 15, 2016 7:50 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Pontus
Joined: 18 Dec 2011 Posts: 1471 Location: Jakobstad, Finland
Expire: 2016-08-25
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Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 8:06 pm Post subject: |
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Pontus wrote:
I have been promoting this lens for some time. And since few people know about this lens one can find a sample at the price of a normal Vivitar 135mm. _________________ Follow this link for my FOR SALE list (partially updated 19.11.2015) |
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woodrim
Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 1:27 am Post subject: |
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woodrim wrote:
I've had one a few years in PK mount that I had attempted to convert to???, whatever I was thinking at the time. It became just another lens that I couldn't get back together after abandoning the idea. Never got to use it. It's on my list to send to Marc Jensen in Florida to have him reattach the mount. _________________ Regards,
Woodrim |
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eno789
Joined: 27 Aug 2010 Posts: 159 Location: California
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 3:01 am Post subject: |
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eno789 wrote:
Congrats on your purchase, you'll enjoy it!
This is one of my favorite lens to take for Spring wildflowers. A few samples below with NEX 5N, more in the flickr album.
Crimson Columbine by B Zhou, on Flickr
Fremont Star Lily by B Zhou, on Flickr
Buckeye Tree Flower by B Zhou, on Flickr
Crimson Columbine 2 by B Zhou, on Flickr
Douglas Iris by B Zhou, on Flickr
Douglas Iris 2 by B Zhou, on Flickr _________________ Sharpness from lenses; Softness from me.
Nikon DSLR, Sony Mirrorless, Panasonic mu-4/3 - Having fun with MF lenses
https://www.flickr.com/groups/painterly_bokeh |
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cooltouch
Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 3:10 am Post subject: |
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cooltouch wrote:
Very nice examples, Brian. Gives me something to look forward to. Things are kinda boring right now.
Woodrim, I'd say it's probably worthwhile to have the work done. This lens is shaping up to be an outstanding performer. Providing 1:2 at about 2-1/2 feet from the subject gives me all sorts of elbow room I'm not used to having at that magnification. Plus, I could use my Vivitar 7-element macro-focusing teleconverter and get my subject to 1:1 while maintaining the same distance, albeit with a loss of two stops of light, of course. I suppose I could accomplish the same thing with extension tubes, but I'd have to move closer to the subject, I believe.
Here are a few more, taking during the waning hours later this afternoon. It's been overcast all day, so not much to offer for late afternoon. I bumped up the contrast and saturation in pp to give the pics a bit more presence.
This street sign is about 100 meters from my front door. Very legible letters. This and all the remaining photos were taken hand-held.
I think I oversaturated this one just a bit.
One of a few bunches of tiny white flowers growing in our front flower bed. This flowers were at their freshness peak a few days ago. As you can see, they have begun to turn brown. I found this useful, though. The contrast gave me something to focus on. Otherwise it's all just white, and thus rather boring.
A section of the leaded cut glass in our front door's window. Nice contrast between the dissimilar metals and the glass, I think.
Of all the previous shots, numbers 2 and 3 were shot at close to 1:2. _________________ Michael
My Gear List: http://michaelmcbroom.com/photo/gear.html
My Gallery: http://michaelmcbroom.com/gallery3/index.php/
My Flickr Page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/11308754@N08/albums
My Music: https://soundcloud.com/michaelmcbroom/albums
My Blog: http://michaelmcbroom.com/blogistan/ |
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WolverineX
Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Posts: 1694 Location: Zagreb , Croatia , Europe
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 9:40 am Post subject: |
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WolverineX wrote:
here are samples with this lens i made with Olympus E-M5
http://forum.mflenses.com/testing-my-lenses-part-122-vivitar-135mm-2-8-cf-t65682.html
this lens is a part of macro lineup made by Komine for several different brands, along with 55mm/2.8 and 90mm/2.8 so no wonder it's optimized for close up, but when you focus on things in distance there is a bit of softness when focusing that , thankfully, doesn't show in the resulting photo _________________ my tools:Oly E-M5 + 45mm/1.8 + Oly E-520 + 12-60 + 14-42 + 70-300 + Sigma 105mm + FL-50R + EC20 + SRF-11 ring flash
http://forum.mflenses.com/wolverinex-testing-my-lenses-series-link-list-t39524.html |
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edri
Joined: 26 Oct 2014 Posts: 315 Location: walking in the air
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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edri wrote:
Exist this lens under other names of other brands? What are they? |
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WolverineX
Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Posts: 1694 Location: Zagreb , Croatia , Europe
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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WolverineX wrote:
edri wrote: |
Exist this lens under other names of other brands? What are they? |
Promura 1:2,8/135 mm Tele Macro
Panagor PMC Auto Macro 1:2,8/135 mm
Rokunar V-HQ Macro 1:2,8/135 mm
Toyo 1:2,8/135 mm Macro Telephoto
to be this lens it has to have 62mm filter diameter _________________ my tools:Oly E-M5 + 45mm/1.8 + Oly E-520 + 12-60 + 14-42 + 70-300 + Sigma 105mm + FL-50R + EC20 + SRF-11 ring flash
http://forum.mflenses.com/wolverinex-testing-my-lenses-series-link-list-t39524.html |
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edri
Joined: 26 Oct 2014 Posts: 315 Location: walking in the air
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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edri wrote:
Thanks for the information. |
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WolverineX
Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Posts: 1694 Location: Zagreb , Croatia , Europe
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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WolverineX wrote:
edri wrote: |
Thanks for the information. |
i found mine on ebay by searching for 62mm. among that size filters search found also lenses with that filter thread _________________ my tools:Oly E-M5 + 45mm/1.8 + Oly E-520 + 12-60 + 14-42 + 70-300 + Sigma 105mm + FL-50R + EC20 + SRF-11 ring flash
http://forum.mflenses.com/wolverinex-testing-my-lenses-series-link-list-t39524.html |
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cooltouch
Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas
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Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2015 12:02 am Post subject: |
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cooltouch wrote:
That's an interesting way to do it. Surely you searched on more than just the text "62mm"? Seems like you might want to at least toss in "lens" or "135mm".
On eBay just now, here's an intriguing one: Click here to see on Ebay
That's the only prime lens I got a hit on when I searched eBay for 135mm 62mm. _________________ Michael
My Gear List: http://michaelmcbroom.com/photo/gear.html
My Gallery: http://michaelmcbroom.com/gallery3/index.php/
My Flickr Page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/11308754@N08/albums
My Music: https://soundcloud.com/michaelmcbroom/albums
My Blog: http://michaelmcbroom.com/blogistan/ |
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woodrim
Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston
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Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2015 12:33 am Post subject: |
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woodrim wrote:
cooltouch wrote: |
Woodrim, I'd say it's probably worthwhile to have the work done. This lens is shaping up to be an outstanding performer. |
Absolutely. I had searched for this lens and purchased it knowing full well it was a good lens. At the time there were no mirrorless cameras and I did not yet have the Series 1 2.3/135. I just put it aside after getting the S1, which also focuses much closer than most. _________________ Regards,
Woodrim |
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eriet30
Joined: 22 Apr 2015 Posts: 3
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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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eriet30 wrote:
WolverineX wrote: |
edri wrote: |
Exist this lens under other names of other brands? What are they? |
Promura 1:2,8/135 mm Tele Macro
Panagor PMC Auto Macro 1:2,8/135 mm
Rokunar V-HQ Macro 1:2,8/135 mm
Toyo 1:2,8/135 mm Macro Telephoto
to be this lens it has to have 62mm filter diameter |
How do you know the Toyo is made by the same company and is it Toyo Optics? any help verifying would be most appreciated. Thanks |
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WolverineX
Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Posts: 1694 Location: Zagreb , Croatia , Europe
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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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WolverineX wrote:
eriet30 wrote: |
WolverineX wrote: |
edri wrote: |
Exist this lens under other names of other brands? What are they? |
Promura 1:2,8/135 mm Tele Macro
Panagor PMC Auto Macro 1:2,8/135 mm
Rokunar V-HQ Macro 1:2,8/135 mm
Toyo 1:2,8/135 mm Macro Telephoto
to be this lens it has to have 62mm filter diameter |
How do you know the Toyo is made by the same company and is it Toyo Optics? any help verifying would be most appreciated. Thanks |
my source is this:
http://olypedia.de/Vivitar_Auto_Telephoto_Close_Focusing_1:2,8/135_mm
as i said to be this lens it has to have 62mm filter diameter, so if the lens you need verification for has that diameter, it most probably is this lens _________________ my tools:Oly E-M5 + 45mm/1.8 + Oly E-520 + 12-60 + 14-42 + 70-300 + Sigma 105mm + FL-50R + EC20 + SRF-11 ring flash
http://forum.mflenses.com/wolverinex-testing-my-lenses-series-link-list-t39524.html |
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eriet30
Joined: 22 Apr 2015 Posts: 3
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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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eriet30 wrote:
Thank you... I cant get verification on the 62mm from a source... should have said that in my post so hoping the "macro" is the real deal.
Appreciate the help!!! |
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cooltouch
Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 1:57 am Post subject: |
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cooltouch wrote:
My Vivitar's serial number's first two digits are 28, which means it was made by Komine. You can see it in the first group of photos in this thread. Komine is not a particularly well known builder, but they have built some excellent optics for Vivitar in the past, for example, the Series 1 28-90mm f/2.8-3.5 varifocal lens. _________________ Michael
My Gear List: http://michaelmcbroom.com/photo/gear.html
My Gallery: http://michaelmcbroom.com/gallery3/index.php/
My Flickr Page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/11308754@N08/albums
My Music: https://soundcloud.com/michaelmcbroom/albums
My Blog: http://michaelmcbroom.com/blogistan/ |
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calvin83
Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7537 Location: Hong Kong
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 2:30 am Post subject: |
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calvin83 wrote:
I don't think the exact lens were sold in other brands, at least not in the same focusing helicoid. _________________ https://lensfever.com/
https://www.instagram.com/_lens_fever/
The best lens is the one you have with you. |
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justtorchit
Joined: 12 Oct 2009 Posts: 269 Location: St. Louis, MO
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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justtorchit wrote:
I have known of this lens for quite a while. I have owned the Vivitar 90/2.8 (sometimes denoted as 2.5) and 55/2.8 of similar mechanical design. I did a write-up of the 90mm here http://makingnottaking.blogspot.com/2009/10/vivitar-90mm-f25-11-macro-lens.html. I found them to be good lenses. Never owned the 135mm though I would expect similar performance.
Quote: |
I don't think the exact lens were sold in other brands, at least not in the same focusing helicoid. |
I agree with calvin83 that I have never seen this same optic rebranded as any other. The 90mm however, I have seen in nearly all the brands mentioned by WolverineX. But that has just been my experience. _________________ David
www.davidkovaluk.com - personal website
www.instagram.com/davidkovaluk
http://makingnottaking.blogspot.com/ - photoblog |
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WolverineX
Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Posts: 1694 Location: Zagreb , Croatia , Europe
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Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 8:12 pm Post subject: |
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WolverineX wrote:
calvin83 wrote: |
I don't think the exact lens were sold in other brands, at least not in the same focusing helicoid. |
like many lenses that we don't have exact information on, existence of these would need to be confirmed by someone who has them,then we could be sure if they are the same lens or different. _________________ my tools:Oly E-M5 + 45mm/1.8 + Oly E-520 + 12-60 + 14-42 + 70-300 + Sigma 105mm + FL-50R + EC20 + SRF-11 ring flash
http://forum.mflenses.com/wolverinex-testing-my-lenses-series-link-list-t39524.html |
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eriet30
Joined: 22 Apr 2015 Posts: 3
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Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2015 12:18 am Post subject: |
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eriet30 wrote:
Well I won the auction so I will receive it next week. Do my best to help identify what a "toyo 135 macro 2.8" really is. |
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DigiChromeEd
Joined: 29 Dec 2009 Posts: 3461 Location: Northern Ireland
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Posted: Mon May 04, 2015 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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DigiChromeEd wrote:
Taken on Sony NEX5T @ f11
_________________ "I've got a Nikon camera, I like to take a photograph" - Paul Simon |
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cooltouch
Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas
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kryss
Joined: 13 Sep 2009 Posts: 2169 Location: Canada
Expire: 2017-09-18
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Posted: Mon May 04, 2015 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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kryss wrote:
Nice one Ed.can't wait 'til mine arrives. _________________ Do not trust Atoms....they make up everything. |
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