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The VS1 70-210 Version 6 (APO) 'is for the birds'
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 26, 2017 2:53 am    Post subject: The VS1 70-210 Version 6 (APO) 'is for the birds' Reply with quote
In order to demonstrate the optical qualities of the Vivitar Series 1 70-210/2.8-4 APO lens (which is Version 6 of the VS1 series of 70-210 MF zooms), a number of sample shots (taken with a Pentax K-3 body) are provided here below. I am posting "unprocessed" resized versions of the originals (shrunk from 6016 x 4000 pixels to 1000 x 665 pixels), each followed by an "unprocessed" 100% (1:1) crop from each original (cropped at 1000 x 665 pixels but not resized). I am also providing some links below for anyone who wants to see any of the original images, straight from the K-3.

Here are some relevant notes on the samples:

1. The only processing for the "unprocessed" resized "original" versions was the resizing and a bit of compression (to save a little bandwidth).

2. The only processing for the "unprocessed" 100% crops was the 1:1 cropping and a bit of compression (again, to save a little bandwidth).

3. No processing (either in-camera or post-) was employed at all on any of the full-size originals (not even any compression, so they are indeed a bit large, each about 10-12 MB, plus-or-minus).

4. NONE of these images was processed for sharpening, contrast, gamma, color, etc., so that you can fairly judge just what the lens itself is able to provide. (Of course, under ordinary conditions, ALL of these images would certainly benefit from some processing, but that would interfere with the intent of providing these samples, right?)

5. EXIF info will be present in the images, but will be somewhat limited in value since the lens is an old P/KA lens, and so some EXIF data will be missing, and the EXIF focal length values will not be correct most (or all) of the time anyway (since the modern Pentax DSLR doesn't "know" what the FL is, so that I often just set it to 150mm or 200mm most of the time).

















Here are links to each of the original right-out-of-the-camera images, in the same order as the above:

http://www.allgeektome.com/pentax/v70210v6/20170323_101208_ori.jpg

http://www.allgeektome.com/pentax/v70210v6/20170321_122306_ori.jpg

http://www.allgeektome.com/pentax/v70210v6/20170323_104713_ori.jpg

http://www.allgeektome.com/pentax/v70210v6/20170321_152455_ori.jpg

Comments and/or questions are welcome.

Last edited by fwcetus on Sun Mar 26, 2017 11:25 am; edited 5 times in total


PostPosted: Sun Mar 26, 2017 2:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
And here are a couple more reduced "originals", but this time with two crops from each original:













And here are links to each of the original right-out-of-the-camera images, in the same order as the above:

http://www.allgeektome.com/pentax/v70210v6/20170321_122308_ori.jpg

http://www.allgeektome.com/pentax/v70210v6/20170306_163223_ori.jpg

I think that the Vivitar Series 1 70-210/2.8-4 APO (Version 6) did a pretty good job.

Comments and/or questions are welcome.

Last edited by fwcetus on Sun Mar 26, 2017 11:22 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sun Mar 26, 2017 10:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Like 1 small Like 1 small Like 1 small


PostPosted: Sun Mar 26, 2017 4:34 pm    Post subject: Re: The VS1 70-210 Version 6 (APO) 'is for the birds' Reply with quote
Looks good to me. I'm using the AF version now.

Russ


PostPosted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 8:32 pm    Post subject: Re: The VS1 70-210 Version 6 (APO) 'is for the birds' Reply with quote
Russ wrote:
Looks good to me. I'm using the AF version now.

I'm aware that there was an AF version of this lens as well (although I have no detailed knowledge nor any experience with it at all).

I do think it is interesting that the owners manual for the lens is for both MF and AF versions (although the cross-section drawing is only of the AF version).

Russ, do you happen to know what mounts the AF version was available in? Specifically, I'm curious - although doubtful - that it came in a Pentax-mount version. [Does anyone happen to know?]


PostPosted: Mon May 01, 2017 11:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
FYI, I have put up a review of this lens in the Pentax Forums lens reviews (with some of the same images but also with some others) at Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f.2.8-4 V.6 APOCHROMATIC Lens Reviews - Vivitar Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database


PostPosted: Mon May 01, 2017 1:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Good work Fred, thanks for introducing us to the APO cosina Viv S 1 - a variant I wasn't really aware of. Clearly takes good pics (though none of your hand held images look really sharp). I would guess from my own familiarity with the earlier versions that it's probably better than the kiron and tokina versions - should be really, should be a more advanced and modern optical design. It would be interesting to see some considered comparison pics with the vaunted komine version. IMO that's the only way of reckoning a lens. Doesn't really matter whether you've done some PP or not, as long as its consistent for the comparison. Alternative is to bench test or count lines on a test chart...

Russ I hate to gripe but what's the point of cluttering the thread with a large duplicate post, pics 'n all, by idly clicking quote...


PostPosted: Mon May 01, 2017 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
marcusBMG wrote:
Good work Fred, thanks for introducing us to the APO cosina Viv S 1 - a variant I wasn't really aware of. Clearly takes good pics (though none of your hand held images look really sharp). I would guess from my own familiarity with the earlier versions that it's probably better than the kiron and tokina versions - should be really, should be a more advanced and modern optical design. It would be interesting to see some considered comparison pics with the vaunted komine version. IMO that's the only way of reckoning a lens. Doesn't really matter whether you've done some PP or not, as long as its consistent for the comparison. Alternative is to bench test or count lines on a test chart...

1. The sharpness (which I thought was quite adequate for my eyes), or lack thereof, might possibly be due to a bit of imprecise focusing. My older-than-dirt eyes have cataracts (especially and unfortunately my right "shooting" eye), but I still like playing around with ol' MF cult classic lenses anyhoo... Sometimes I use Live View on the K-3 for precise focusing, but, while that may be possible with static subjects, it doesn't work at all for such things as birds in flight, etc.

2. Any lack of sharpness might also be due to the Pentax K-3 sensor sometimes outperforming the resolving ability of older, non-state-of-the-art lenses -- there have been discussions of this effect in various Pentax forums, although I would be unlikely to be able to summarize the salient points of the discussions (as my older-than-dirt eyes can glaze over when complicated discussions are involved, too...).

3. I do have all the other VS1 70-210 MF lenses, including the Komine version, so I could/should do some sort of a shoot-out, I suppose... Smile


PostPosted: Mon May 01, 2017 6:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks to me that any softness is indeed just because of not having quite perfect focus.
Considering your subjects are birds in flight (BIF), this is understandable. It is extraordinarily, and proverbially, difficult to nail focus precisely on the "BIF".

Excellent "BIF" work by the way!

This is why I used paid models for my seagull test shots. They work for peanuts of course, and they stay in one place at least, and give me the opportunity to focus.


PostPosted: Mon May 01, 2017 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
luisalegria wrote:
This is why I used paid models for my seagull test shots. They work for peanuts of course,...


Laughing Laughing Laughing

Congratulations, that's exactly my preferred sense of humor.


PostPosted: Mon May 01, 2017 7:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
luisalegria wrote:
Looks to me that any softness is indeed just because of not having quite perfect focus.
Considering your subjects are birds in flight (BIF), this is understandable. It is extraordinarily, and proverbially, difficult to nail focus precisely on the "BIF".

Excellent "BIF" work by the way!

This is why I used paid models for my seagull test shots. They work for peanuts of course, and they stay in one place at least, and give me the opportunity to focus.


ahh, I always wondered how you did this!!! Wink


PostPosted: Mon May 01, 2017 9:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thouoght you used bacon Luis... ?? Smile

Fred if you think you have a good subject to make an interesting comparison and do shots with the classic VS1's plus the APO, I'd be interested to add the comparison to the VS1 test page, with credit to you of course.


PostPosted: Tue May 02, 2017 12:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
marcusBMG wrote:
Thouoght you used bacon Luis... ?? Smile

Fred if you think you have a good subject to make an interesting comparison and do shots with the classic VS1's plus the APO, I'd be interested to add the comparison to the VS1 test page, with credit to you of course.

I was just thinking that I'd be "rooting" for the Komine V.3 to win, though -- I much prefer the zoom action in the first three versions (where one pulls the zoom ring back to zoom in and pushes it forward to zoom out) than the opposite zoom action in the Cosina versions (where one pushes the zoom ring forward to zoom in and pulls it back to zoom out, which seems "counterintuitive" to me).

In fact, my zoom preferences are, in order:
1. A one-touch zoom/focus collar that one pulls closer to zoom in.
2. A zoom ring separate from the focus ring.
3. A one-touch zoom/focus collar that one pushes forward to zoom in.

My first zooms, decades ago, were all telephoto zooms with one-touch zoom/focus collars that I pulled back to zoom in with, and this action (I guess) became imprinted in my brain as "normal". Later on, I did get some shorter zooms with separate zoom and focus rings, and I (sort of) got used to using them, too. However, I have never really gotten comfortable with one-touch zooms that zoom in by pushing the zoom/focus collar away from me. Therefore, I'd likely prefer that the Komine version "win" the comparison, since its zoom action seems more "intuitive" to my old dog's brain.

[I will also mention that Vivitar lenses focus in the opposite-to-Pentax direction, too, but that seems to bother me less than the "opposite" Cosina zoom direction "confusion".]


PostPosted: Tue May 02, 2017 1:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Your APO viv is the same then as the Tamron SP adaptalls 70-210mm (19AH) and the 60-300mm 23A. One advantage is that you can put a tripod mount ring on these in front of the aperture ring, losing a bit of the focal range at the short end but getting the benefit of the TM when it's needed, at the long end.
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