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Vivitar List - Which to Buy
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 6:51 am    Post subject: Vivitar List - Which to Buy Reply with quote

Hi,

I built up my old Nikkor lenses and Tamron adaptalls collection. I am still missing a pieces, but that is life. I could find review of their specific lenses online. However, when it comes to Vivitar it is a bit more tricky. It seems only 1-2 get a big mention - the Bokina and the multi-version 70-210. There is no dedicated Vivitar site that reviews each copy and provides historical info or screenshots and provides ranking. Poor Vivitar.

My question is: If you were to build your own Vivitar collection, which ones would you consider a 'must have'?


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 7:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Depends on your photography and what you want the lenses to do, but .............
I rather like some of the Komine Vivitars.
The 135/2.3 and the 28-90/2.8-3.5 are my favourites.
The Kiron/Kino two ring close focus zooms (non series 1) 70-150/3.8, 75-205/3.8 and the 85-205/3.8 are all excellent.
OH

PS Bigdawg would be the one to answer that, although he seems to have collected them all.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 8:00 am    Post subject: 35mm Reply with quote

I would like to add the Vivitar 35mm f1.9 which is - according to me and reviews - quite sharp wide open. Furthermore, the build is solid and focussing very accurate, which is not unimportant in manual focussing if you ask me.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 8:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

edited

Last edited by bernhardas on Thu Apr 07, 2016 1:48 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 8:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd say the bokina and the 28/1.9


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 9:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

sure the 35/1.9 with 28XXXXXX (KOMINE) is a good choice. Laughing


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 1:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Vivitar listed so far:

Primes

Series 1 28mm f1.9
Series 1 35mm f1.9
Series 1 90mm f2.5 / 2.8 Macro
Series 1 135mm f2.3

Zooms

Series 1 28-90mm f/2.8-3.5
Series 1 90-180mm F/4.5 Flat Field zoom
70-150mm f3.8
Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f/2.8-4 (Komine)
75-205mm f3.8
85-205mm f3.8


What about these lenses:
Vivitar 24mm f/2
Vivitar 28mm f/2.8 (made by Komine)
Vivitar 85mm f/1.8 T-mount
Vivitar series 1 105 1:1 macro
Vivitar 200mm f/3.5 (Kiron)
Vivitar Series 1 200mm f/3 (komine)
Vivitar 28-200mm f3.5-5.3
Vivitar 28-210mm f/3.5-5.6 (Kiron edition)


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 1:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Series 1 200mm f3.0


and also the Komine made Vivitar 2.0/28mm Close Focus (serial begins with 28xxx)


Last edited by Tedat on Thu Jan 23, 2014 1:02 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 1:58 pm    Post subject: vivitar list..which to buy Reply with quote

Without doubt the Komine 35mm f1.9 and I love the Tele Vivitar 200mm F3.5 18 blade ser#78xxx.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 2:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The 85/1.8 has lovely smooth bokeh. The 28/1.9 (Tokina made) is amazing as well, I have kept both of these.

If you want glow wide open, go for either the Kiron on Komine 24/2.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 2:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Vivitar 135/2.8 Close Focusing (Macro 1:2 not flatfield though).


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 2:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

vivitar series 1 28mm f1.9


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 4:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

All Series 1 prime, no exception and no zooms.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

135/2.3 is probably the best Viv lens I ever used. go for it.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I also would suggest the Vivitar 2.8/55mm macro!

Check here:
http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=46792


Last edited by vlousada on Wed Jan 22, 2014 4:39 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 4:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

double post!


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hifisapi wrote:
vivitar series 1 28mm f1.9

I only recommend this one because its the only one I actually use.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 6:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

+1 for the S1 90/2.5 Bokina. It is truly superb in just about every aspect. Its only, slight, drawback is its sensitivity to stray light. The VMC coating doesn't quite match that of, say, SMC or T*. Still, it is one of, if not the, best lenses I've ever come across. Not too shabby looking either: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjMVij1D (my Minolta SR mount version, which happens to be for sale)


PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 2:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Bokina may be the best bet, based on reputation.
Series 1 28-90 is incredibly sharp with great contrast and color rendition. Made by Komine.
Series 1 70-210 is also exceptionally good, Komine best and Kiron close second.


PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 2:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You make me miss the 28-90. +1 Great lens, solid build.


PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 3:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

28mm close focus f/2 and f/2.8 (Komine)
55mm f/2.8 Macro 1:1 (Komine)
Series 1 90-180mm f/4.5 Flat Field (Kiron)
100mm f/2.8 Macro 1:1 (Kiron), same as Series 1 105mm f/2.8 1:1 (Kiron)
135mm close focus f/2.8 (Komine)


PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 3:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's one more for the 28-90/2.8-3.5. This is the one Vivitar lens that I have the most extensively over the past 30 years. Sharp and contrasty, if you have to grab one mf lens as you're heading out the door -- this is the one to grab.

I also own the 35mm f/1.9, but I haven't used it much. Mostly because it's in Canon FD mount, which pretty much restricts its use to film photography.

A few other Vivitars I own are the Series 1 24-48mm f/3.8 (Kiron-made), also in Canon FD mount, so once again it's a lens that I've only used for film photography, and I haven't used it much with film -- just some crappy Fuji ISO 400 stuff. I've heard the 24-48 is quite good, though. I have a 105mm f/2.5 Series 1 macro, also made by Kiron (same as the Lester Dine 105 macro), in Nikon mount, so I've been able to exploit this lens with my DSLR. It's a solid good performer, but both the Tamron 90mm f/2.5 and the Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 are better. (I have a copy of each.) And I also own a couple of identical 200mm f/3.5s, one in Nikon and one in Canon mount. They're both solid performers, equivalent to my Canon nFD 200mm f/4 in sharpness and almost equivalent to the Canon in contrast. The 200mm f/3.5s and the 35mm f/1.9 look like they come from the same era -- all metal construction and the focusing collars, which are all metal too, are very finely ribbed.


PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 8:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

How about an unusual Vivitar zoom, the Series 1 24-48 F3.8 ? - The 'fat boy' zoom with the 77mm filter ring is not the smallest and lightest lens in that range, but I rate the performance as exceptional. It's not a common lens, and not expensive either.

The 70-210 Series 1 has to be on the list of great Vivitars, along with the close focus 28. There might be better lenses from other brands, but that doesn't make the Vivitars bad, far from it, they are popular for good reason.


PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 9:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bernhardas wrote:
I have the range of lenses already covered with excellent lenses. And many foccal lenghts are covered even wih two or three excellent choices. Therefore test-reports of "tack sharp into the corners" are useless to me. I do not need more "excellent lenses" in fact I would hardly use them.

I need "special" lenses. They add capability and value.

- Strange Bokeh
- low contast
- special flare or special ghosting
- any other feature taht is not common to other lenses.

Digging through this forum - thanks to the founder and all admins - has been so far the most useful source of information in this undertaking.

In Vivitar I would consider the following (for my criteria)

Series1 28 1.9 (exploding bokeh)
35 1.9 (exploding bokeh but less than the 2Cool

Series 1 90-180 Macro Zoom (one of the rare true macro zoom lenses, absolutely flat field, actually very sharp as well)

Search the three in the forum, you will find many good examples that show you what the lenses can be doing.




I endorse that!

check out the Viv 20mm 3.8 by Kiron!


PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 10:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

monkjason wrote:
sure the 35/1.9 with 28XXXXXX (KOMINE) is a good choice. Laughing


Thought the 35/1.9 was not labelled as a series 1