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Vivitar Series-1 28-90mm f/2.8-3.5: Some snapshots...
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 3:18 am    Post subject: Vivitar Series-1 28-90mm f/2.8-3.5: Some snapshots... Reply with quote

Got Olympus OM Mount Vivitar Series 1 28-90mm f/2.8-3.5 lens. The lens was bought as-is, and the mount is little loose. Still can be used. I am not planning to use too much, unless I found another broken lens.
But lens is tak sharp. This lens S/N starts from 28-xxx, manufactured by Komine. Komine was one of the best 3rd party lens manufacturer (along with Kiron).
The lens has great macro capability at lower focal range, @28mm.
(Clicking the pictures will take you to bigger version)
Some shots,

First, macro setting f28mm ~f4 (little cropped)


Cars


Wide open (around 28mm)


I paid around $20.. worth paying this amount...


PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 4:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks like a keeper Very Happy I like thered rose?


PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have this lens in PK mount for my MX. I thought it would be really strange with the tiny MX, but it actually balances very well. The problem is the operation, push-pull just doesn't work for me. O have the same problem with the Tokina SD.
I really like the range and speed, but I would prefer to have a zoom ring.

Does anyone know of a good alternative or should I just live with it.

Thanks.


PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

congrats! beautiful shots


PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice first shots!
Recently I acquired Vivitar Series 1 28-105 2.8-3.8 for C/Y, just to give it a try. Price was about the same as yours. It is very solidly built and comfortable to use. But sharpness in the tele range cannot compare to my Yashica ML 135/2.8. Perhaps it is not fair to compare zooms with primes...

Gerd


PostPosted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've taken literally hundreds of photos using the Vivitar 28-90 with my dearly departed Canon F-1. Sold it and upgraded to the 28-105, but eventually let that one get away as well. Recently, I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a clean one -- either flavor -- on eBay priced reasonably. I found it to be tack sharp at all focal lengths, but it did have an annoying charateristic of vignetting at 28mm unless stopped down a ways. Here are a couple of slide scans taken back in 1985 and 1987, respectively. Some vignetting is visible in the first photo.

Canon F-1, Vivitar 28-90 Series 1, exposures unrecorded




Best,

Michael


Last edited by cooltouch on Sat Jun 18, 2011 6:01 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 9:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love to resurrect old threads.
Very Happy

This lens is a bit of a sleeper, apparently. I'm impressed by the images that I see produced by it - they have an almost 3d appearance. (I'm reminded of looking through my grandparents' Viewmaster, as a child when I look at many of the images produced by it).

Also, the vignetting should not be an issue on APS-C digital cameras, as it is on film cameras. I was told that this lens was designed by Ellis Betensky, arguably the best zoom lens designer in the world, when he designed this.

At minimum focusing distance of 60 mm at 28 mm FL macro mode, the effective operating f# is f/1. There has never been a commercial macro zoom lens as efficient as this lens.

The lens gives 72 lines/mm resolution wide open at either 28 mm or 90 mm FL. One stop down, the resolution is more than 80 lines/mm.

I had no idea that this lens was even made with a PK-A mount, but I just found one and snagged it. This is almost the only lens one would ever need on a film camera, for daytime walkabout. I'm looking forward to using it on my K-x, Super Program, and pZ-1p.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very nice indeed, is it a match for the Tamron SP? That is the question =P


PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 12:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ChromaticAberration wrote:
Very nice indeed, is it a match for the Tamron SP? That is the question =P


I just got a sp 28-135 4/4.5 after i used the s1 28/90 s so i cam make a comparaison with both

S1 28/90 2.8/3.5 /////////////////////////// T SP 28/135 4/4.5
True Opening ~3.5/4.5 /////////////////////////// 4/4.5 = SLIGHT adavantage for S1
Distance/Macro 0.25m /////////////////////////// 2m + macro = CLEAR adavantage for S1
Optical Quality at full App
Low/Medium /////////////////////////// Top = CLEAR adavantage for T/SP
Optical Quality at medium AP
Medium+/Top /////////////////////////// Has to be tested PRESUME SLIGHT advantage for T/SP
Flare Bad (it's the main problem) /////////////////////////// Very low = CLEAR adavantage for T/Sp
Weight/Dimension OK /////////////////////////// Heavy = CLEAR advantage for S1
Handy
+ = Small zoom mov./////////////////////////// + True Zoom (parafocal)
- = Varifiocal /////////////////////////// - Zoom creepy from 80/90 to 135mm
= SLIGHT adavantage for S1
Optical Range 28/90 /////////////////////////// 28/135 = CLEAR adavantage for T/SP

To conclude : Optically Tamron is better but S1 28/90 is much more handiest


PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 1:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, thanks! I have been looking for a walkabout lens but the Tamron is not easy to find on my price range, maybe I will be on the lookout for this S1.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 2:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A Kiron 28-105mm is a good zoom.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 2:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excalibur wrote:
A Kiron 28-105mm is a good zoom.


Have you comparaison with S1 28/90 ?


PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 2:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I's be interested in a comparison with the SP 28-80mm as well...


PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 5:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PBFACTS wrote:
but S1 28/90 is much more handiest


Funny thang...My daughter had mine for most of last year,till I got her one in May....my son borrowed it a few weeks later and haven't got it back yet...yesterday he came over and was over helping split and stack firewood...afterward in my shop,I offered my Canon 28-70/2.8 L,since he's going to the Museum of Flight today...I even had it in my hand momentarily,till he said,"I'd rather have the 28-90" ....I smiled and handed it back ...guess I'll have to find another one.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 6:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PBFACTS wrote:
Excalibur wrote:
A Kiron 28-105mm is a good zoom.


Have you comparaison with S1 28/90 ?


Sorry no, as this one came along first at a cheap price, I'm happy with the results from this lens esp at 28mm and have posted a few shots here with this lens.

Modern photography test of Kiron 28-105mm


PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 6:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For starters, I fixed the broken links in my above post. My hosting service's server crashed over a year ago, but I'm still finding broken links.

Back in the days when I was shooting several rolls of slides per week, the S1 28-90 was more or less permanently attached to one of my Canon old F-1s. It was just about the perfect walking around lens for me. Boomer, I can understand your son. Once you get used to using the 28-90, you just don't really feel much of a need for anything else, except when you need an ultra-wide or a long telephoto.

I would be very interested in seeing actual photographic comparisons between an S1 28-90 and one of the SP Tamrons too. Looking at adaptall-2.org, I see they list only the 28-80 and 28-135, both of which are 1/2-stop (28-80) to 1 stop (28-135) slower than the S1. Tamron's 28-105mm f/2.8 is still available new, last time I checked, but it goes for big bucks. From what I've read about that lens, it's pretty soft wide open, which is something of a disappointment, given the fact that it's a constant aperture zoom and it would be nice to take advantage of the f/2.8 speed at all focal lengths.

The closest I can get to a comparison would be to use my Canon 35-105mm f/3.5, but that presents various problems, not the least of which is the fact that the ends of its range don't match.

Anyway, a few more pics from my old one. Vivitar S1 28-90mm, Canon F-1, chromes:

Manhattan Beach Pier, California


Film Crew at Venice Beach, California


Smooth stones on the beach, Ventura, California


PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used to have some tests on the 28-90 by Amateur Photographer and perhaps Modern Photography....does anyone still have any reviews?

Found these advertisements doing a quick search,but no tests or reviews....

As my grandpa used to say,advertisers major in misrepresentation and minor in deception...







PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 10:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am impressed now, and want to see some more comments related to how it stands against Tamron's SP 35-80.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 11:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have the 28-90 and 28-105 Vivitars, and the 35-80 SP Tammy. Both Vivitars are excellent but I prefer the 28-105 for its PKA mount, longer reach and closer macro. Many people do not like it mainly because it was manufactured by Cosina. The Vivs are not true zooms, they are varifocals meaning each shot has to be composed. Forget sports and other fast moving photography

I do not like the Tammy - it flares badly even with a hood. In my opinion the best performing Tammy zooms that compare to the Vivitars are the non SP 35-70 (09) and the SP 35-210. And the 70-210 (46A)

I have a 'Camera Weekly' Test for the 28-105 which compared it with two other lenses, namely the Tammy 28-135 f4 and the Minolta 35-105 f3.5.

Viv won by a mile

Similarly 'Which Camera' in the UK rated it as good as a lot of primes in the same range.

The Vivs are difficult to work with but get it right and they are superb.

Phil P


PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 11:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

True, the 28-90 is a varifocal and not a true zoom, and all the reviewers of the day were very conscientious in pointing that out. But having to refocus after zooming never bothered me, since I did this anyway. I've never trused "true" zooms to hold their focus when zooming from one focal length to another, especially the push-pull kind.

Your comment about sports just reminded me of something. I was in college when I had that lens and I shot for the school newspaper. I covered our school's basketball games and I used that lens. I don't recall feeling handicapped because it was varifocal.

Boomer, it was that ad that led me to buy my 28-90 in either late 1983 or early 1984, don't exactly remember now. But I remember that ad. Cool


PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 6:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just remembered (stored in my don't bother to use bag) that I have the Vivitar 28-85, f3.5/f4.5 "77" Kobori ver, quite good at close ups ......but overall it's not better compared to my Kiron 28-105mm.


PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 7:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's a couple of pictures I took this afternoon with the Viv S1 28-105


Hope you can read them - not the best copies

Phil






PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Now I'm really itching to try out my S1 28-90mm (PK-A; I think rather less were made with the A setting, as opposed to the PK. I suspect they were made later too, as the PK-A ones have the red ring). I will say it feels very solid and well built.


PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

f8orbust, I have the S1 28-105 also in a less useful mount these days, Canon FD. Unfortunately, the aperture iris blades are stuck and I have yet to figure out how to get to them. Problem is removing the back mount assembly. The arm that reaches down into the lens to move the aperture blades won't come out. I've done everything I can think of, short of using force, to get that back mount assembly loose, but just haven't had any luck. So I've given up for now. One guy over at KY Photo, the place you go to when you have repair questions, suggested that the blades have to be gotten to through the front and that the lens has to be totally dismantled. Thus just doesn't sound right to me. I was able to reach the blades easily through the rear of my S1 24-48 in C/FD mount by removing the rear mount assembly and I just don't see why this should have to be so effing different. Maybe I'm just being stubborn. Sure would like to be able to use that lens, though.

Oh I forgot to add, hard to read the pages you posted, but the gist certainly seems to be that the 28-105 is basically as good as its earlier cousin, the 28-90.


Last edited by cooltouch on Sat Jul 23, 2011 8:18 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MacTak wrote:
Now I'm really itching to try out my S1 28-90mm (PK-A; I think rather less were made with the A setting, as opposed to the PK. I suspect they were made later too, as the PK-A ones have the red ring). I will say it feels very solid and well built.


MacTak, if you're gonna be shooting film, get a hold of something good like a good slide film or Ektar for your initial tests. I think you'll be impressed.

The above photos I posted were shot with both Kodachrome and Fujichrome 100.