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Vivitar Series 1 24-48mm f3.8
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2017 6:00 am    Post subject: Vivitar Series 1 24-48mm f3.8 Reply with quote

There seems to be only one mention of this lens on MFLenses forum and that was in comparison with the Viv S1 24-70.
So here is a thread dedicated to the 24-48 on its own.

Lloyd has spoken highly of this lens many times, and when one came my way in FD mount I acquired it for my Canon film cameras.
First real outing today and it is quite a positive experience. A big and heavy lens that some would find cumbersome - I like it for its heft and my big hands.
Great zoom, short focus throw - but there are two things that are only so-so.

First, the aperture ring needs to be raised above the back breech lock collar of the canon FD mount ring, as it is soo easy to grab the wrong one. It is just a smidgen wider, but it would be better to be thicker or scalloped or something, so that one does not grab the lens locking collar by mistake.
Secondly, mfd is fairly ordinary - I was hoping for closer.

Other than that, the lens is very good indeed, and performs very nicely.
It might be a tad sharper towards the wide end of the zoom range than it is at the 48mm mark, but the differences are small.

Here are some of today's shots.
For the purists, all have had PP (exposure and contrast) but no sharpening.
T


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Last edited by Oldhand on Mon Apr 24, 2017 9:41 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2017 10:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You'll enjoy this lens Tom, it's such a good walkabout lens. Any you're right about the ergonomics of the lens, it does let the lens down. Mine is PK mount and fits straight on my K10, and the small aperture ring is hidden under the peak of the camera flash, the numbering is very difficult to see, and the ring is a bit awkward to get at with my big hands and the big camera body. But I used it a lot on the Pentax.
It's easier on the Sony because the adaptor moves the lens away from the much smaller camera.



PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2017 11:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Lloyd.
Yes, I can see that yours would have the same issues with the aperture ring as mine.
You can see from mine that it is easy to grab the wrong ring for aperture - not good on Canon FD.
Cheers
Tom


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2017 1:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A couple more with this very nice lens.
PP in LR and mono in NIK
T


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2017 4:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Those are some great shots, Tom. Are you using a film camera or digital? If the former, what film? If the latter, what camera?

Makes me want to fish my S1 24-48 out of the photo cabinet and service its stuck iris blades. I really need to do that, especially now that I have the Tamron 24-48 -- see how they do against each other in a head-to-head "shoot-out."


PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2017 5:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

cooltouch wrote:
Those are some great shots, Tom. Are you using a film camera or digital? If the former, what film? If the latter, what camera?

Makes me want to fish my S1 24-48 out of the photo cabinet and service its stuck iris blades. I really need to do that, especially now that I have the Tamron 24-48 -- see how they do against each other in a head-to-head "shoot-out."


No film yet Michael.
Taken on Fujifilm X-E1 with FD to NX adapter.
I will use it on my Canons of course, but haven't had the time just for the moment
A comparison will be useful - I haven't seen one done before.
Thanks for the feedback
Tom


PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2017 7:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

And here is a crop from one of the images above.
PP includes the crop and some minor tidying up, but no sharpening.
I think that this lens is OK
Tom


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2017 10:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was thinking it might have been a Fuji. Fujis have a certain "look," I've found. Very clear.


PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2017 6:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beautiful photography! Very artistic. Smile

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2017 1:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you Miran and Michael.
Good lenses make it easier to get good results - I find that I don't have to work as hard to squeeze the best out of them.
This is a good lens
Tom


PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 2:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oldhand wrote:
And here is a crop from one of the images above.
PP includes the crop and some minor tidying up, but no sharpening.
I think that this lens is OK

In light of these images, I think that's a bit of an understatement Smile

cooltouch wrote:
Makes me want to fish my S1 24-48 out of the photo cabinet and service its stuck iris blades. I really need to do that, especially now that I have the Tamron 24-48 -- see how they do against each other in a head-to-head "shoot-out."

I posted some quick thoughts about these two here: http://forum.mflenses.com/tamron-24-48mm-f3-5-8-t74153.html#1466122

I think the Tamron surfaces on ebay more often than the Vivitar. IIRC, Tamron prices are higher too, so the Vivitar might be the wiser choice for anybody in the hunt for one of these.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Inspired by your results from the VS1 24-48mm, I took mine along for a visit yesterday to the North Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland.
This shot was taken at the 35mm setting @ f11 on a Sony Alpha A6000. PP was only a slight crop and level adjustment, no sharpening.
I hope you don't mind me including my shot in your post.



PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 12:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

DigiChromeEd wrote:
Inspired by your results from the VS1 24-48mm, I took mine along for a visit yesterday to the North Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland.
This shot was taken at the 35mm setting @ f11 on a Sony Alpha A6000. PP was only a slight crop and level adjustment, no sharpening.
I hope you don't mind me including my shot in your post.



Not at all Edgar - the more the merrier.
Thank you invisible for you kind words.
Yes, it is a good lens, and very versatile.
Tom


PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 8:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Got lucky today and in a low bid auction won a Tamron SP 24-48
When it arrives, I will do a side by side comparison. The Tamron will have to be good to better this Vivitar though.
We shall see Smile
Tom


PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 5:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Congrats, Tom. Were you fortunate enough to get the hood? I didn't get the hood with mine.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 9:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cooltouch wrote:
Congrats, Tom. Were you fortunate enough to get the hood? I didn't get the hood with mine.
.
No, no hood - and they sell separately for nearly as much as the lens Smile


PostPosted: Tue Apr 25, 2017 12:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lloydy wrote:
You'll enjoy this lens Tom, it's such a good walkabout lens. Any you're right about the ergonomics of the lens, it does let the lens down. Mine is PK mount and fits straight on my K10, and the small aperture ring is hidden under the peak of the camera flash, the numbering is very difficult to see, and the ring is a bit awkward to get at with my big hands and the big camera body. But I used it a lot on the Pentax.

I agree about the aperture ergonomics. [Why didn't the Vivitar design team discuss DSLR use with Kiron a few decades ago? LOL] It worked beautifully on my Pentax film bodies,



but requires just a bit more concentration to set the aperture on my Pentax DSLRs (currently I use two K-3 bodies). However, for Pentax DSLR "green button" (stop-down) metering, it ~is~ nice to have a constant aperture throughout the zoom range.


PostPosted: Sun Jul 09, 2017 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Guys, sorry to resurrect this thread, this morning I picked up one of these along with the 55mm f2.8 macro for £18GBP, I have unlocked the aperture on the macro but how do I unlock the aperture on the 24-48mm for use on digital?




Both optically are crystal clear, although cosmetically they do show signs of use.


PostPosted: Sun Jul 09, 2017 5:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Mr. G,

I see both lenses are Canon FD mount. So what I need to know, regarding "unlocking" the aperture, is what kind of digital camera will you be mounting it to. Don't say Canon EOS because that's automatically a problem. So's most other non-mirrorless cameras, far as that goes.

If your digital is a mirrorless or 4/3 camera, the adapter for FD should have a rod or long screw that catches the aperture adjustment lever that should allow for manual control of the lens aperture.


PostPosted: Sun Feb 16, 2020 11:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just bought one of these. It had been on my Ebay search list for some time, possible based on this topic. I even got my "Best Offer" accepted straight away. It comes with a modified hood.

With lenses other than macro I don't hurry to test them so this will be used when the need arises.


PostPosted: Sun Feb 16, 2020 9:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

e6filmuser wrote:
I just bought one of these. It had been on my Ebay search list for some time, possible based on this topic. I even got my "Best Offer" accepted straight away. It comes with a modified hood.

With lenses other than macro I don't hurry to test them so this will be used when the need arises.


It is a very good lens.
I think you will enjoy it
Tom


PostPosted: Sun Feb 16, 2020 11:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm still using mine, it's a lens I trust, I know exactly what it's going to do. Like 1 small


PostPosted: Mon Feb 17, 2020 9:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have found some extra images shot with this lens that show off its capabilities a little.
From wide to close-up.
Tom

This one is actually about half of the image as I have cropped it by 50%
There is a seabird, just above the wave - can you see it? Click for larger picture - then click again for enlarged image and best resolution
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Last edited by Oldhand on Mon Feb 17, 2020 11:46 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Mon Feb 17, 2020 10:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Has anybody compared it with the Tamron Adaptall-2 SP 24~48mmF/3.5-3.8 13A yet?

I recently got a good deal on the SMC Pentax-A 24-50mm 1:4. I wonder how it compares to the Tamron and the Vivitar.


PostPosted: Mon Feb 17, 2020 11:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

D1N0 wrote:
Has anybody compared it with the Tamron Adaptall-2 SP 24~48mmF/3.5-3.8 13A yet?

I recently got a good deal on the SMC Pentax-A 24-50mm 1:4. I wonder how it compares to the Tamron and the Vivitar.


I have the Tamron so will do a comparison for my own purposes. Don't hold your breath!

I will have the Vivitar tomorrow.