Vivitar 200mm 3.5

Jekku · Joined: 11 Sep 2009 Posts: 42 Location: Turku, Finland

Bump for this.
Someone is selling this lens on a Finnish camera forum for 100€.
A bit overpriced perhaps?
Don't know who manufactured it though.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Pricing is dependent on type of mount. I don't suppose the AF version would command as much as a MF version. I have seen the MF version; the Series 1 f/3, go for well over $200 in M42 mount. Other mounts are usually considerably less money.

I too would like to see the aforementioned test results. I have the f/3 lens and love it; it's one of my three favorite manual lenses. On my camera it has considerable purple fringing which I think is a sensor/camera specific thing. Boomer has used this lens on his Canon with much less issue. Nevertheless, I've found the fringing very easy to correct in post processing. Other than that, focusing can be difficult and needs to be precise. I had trouble with it initially, but have gotten quite good, so it must have been something that I just needed to get accustomed to through practice. The lens is very sharp and the bokeh excellent.

If interested, I have a gallery of sample pictures here:
http://www.pbase.com/mdlempert/vivitar200mms1

Jekku · Joined: 11 Sep 2009 Posts: 42 Location: Turku, Finland

Thanks for your input and info.

Forgot to mention it's a Nikon MF mount. So maybe that's the reason.
The seller says it's a Viv 200/3.5.
Here's a pic from the seller:

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Okay, I've gone back and looked and see now how the subject has gone astray. You did ask initially about the standard f3.5 lens, but then someone introduced the Series 1 AF as an option. I added onto that discussion. The lens you are asking about is the very common 200mm f/3.5 of which most were made by Komine. I'm not so sure the price is anything special. Check on ebay - there are usually many listed, and even better yet, check completed listings for any Nikon mounts that have sold. When i was looking, I saw them in Minolta mount for $10-$20. An M42 will go somewhat higher.

As for the quality of the lens, many people speak well of it. I have two; one in Minolta mount that I've had since the 70s, and one in M42 purchased more recently. Since I have the Series 1 lens, I don't use the M42 version anymore as it didn't strike me as anything outstanding, but was certainly a good lens. However, I do use the Minolta mount one on occasion for close up photography. I have found that when used with a macro converter it performs quite well. I should also mention that the macro converter I use is actually the match mated one sold with the Series 1 90mm. It just works well with other lenses.
The gallery I have with close up picture from the f3.5 lens can be seen here: http://www.pbase.com/mdlempert/vivitar200mm

Boomer Depp · Expire: 2011-12-04

The Komine built Vivitar 200mm f3.5 gives pretty good results with a pleasing saturation....but I really don't see it it being anywhere in the league of the Nikkor 180mm f2.8 ED AIS or the suburb Nikkor 180mm f2.8 ED-IF AF or the ED-IF D...

Nikkor 180mm f2.8 ED AI-S 100% crop & shot through the glass of a window

Vivitar 200mm f3.5

The Vivitar Series 1 200mm f3 however has a particular uniqueness and a pleasing bokeh wide open...and close focuses to 1.2 meters

Stopping down sharpens at the next stop and continues to get sharper til f11 100% crop & shot through the glass of a window.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Boomer: Good to see you here again. Are you still having good experience regarding the blue/purple fringing?

Boomer Depp · Expire: 2011-12-04

Spring is here...so been busy here and up at Marrowstone....and the weather has also been good for some excellent spring sailing....actually as mild as our winter was,the sailing has been great since last spring.

I usually try to avoid a bright harsh background...but sometimes no matter how careful, I do get some aberrations.

a20010494 · Joined: 15 Feb 2010 Posts: 396 Location: Perú.

I'm not trying to bash, but to my eye the in-focus area of the vivitar looks sharper than nikon's.

Boomer Depp · Expire: 2011-12-04

Probably had more time to nail the focus,but could have done better if I had more time to really nail the focus or used a flash....hummingbirds don't sit still to often and it presented itself well for the DOF in the shot... Smile

and depending on the time of day and the amount of harsh lighting nearer mid-day as well as keeping an angle closer to 45 degrees shooting through a window all come into play...and the 180 was probably wide open,while the 200 was stopped down a stop or so...

Both lenses have there weaknesses...the ED AI-S has just a hint of CA as you stop down shooting digitally,and is susceptible to flare and ghosts on film and digitally....neither lens likes a bright contrasty background,but the Nikkor handles it better wide open then the Vivitar.