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Vivitar 300mm f/5.6 TX
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:56 pm    Post subject: Vivitar 300mm f/5.6 TX Reply with quote
"What you pay what you get" Laughing



All samples are here..


PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
it seems to have the typical behaviour of many cheap lenses: works decently well in perfect light and day condition, starts showing serious problems (like heavy CA) when the conditions are difficult.

Regardless of lens: your captures are, however, great!!


PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
it seems to have the typical behaviour of many cheap lenses: works decently well in perfect light and day condition, starts showing serious problems (like heavy CA) when the conditions are difficult.


Absolutely true, I agree 100%.

Quote:
Regardless of lens: your captures are, however, great!!


Thanks Smile


PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have never been a big fan of Vivitar lenses. I was around when most of them came out and even then they were not highly rated. With the exception of a couple of the Series 1 models. Vivitar milked the fame of their handfull of good lenses and tended to sell a load of over priced XXXX
Before anybody posts about it I had one of the first Series 1 70-210 zooms back in 1976. That was really good then and still isn't bad today.
Today I am more interested in their 283 and 285 flash guns. Now they have hardly been bettered.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I suppose the first Series 1 lenses made by Kiron, this is the reason why they are quality items.
Funny thing is on mflenses.com most popular articles are Vivitar related!


PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:

Funny thing is on mflenses.com most popular articles are Vivitar related!


Well it's not surprising. Vivitar lenses can be found cheap on Ebay, but they have a somehow confusing story of different versions, so people look into your site for getting more information about them, that can help them to choose the right model, and learn which model is good and which is not.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes I had to buy some lenses to serve them.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
Yes I had to buy some lenses to serve them.


Nice excuse Laughing


PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 10:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Smile


PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 10:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rob Leslie wrote:
Today I am more interested in their 283 and 285 flash guns. Now they have hardly been bettered.


Do you know if they're compatible with Canon DSLRs? I'm looking for a flash - I don't need the Speedlite gimmicks or want to pay their prices, but I'm having problems finding any other make with low voltage.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
peterqd wrote:
Rob Leslie wrote:
Today I am more interested in their 283 and 285 flash guns. Now they have hardly been bettered.


Do you know if they're compatible with Canon DSLRs? I'm looking for a flash - I don't need the Speedlite gimmicks or want to pay their prices, but I'm having problems finding any other make with low voltage.



The 283 'Made in Japan' is the older model and is high synce voltage the latter Made in China is a low 6V and very safe. The newer 285 is the 285HV and again is safe at 6V. The 285HV is so good they have started making it agin and is available on the US market for around $100.
For good info on using flash see Strobist.blogspot.com. They have some great info on putting together a good flash outfit and lots of technique guides. fash isn't hard and once you start using it the right way you will wonder how you managed without it and your photos, indoors and out will improve out of all proportion.
some of the Canons with the real synce plug are safe up to 400v, as that is the voltage on most pro studio units. You can also fire any high voltage flash unit with a slave unit and a small manual flash on your hotshoe.

Prices of 283 and 285 units seem to keep rising on eBay but you should get a good one for ?20/25


PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rob Leslie wrote:

Today I am more interested in their 283 and 285 flash guns. Now they have hardly been bettered.


Does they fit to my Canon 350D? Without burning any electrical circuit of course.

EDIT : First I've written mine and after I've read the previous post.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think most of people know Wiggy here...

He posted news about re-launch of Vivitar 285 on his site/blog...

http://www.cameramentor.com/node/98

good news...


PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ballu wrote:
I think most of people know Wiggy here...

He posted news about re-launch of Vivitar 285 on his site/blog...

http://www.cameramentor.com/node/98

good news...


Sorry I should have mentioned that review. I have a link to it on my own blogspot. The only thing I could spot wrong with it was it says the 285 is hotshoe only. The reviewer missed the little plug in the side of the 285 which takes a synce lead. He is probably young and not too sure what a synce lead is!
There is also a link to Strobist.com which has all the basic techiques for using flash well. It is IMO very silly spending all that money on a dedicated flash. Getting flash exposure right with a film SLR was no problem With a DSLR it's chids play. A good manual flash gives you more for your money. you could buy three or four 285s for the cost of one Canon or Nikon unit and make yourself a lighting kit that can do anything.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rob Leslie wrote:

It is IMO very silly spending all that money on a dedicated flash. Getting flash exposure right with a film SLR was no problem With a DSLR it's chids play. A good manual flash gives you more for your money. you could buy three or four 285s for the cost of one Canon or Nikon unit and make yourself a lighting kit that can do anything.


I'm very interested in this flash. Where do you recommend to buy it from?


PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
Rob Leslie wrote:

It is IMO very silly spending all that money on a dedicated flash. Getting flash exposure right with a film SLR was no problem With a DSLR it's chids play. A good manual flash gives you more for your money. you could buy three or four 285s for the cost of one Canon or Nikon unit and make yourself a lighting kit that can do anything.


I'm very interested in this flash. Where do you recommend to buy it from?


Ebay would be the best place Just make sure it’s the 283 made in China and not the old made in Japan unit. The 285 must be the 285 HV. It is also worth getting one that includes the sensor, sensor lead, which is an extra. Made in Japan 283 units are a minimum of ten years old. Non HV 285 units are a minimum of about seven years old and really aren’t worth the money they sometimes fetch
The units I have were bought from Vivitar UK Swindon. I knew somebody who worked there when they closed down and sold off the stock they had. I then sold my old used Vivitar flash units one of which was 1976 and still working OK.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VIVITAR-283-FLASH-MADE-IN-CHINA_W0QQitemZ280097993157QQcategoryZ15221QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vivitar-283-Electronic-Flash-Unit-NEW_W0QQitemZ290099503556QQcategoryZ15221QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
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