Vivitar 90mm f/2.5 Series 1 Macro

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

This lens was made by Tokina and is nicknamed the Bokina. It comes with a matched adapter to achieve 1:1 magnification. That was the only way I could use it until now. I really don't care for super close macro, so it has been mostly sitting awaiting a mount conversion. Today I attached it with a mount converter that has no glass, but won't focus anywhere near infinity. The working range with this short extension seems to be approximately 3-4" to 24-30" - somewhere around that range. That was good enough for me to do some of my usual photography.

couchpotato · Joined: 10 Sep 2010 Posts: 33

Nice images. How does this lens behave wide open? Any problem with CA?

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

I'll take some more wide open tomorrow and try to pick some CA inducing situations. I didn't see much at all, only very minimal. I actually expected more based on my other Series 1 lenses.

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

couchpotato: I took numerous pictures today, all at wide open and most in situations where my other lenses have had trouble with CA. The spider in particular has been a challenge because her legs and part of her body are blue. I've had lots of blue fringing when shooting her (she has been there all summer). Both the red and blue flowers have invoked blue/purple fringe with other lenses. All three will disply some now, but not nearly as much as my other lenses. The second spider is of the same type, but a different one shot at a different angle and it displays none.

*Note: All images in this post have been lost, so I have on 3/21/2017 replaced the broken images with others.

patrickh · Expire: 2011-11-18

Great samples of one of my favourite lenses.

patrickh

couchpotato · Joined: 10 Sep 2010 Posts: 33

Thanks a lot, Woodrim. Those pictures are lovely. I tried bidding this lens on eBay twice, but lost both times. Your pictures convince me I should try again. This lens is a dream for any macro fans.

martyn_bannister · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 1151

Very nice shots Smile

Well done.

Big Dawg · Joined: 28 Jan 2009 Posts: 2530 Location: Thach Alabama

One of the ones I have my sight on right now. Hope to get one soon to go with my Series 1 105 f/2.5 Komine macro.

Screamin Scott · Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 11:26 pm Post subject:

"One of the ones I have my sight on right now. Hope to get one soon to go with my Series 1 105 f/2.5 Komine macro."

You mean Kiron don't you?...Komine didn't make the S1 105 macro. If you really do have a Komine made 105 S1 I'd like to see photos of it

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

Weren't there two 105's as well as two 90s. The other 90mm is a Komine f/2.8. I don't remember the 105mm story, but I know it's good.

Screamin Scott · Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 12:05 am Post subject:

I have the Komine made 90mm F2.8, but it's not a Series One...There were other 105's, but not Series One or macro's AFAIK

patrickh · Expire: 2011-11-18

Another boke sample for this lens:

patrickh

JerryMK · Joined: 16 Apr 2009 Posts: 98

Regarding the 105's there is also the Kiron 105mm f2.8, I guess that is the other one... A killer Macro lens too

And the other 90 actually is the Tokina ATX 90mm f2.5 !!!

Got both of the above. Sold my Vivitar some weeks ago... hurts a little but I preferred too keep the Tokina.

Swappo · Joined: 02 Apr 2009 Posts: 327 Location: Sweden

I recently came across this lens when I was hunting for the Tokina ATX 90mm f2.5.

I belive they are basicly the same lenses, apart for the aperture and perhaps the coating?

I bought it in OM mount, but unfortunately I've forgot my adapter somewhere so I can't try it now... Hopefully I will get it in a couple of days. Smile

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

Swappo · Joined: 02 Apr 2009 Posts: 327 Location: Sweden

MFHerb · Joined: 13 Sep 2010 Posts: 5

I'm a mf newbie. the 90MM 2.5 was my first lens "score"

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

It's a superb lens, Herb, with legendary sharpness and bokeh. Don't set your expectations for other MF lenses as high. You've started with one of the very best. It surprises me that every time people talk about lenses in this focal length area, this lens gets hardly a mention, yet when on ebay it still commands high dollars. By the way, if my memory serves me, it is actually 87mm.

MFHerb · Joined: 13 Sep 2010 Posts: 5

Thanks Woodrim.

Nowhere to go but down if I'm starting with one of the best Wink

I've got a Vivitar 70-210mm 2.8-4.0 Komine arriving next week. And I have my eye on the Tair-11a and a SMC Takumar 50mm 1.4.

Thoughts on those last two?

Herb

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

Well, it is hard to criticize the Takumar, although some do. I don't have one but would pick it up if the right deal presented itself. I'm a bargain shopper. I would put the Tair behind a few other, but that's just me. I'm very big on the Series 1 135mm f/2.3. I'll have an opportunity to compare it to Russian glass when my Jupiter 11 arrives tomorrow. I recently purchased two Komura 135 lenses, a f/2.8 and a f/3.5. The f/3.5 leaves me wanting for something, but the f/2.8 seems quite good and the sharpness and bokeh are close to the Series 1, but with better CA control.

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

As you will see from my first post in this thread, I have had this lens since 2010 and used it in close-up and macro mode while patiently waiting for the purchase of a NEX-5N. I'm really enjoying the lens now being able to use it at any distance. Incredibly sharp with great bokeh - the only thing I wish it had is a multi-multi blade, round iris. These taken this past weekend downtown Charleston.

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Nordentro · Expire: 2015-01-29

Superb sharpness, this looks like a keeper Very Happy

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Laurence · Expire: 2016-06-19

GORGEOUS rendering with this lens. Shocked

The photographer isn't bad, either! Very Happy

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

+1 !!