VIVITAR/kiron 75-150 f3.8 one touche vs 2 touche

davev8app · Joined: 09 Dec 2010 Posts: 134 Location: UK

just a quick one
i have a kiron 70-150 f4 one touche that i like, which i know is the same as a vivitar 70-150 f3.8 and when i see a the vivitar badge lens with a matched 2X with as new case i put a little bid on it and it just arrived, but i cannot have looked at it very hard at it, as now i have it, it is a kino made vivitar 70-150 f3.8 close focusing auto zoom that is 2 touche has built in hood and 52 mm filter thread . i can not try it till a Nikon mount comes for it ...so any one know if its better/the same or not as good as the 1 touche i have
thanks dave

JJB · Joined: 02 Oct 2014 Posts: 424 Location: USA

I have both, with the one-touch branded as Kiron and the two-touch as Vivitar.

So far, I prefer the image quality of the two-touch better. It seems a bit sharper and I get more detail in the highlights. I also find it slightly easier to nail focus. But I prefer the ergonomics of the one touch. I hope that with some more practice, manipulating the two-touch will feel more natural.

Both are very good, the differences are slight. I haven't yet shifted from JPG to RAW; RAW results might be different.

The one touch is also very compact and lighter.

PhantomLord · Joined: 08 Apr 2013 Posts: 476 Location: Szczecin, Poland

Hi Dave,

I have/had: Kiron 70-150/4 which was my first lens of the three, Vivitar 2-touch and Vivitar 1-touch as well as matched 2x conventer.
Long story short:
- Kiron 70-150/4 - absolutely stunning, the best of the three - still on my shelf
- Vivitar 1-touch - almost on par with Kiron, maybe a little less sharp on short end - still on my shelf
- Vivitar 2-touch - absolutely mediocre lens, it's not even similar to great quality of Kiron when stopped to f/5.6 - sold
- 2x matched converter - waste of time and money, seriously. - sold

Please bear in mind that my results could be because of sample variation, but truth to be told, my Kiron has chipped and scratched front lens and yet it's still the best in terms of sharpness and contrast. I didn't properly tested Vivitar 1-touch, but first tests show that it's almost as good as Kiron, but a little softer wide open.
I don't know why my copy of 2-touch was such a mediocre lens, especially as JJB wrote that his is sharper Smile

, but from what I've read on mflenses and other sites - this 1-touch Vivitar is generally sharper and more contrasty than earlier 2-touch.

As for matched 2x converter, I had great plans for it, however when I shot a few photos I was deeply dissatisfied. Results were muddy and mushy and sharpness was gone. I've even compared it with some no-name plain 2x tele-converter (which probably had even less glass elements in it as it was a lot shorter) and this no-name teleconverter was quite noticeably sharper across the whole zoom range.
I must admit I attach those teleconverters to Kiron copy of that lens, however I doubt it would perform any better on 2-touch Vivitar.

I didn't want to spoil your purchase and it may turn out that your copies work flawlessly with great image quality which of course I wish you Smile

. Please share your results.

Mateusz

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

I once owned both and found the 2-touch slightly sharper and the 1-touch easier to zoom and focus plus more compact. I would not hesitate using either one. Both can give very good results.

davev8app · Joined: 09 Dec 2010 Posts: 134 Location: UK

I have borrowed an adapter and its very good ..in fact its surprised me i think my copy's the 2 touche is better than the kiron ..but i have only used the kiron on a dull old day so not a good comparison will start a fresh thread with some photos
the kiron 1 touche is a lot nicer to use... and for close up i find focusing with the close up ring handier than the focus ring

link http://forum.mflenses.com/vivitar-70-150-f3-8-close-focusing-2-touche-1st-test-t69831.html