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Vivitar Series 1 (Kiron) 70-210 f/3.5
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi Chris,
The vivitar in 1986 was 2500FF, in a review they just say it was better than the 1500FF zoom of that time
Your nikon was for a long period the only zoom of quality.
Your nikon was 3 times more expensive than the vivitar, the same price as a contax 80-200
If today the vivitar sell 3 times cheaper than the nikon, it is still a good buy and I am sure that the center are about on the same level.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
I have no clue about Nikkor price, this Vivitar a cheap lens with cheap quality even if better than average no name zooms. Your Nikkor a really fine lens to me.


The Vivitar is supposed to be a classic, and did badly when it was launched because it was over engineered and too expensive.

I don't know if my results are typical (and it is overated) or atypical (and mine needs adjustment).

Given both lenses are the same sort of age, the Vivitar has lasted better. it feels better built. The Nikkor zoom ring is so loose that it flops all over the place - its not so much zoom creep as zoom-free-fall. I currently have it sellotaped (thats scotch taped, the other side of the atlantic) which makes it a 200mm fixed in effect; otherwise you have t actually grip the zoom ring to stop it moving.

I plan to make more tests. So far the Vivitar has not much impressed me, so I am tending to agree with Atilla; but it also has a cult following and people saying its great, so I find my results puzzling.

From my tests above, the Nikkor at f/5.6 is already sharper than the Vivitar ever gets at f/11.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
poilu wrote:
Hi Chris,
The vivitar in 1986 was 2500FF, in a review they just say it was better than the 1500FF zoom of that time
Your nikon was for a long period the only zoom of quality.
Your nikon was 3 times more expensive than the vivitar, the same price as a contax 80-200
If today the vivitar sell 3 times cheaper than the nikon, it is still a good buy and I am sure that the center are about on the same level.


Thanks for the details on relative prices, Poilu.

I paid a bit more for the Viv than for the Nikkor; both were very cheap in fact (ie under 50 euro).

Frankly I am disappointed by both and wondered about just getting, say, a 135mm or a 180mm prime. But perhaps I should look for a replacement zoom Nikkor which does not have zoom slop.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Cheap Nikkor 135mm f2.8 and 3.5 NON-AI can be good as later models.
I have Nikkor 180mm f2.8 ED lens an excellent lens but not better than CZ Jena Sonnar 180mm.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Wow. I'm really impressed by the quality of the Nikkor f/4.5... Very sharp lens!
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