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Vivitar Series 1 35-85/2.8 samples
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PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 3:45 am    Post subject: Vivitar Series 1 35-85/2.8 samples Reply with quote
I had this lens for a while but I did not use it much after discovering how soft it is wide open. I gave it another try these days on the Olympus E-M5 and rather than using it as a general purpose lens, I tried to use it as an effect lens. Here are a couple of results:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurentiucristofor/8740469012


http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurentiucristofor/8740468916

I also went through my archives and pulled out a couple of more inspired shots taken with the Pentax K10D:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurentiucristofor/8739417979


http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurentiucristofor/8739417959


PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 4:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The last picture is very nice.


PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 4:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nikonshooter wrote:
The last picture is very nice.


Thanks!


PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 7:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The first 2 pictures are very creative! Well done!
You mention that this lens is very soft wide open ... can you please share a picture?


PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 7:43 am    Post subject: Re: Vivitar Series 1 35-85/2.8 samples Reply with quote
Laurentiu Cristofor wrote:
I had this lens for a while but I did not use it much after discovering how soft it is wide open. I gave it another try these days on the Olympus E-M5 and rather than using it as a general purpose lens, I tried to use it as an effect lens.


I have discovered the same issue with a lens I recently bought for $40.

I'm stunned at how soft mine is. I only managed a few partially acceptable shots.

I'm presuming these test shots are 100% crops. I'd really like to compare the two.


PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 7:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
diddy wrote:

You mention that this lens is very soft wide open ... can you please share a picture?


First two pictures are wide open - if you look at the focal plane, it is not very crisp, although it may not be that obvious at this small size.

Here is a 100% unprocessed crop from the focal plane of the first pic, just to the left and a bit above of the white goal place.



PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 7:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ok, thanks a lot. So how much do you usually have to stop this lens down to get acceptable sharpness?


PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 9:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
diddy wrote:
Ok, thanks a lot. So how much do you usually have to stop this lens down to get acceptable sharpness?

Subscribing to the thread to see the answer Wink


PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 1:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
what attracts me more is the lens design (as in appearence) Very Happy it is beautiful. so i guess if i own this lens it'll be more like a sentimental attachment.


PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 4:15 pm    Post subject: Re: Vivitar Series 1 35-85/2.8 samples Reply with quote
parabellumfoto wrote:

I'm presuming these test shots are 100% crops. I'd really like to compare the two.


The samples are all full frame, scaled down. The lens focuses down to 30cm at the wide end.

diddy wrote:
Ok, thanks a lot. So how much do you usually have to stop this lens down to get acceptable sharpness?


On the K10D, which was 10MP, I was probably using something over f/4. But on the E-M5, it didn't strike me as sharpening to a point where I could call it sharp. It gets to be decent and the glow disappears, but it will probably still not match a modern kit lens. I need to play more with it.

ngaiki wrote:
what attracts me more is the lens design (as in appearence) Very Happy it is beautiful. so i guess if i own this lens it'll be more like a sentimental attachment.


Oh, I also like the build a lot. It is perhaps the only push-pull zoom that I find usable elsewhere than at the extremes of the focal range - the focusing ring tends to actually stay put while you focus, and it feels very nice to focus too. But when I purchased it, I had no fast zoom, so I was disappointed that it did not deliver wide open. Later I got the Tamron SP 17-50 and then I did not have much reason to use this - I tend to use prime lenses, not zooms. I'll keep it in mind for some scenarios where the softness might work as an advantage.


PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
You may have a bad copy or one that's been opened. I have this lens and whilst it isn't tack sharp wide open, it's certainly acceptable. The only issue wide open is the odd bokeh at 35mm.


PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 6:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks for letting me know!


PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2013 2:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
martinsmith99 wrote:
You may have a bad copy or one that's been opened.


The thought crossed my mind initially, but my copy is in good condition and I did not see any signs of the screws being touched.

martinsmith99 wrote:
I have this lens and whilst it isn't tack sharp wide open, it's certainly acceptable.


I call a lens sharp if its performance is similar or better than that of a Helios 58/2.

Also, what camera did you use your copy on? Can you post some images with 100% unprocessed crops?


PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2013 7:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
ngaiki wrote:
so i guess if i own this lens it'll be more like a sentimental attachment.


You're defenseless against this Very Happy


PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2013 8:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you fro showing these images!
I read from the special bokeh from this lens wideopen - I have to search and try my copy of this lens!
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