Vivitar Series 1 2.3 135mm

[iangreenhalgh1]

Hi folks

I just bought a Canon AE-1 with 2.8/28, 1.8/50 FD lenses and surprise, surprise, a Viv S1 2.3/135, a big heavy thing, pretty good condition too.

Being in FD mount, it's no use to me for use on my EOS and a bit big and heavy to use on my NEX and I already have a few excellent 135s...

So what I'm wondering is, how good is this lens? Is it worth converting to EOS or should I just sell it? Is it worth anything?

[ChromaticAberration]

Only seen this lens on eBay once or twice but can't remember for how much it sold, I bet a hefty sum being so rare.

[luisalegria]

One just like yours sold on US ebay for $63

It was USA bidders only though, so its probably not the best price.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Vivitar-Series-1-135mm-f-2-3-Canon-FD-Nice-/330608608479?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item4cf9cf04df

[iangreenhalgh1]

Thanks Luis

I've been looking at image samples from this lens posted around the web and it looks good but not so good that I think it's worth converting to use on my EOS as I already have the 2.8/135 Pentacon and 3.5/135 Sonnar and really feel those two are all the 135 I will ever need. I also have a few other really good 135s like the Hexanon AR 3.5/135, Steinheil Tele-Quinar 3.5/135 and Jupiter-11A hence I thought if this Viv S1 was worth a bit it would be better to sell it. I also have 7 or 8 more 135s and I really need to rationalise my lens collection before I add to it!

[themoleman342]

It's a really good lens. I paid an average price for mine. It encouraged me to sell some of my more lack-luster 135mms. This definitely trumped them.

I made a post about it that a lot of members graciously contributed to (with samples!): http://forum.mflenses.com/vivitar-s1-f2-3-135mm-m42-t38860,highlight,%2Bvivitar+%2Bs1.html

Hope this helps some
~Marc

[iangreenhalgh1]

Cheers Marc. Does look like a very good lens, I'm umming and ahhing about whether to get an FD-NEX adaptor to be able to try it out.

[Attila]

FD-NEX way to go , this is a cult lens with more popular mount frequently fetch higher price than 100 USD. Congrats for your nice find!

[iangreenhalgh1]

Cheers Attila. I already have the Viv S1 3.5 70-210, maybe I will collect more S1 lenses.

I am tempted to sell this one though, I just have so many lovely 135s...

Shame it's not in a more popular mount, I already have a ton of adapters...

[Attila]

[iangreenhalgh1]

Thanks for the tip, I have a good collection of top lenses now so I'm only looking to add really good ones.

[Lloydy]

I like the sound of that Ian, I'd be interested in it.

[iangreenhalgh1]

I would be happy to lend it to you for a while, if you like it we can work something out.

Hope we get a break in this rain as I need to get my part of the crap lens challenge done asap!

[Lloydy]

That sounds good to me Ian.

[woodrim]

Ian: Jeesh, please take no offense, but with all the crappy lenses you buy, now you get a really excellent lens and you want to sell before even using it. This is the best of the 135mm lenses I own. It isn't perfect - has plenty of CA and is difficult to get the focus right (ut oh), but is the sharpest by far - nothing else I have is even close. My second favorite 135mm is the Tair, but not even that can compete on sharpness. Bokeh is also excellent with the Vivitar S1. Although the mount is what makes that particular version not as valuable as the other mount versions, buying an adapter for your NEX will open up other bargains for you with that mount. If you do use it, try real hard to get the focus - maybe even focus bracket in order to get one in focus. The NEX focus peaking feature will also help.

[iangreenhalgh1]

To be fair, I haven't bought anything crap in months, been adding just good stuff and the odd unusual oddity.

Why don't I think I need it, well, I have all these 135s:

Carl Zeiss Jena 3.5/135 - I doubt the Viv is sharper than this
Pentacon 2.8/135 - my favourite 135, wonderful colours and bokeh and plenty sharp
Carl Zeiss/Rollei Tele-Tessar 4/135 - as sharp as my other Zeiss but renders very differently
Konica Hexanon AR 3.5/135 - built like a tank, as good as the Zeiss's
Steinheil Auto Tele-Quinar 3.5/135 - another superb lens

and all of those 5 are mint, hardly used examples, so I think I'm covered for 135s so the Viv would just not get used much if at all, better to pass it on to someone who will use it, surely?

That's just the 5 superb ones, I have many more 135s that aren't so good, those are all to be disposed of. I also have a Jupiter-11A that is very good, keeping that too and a Meyer Primotar 3.5/135 that has amazing bokeh, another keeper, then there is my Hoya 2.8/135, probably a Tokina, another keeper. The ones to dispose of are not bad - Prakticar(Sigma) 2.8/135, Derek Gardner 2.8/135, Exaktar 2.8/135, Petri (Cosina) 2.8/135 and three or four more Japanese 135s I forget the brandings of now.

So I have to ask myself, what do I need more, another 135 or the nice wad of cash it is worth?

[themoleman342]

The way I see it none of the lenses you've mentioned focus as close, would perform as well close-up, or are as fast.

Sharpness, color rendition, bokeh are all very dependent on copy variance and your setup but truly I'm with woodrim on this one, it'll likely beat out many of the ones you're holding on to in those areas...

[themoleman342]

Maybe this won't impress you but well, it's an example of potential sharpness and the problematic CA. I posted this in the topic I mentioned before:

And a crop of her bracelet:

Remember this is taken wide-open! It only gets better. The CA is evident but I didn't try to correct for it at all.

[woodrim]

Ranking my 135mm lenses based on ratings of sharpness, bokeh, speed, and overall experience, I put them in the following order.

Vivitar Series 1 135mm f/2.3 Score: 1,1,1,2
Tair-11 133mm f/2.8 Score: 2,1,2,1
Komura 135mm f/3.5 Score: 2,1,3,2
Jupiter-11 135mm f/4 Score: 2,2,3,2

I also have others that I do not use much or at all. I know only through reputation that the Zeiss is a great lens, but I'd have to see from my own eyes before considering it as sharp. Even if it is, it is slower. Since owning the Tair I have been picking it up when before I had always chosen my Vivitar; I attribute this to the overall experience, but cannot really explain it. Although it isn't as sharp, there is something about the image quality that I love, which I include in "overall experience". Themoleman is correct about a close focus ability, but what he didn't mention is the Vivitar's patented insect-freeze feature that allows the capture of bees in flight.