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Vivitar 80-205 zoom/f3.8, M42: any good?
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 8:46 pm    Post subject: Vivitar 80-205 zoom/f3.8, M42: any good? Reply with quote
I am not much on teles, much less zooms, but is this worth $25-$40?
Bigdawg, you know these things. It does not say it is macro, but IIRC scale says sub 6 feet. It resides at a consignment flea/antique market. It is in near mint shape with case, original manuals.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 12:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I believe this was a Kiron lens, and a very good one too. Shows up in all sorts of brand names e.g. Panagor.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 12:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
It certainly is a Kiron lens. The one I have (Vivitar brand also) is very good indeed. It is a "close focus" lens.

But this thing is so common that you should be thinking of $10-15, not $25-40. Maybe $25 for mint+case+manuals, but still.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 2:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
While the Kiron built Vivitar 85-205/3.8 is good,the next generation Kiron built Vivitar 75-205/3.8 with it's matched TC is even better and also is a Close Focusing zoom.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 11:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I let it pass thanks to y'all's superb advice ...


PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 5:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
fish4570 wrote:
I let it pass thanks to y'all's superb advice ...


Let it pass unless they drop the price to under 20 bucks. The 75-205 in either the one touch or two touch focus are much better. The 85-205 is alright but nothing to write home about. I have two...a Chrome Nose and a Bright Band and plan on a plain one but mainly just to complete the set of them.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 5:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Since you appear to be the expert on these older Vivitar zooms, Big Dawg, tell me -- are the two designs of 75-205/3.8s equivalent in terms of sharpness and contrast? And also do you happen to know if the matched 2x is different or the same between these two lenses?


PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 9:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
And the Vivitar 80-200 f 4.5 m 42? Kiron appears. I have not the Serial number.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
cooltouch wrote:
Since you appear to be the expert on these older Vivitar zooms, Big Dawg, tell me -- are the two designs of 75-205/3.8s equivalent in terms of sharpness and contrast? And also do you happen to know if the matched 2x is different or the same between these two lenses?


The two 75-205's are almost identical in optical quality and I use mine interchangeably. I really like the feel of the Two Touch lens and it is slightly better in close ups but the One Touch is just a tiny bit better at distance shots. Either one is a very good buy as they regularly go for under 30 dollars US in pristine condition.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
francotirador wrote:
And the Vivitar 80-200 f 4.5 m 42? Kiron appears. I have not the Serial number.


Also a good performer. I owned one several years ago and enjoyed it...Really wish I had kept it now.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:21 pm    Post subject: Re: Vivitar 80-205 zoom/f3.8, M42: any good? Reply with quote
fish4570 wrote:
I am not much on teles, much less zooms, but is this worth $25-$40?
Bigdawg, you know these things. It does not say it is macro, but IIRC scale says sub 6 feet. It resides at a consignment flea/antique market. It is in near mint shape with case, original manuals.


Where is this flea market...I'm only 40 miles or so North of you and if I ever get a day off I'd like going there.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote



The seller does not answer my question about the Serial Number, you think it is a Kiron?


PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The one I had was a Komine with a 28 serial number.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Big Dawg wrote:
cooltouch wrote:
Since you appear to be the expert on these older Vivitar zooms, Big Dawg, tell me -- are the two designs of 75-205/3.8s equivalent in terms of sharpness and contrast? And also do you happen to know if the matched 2x is different or the same between these two lenses?


The two 75-205's are almost identical in optical quality and I use mine interchangeably. I really like the feel of the Two Touch lens and it is slightly better in close ups but the One Touch is just a tiny bit better at distance shots. Either one is a very good buy as they regularly go for under 30 dollars US in pristine condition.


Thanks for the feedback. I like the looks of the two-touch, and I like the fact that the lenses are relatively plentiful and even sell on eBay for fairly cheap at times. So, you can't comment on the 2x? Very few of these zooms I see on eBay come with the 2x, and I see them listed separately sometimes, but I'm curious if they're the same optically, cuz I would like to have the complete set.

I fear that LBA is beginning to take hold in this case. I ask myself, do I really need this lens. I have an EF 70-210 f/4 and a 75-300, and in Nikon mount I have a Nikkor 80-200 f/4.5 and then I have a Tamron SP 60-300. In Canon FD and Pentax K all I have are mounts for the Tamron 60-300. I guess I could most easily justify picking up one of these Vivtars in FD or P-K. Or two. Cool

Last edited by cooltouch on Tue Aug 03, 2010 3:26 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Big Dawg wrote:
The one I had was a Komine with a 28 serial number.

Many thanks Big,
I should go for it, right?


PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The serial number is 22927629, Kiron, no doubt.
I am going to buy it.
Tanks


PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 3:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think you will like it.


PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 3:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The 2X matched multipliers are OK but not the very best out there. They do tend to be a touch soft.


PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Big Dawg wrote:
The 2X matched multipliers are OK but not the very best out there. They do tend to be a touch soft.


So then would you say that, despite their being "matched," a good quality one like Vivitar's 7-element macro TC would be a better way to go? I have two of these gems, one for Nikon and one for Canon FD. Need to get one for Pentax too one of these days.


PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 10:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have one of these with the 77****** serial number, a Koboroi, and I like it a lot. It's a nice physical size and a useful focal size, and sharp.

It's not a Kiron so it will be different in some respects, so I can't recommend the lens you're actually buying, but the chances are it's a lens worth having.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 4:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
cooltouch wrote:
Big Dawg wrote:
The 2X matched multipliers are OK but not the very best out there. They do tend to be a touch soft.


So then would you say that, despite their being "matched," a good quality one like Vivitar's 7-element macro TC would be a better way to go? I have two of these gems, one for Nikon and one for Canon FD. Need to get one for Pentax too one of these days.


I have a 2X-22 Vivitar TC that is actually better than the matched multipliers. The Macro TC I've not owned or tried. I can't comment on it's abilities.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 4:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lloydy wrote:
I have one of these with the 77****** serial number, a Koboroi, and I like it a lot. It's a nice physical size and a useful focal size, and sharp.

It's not a Kiron so it will be different in some respects, so I can't recommend the lens you're actually buying, but the chances are it's a lens worth having.


I have a 28-200mm Kobori and like it a lot. The Kobori lens are going to be my focus as soon as I can find a Chrome nose 200mm and a 135mm f/2.3 Vivitar.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 3:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Big Dawg wrote:

I have a 2X-22 Vivitar TC that is actually better than the matched multipliers. The Macro TC I've not owned or tried. I can't comment on it's abilities.


Well, I'm unfamiliar with the 2x-22. Took a look on eBay just now, and it pretty much looks like a standard 2x. I think the Vivitar 7-element macro-focusing TC is one of the best. Attila does too, as I recall.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The 22 designation in the 2x-22 means it's a Pentax K mount....a Nikon would be a 2x-3...a Olympus OM would be a 2x-21....a Canon FD would be a 2x-4....and so forth

Some of the old seven element Kiron/Tokina/Vivitar 2x MC TC's are fine,others aren't quite as good,I finely found a decent 7 element for Nikon F mount after going through three of them.Didn't want to do the same with the Olympus OM,so I bought two and choose the better one for my Zuiko 300/4.5....sold the seconds on ebay.

The same thing applies to the matched 2x TC's because they can be found cheap on ebay,I bought 6 of the 2x in the F mount ,for the 70-150 and the 75-205 and choose two with the best IQ,and sold the rejects on ebay.

I heard about the Komura Telemore 95 II having decent IQ,so picked a couple up on ebay and choose the better one and sold the other.

I also have three of the seven element Macro Focusing Vivitar 2x TC's in the F mount and the C/Y mount for my macro lenses...they all have adequate IQ....but the IQ is much better without them,typical of any 2x TC.

The 1.5x TC by Kiron had better luck with probably because it's a 1.5x rather then a 2x....though this TC was designed and made especialy for the 28-85 & 70-150 lenses,I've used this 1.5x on lens up to 400mm and was impressed with the IQ...so impressed I bought two of them and the IQ is excellent on both compared to the seven element Kiron/Tokina/Vivitar 2x MC TC,but that's usually the case with all brands if 1.5x+- versus 2x TC's....My lone copy of Nikon 14B 1.4x bests my Nikon TC-201 and 301 easily...with one exception,I used to have a Nikkor 400mm f3.5 ED-IF that had excellent IQ with the 301 but not as good with the 14B,which surprised me...once I went digital with Canon DSLR's,I foound the lens had to much CA,not to much wide open but more the further you stopped down,so I sold it and bought the Cannon EF 400/5.6 L.

Same with my modern Canon EF TC's...the 1.4x bests the 2x,but the difference is closer then the vintage TC's though...or else the modern L lenses handle the TC's better.

One odd TC that happened to come with one of my F mount lenses is an old Samigon 2x MC....every F mount Nikkor and 3rd party lens I have over 300mm the Smaigon 2x IQ beats all my other vintage 2x TC's....with the exception of the 301 mounted on the Nikkor 400/3.5 ED-IF.


PostPosted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 11:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Big Dawg, help please.
The Vivitar-Kiron F4.5/80-200, unfortunately it is unusable , the coating had degraded one element, and had a focal length multiplier, original.
Now I found another, f3.8/75-205, FD mount. The first problem, have fungus. And second, I do not know if I can adapt to the 5D

And the question is, what good is it?
Many thanks
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