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Post by kiev4a on Feb 4, 2008 21:05:27 GMT -5
Michael:
Yes rhe Kiron is in a Nikon ai mount, connected directly to the D300 body. Both the D200 and 300 will meter with manual focus ai lenses. Most of the other Nikon DSLR models won't meter with those lenses but you can use them in manual mode.
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Post by nikkortorokkor on Feb 4, 2008 21:19:31 GMT -5
Michael: Yes rhe Kiron is in a Nikon ai mount, connected directly to the D300 body. Both the D200 and 300 will meter with manual focus ai lenses. Most of the other Nikon DSLR models won't meter with those lenses but you can use them in manual mode. Thanks, Wayne. Very useful info.
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Post by olroy2044 on Feb 5, 2008 4:22:30 GMT -5
Wayne and Peter: Too true-Vivitar rode the Series 1 name into the ground with a series of very forgettable lenses, and even a pitiful P&S camera. If I'm not mistaken, they were in production until very recently with a line of autofocus zooms marketed as Series 1 which were better left on the dealers' shelves. Wayne-that pigeon shot is nothing short of outstanding. That old lens has still got it! Michael, if that 85-205 is a "two-touch" zoom, it most likely is a Kiron built lens. If so, I have a mint condition example of it in M42, which I would be very reluctant to part with for even a substantial amount of $. Roy
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Post by kiev4a on Feb 5, 2008 10:03:22 GMT -5
My Vivitar/Kiron 35-85mm f2.8 is a "varifocal" lens. You have to refocus if you zoom. Is that "two-touch?"
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Post by olroy2044 on Feb 5, 2008 11:30:58 GMT -5
Yes. I think the term was coined by an advertising dept somewhere to make people think that the new zooms (with a single control ring controlling zoom and focus functions) were somehow better, rather than just "different" I use both types and get along just fine with either . (Truth be known, I can never zoom a "one touch" without changing the focus anyway! Old shaky fingers dontcha know! )
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mickeyobe
Lifetime Member
Resident President
Posts: 7,280
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Post by mickeyobe on Feb 5, 2008 13:15:02 GMT -5
Wayne & Roy,
A one touch zoom is just that. A single ring around the lens both zooms - usually by pushing and pulling it and focusses by turning the same ring.
This is opposed to a two touch which has a one ring for focussing and another for zooming.
A varifocal lens requires refocussing every time it is zoomed whereas a true zoom retains its focus as it is zoomed.
The Vivitar Series 1, 70 to 210mm is a one touch, true zoom.
Mickey
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Post by Rachel on Feb 5, 2008 17:56:33 GMT -5
I have a Vivitar Series One 28-105mm in Canon FD mount which is vari-focal.
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Post by nikkortorokkor on Feb 5, 2008 22:08:52 GMT -5
I don't think I've learned so much practical info in a long time.Thanks all. Here's the vendor's photo of the 85-205/3.8 It looks to be a '2 touch' lens to me. BTW, found an interesting 3rd party lens database here: homepage3.nifty.com/3rdpartylens-om/3rd-party-list.htmIt turns out that the 85 - 210/3.8 is quite the antique, being launched in 1968 with a list price of $200. Quite a chunk of change back then. The Series 1 135/2.8 was still only $220 when launched 9 years later, in 1977. I guess then, that Roy's praise is unsurprising, given the big, fast zoom's costliness back in the day. I went and looked in my zoom collection (not difficult, I only have 2, both by Phenix) I knew that te little 'un is a 2 touch and the big 'un is a 1 touch, but couldn't remeber if either was a true zoom or a varifocal. They both turned out to be true zooms, so they have some redeeming features afterall. To illustrate why I 'need' the Vivitar, The big Phenix is a very pedestrian 70-210/4.0-5.6 with 1:4X macro, 1 touch lens. Unfortunately, the 'trombone' zoom drops out or in under its own weight, and has done so since new. Worse, the lens is soft on infinity, even on a Phenix body(!) for which it was presumeably designed. Luckily, infinity is actually reached early, so sharpness can be achieved, by winding the focus/zoom ring back a pnch. But oh, what a pain! Not a 'feature' that adds to the lenses handling. The little 'un, a Phenix 28 -70 is a much nicer lens. Oddly, if you want to experience one for yourself, you can find it sold in the US under the, You guessed it, Vivitar brand. That camera is really a Phenix DC303N body with, what I'll bet is a Phenix, made in China, 28 -70/3.4-4.8 '2 touch' zoom. Don't believe the 'Vivitar Japan Lens' label, Id love to know what legal trick Viv did to get that on there. But the news aint all bad. Popphoto.com did a review of the Vivitar/Phenix alongside a Pheonix P-2000, confusingly a rebadged Seagull (made in Shanghai and itself a close clone of the Minolta X-370 which had been manufactured by Seagull for Minolta). Phenix with no O is a Chinese camera factory based in Jiangxi province, Pheonix with an O is, I understand, a US importer who handles, amongst other things, Seagull cameras. Anyway, not only did Popphoto like the humbe Chinese bodies, they liked the little zooms too, declaring both the Chinese made Vivitar optic and the Japanese made Pheonix one as great performers. To quote: "Lab and field tests indicate that both lenses performed well above what was expected, both at normal and close-focusing distances. At most settings, results from these lenses would be indistinguishable from those made by top-grade lenses of any other SLRs." For what it's worth, the full artice can be found here: www.popphoto.com/cameras/774/bottom-feeder-slrs-do-you-dare.htmlMy own impression is that my own Phenix feels and functions almost identically to a late 90s Cosina Clone (I've owned an OM2000 Spot Metering) and, Spot Metering aside, it's almost identical to the Phenix). In other words, OK, but not like a real quality manual camera. Hence my fascination with old Minoltas. Apologies for going waaay OT!
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Post by olroy2044 on Feb 6, 2008 4:05:22 GMT -5
Michael, that lens shown is a duplicate of mine in M42. I think you will enjoy it, if you don't mind the weight. Personally, I prefer the heavier lenses as I feel I can hold them steadier. May just be psychological, but then I preferred all steel handguns when I carried one all the time. No aluminum or polycarbonate for me. But then they don't call me Ol-Roy for nothin'! ;D
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Post by nikkortorokkor on Feb 6, 2008 5:47:37 GMT -5
Roy, I agree. While we don't get to carry many handguns down here, when I shot long ones I liked a heavy rifle with a light trigger. Im a flyweight, but I can hold a heavy rifle position steadier than a light one. Cameras? Much the same. While the Paxette rangefinders I own have a non ergonomic shutter, they are silky smooth (I average one mistakenly taken image per roll) and the camera body is a heavy wee lump that can be held very steady. Conversely, The Phenix, while it has an alloy chassis, just doesn't feel solid like my cobby old F3 did. In SLRs, I think the heavy, bodies and light, electronic shutters of the 70s and early 80s are my favourite, especially when coupled with a nice chunky lens. Hopefully the XE-1 turns up tomorrow! I pick the lens up on Friday, so I'll soon see igf I'm man enough to tote all that Japanese steel and brass.
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Post by kiev4a on Feb 6, 2008 13:32:12 GMT -5
I think I remember when that Vivitar zoom came out in 1968. It was FAST by the standards of the day--especially since the zoom lenses were just then coming onto the market. Vivitar was really King of the aftermarket lenses for a decade or more.
Roy and Michael. If you like heavy then the Vivitar Series 1 and Kiron lenses are the place to be.
BTW: whoever created that lens chart with that busy background that forces you to squint to read about the 3rd-party lenses should be banned from web authoring.
PS: I'm not sure about the accuracy of the 3rd party chart. It claims the first 135mm f2.8 Vivitar preset lens with a T mount was 1972. I'm almost positive I had that lens earlier but maybe not. The memory is the second thing to go.
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Post by nikkortorokkor on Feb 9, 2008 23:40:48 GMT -5
Update on the Vivitar/Kiron saga:
All my loot has turned up, including the Auto Vivitar 85-205/2.8 Tele-Zoom. My gosh it's a beast and a half, isn't it? The US Camera and Travel test report was amongst the ephemera that came with the lens puts it all into perspective though. Back in circa '68, the USC&T opined: ' The lens itself is 7 1/4 inces long (in its infinity position), which extends to 8 1/4 inches at its closest focusing index (six feet four inches). The light weight is also appreciated (less than 28 ounces).' I wonder how many today would 'appreciate' an 8 1/4 inch, 27 plus ounce 85-205/3.8?
Unfortunately all was not well with my Kiron built, 1970 Auto Vivitar. It failed to zoom, being stuck on 205. Twisting the zoom ring would simply throw it out of focus. I investigated and, sure enough, a locating peg had snapped off, and one of the two floating zoom groups was now immobile.
The odd thing is, the rear zoom group had a nice, solid brass peg while the front set had a nylon one. Guess which had broken! Why Kiron decided to use plastic here I don't know. A (small) black mark against that legendary build quality.
With the peg replaced with a nice piece of brass stock, everything works great. My kitchen scales tell me that my new XE-1 with the 85-205 attached weighs in at a healthy 1600 grams (3lb 8oz), so I guess I get to test my boast that I like big, heavy cameras.
USC&T gave he list price as $260 and $180 for the preset T mount version. The Ponder&Best Catalogue (which I presume is, like the lens, a 1970 example), gives the price as $195 for the Auto and $152 for the T Mount.
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Post by olroy2044 on Feb 16, 2008 18:36:03 GMT -5
Finally got over the flu that had me down for several days, and retrieved a roll of film from the processor. Here are a few more shots with a couple of K-Mount Vivitar lenses. These are straight out of the can, with the exception of the first which I cropped to get rid of a distracting skyline. Taken with a Pentax P3n on aperture priority, on a cold, windy and rainy day. Two blocks from my house is this green-zone running right thru the middle of town: Viv/Komine 35-80 @ about 50mm Same lens 35mmViv-Kiron 75-150@75mm Same lens close focus mode-handheld, too lazy to go in house for tripod Neither of these lenses are Series 1, but I am convinced that they are just as good, and generally less expensive than the good Series 1's are. Enjoy, Roy
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Post by Peter S. on Feb 17, 2008 7:44:13 GMT -5
Hi Roy,
these are fine images! And this zoom is for sure not a lemon. On the other hand You need a careful examination of a hi-res scan (say 4000 dpi) to find differences between the Vivitar and the Rokkor zooms - as both seem to be good lenses.
The message is however this: if You don't need really large prints, both will do fine - and the Vivitar most likely for much less money...
Best regards Peter
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Post by estudleon on May 11, 2008 13:51:40 GMT -5
The PF 135 mm is a great lens. In B&W is better, to my taste, to the MC and MD. In color, the PF is not as warm as the MD (is more neutral), and if you don't like too warm the PF is OK. I have the sonnar jena 135 F/3,5 with 4 elements, and it's great, the contrast, tack sharp, boketh, wonderfull, excelent. Good luck. juan
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