Vivitar series 1 lens opinions

[Kiron Kid]

Bogeyes

Over the last couple of decades, I've inadvertently become somewhat of an authority on Vivitar & Kiron glass. Please feel free to contact me about any Viv or Kiron lenses, and I'll give you the scoop on any of them. The Viv S-1, 135mm f/2.3 that you are asking about, is a very good one. Not great, but very good. And Komine produced some of the best Viv S-1 lenses ever made. I think that you'll be quite satisfied with it's results.

Kiron Kidn ( MrVivSeries1)

[bogeyes]

Bogeyes

Over the last couple of decades, I've inadvertently become somewhat of an authority on Vivitar & Kiron glass. Please feel free to contact me about any Viv or Kiron lenses, and I'll give you the scoop on any of them. The Viv S-1, 135mm f/2.3 that you are asking about, is a very good one. Not great, but very good. And Komine produced some of the best Viv S-1 lenses ever made. I think that you'll be quite satisfied with it's results.

Kiron Kidn ( MrVivSeries1)

Thanks for the offer.

[wiggy]

Perhaps someone here can shed some light on my favourite lens which I've had since 1976.

It's marked up as a Vivitar Series 1 200mm but f2.8 rather than the f3.0 which seems to be usually mentioned.

It was picked up in Japan in June 1976 and brought back for me by a family friend along with an AE1 body for the princely sum of £180.00 which seemed like a lot of money at the time.

[kngharv]

Bogeyes

Over the last couple of decades, I've inadvertently become somewhat of an authority on Vivitar & Kiron glass. Please feel free to contact me about any Viv or Kiron lenses, and I'll give you the scoop on any of them. The Viv S-1, 135mm f/2.3 that you are asking about, is a very good one. Not great, but very good. And Komine produced some of the best Viv S-1 lenses ever made. I think that you'll be quite satisfied with it's results.

Kiron Kidn ( MrVivSeries1)

Dear Kiron:

I was told that 450mm f/4.5 solid cat is one of the best mirror lens.

But How's the 600mm f/8 solid cat compare with, for example, 500mm f/8 from Nikon and/or Tamron 500mm f/8 55bb ? do you have a such experience?

The reason why I am looking at 600mm f/8 instead of 450mm f/4.5 is because 450mm f/4.5 is very rare and it commands a huge premium. 600mm f/8 is much more reaonsably priced and it does show up once a while in the used market. I would like to know how it fairs


Thanks

[Kiron Kid]

Perhaps someone here can shed some light on my favourite lens which I've had since 1976.

It's marked up as a Vivitar Series 1 200mm but f2.8 rather than the f3.0 which seems to be usually mentioned.

It was picked up in Japan in June 1976 and brought back for me by a family friend along with an AE1 body for the princely sum of £180.00 which seemed like a lot of money at the time.

Wiggy

Are you sure it's a 200mm f/2.8 prime, or are you referring to the Series 1, 70-210 f/2.8-4 zoom?

Kiron Kid

[Dawes71]

So were all Series 1 lenses superior to the cheaper ranges or were they just using the reputation to sell poorer quality with the later models?

[Ian Grant]

The S1 lenses were equivalent in quality to the major camera manufacturers top lenses of the same focal length and spec. Some S1 lenses outperformed the Nikon/Canon/Pentax etc versions.

The S1 lenes were quite different in terms of performance to the cheaper range.

Ian

[narsuitus]

What was the manufacturer’s suggested list price and/or the street price (in U.S. dollars) of the 70-210mm f/3.5 Vivitar Series I made my Kiron when it was first introduced in late 1970s?

[Wayne R. Scott]

Buy it. I have one and it does indeed focus quite close. 0.9 meters for my 135mm f2.3.

Wayne

[Kiron Kid]

What was the manufacturer’s suggested list price and/or the street price (in U.S. dollars) of the 70-210mm f/3.5 Vivitar Series I made my Kiron when it was first introduced in late 1970s?

I prefr the third edition. Smaller, lighter and a tad sharper, and it too has macro. But, the first edition is no slouch. The attached snap was made with the first edition in macro mode.



Kiron Kid