Something I purchased at a local second hand store, first it was a WTF-did I just spend money on?! moment. Then it turned out to a Wow, what did I just get moment.
I had this version in a Canon FD Mount, back in 1981 till 1985. I really liked the Lens. I also had Ver. 3 in the Nikon Mount. The 3rd version was sharper, and was more Contrasty. I prefer the One Touch Focus-Zoom Ring, over the 2 Ring System.
I was using the Kiron made Vivitar 70-210mm Series I AI f/3.5 manual focus zoom as a backup to my Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 auto focus zoom. When my auto focus lens broke, I decided not to repair it. I have been using the Vivitar instead.
Aloha! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this great old lens. I have one, too -- the first version. Got it off of Shop Goodwill around 6 years ago for $60 and have enjoyed it with several cameras I've owned since then. Sadly it now has fungus behind the front element so I'm working up the nerve to disassemble it, as it's definitely worth the effort! I find the "one touch" zoom very annoying to use in general, but as you pointed out, it's a different story in macro mode. I can't argue with the image quality, though!
Cool, Glad you enjoyed it! Well it is a grate lens. Sorry you have fungus...that sounded wrong, annyway. UV-light can kill the fungus so it dousen´t spread.
Hey mine is out for delivery and the pics of mine the serial starts with 22 and the lines are parallel as well I'm hoping the optics are good on it it has no lens caps though
Is there any difference in pictures between regular and macro mode? I can't find any difference at all and I don't know if there's an issue with the one I got...
If I remember correctly, you need to engage a special locking system while the Zoom is in the possession farthest to the rear of the lance to engage the macro mode. If this was don incorrectly the macro would not engage correctly. That’s at least what I remember, but I sold this lens some time ago.
Well I don’t really have a good grasp of that, but I know that Vivitar was famous or rather infamous four outsourcing there lens production. And from about after the 3rd iteration the quality sort of plummeted.
Thanks, my question was just because I got just a few days ago the 2.8 (3generation) version. I'm in love of it but I can't or are hard to find reviews here on youtube, regards
Yeah, they are good lenses up to (including) the 3rd generation, fourth and fifth generation is apparently not as good a quality (outsourcing)… with the exception of that Q-Dose version (false 3D) but that is a gimmick.
Yes the first edition is undeniably the best, with its constant aperture and I think a NASA optics engineer had a hand in designing it… The only other version worth mentioning is the 4.5 or 5th version, the “Quirky Q-Dos”. Just because it is such a strange lens.
Many consider the 3rd to be the best optically, am still on the lookout for one. The 5th version was the Q-Dos and there is one on Ebay UK for over £400, it is the complete package with the glasses and other bits. I am more interested in image quality than a quirky lens.
That’s why I jumped at it when I got a Q-Dos for £71 on E-Bay. And it was I really good condition. I do also love sharp lenses, but I also like wired models, like the once Christopher Frost reviews.
Well I am planning to make a video about it in the future. The effect is quite interesting, it uses a internal filter that sort of gives the out of focus arias a extreme form of “controlled-chromatic-aberration”, that´s the only way I can describe it. But when you look at it through a pair of red/cyan glasses you get that distinct anaglyph effect… Nothing like the Cameron-Pace system (Avatar), but it still gives you a fun way of doing “mock-3D”. ;-)
I had this version in a Canon FD Mount, back in 1981 till 1985. I really liked the Lens. I also had Ver. 3 in the Nikon Mount. The 3rd version was sharper, and was more Contrasty. I prefer the One Touch Focus-Zoom Ring, over the 2 Ring System.
I was using the Kiron made Vivitar 70-210mm Series I AI f/3.5 manual focus zoom as a backup to my Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 auto focus zoom. When my auto focus lens broke, I decided not to repair it. I have been using the Vivitar instead.
Aloha! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this great old lens. I have one, too -- the first version. Got it off of Shop Goodwill around 6 years ago for $60 and have enjoyed it with several cameras I've owned since then. Sadly it now has fungus behind the front element so I'm working up the nerve to disassemble it, as it's definitely worth the effort! I find the "one touch" zoom very annoying to use in general, but as you pointed out, it's a different story in macro mode. I can't argue with the image quality, though!
Cool, Glad you enjoyed it!
Well it is a grate lens. Sorry you have fungus...that sounded wrong, annyway. UV-light can kill the fungus so it dousen´t spread.
Hey mine is out for delivery and the pics of mine the serial starts with 22 and the lines are parallel as well I'm hoping the optics are good on it it has no lens caps though
I Just Got this lens for $35.00 almost new!!! thank you for the Video!!
The saying is "an exception DISproves the rule..."
Thank you!
Is there any difference in pictures between regular and macro mode? I can't find any difference at all and I don't know if there's an issue with the one I got...
If I remember correctly, you need to engage a special
locking system while the Zoom is in the possession farthest to the rear of the lance
to engage the macro mode. If this was don incorrectly the macro would not
engage correctly. That’s at least what I remember, but I sold this lens some
time ago.
What would be the difference with the 2.8?, in terms of quality build I mean....
Well I don’t really have a good grasp of that, but I know that Vivitar was famous or rather
infamous four outsourcing there lens production. And from about after the 3rd
iteration the quality sort of plummeted.
Thanks, my question was just because I got just a few days ago the 2.8 (3generation) version. I'm in love of it but I can't or are hard to find reviews here on youtube, regards
Yeah, they are good lenses up to (including) the 3rd generation, fourth and fifth
generation is apparently not as good a quality (outsourcing)… with the exception
of that Q-Dose version (false 3D) but that is a gimmick.
I have 2 of the first editions and a fourth which isn't so good.
Yes the first edition is undeniably the best, with its constant aperture and I think a NASA optics engineer had a hand in designing it… The only other version worth mentioning is the 4.5 or 5th version, the “Quirky Q-Dos”.
Just because it is such a strange lens.
Many consider the 3rd to be the best optically, am still on the lookout for one. The 5th version was the Q-Dos and there is one on Ebay UK for over £400, it is the complete package with the glasses and other bits. I am more interested in image quality than a quirky lens.
That’s why I jumped at it when I got a Q-Dos for £71 on E-Bay.
And it was I really good condition.
I do also love sharp lenses, but I also like wired models, like the once Christopher Frost reviews.
I would grad a Q-Dos for the right price just to see what it is like, well done for getting one at that price :-)
Well I am planning to make a video about it in the future. The effect is quite interesting, it uses a internal filter that sort of gives the out of focus arias a extreme form of “controlled-chromatic-aberration”, that´s the only way I can describe it. But when you look at it through a pair of red/cyan glasses you get that distinct anaglyph effect… Nothing like the Cameron-Pace system (Avatar), but it still gives you a fun way of doing “mock-3D”. ;-)