It’s interesting that the vintage lens market has changed so much. Could it be people watching KZread have found out about the bargains? 😊

@mikemcgrath5188

Жыл бұрын

here in the states prices have gone up dramatically in the last 2 years, mostly for like new specimens. those lenses that have been dragged around a few rough corners can be had cheaply.

@rephaelreyes8552

Жыл бұрын

Is it because of the covid effect? People are trying out new hobbies? I've always wanted a good, cheap camera since 7 years ago and only found out about the a200.

I have an old Vivitar, I suspect from the 1970s. Made in Japan. It is a 35mm f/2.8 Like yours, it has a big "Wide Angle" written on the lens. I paid $10 US Dollars. It is Nikon F-Mount and I use it on my D810. Wide open, it shoots like a 1900 era lens. All kinds of crazy soft, blurred edges and distortions. I don't use it much, but it is kind of cool in its own way.

I loved watching you try to find something good to say about this mutt of a lens - you're a kind man, Nigel. Keep up your good work!

Another enthusiastic, genuine video. Loved it 👍

That Vivitar is a nice find. Back in the day when I was doing street photography, I shot mostly with camera-maker glass (Canon, Leica, Nikon). But I tried several non-maker lenses, but far and away the best was a Vivitar 28/2.5 in the Canon FL mount. What a sweet, characterful lens; perfect for the street. Wish I still had it.

Thank you for brightening my day. Thought you were in some form of distress but I agree that the prices of used lenses has skyrocketed. To the 35mm f2 back in the day when I was shooting weddings on film we needed the speed of the lens to be able to focus better. Usually shot most groups of people at f5.6 or f8. Thanks for your show...

¡Gran episodio! Gracias por todo el trabajo duro que pones en estos videos. El contenido informativo y entretenido es la razón principal por la que veo y disfruto de KZread. Perdón por mi pobre español.

Fair enough. And i agree to many of your points. Still, i think this lens is quite nice! To the point that i bought it again, started missing it. Same as yours in Minolta mount, M42 would've been better though... I use it mainly for close-up photos of flowers, insects etc. and i like the results, i get many keepers. The output is quite cold, maybe a warming filter would be fitting for this. It's built great and it's nice to handle. With film lenses i tend to stop down 1-2 stops anyways, most of them are not good wide open, unless you like the look... So, stopping this down to f2.8 or f4.0 is no biggie for me, par for the course actually. It's quite ok wide open too. For close-up work, i much prefer this over Pentax-M 28mm f3.5, due to smoother bokeh and wider aperture. Pentax-M has better coatings and colors, very nice wide open, but i prefer this Vivitar. So, there you go. Nice lens as far as i'm concerned. Not of the best by any stretch, but a lens i enjoy using and like the results.

Nigel--great honest review! Thanks!

Hope you're keeping well, and a resounding "Yes... but not as many," would be my answer. Not only have more peeps caught on to old lenses being damned good, but analogue snappage has become ever more popular. But bargains still exist.

Hi Nigel, thanks for the upload of this really interesting lens. I must say it shows a similar behaviour than my Pentax SMC Shift 3.5/28mm. Wide open it's very soft but at aperture eight or eleven it becomes really sharp with very nice colors. Last year I used it in Baden-Baden for some archtiecture photography. If you see one don't hesitate to purchase. Shift lenses are very versatile. Have a nice day, Ralf

This was the first lens I got for my K1000 ~15 years ago when I started to get into shooting film. I quite like the busy bokeh, and it will give you some swirl in the right circumstances. The points you make are very valid. I guess I have a soft spot. It does nice landscapes at f8. Lots of diffraction at f16.

The halation can also be related to the adapter you're using. If it's not matted inside and pretty glossy the light will bounce around and mess with sharpness and contrast. You can either use black matte tape or matte enamel paint. It helps quite a deal. I have the same lens but Komine made and mine performs much better at f2

Very interesting and entertaining post. I have a Sony a6000 and bought an adapter for my old Canon FD lenses. I have scoured Ebay for all sorts of different lengths from 28mm to 60 - 300 and everything inbetween over the last year. I think the most I paid was 40 euros. The best buy was 25 euros for two lenses, a 28 - 80, and a 70 - 210. Some of my buys were a bit hit and miss, but at the prices I was paying worth the gamble. Some have been absolute bargains, and the vintage glass certainly gives my photos a human touch, away from the cold, clinical mega sharp lenses of today.

Great review of a then decent lens, Kiron made many such lenses including a 24 f2 - experience and expectations have changed so it’s not too surprising that the 28 f2 wide open isn’t too hot as modern digital is far more clinical than old D and P. 😎👍

Hey Nigel really love your channel, hope one day see your review from vivitar 35-85/2.8 as is as I understand one of the iconic lenses from Vivitar, thanks and take care

My Vivitar 28mm F2.8 for M42 mount is a bit like that too. The Takumar 28mm is miles ahead in every way!

I know it's not how a lens is supposed to be reviewed, but I've actually found this lens to be very very nice to use with an ND filter and closeup filter attached to it - so much so that I don't think I've used it much without either of those. The ND greatly eliminates any bloom and harshness of highlights, while the closeup filter gives you a "wide macro" look which I've actually liked a lot. In short... I'd agree with it being sub-par BUT it can actually get you sharp and interesting shots if it gets used as it wasn't intended to. (at f2 even as my copy has a failing aperture)

28mm is a focal length that seems to have gone out of fashion a bit. 20, 24 and 35 seem to be the most common wide choices now but a good 28mm lens can be very useful. The Minolta W.Rokkor SI 28/2.5 is my go-to 28mm although you would need to be very lucky to find one for 15 quid!

@TillyOrifice

Жыл бұрын

I think you're right about 28mm, which is a shame since I seem to have an affinity for it. Often found 35 to be too long when I was taking street scenes and landscapes, and 20 too short. I loved my old 28 f2. Now there isn't much on the market that really inspires.

@mikemcgrath5188

Жыл бұрын

IMO the pentax-m 28 mm 1:2.8 is one of the best vintage lenses you can get. millions were made and fine examples can be had very reasonable. it works great in panoramic mode, very rectilinear.

very interesting, my favorite (non vintage but still old) lens also a 28mm its the Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 that is a fantastic lens indeed with great autofocus. the blur quality is jumpy but it has a 3D-effect when used right. i like to frame it similair to a 35mm and get close-up portraits

I found a Vivitar 28mm f2.8 the other day. It has a close focus distance of about 8 inches and as you say stopped down it's really sharp

I like my little 28mm Pentax M f2.8 - on my Canon Eos body it equates to about 42mm of full frame. This is a very nice length for framing shots that are a bit wider - but not really wide angle - so most often I'd be using it at around f8 - f11, rather than at the shallow end.

You mentioned this video in your last video and had to watch, especially since you mention the Vivitar 28mm f2.0. I then had the 2.8 variant and it was very good. The thing about Vivitar lenses, they were made by different factories and branded as Vivitar. Some very good, and some very bad.

Another great one!

Watching this lens review and being someone who has watched you for years, I was surprised that you didn’t realise that it’s going to become sharper when you stop down. I think that camera is APS and the lens is probably even better on a Micro 4/3 due to these cropped sensors and therefore focusing more in the centre of the lens. Let me know what you think and keep up the great work, it was you who got me into Russian lenses and legacy in general, I’ve just missed out on two that I was miffed about as I should have bid more for, one a Planer and the other a Konica the latter being an 85mm 1.7 life is what you make it!

It forms a nice macro combined with a 2.5 x close up converter of Vivitar, somehow that is sharp even on Velvia in the early nineties

Quite interesting. I have the Vivitar 28mm f2.8 close focus in Nikon ai mount, a lens made by Komine in Japan. This lens is quite sharp with great vivid colours even at 2.8, however it shows a lot of field curvature in far corners on a full frame 24mp digital body - still visible at f16. The corners are quite good on my Nikon FE film body though.

@gradycarter1298

Жыл бұрын

I have that Komine version also and it’s a great lens at all apertures!!!

I've had this lens for m42 mount and used it with my Fuji X-T1. Totally agree with your opinion - I sold it really quickly. It has all the flaws you mention and, unfortunately, gives nothing in return 😞

I don't know if I've ever seen the character of a lens change so much by shutting the aperture down a bit. Amazing...... It's a real pile of poop wide open! I'm of the belief that buying a fast lens is so you can use it wide open when needed. Of course all lenses image quality improves when shut down a bit but that Vivitar is completely unusable wide open. Great review. I do love the old photo equipment.

I have the FD version of this lens and it’s one of my favorites. It has really whacky bokeh and lens flares and that’s the kind of character I love in a lens.

I think I will get a Vivitar if the pictures are imperfect. I don’t like a perfect picture. Many people dismiss the Holga camera or Shanghai film but I have taken some great pictures with them, specially at long exposures

I have this exact lens... Mine is TRULY quite nice. Messy at f2 but really good at f2.8... I adore it, but I shoot on a Red Dragon cinema camera 6k... so maybe its an aquaired taste - Thankyou for the review.

Zen, i told you me sharpest shot was from a Hanimex zoom, but never said i had to use a Vivitar 1.5 converter on me Pentax D110 (which i needed also for me K1000) that got a real clean shot !

I've got a Cosina 28mm f2 and it's quite superb. I'd say reasonably sharp wide open with a cool bokeh. I've got one of the f2 Vivitars but that one is mostly untested. I hope it will be a different make and hopefully reasonable.

@villemononen5303

7 күн бұрын

Cool! Cosina is similar to Vivitar in that there's many different manufacturers under those brands, some worse, some excellent. I've had a basic Cosina lens 50mm f1.9 Auto and i thought that was very good! The sharpness, the colors, the bokeh... It's fun to go through these brands with varying manufacturers, and finding the hidden jewels...

@LiveMyJourneyTom

7 күн бұрын

@@villemononen5303 not quite. While Vivitar, Soligor etc are resellers who didn’t manufacture their own lenses, Cosina is a manufacturer. They are in business to this day and own quite a well known brand Voigtlander. This particular Cosina was meant to be one to be recreated as a modern Voigtlander 28mm f2 with some minor tweaks.

Interesting. Would like to have seen some f/2.8 shots. Would it have been usable at this aperture? Also, you forgot the B&W shots that you normally include - I always enjoy your street shots in B&W. Oh well, maybe next time. Great video anyway, Cheers

I have this lens and it is worth every penny, it is an incredibly beautiful lens and renders gorgeous. I shoot commercials with it on my Canon C70

I got a Vivitar 28mm f2 but went for the rarer Series 1 (serial number starting with 22), which was apparently made by Kiron. I can't fault it, especially as I shut down to f5.6 or f8 for nearly all my photos.They were pro lenses in their day and widely used by press guys, whose photos were only ever going to be used on newsprint. They have real character and look good when you up the contrast a bit when adapted for my Sony A7 and A7iii bodies.

ou well ou well, the Kiron 28mm f2. Had the same lens before as well. The 24mm f2 with kiron branding was on my table as well at some time. A lot of the time the aperture blades are sticky on the old kirons, at least in Canon FD mount. They are stuck wide open but its not hard to fix. As already mention in the comments the Komine Version is sad to be a lot better! Serial number 28... The CLOSE FOCUS Version is sad to be even betten. The "normal" Komine version focuses just a bit less close than the Close Focus version. I don´t know if the difference is really that big. A friend of mine got that 28mm Close Focus for her minolta x500 that i restored for her. I guess i have to ask her, if she cut let me use it for a wile. It is interesting to see, how different some of these lenses render at different distances. I own a canon fd 28mm 2.0 SCC. And that one is very sharp in the center at if the subject is someway close, but future away it gets worse.

Interesting. A few years ago, I bought a Soligor 28mm f/2 in Canon FD mount. In like new condition. Does anyone know if the two lenses are the same in optical design, internal mechanics, etc.?

It's definitely better than the "CZJ" 29mm f2.8. Lens prices have got a little silly now, but they are still a lot cheaper than new ones. Great points, well made.

HI Sr. there are two version of this lens The Kiron and the Komine version , I have both and are very very diferent, the green one similar to yours is Komine my blue one (kiron printed in the barrel ) is Kiron...only a personal quotation both have diferent rendering and sharpnes, the flares are diferent too, and of course there are better 28 out there but not many at f2 in this era, thanks for your reviews are great .

I owned the Kiron PK version between 1987-1991, and found one for 15€ Vivitar M42 recently. I t was my 2nd lens I owned after the riconar 55 mm f2.2 that I found at the same moment in the same 2nd hand shop. If you a even worse lens give that riconar a try ( 4 elements) , Both have a lot of coma / astigmatism.

I remember Vivitar lenses from the 1980's. They were made to fit various camera bodies, like Nikon, Canon, Minotla, Olympus and so on. The 283 flash and 285 HV were the best flashes ever made. The only problem with using them on a DSLR camera, it may fry the camera's circuitry. The 28mm Vivitar lens might have been great with film cameras, DSLRs! What about the Kiron camera lenses?

I have a Vivitar 28mm F2.5 also for Minolta mount which is a bit better but not much. Treasures are not found very often, but sometimes...

Nice review. Seems to produce a similar image to the Vivitar 24 f2 and looks physically identical. The 24 isn't stunning either...

I have the Komine made (28xxxxx serial number) 28mm F2 MC Close Focus Wide Angle which I've quite enjoyed using so far, albeit on Olympus Micro Four Thirds. Would be interesting to see if you could do a review on the Komine made one. When I was looking for my copy all the online advice I could find suggested I should avoid the Kiron made versions.

@teresamarie3718

Жыл бұрын

I would be interested too. I also have one starting serial no 284**, and read the same advice about the different manufacturers. I had good results on full frame Sony A7III , love the close focus especially though Sony colours are not my favourite. Have just acquired a Fuji XT10 and am waiting for an adaptor to see what it's like on the APSC XTrans sensor.

@jameswburke

Жыл бұрын

The Vivitar Series 1 lenses, with serial number starting with 22 were Kiron-made. I've got one and it's great but then I don't shoot wide open.

As you would know, back in the 70s & 80s most Vivitars were accepted as lower optical quality, but they were a lot less expensive than the camera’s own brand lenses. This lens sounds like my Rokkor MC 50/1.4 from about 1980. Soft with lots of blooming wide open-which can be a beautiful effect in some portrait work on MFT. But, stop it down to mid apertures and it’s suddenly a Zeiss Otus. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but it is a different lens. I love it.

The front element on this, by any chance isn't concave or is it?!

Thankyou. I grabbed one last night for 14 bob on ebay😊.

would it work for a canon camera.

I think the only thing I have an issue with this lens is that the minimum focus distance is NOT accurately stated.

Vivitar branded lenses have some diamonds in the rough if you know what to look out for. The 28mm f2.8 close focus is a far better lens for about the same price.

@michaelbodet3893

Жыл бұрын

That's true. I recently bought a vivitar 35mm f1.9, and this one is a definite keeper. Great focusing, in my opinion superb bokeh, and lovely in low light situations. It also has the little yellow sticker saying it passed inspection from the factory.

Bear in mind that back in the day the prints were 4x5 inches or 10x15cms at most where most of the definition quality can’t make many difference specially for the aficionado, meaning these budget lenses were veeery convenient.

I invested quite some time and very little money by deliberately going out of my way to purposely find some of the worst lenses imaginable, and my photography has benefitted immensely. A lens doesn’t have be sharp to be good.

@OdO_Gee

Жыл бұрын

So true. I’m sick of the clinical lenses. I want a nice balance of quality and character.

Great find, I'd have been happy and sad at the same as well 🙂 Worst vintage lens? Photax 35mm 2.8 - even bad at f8. Even worse than my short owned Hanimex 28mm 2.8. And that's saying something 🤣

I have yet to see or use a vintage 28mm with bokeh I like. Maybe okay bokeh, but not good. I really only seek out the faster, vintage wide angle lenses to compensate for dark viewfinders on certain old film cameras. That being said, Vivitar did have a few great prime lenses. I have an old Vivitar 135mm f2.8 (chrome nose) that has loads of great character. I've heard great things about their Series 1 lenses, as well. Their lenses are worth a try if they're in good condition!

@michaelbodet3893

Жыл бұрын

Have you seen the vivitar 28mm f1.9 or the vivitar 55mm macro lens?

I also have a copy of this Vivitar 28mm f/2 lens. Also in Minolta mount. I bought mine for about $25 USD. And I agree the lens is not great. Even when adapted to my crop sensor Fuji mirrorless camera the corners of the images are very soft with lots of fringing. I can only imagine how bad images on full frame digital cameras would be. I'm quite disappointed with the image quality in general. When I mount it on my Minolta X-570, the lens is extremely tight fitting, and doesn't actually work very well. So it's rather disappointing all around.

You got the wrong version, the 22***** serial is indeed a Kiron but the 28***** is a Komine and a absolute peach. Apart from the serial they are also recognisable by the marking "close focus wide angle", the only drawback is that the price is about 10 times to what a the average Kiron will cost.

Can people find good deals on vintage lenses still? Sometimes. I bought a Rollei HFT Plannar 50mm f1.8 at a thrift store for $20 in April. I already had one that was beat up so I sold it for $100 which paid for an adapter for my mint lens. I find a good deal once in awhile and other times I see stores and people using eBay asking prices as a price guide which drives me nuts.

A few years ago (2010), I purchased three 28mm Vivitar wide-angle lenses for an average price of $47 usd each. One produced images of average quality. One produced images that rivaled the high-quality images produced by 28mm Nikon and Pentax lenses. One produced images of very poor. I sold the poor image quality lens. I kept the average image quality lens to use on a Fuji ST705 film camera. I kept the high-image quality lens to use on an APS-C digital mirrorless and to use as a backup for my 28mm Nikon lens.

I've got mine for 100 euros - excellent condition, one of the most favourite vinage lens.

I wonder how this lens performs in low light .Is is good for astrophotography ??

This lens is a different one never spotted it before.... so interesting and I research lens specs a lot for data on who really made them lens formulae what diaphragm and number of blades multicoating or not dependent on age of course.... Its a broad sword as you know Nigel.... ta mate.....

Hoods are good - they can shift a lens from being not quite totally crap to mediocre and even usable. Anyway, my grandad told me to always use a shield and I'm sure he was referring to lens hoods.

Got the same lens from an estate sale on eBay for very cheap. For what I paid, 28 f2 was a steal, but once I started post work on my shots, I was like, what the heck is the point of f2 on this thing? In really low light, you can still manage to capture moments, but it will need a LOT of post processing. All my snaps at f2 are basically destined for PureRaw and Sharpen AI. Still have no idea how to fix the colors though. Since I have PureRaw, I just shoot my Sigma zoom DC DN at 2.8/3.5/4 with a higher ISO.

@MyChevySonic

Жыл бұрын

That or my cheap-ish Meike 28 2.8.

Its really good for shooting videos at night with lot of street lights. Very misty.

Yes,its made by Kiron aka Kino, I remember in the 1980s one camera shop had a few new fast wide angle Kirons in the bargain bin in M42 mount.Every one I tested had problems with the aperture blades, some were sticky, most had a blade or two out of location...that important part of the lens was weak and poorly built . I avoided buying any lens made by Kiron after that experience.

@alan-sk7ky

Жыл бұрын

Yes I had a 28 f2 Kiron on C/Y mount for my Yash FR1. a most pleasing lens

Funny enough for fifteen quid in a charity shop I picked up a Canon QL rangefinder. Utterly beautiful thing with case in lovely cond....£15..!

Use it with a close focus adapter. It makes bokeh ball explosions!

vivatar markets many marginal lenses but for cheap. one can say they have character. the worst lens i bought is the AF NIKKOR 24-50 1:3.3--4.5 D. it;' good at f11-22 but anything wider is almost unusable. it has a reputation.

Charity shop lenses are a gamble at the best of times! Mainly, where’s it been in the last 40 years. Vivitar were bargain bin when they were new, usually fitted to the cheapest brand of cameras. So you should not expect very much, as it was poor to start with. HANIMEX were even worse lenses from this era. Avoid!

You have some static sound in the background of this video... Sounds like a fan or something

Minolta 28mm f2.5. = awesomeness

I once had a small zoom and I believe it was a Vivitar, it came new with a dead fly inside it. That's right, fully assembled, new, and with a dead fly inside. I think it was made on Korea? Maybe?

@michaelbodet3893

Жыл бұрын

Did you ever manage to get the fly out or is it still in there?

@johnjon1823

Жыл бұрын

@@michaelbodet3893 It was so annoying it remained forever in there, and money was so hard to come by. I did not have the tools to access it. It turned me off to that brand forever and kept me suspicious of any third party things for years. Although they did offer more affordable flashes and such which were fine as far as I knew. Today, 3rd party items are much better, and if they were not it would be blasted all over KZread. Which is a good thing, still, you have to take "reviews" with a grain of salt. Paid influencers are a big deal for marketing these days. Even IF they are not paid, they are carful what they say hoping that someday they may get paid, or because they won't get products to test and the like.

@johnjon1823

Жыл бұрын

@@michaelbodet3893 Never got it out.

@michaelbodet3893

Жыл бұрын

@@johnjon1823 yeah, they should have done a better quality control on the product. Do you know what serial number it begins with? Because I have a bunch of komina and one tokina, and they're wonderful lenses and never had a problem with the vitae brand.

@michaelbodet3893

Жыл бұрын

@@johnjon1823 you don't know how to service it? You can buy some tools or see if you have something similar from your garage tools. There are also videos on here that provide step-by-step disassembly.

I had that lens. I shot two rolls with it and sold it. There was too much chromatic aberation and it was soft for me all through the range. If you're ce]areful, you can get a Zuiko 28 tht is much better for less than $50US. One really cheap but stellar lens is the Industar 50 f3.5. I think that you've reviewed it before. It can be had for as little as $15US, and I was stunned at the quality of its color rendition and sharpness.

28/06/2024 Vivitar 28mm f2 (22xxxxxx Kiron) - 15eur

I like your channel very much however there is no such word as Dyfuse.... And over use of "back in the day" well really I feel like a fingers down the throat...moment..... But really you are very good at what you do (pax) Nigel.....

@alanmoulsdale6172

Жыл бұрын

I am glad that Nigel hasn't replaced the word "Very" with the word "Super" like every other You Tuber. It drives me insane when I hear things being described as "Super good" or super expensive etc.

@philhodgkinson1460

Жыл бұрын

Do you remember "Super Smashing Great!" from that" One hundred and Eighty" guy!!!

The first time I hear you not complimenting a lens 😂😂😂. And if you had, I would never have taken you seriously, because yes this lens is visually unpleasant. I bought 1; used it 2 times in 1 year. $100 wasted. But I might give it a last chance with f4.

this lens is a ,,secret rainbows colours flairs monster,, shooting partly against direct sun

I think Vintage Optics fun channel heralded it a while back, so I grabbed one. Very pleased, but now have to remember why, as I haven't touched it in months.. I do remember it had good closeup capabilities.. Well I found his review. kzread.info/dash/bejne/q5WJ2JSlj9erk9Y.html

Just don’t mention the one I’m shopping for right now 🙏🏻

dang, thats some of the most hate i have seen from you to a specific lens :P, but if you just said you liked everything, you would lose credibility as well. so id say, this is a good thing :)

You guys judge the lens but don’t even have the right settings for the lenses canon, Sony and fujifilm should be the only cameras you guys need to be using this lens on you guys sound like clowns I have a vivitar 28 to 67 mm and it works fine.

My motto is “ you get what you pay for “. To be brutally honest the lens, it’s rubbish and Vivitar lenses back in the 60s etc were always rubbish.

@Aviopic

Жыл бұрын

They have designed, unlike many others Vivitar made their own design but often production was left to others, some very nice lenses. Obviously they didn't and still don't come cheap. The Komine produced 28/2.0 i mentioned in a previous post is a different design to the Kiron featuring this video and is a seriously good piece of kit, price will be between 200 and 300£ though. Than there is the legendary series 1 90/2.5 macro which, later produced as Tokina ATX macro 90/2.5 a slightly cheaper and lighter version but still the Vivitar design. I am sure there are more fine examples available but not always easy to find if you don't exactly know what you are looking for.

@philhodgkinson1460

Жыл бұрын

I have a Vivitar 135mm f2. 8 the second Iteration 5 elements and 8 aperture blades very sharp nice colours definately not rubbish.... love it....

@Aviopic

Жыл бұрын

@@philhodgkinson1460 That's what I mean, if you know your stuff....... 👌🏻 The problem with Vivitar seems to be that not everybody understands the wide range of lenses they designed and or produced for both low and the high end of the market plus every thing in between. There are no markings to distinguish one from another like other brands might have. In the case of the featured 28mm it's the serial number 22xxxxx is Kiron(wide angle) and 28xxxxx is a Komine(close focus wide angle) and totally different.