#Vivitar 70 210 professional#
#Vivitar 70 210 series#

The result was that all zoom lenses were quickly вЂњknownвЂќ to be inferior to prime lenses.В The Vivitar Series 1 zooms, of which the 70-210mm f/3.5 was one, set out to change that. These were compromises that most shooters simply didnвЂ™t want to make. But there was a catch вЂ“ the zoom lenses of the time often sacrificed lens speed and image quality for this versatility.

#Vivitar 70 210 professional#

This key feature was greatly appreciated by fast-moving, quick-thinking professional photographers.

Zoom lenses let shooters choose their focal lengths without requiring mounting of different prime lenses (lenses of a single focal length). Zoom lens technology was still in its infancy at the time, but the advantages of such a lens were clear, especially to working photographers. Prominent even among these better-than-most lenses were VivitarвЂ™s telephoto zooms, including the 70-210mm f/3.5. And for the most part, these Series 1 lenses were highly regarded among photographers of the time. The best lenses of these efforts would earn a spot in VivitarвЂ™s Series 1 lens family, a range of lenses meant to compete with the best lenses in the world. Vivitar contracted a number of Japanese lens manufacturers to do their bidding, most notably Kiron, Tokina, and Cosina (the last of these would eventually manufacture Voigtlander rangefinder lenses and cameras). In the mid-1970s, Santa Monica based optical distributor Vivitar made a name for themselves by rebranding and marketing top tier Japanese-made lenses for the North American market. They just sat there, waiting for somebody, anybody to pay attention to them. But despite their outrageous shape and size, they never flew off the shelves. About five or six years ago this lens was a constant sight at secondhand stores and film camera shows, often found with a compact SLR clinging for dear life at the end of its long barrel. One third-party zoom that has always caught my eye is the once lauded and now relatively forgotten Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f/3.5. Their names are mostly unknown, their specs assumed to be inferior, their histories virtually untold. Here exists an entire subset of dirt-cheap and capable lenses that have been cast aside by both the hardcore and casual modern photographer. Are you aware of the Viv S-1 28-90 or the Kiron 28-85? As for Kiron glass, well that's another discussion.The subject of the third-party zoom lens isnвЂ™t a new one to us, but it deserves a little more attention. If you have anymore questions about the Vivitar or Kiron lenses, or want more detailed information on a particular lens, please don't hesitate to ask. I have and use all three of the first editions, and can highly recommend any one of them. Personally, I recommend the second or third edition of the line. I really like this lens, and in time may become my favorite. Any of the first three editions will give you professional-publishable images. Can you see a discernible difference in slides taken with either one of them? No! Don't get caught up in bench tests. It has 1:2.5 life size macro from 100-210mm's, with a working distance of about two feet. It is a 2.8-4 variable aperture lens, and the sharpest of the bunch.

The third edition was made by Komine, and like the first two, is very well built. However, not a true macro, 1:4 life size. I really like it because of the fixed 3.5 aperture which is nice for focusing in dim light and long range flash work. It too, is a fixed 3.5 aperture, but smaller, lighter and sharper. The second edition (my personal favorite) was built by Tokina, per, Vivitars specs. It was the first zoom, designed with the aid of computers, that truly rivaled the OEM lenses of the time. (67mm filter) It is a professional caliber lens, with a 1:2 macro feature built into it. The first edition was designed by Vivitar (Ellis Betensky had a hand in it) and built by Kiron. It is much easier to design and build a quality variable aperture lens. Due to the fact that the third one is a variable aperture lens, (2.8-4) it will be somewhat sharper than a fixed aperture lenses. The 4th & 5th editions are also 2.8-4 variable aperture model's, but lacking in construction quality (Cosina built). The 4th & 5th editions are nothing to seriously consider, so we will concentrate on the first three editions, which are the good one's. However, for the sake of discussion, we will deal with the first five. There are numerous Series 1, 70-210 lenses.