[hinman]

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I posted my impressions in one of the thread in Marketplace. I like this prime very much after two workouts with this lens in a wedding and that in testing bug shots at 1:2 close-up distance.

I think my copy is the same as what has been posted. I tested my copy after lunch on bugs. And my prediction on ease of use on bugs is very true. It is much easier to use this lens than my Pentax K 100mm f/4.0 on bugs or my previous endeavor with Lester A Dine 105mm f/2.8 1:1 Macro. Here are some test shots with update on my impressions in my blog page -- I recommend this lens with only the minor hesitation on not having 'A' to use with flash. 1:2 is more than enough for me to get close up to bugs and flowers

Vivitar 135mm f/2.8 1:2 macro from Komine -- Hin's Tech Corner
Hin's Test Pictures in Flickr

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[hinman]

Valuable inputs from others on use of flash on manual lens

Put the flash in Auto mode and set the ASA. Set the camera ASA the same. Set the camera to Manual and the shutter speed to 1/180 and the aperture to the setting displayed on the flash unit. The flash will shut off the flash when it detects adequate exposure on its flash sensor. It does not always work very well on close shots, because the flash will not adequately illuminate your subject. You would be better off taking the flash off the camera and using it in wireless mode. That way you can point the flash directly at your subject. Remember to keep the flash distance about the same as it would be mounted to the camera.

Use the flash in manual or "A" mode and set the focal length to wide angle. Usually on board flash are not good for macro. Try to bounce the light if you can.

Much thanks for the needed info so that I can try using flash to add more depth to cover the entire bug.

Thanks,
Hin

[Nesster]

Excellent photos! That is some lens...

For anyone with LBA after this: be careful, as there are a couple of non-close focusing Vivitar 135/2.8's out there, made by the right makers (Komine, Tomioka...) that are different.

Say, to go with the excellent Viv 28 exam, how's the various versions of 135s? Anyone with the non-cf Komine?

If you are going to use a flash in auto, get a cheap nikon speedlight SB24-28. Their light meters are very accurate. THe sb26s are slightly more expensive but they have built in slave sensors. I have also owned the ring macro from sigma (for canon) and it work out quite well (you can control the intensity of each part of the ring separately)

Edit: BTW, the vivitar close up 135 is a hellacious lens, an absolute bargain for the quality that it offers.

[hinman]

Excellent photos! That is some lens...

For anyone with LBA after this: be careful, as there are a couple of non-close focusing Vivitar 135/2.8's out there, made by the right makers (Komine, Tomioka...) that are different.

Say, to go with the excellent Viv 28 exam, how's the various versions of 135s? Anyone with the non-cf Komine?

Thank you for the comment. There is one copy listed for $135.0 in marketplace and I am surprised that it doesn't get the attention. The seller list it at $175 and later drop it to $135.0. By the way, I don't get commission out of it.

[hinman]

If you are going to use a flash in auto, get a cheap nikon speedlight SB24-28. Their light meters are very accurate. THe sb26s are slightly more expensive but they have built in slave sensors. I have also owned the ring macro from sigma (for canon) and it work out quite well (you can control the intensity of each part of the ring separately)

Edit: BTW, the vivitar close up 135 is a hellacious lens, an absolute bargain for the quality that it offers.

Thank you for the great tips. I have an old flash with Sunpak auto 422D. I will use that first to experiment. And I will look into Nikon SB 24-28, I saw someone in dpreview documenting how he uses the SB?? with K10D.

One thing that I am not sure is on the trigger for the flash. I heard about wireless and wired option. I am not really familiar with flash setup for external manual flash with thyristor sensor. If you have the information, that would be good. Also, I don't quite know if there is a big difference in using flash on the hot shoe versus using flash on a flash bracket giving more room to bounce the lighting. For off the hot shoe, what wired adapter can I look after, thanks!

Thanks,
Hin

Hin,

I use cactus triggers (they are fairly unexpensive and in my case they are reliable)when I use my flashes off camera. I only use them on my mini studio indoor. I dont shoot events or the like, for that things I would rather prefer to get some skyports or pocket wizards. I dont know if your sunpak swivel and bounce. If it does (and the voltage doesnt fry the camera), then you can use it on camera with the help of a reflector (that means that you have to carry something that reflects like the windshield sunprotectors) and then direct the flash to the reflector. Another possibility on the cheap is the DIY chuck gardner's reflector DIY Reflector-Diffuser but for macro it might just be too close. If you want to use the flash on camera for portraits or similar you can try also to get the nikon sb26 with the slave trigger and use the other flash on camera. You can also get this cheap optical triggers NEW OPTICAL SLAVE FLASH MOUNT TRIGGER #4 - eBay (item 170269119912 end time Oct-11-08 13:18:11 PDT).

[hinman]

Hin,

I use cactus triggers (they are fairly unexpensive and in my case they are reliable)when I use my flashes off camera. I only use them on my mini studio indoor. I dont shoot events or the like, for that things I would rather prefer to get some skyports or pocket wizards. I dont know if your sunpak swivel and bounce. If it does (and the voltage doesnt fry the camera), then you can use it on camera with the help of a reflector (that means that you have to carry something that reflects like the windshield sunprotectors) and then direct the flash to the reflector. Another possibility on the cheap is the DIY chuck gardner's reflector DIY Reflector-Diffuser but for macro it might just be too close. If you want to use the flash on camera for portraits or similar you can try also to get the nikon sb26 with the slave trigger and use the other flash on camera. You can also get this cheap optical triggers NEW OPTICAL SLAVE FLASH MOUNT TRIGGER #4 - eBay (item 170269119912 end time Oct-11-08 13:18:11 PDT).

Thanks for all the inputs. This is extremely helpful to me as I lack the flash knowledge, especially on the triggers. The 135mm close up from komine is superb in shooting the bugs. The lens allow me to stay farther away from the subject with little interruption to their eating. I think it is a moth but I am not sure on the exact name. Without flash, I ran into narrow DOF in not covering the whole subject. I want to go into f/16 or smaller apertures but that really hampers with slower shutter speed resulting in motion blur with wind and minor movement of my hand-holding. Macro is hard.

Hence all my questions on off-camera flash to help with the lighting to add few millimeters to the depth of the subject. Ideas and suggestions are very welcome.

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Oh! I almost forget it. Since you are using a "M" lens, and focusing at small apertures is a pain, I would recomend you to get yourself macro focusing rails and/or an extremely good ball head. I think that it worth 10 times more to expend 300 dollars in a Markins head than in lenses.

[hinman]

Oh! I almost forget it. Since you are using a "M" lens, and focusing at small apertures is a pain, I would recomend you to get yourself macro focusing rails and/or an extremely good ball head. I think that it worth 10 times more to expend 300 dollars in a Markins head than in lenses.

That is a good suggestion to have a railing system, do you have a name that I can go look up. I have tried using tripod and so far I find tripod without railing is getting in the ways with framing and I find it extremely difficult to get close from 1:2 to 1:1 in focusing.

Also, would monopod work with railing? I have not attempted monopod on macro but I would imagine it to be more flexible than tripod.

Thanks,
Hin