Here is a shot of it from Google images on a ist.... (it does not look quite so big on my K100


I just picked up this lens... I opened the box and WOW. It is a work of art. At this point I love the look of this monster so much I am not sure I care if it even works. They certainly do not make them like this anymore.
Anyway it was night when I got home and opened the box and I did not get a chance to really use it. I will be back home on tuesday and cant wait to actually try it out.

It is the old 90mm with the matching macro adaptor. So unfortunately you can not use it as a portrait lens without pulling off the adaptor and putting the lens back on.

But my question is, does anyone have this old beauty. Is it any good as a macro lens / portrait lens or is it just the prettiest lens in my cabinet?

If anyone does have it... any tips on how to get the best out of it?

[little laker]

I don't have one, but I suddenly want one

What a work of art, and I haven't seen a single bad copy of a series 1 Vivitar

If you decide to sell it please send me a PM on it.

[Eaglerapids]

Igilligan, get you get this one on Ebay for $129?? I was watching that auction but didn't bid since I have the Viv 105/2.5 but if it had stayed below $100 I might have had to have a go on it:-). Still if this is the one you got it for a song, good job. I have never read a bad word on yours. And how often if you're set up taking 1:1 macros will you have to suddenly shoot a portrait? True, there will probably be times when you want to switch quickly to take a telephoto shot but for this price I don't think you can go wrong:-).

[Buddha Jones]

I saw that one too, I was thinking of getting it to add to my collection, but thought better of it since I have the S1 105 already. I would love to see some test shots, if they are nice I may get one just because.

[Eaglerapids]

Yeah, Buddha, if I hadn't of already had my 105 I would have been all over it, too. What did you think of the first guy returning it? I would have taken the chance because the guy would have accepted a return. Probably that's the reason it went so low.
An advantage of the adapter is it looks like you get a tripod collar along with it, nice.

[Talisker]

I've had one of these for a few years now - it is every bit as sharp as the old reviews suggested, especially up close. You certainly need the tripod collar on the adapter - with the adapter attached it probably counts as an offensive weapon, it's so solid... The stop-down metering is a bit of a drawback (it's pre-'a' setting), but less so for macro than most applications, especially if you use flash. I couldn't really tess you how soft it is at the edges as I never use it for flat-field work, but I've no complaints about results from 'flatter' flowers. It's certainly for using, and not just looking at!

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I will be home for a few hours in the afternoon tomorrow so hopefully I can fit in a little
Series 1 time weather permitting.

Talisker - thanks for replying. It is good to know I will have someone to check in with if I struggle a bit. Nice to know your copy is sharp. You are right about it being weapon. Heavy and Tank-like. Have you ever tried it as portrait without the adaptor?
That is the one thing I really liked about the Sigma/tamron/Pentax new macro lenses, they all seem to do portraits really well.

Eaglerapids - The tripod collar is really needed with the weight of the thing. And was designed to look as beautiful as the lens does.
And I did not get that one for $ 129... I was gonna bid on it but the whole returned/foggy thing made me nervous.. so I did not get it for a song like you said... more like a song and a verse... It came with some other things. But this one looks almost Brand new so I dont think I will have a foggy issue. I hope.

Buddha Jones - I will try and get some test shots up soon... If it is anything like my other macro lens it may take a bit to get some good shots. I dont have a flash that can be used with it so I have to wait for the weather to give me some good light. And a willing bug.

Little Laker - It's not for sell yet, but I will Pm you If I can't get the best out of it. Its so pretty I just like looking at it.

I can't wait to get home and try it.

-gus-

Here is a shot of it from Google images on a ist.... (it does not look quite so big on my K100


I just picked up this lens... I opened the box and WOW. It is a work of art. At this point I love the look of this monster so much I am not sure I care if it even works. They certainly do not make them like this anymore.
Anyway it was night when I got home and opened the box and I did not get a chance to really use it. I will be back home on tuesday and cant wait to actually try it out.

It is the old 90mm with the matching macro adaptor. So unfortunately you can not use it as a portrait lens without pulling off the adaptor and putting the lens back on.

But my question is, does anyone have this old beauty. Is it any good as a macro lens / portrait lens or is it just the prettiest lens in my cabinet?

If anyone does have it... any tips on how to get the best out of it?

Congrats, it looks like you got the mother of the legendary Tokina 90 f2.5 macro. Supposedly they are the same lens. If the serial number start with 37, then it is made by tokina. Considering the Photodo tests, the Tokina is one of the top 5 sharpest lenses. I ve been looking for one of those for a while but I just dont find them for Pentax. Please, let us know how well it performs, I am really curious about that lens.

[TaoMaas]

One of my friends had this lens in a Canon mount years ago. I remember it being incredibly sharp. I'll be interested in seeing some test pics.

So I ended up only home for a few hours before I had to come back the City for 5 more days of work... Dec is a busy party month.

So I took the macro adaptor off and did some quick hand held test shots with the lens outside. These were really just to test sharpness and for 3/4ths of the shots I thought I was adjusting the aperture and only later realized the A was on so I was shooting wide open. Haha...
Then I attached the macro adaptor back on and took the Mandatory coin shot. I forgot I shot one wide open in the shade of the bird bath to see how the bokeh looked... And to be clear the only true macro on here is the coin shot indoors at night.

The lens looks pretty sharp to me. These are Jpg's, with my in camera sharpening set to -1 and resized to 800 with the silly microsoft photo editor... I cant wait to really spend an afternoon learning how to use this lens.
But I am having trouble figuring out how to link to this post with attachments so I will eventually post more in the next post.

Attachment 6639

Ok since I cant take new pics I will show Play around with these
I realize this is underexposed but here is the rs original and a 100% crop



Here is a shot of halloween leftover dried corn decoration... Macro adaptor on...


and a crop


Back to a shot without the adaptor... while taking the shot of the purple berries to see how sharp it was at longer shots, I saw a bird on the wire between the branches...



And a 100% crop... slightly missed focus on this one, but it is handheld...


So can you tell I am bored in the hotel room? Back to work in an hour...
finally that coin shot with the adaptor on the lens


And a crop


PS after I bought this lens, and finally have my macro to play with. On ebay yesterday, a K mount Series 1 105 sold "buy it now" for $179...

ANY TIPS on getting better shots... Hopefully I will get the exposures right next time, I was in a bit of a hurry.
Thanks
-gus-