Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
03-10-2010, 08:17 PM   #391
Senior Member




Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 253

Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here.


QuoteOriginally posted by wowtip Quote
Some snaps with K20D + Viv K02 from this weekend... Only resized.







Full size @ Vivitar 28mm f2.8 Close Focus - Johan Borg's photos- powered by SmugMug
Great shots! I'm impressed. Colour, contrast, sharpness, bokeh all look great to me!

03-10-2010, 08:45 PM   #392
Veteran Member




Join Date: Dec 2007
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 8,237
QuoteOriginally posted by photogerald Quote
Great shots! I'm impressed. Colour, contrast, sharpness, bokeh all look great to me!
.

That's the K02 for you.


.
03-12-2010, 02:35 AM   #393
Senior Member
wowtip's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: West coast
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 261
QuoteOriginally posted by photogerald Quote
Great shots! I'm impressed. Colour, contrast, sharpness, bokeh all look great to me!
Yes, it is a great little lens. The title of this thread is "Viv 28 as FA31 replacement?", but to me it is more a DA35Ltd replacement / compliment. I own both and use them in the same way. The DA35 has the advantage of AF and better coatings and "better" macro, but I think the K02 has slightly better bokeh.

If I need a normal on APS-C and don't have time for MF I take the DA35, if I need slightly wider I bring the Viv 28 K02.
03-12-2010, 05:20 AM   #394
Veteran Member
rparmar's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2008
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 8,795
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by wowtip Quote
Yes, it is a great little lens. The title of this thread is "Viv 28 as FA31 replacement?", but to me it is more a DA35Ltd replacement / compliment..
Except for the focal length issue. I am one of those strange people who bought an DA35 Limited and then got rid of it. Not because it wasn't a great lens, because it is! But 35mm on APS-C does not work for me. If I had the cash to keep a lens I might use only every now and then I would have held onto it.

24-28mm is really the sweet spot for me.

03-12-2010, 06:26 AM   #395
Veteran Member
JohnBee's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Newrfoundland
Photos: Albums
Posts: 4,667
QuoteOriginally posted by wowtip Quote
"better" macro, but I think the K02 has slightly better bokeh.
Hi, I'm always looking for better
Could you explain how the macro is better on the FA31?
03-12-2010, 07:24 AM   #396
Senior Member
wowtip's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: West coast
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 261
QuoteOriginally posted by rparmar Quote
Except for the focal length issue. I am one of those strange people who bought an DA35 Limited and then got rid of it. Not because it wasn't a great lens, because it is! But 35mm on APS-C does not work for me. If I had the cash to keep a lens I might use only every now and then I would have held onto it.

24-28mm is really the sweet spot for me.
Yes, I guess that is a personal preference. my DA35 is my not-so-fast 50 on APS-C. A great normal prime with macro as a bonus. If there had been a realtively cheap and good DA30-35 f1.4 I would probably have gotten that one instead.

Also, an affordable fast 20mm-24mm @ f1.8 - 2.0 would be nice too.

QuoteOriginally posted by JohnBee Quote
Hi, I'm always looking for better
Could you explain how the macro is better on the FA31?
Hehe, no as I wrote, compared to the DA35Ltd.
03-12-2010, 08:28 AM   #397
Veteran Member
JohnBee's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Newrfoundland
Photos: Albums
Posts: 4,667
QuoteOriginally posted by wowtip Quote
Hehe, no as I wrote, compared to the DA35Ltd.
oh okay, I thought perhaps there was a macro quality that would of made the close focus 28's better

04-16-2010, 11:25 AM   #398
Pentaxian
mikeSF's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: East Bay Area, CA
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 6,611
QuoteOriginally posted by photogerald Quote
So am I the only one here with the K91 (Vivitar Series 1 28/1.9)?
Gerald, I have the K mount Series 1 28/1.9 too. Just picked it up and am initially very impressed with this lens. this is a good copy, no doubt. the bokeh at 1.9 is the busy type (double lines, etc), but stopping down to 2.8 is smooth and quite lovely. 8 blades.
And i'll bet this lens is at least as sharp at 2.8 than many of the f/2.8 variants wide open. great all metal construction too.

now, i don't feel bad about replacing my K21 (pictured in post #244 of this thread) with this puppy.
04-19-2010, 09:40 PM   #399
Senior Member




Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 253
QuoteOriginally posted by mikeSF Quote
Gerald, I have the K mount Series 1 28/1.9 too. Just picked it up and am initially very impressed with this lens. this is a good copy, no doubt. the bokeh at 1.9 is the busy type (double lines, etc), but stopping down to 2.8 is smooth and quite lovely. 8 blades.
And i'll bet this lens is at least as sharp at 2.8 than many of the f/2.8 variants wide open. great all metal construction too.

now, i don't feel bad about replacing my K21 (pictured in post #244 of this thread) with this puppy.
Hi Mike, I actually haven't used mine that much. I did notice that some nighttime shots at f1.9 suffered from flare/blooming. I really need to take it out and put it through its paces.

That said, the build and focusing feel of this lens are unmatched by any other lens I have used (my Vivitar S1 70-210/3.5 Kiron is a close 2nd).
04-23-2010, 02:21 AM   #400
Senior Member
wowtip's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: West coast
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 261
Saw one K-mount on UK fleabay today:

Vivitar 28mm f2.8 MC Close Focus Lens - Pentax K Mount on eBay (end time 21-May-10 00:22:04 BST)

I hope it is ok to post this tip? No affiliation...
04-23-2010, 03:29 AM   #401
Veteran Member
rparmar's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2008
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 8,795
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by wowtip Quote
I hope it is ok to post this tip?
I don't think we ever made a decision about this. I remember some thought that posting auction links here was driving the prices up and might favour one person over another. While others thought it was a good public service. I do think that if everyone starts it might clutter the thread; there are Vivitar 28mm lenses up for sale rather often on eBay.
04-23-2010, 05:32 AM   #402
New Member




Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Oxford, UK
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 13
Miranda 28mm f2.8 MC Macro

I have a Miranda 28mm f2.8 MC Macro 49mm filter, 5 blades, PKA mount, s/n R96065409
- just wondered if and where this lens might fit in to "The Great Vivitar 28mm Bestiary"?
04-23-2010, 08:38 AM   #403
Pentaxian
mikeSF's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: East Bay Area, CA
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 6,611
QuoteOriginally posted by photogerald Quote
Hi Mike, I actually haven't used mine that much. I did notice that some nighttime shots at f1.9 suffered from flare/blooming. I really need to take it out and put it through its paces.

That said, the build and focusing feel of this lens are unmatched by any other lens I have used (my Vivitar S1 70-210/3.5 Kiron is a close 2nd).
gerald, i haven't tried any night shots yet with mine but will check it out. i am using a large collabsible rubber hood to limit side/oblique light but you are talking about straight on light as from streetlights, headlights, correct?

BTW, i did a side by side comparison in strong daylight between my Viv S1 28mm (Tokina), Viv 24mm (tokina), and Viv 28mm (Bauer) and without a hood, the series 1 with its large front element is more prone to flare. With the hood, the problem went away.
04-23-2010, 11:58 AM   #404
Veteran Member
rparmar's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2008
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 8,795
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by FreddyFrog Quote
I have a Miranda 28mm f2.8 MC Macro 49mm filter, 5 blades, PKA mount, s/n R96065409
- just wondered if and where this lens might fit in to "The Great Vivitar 28mm Bestiary"?
Being a Miranda it is not a Vivitar so it wouldn't fit I'm afraid. If someone else wants to do a listing of all the non-Vivitar lenses, well, be my guest. And you have my sympathy!

The reason we're so fixated on Vivitar is that they had some great glass makers building their lenses, marketed under the name Vivitar. Komine and Kiron are acknowledged as the two best.

Kiron did some lenses under their own name that turn out to be very similar to the Vivitars. So they are worth finding. Komine did not market under their own name.

The period in question is roughly the seventies and eighties. After that, even the Vivitars are spotty.

Hope this info helps!
04-23-2010, 12:01 PM   #405
Forum Member




Join Date: Jan 2010
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 74
Very impressive Vivitars
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
28mm, angle, f/2.8, fa31, glass, k-mount, lens, lenses, pentax lens, slr lens, smc, version, vivitar
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Vivitar 28mm/2.8 CF (K02) vs. Tamron 28mm/2.5 (02B) stevebrot Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 32 07-06-2013 10:42 AM
Vivitar 24mm/2.8 vs Vivitar 28mm/2.5 josephleaf Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 16 07-19-2010 04:13 PM
Vivitar 28mm F2 MrTea Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 6 11-23-2009 05:22 AM
Could this be Sakar's Vivitar 285HV rebranding and replacement? 247nino Pentax Camera and Field Accessories 2 01-24-2009 05:07 AM
For Sale - Sold: F 28 f/2.8, K 55 1.8, Vivitar 28mm WA, Vivitar 55 2.8 1-1 Macro, A 50 1.7, A 5 jsherman999 Sold Items 23 07-09-2008 07:55 PM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 07:59 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top