Vivitar 24mm f2.8 (1:5 Makro, P/KA, Cosina?)

Boris_Akunin · 08-16-2012, 10:22 PM

Hi,

I just got a Vivitar 24mm f2.8 which, if this is correct, was build by Cosina in 1991 (serial number: 91103xxxx).

Unfortunately there is nothing akin to the Vivitar 28mm Bestiary for the Vivitar 24s, if anyone wants to change that, he/she is welcome to use the pictures below.

Lens specs:
Filter thread: 52mm
Min. focus distance: 19cm (1:5 Makro)
19cm to infinity: ca. 165°
Opt. construction: 7 lenses in 7 groups
Coating: "Multicoated"
Mount: PK-A/R
Dimensions(ØxL): 61x40mm

I don't know how it compares to other Vivitar 24s or the K/A/FA*24 but it certainly wipes the floor with the DA 18-55 WR @ 24mm.
It's well worth the 40€ ($50) + shipping I paid for it, anyway...

I didn't get to use it on the go but I took a few test shots from my balcony (see below).

Lens:

Contents of the original packaging:

Test setup:
Pentax K-5 on a tripod with 2 sek. timer an mirror-lockup
Vivitar 24mm f2.8 and Pentax DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR @24mm for comparison
All shots are OOC-jpegs taken using the K-5s default options
The uncropped shots have been downsized without resharpening using irfanview
The crops are simply cropped and saved using irfanview

Unfortunately the lighting isn't consistent across all shots

Test 1:
Focused to infinity
100% center and border crops

Test 2:
Focused on the balcony railing (~1m), DA18-55 focused using AF, the Vivitar manually
100% center crops

Test 1:

Vivitar / Pentax @F8:

100% center crops:

Vivitar @F2.8:

Vivitar / Pentax @F4:

Vivitar / Pentax @F5.6:

Vivitar / Pentax @F8:

100% border crops:

Vivitar @F2.8:

Vivitar / Pentax @F4:

Vivitar / Pentax @F5.6:

Vivitar / Pentax @F8:

Test 1:

Vivitar / Pentax @F8:

100% center crops:

Vivitar @F2.8:

Vivitar / Pentax @F4:

Vivitar / Pentax @F5.6:

Vivitar / Pentax @F8:

Bonus:

Vivitar 24mm @F2.8, focused to ~19cm:

-Jan

Last edited by Boris_Akunin; 12-13-2012 at 02:40 PM.

Jonathan Mac · 08-17-2012, 12:28 AM

Looks quite good. I've seen a few Vivitar and Cosina 24/2.8s on the bay recently, but I already have the Sigma super-wide which is excellent.

If this lens is not in the lens review section, it should be added.

Boris_Akunin · 08-17-2012, 04:18 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Jonathan Mac

Looks quite good. I've seen a few Vivitar and Cosina 24/2.8s on the bay recently, but I already have the Sigma super-wide which is excellent.

If this lens is not in the lens review section, it should be added.

There are 4 review threads for different version of Vivitar 24mm/2.8 lenses and 3 for Vivitar 24/2.0 lenses, however none of the reviews mention the serial number and there are no complete specs to be found.
There is also no way to know if all the Lenses that are grouped in one thread and under one picture are even remotely similar.

There is a multitude of 28/2.8-lenses differing in appearance and/or optics that were build by a number of manufacturers and branded and sold as "Vivitar 28mm f2.8" lenses.
The same is probably true for the "Vivitar 24mm f2.8" lenses, so while there are a number of reviews they aren't of much use if we can't tell the different versions apart.

In case of the 28mm Vivitar lenses, there is "The Great Vivitar 28mm Bestiary", most of which is a result of this thread.
Like the 28s there are probably many mediocre lenses, some good lenses and a few gems among the Vivitar 24s.
Many of those were probably also sold under different names (Exakta, Soligor,...) or under the manufacturers own name (i.e. Kiron, Cosina, Tokina, Makinon, Chinon and Olympus all build lenses for Vivitar)

Subjective reviews without pics to judge the IQ are pretty useless as far as I'm concerned, except maybe for weeding out the obviously crappy lenses.
To find the gems, we need to tell the different versions apart and compare them... (and once we've found them, we probably shouldn't tell everyone else

)

**pepperberry farm** · 08-27-2022, 05:02 AM - **2 Likes**

ten years later, here are some new shots with this lens:

**pepperberry farm** · 08-27-2022, 05:02 AM - **2 Likes**

**pepperberry farm** · 08-27-2022, 05:03 AM

**pepperberry farm** · 08-27-2022, 05:03 AM

SMU shots are coming up...

**pepperberry farm** · 08-30-2022, 04:00 AM

and here they are - this lens is lighter and slightly smaller than the comparable SMC A 24/2.8

**pepperberry farm** · 08-30-2022, 04:01 AM - **1 Like**

**pepperberry farm** · 08-30-2022, 04:01 AM - **2 Likes**

**UncleVanya** · 08-30-2022, 06:28 AM - **1 Like**

Nice shots. Good to see since the original content in the thread has no images anymore.

Jonathan Mac · 08-30-2022, 06:45 AM

Photobucket used to allow hosting on free accounts but stopped years ago, so they won't show.

**UncleVanya** · 08-30-2022, 07:50 AM

Originally posted by Jonathan Mac

Photobucket used to allow hosting on free accounts but stopped years ago, so they won't show.

That’s understood.

**pres589** · 08-30-2022, 09:02 AM - **1 Like**

This seems like quite a nice lens. Thanks for sharing the images. 19cm close-focusing distance seems like it would be quite useful.

**pepperberry farm** · 08-30-2022, 03:58 PM

Originally posted by UncleVanya

Nice shots. Good to see since the original content in the thread has no images anymore.

thank you - the lens overexposes in some bright situations, but knowing that going in - I can compensate for it...

Originally posted by pres589

This seems like quite a nice lens. Thanks for sharing the images. 19cm close-focusing distance seems like it would be quite useful.

thank you - and you are right: that close-focusing is very useful...

08-16-2012, 10:22 PM	#1
Boris_Akunin Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Bremen, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 674	Vivitar 24mm f2.8 (1:5 Makro, P/KA, Cosina?) Hi, I just got a Vivitar 24mm f2.8 which, if this is correct, was build by Cosina in 1991 (serial number: 91103xxxx). Unfortunately there is nothing akin to the Vivitar 28mm Bestiary for the Vivitar 24s, if anyone wants to change that, he/she is welcome to use the pictures below. Lens specs: Filter thread: 52mm Min. focus distance: 19cm (1:5 Makro) 19cm to infinity: ca. 165° Opt. construction: 7 lenses in 7 groups Coating: "Multicoated" Mount: PK-A/R Dimensions(ØxL): 61x40mm I don't know how it compares to other Vivitar 24s or the K/A/FA24 but it certainly wipes the floor with the DA 18-55 WR @ 24mm. It's well worth the 40€ ($50) + shipping I paid for it, anyway... I didn't get to use it on the go but I took a few test shots from my balcony (see below). Lens: Contents of the original packaging: Test setup:* Pentax K-5 on a tripod with 2 sek. timer an mirror-lockup Vivitar 24mm f2.8 and Pentax DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR @24mm for comparison All shots are OOC-jpegs taken using the K-5s default options The uncropped shots have been downsized without resharpening using irfanview The crops are simply cropped and saved using irfanview Unfortunately the lighting isn't consistent across all shots Test 1: Focused to infinity 100% center and border crops Test 2: Focused on the balcony railing (~1m), DA18-55 focused using AF, the Vivitar manually 100% center crops Test 1: Vivitar / Pentax @F8: 100% center crops: Vivitar @F2.8: Vivitar / Pentax @F4: Vivitar / Pentax @F5.6: Vivitar / Pentax @F8: 100% border crops: Vivitar @F2.8: Vivitar / Pentax @F4: Vivitar / Pentax @F5.6: Vivitar / Pentax @F8: Test 1: Vivitar / Pentax @F8: 100% center crops: Vivitar @F2.8: Vivitar / Pentax @F4: Vivitar / Pentax @F5.6: Vivitar / Pentax @F8: Bonus: Vivitar 24mm @F2.8, focused to ~19cm: -Jan Last edited by Boris_Akunin; 12-13-2012 at 02:40 PM.

08-17-2012, 04:18 AM - 1 Like	#3
Boris_Akunin Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Bremen, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 674 Original Poster	Originally posted by Jonathan Mac Looks quite good. I've seen a few Vivitar and Cosina 24/2.8s on the bay recently, but I already have the Sigma super-wide which is excellent. If this lens is not in the lens review section, it should be added. There are 4 review threads for different version of Vivitar 24mm/2.8 lenses and 3 for Vivitar 24/2.0 lenses, however none of the reviews mention the serial number and there are no complete specs to be found. There is also no way to know if all the Lenses that are grouped in one thread and under one picture are even remotely similar. There is a multitude of 28/2.8-lenses differing in appearance and/or optics that were build by a number of manufacturers and branded and sold as "Vivitar 28mm f2.8" lenses. The same is probably true for the "Vivitar 24mm f2.8" lenses, so while there are a number of reviews they aren't of much use if we can't tell the different versions apart. In case of the 28mm Vivitar lenses, there is "The Great Vivitar 28mm Bestiary", most of which is a result of this thread. Like the 28s there are probably many mediocre lenses, some good lenses and a few gems among the Vivitar 24s. Many of those were probably also sold under different names (Exakta, Soligor,...) or under the manufacturers own name (i.e. Kiron, Cosina, Tokina, Makinon, Chinon and Olympus all build lenses for Vivitar) Subjective reviews without pics to judge the IQ are pretty useless as far as I'm concerned, except maybe for weeding out the obviously crappy lenses. To find the gems, we need to tell the different versions apart and compare them... (and once we've found them, we probably shouldn't tell everyone else) Last edited by Boris_Akunin; 08-19-2012 at 01:07 PM.

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pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,678	ten years later, here are some new shots with this lens:

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pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,678	and here they are - this lens is lighter and slightly smaller than the comparable SMC A 24/2.8

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UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,402	Nice shots. Good to see since the original content in the thread has no images anymore.

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UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,402	Originally posted by Jonathan Mac Photobucket used to allow hosting on free accounts but stopped years ago, so they won't show. That’s understood.

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pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Wichita, KS Photos: Albums Posts: 4,529	This seems like quite a nice lens. Thanks for sharing the images. 19cm close-focusing distance seems like it would be quite useful.

08-30-2022, 03:58 PM	#15
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,678	Originally posted by UncleVanya Nice shots. Good to see since the original content in the thread has no images anymore. thank you - the lens overexposes in some bright situations, but knowing that going in - I can compensate for it... Originally posted by pres589 This seems like quite a nice lens. Thanks for sharing the images. 19cm close-focusing distance seems like it would be quite useful. thank you - and you are right: that close-focusing is very useful...