Site Supporter Registered: November, 2012 Location: North Wales Posts: 2,870
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 4, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $30.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | excellent performance middling f's, petite, light | | Cons: | weak at f2.8, some CA | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K5, samsung NX20
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That auction site is a dangerous place for anyone with an LBA twitch, but sometimes you get a result. This vivitar 35mm attracted my eye because is made by komine, which I had not seen before. Most commonly one sees the tokina made versions (T4/TX/fixed mount, f2.5 or f2.8). But I can't complain about the price, and it proved to be a fine specimen indeed held in the hand, very similar to a smc-m prime, apart from the opposite focus of the M42 mount version reviewed (though I subsequently got a PK mount one and that had pentax rotation focus).
First impressions image wise very favourable, crisp and colourful, slightly cool rendering lends to skies, buildings.... More considered test shots showed the lens was not great wide open at f2.8: soft, halos from bright objects, and prone to fringing, of the kind least amenable to post processing, a seepage of purple across the edge and into the subject. But at f4 both these issues had largely ameliorated and from f5.6 through f11 the lens really impressed! I even did a bit of a comparison with my DA 35mm f2.4 and I have to say this lens matched or even edged it on resolution. And in comparison to the old silver version Mir 1 I had this is sharper across the frame (even on apsc), easier to focus and has way better contrast.
Test crops f2.8, f4, f5.6, f8, f11 right to left. You can compare with the same crops with the TX mount vivitar 35mm I have also reviewed.
Crops f2.8; f4; f5.6; f8; f11.
Particularly good for landscape IMO. I also took some nice flower pics but this lens doesn't focus particularly close, only to 40cm, more distant than the 27cm of the TX version or the 30cm of the DA35mm, so that's not so much it's strength. More comments and posted pics in this thread on mflenses. Overall a keeper, recommended.
PS I have now noticed there is also a kiron made vivitar 35mm f2.8.. uh oh twitch twitch.
More sample pics with the Viv (komine) 35mm on a Sony A6000 here | |
New Member Registered: February, 2021 Posts: 1 | | Review Date: February 14, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $12.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Well build, sharp | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: APS-C
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I have a collection of about 70 vintage lenses and this Vivitar 35mm is definitely a lens I will keep. Recently I have started to use the Vivitar 35mm on a APS-C mirrorless camera for portraits and landscape. So far the lens didn't disappointed me. It is well build and sharp from F/4-11. You will have no regrets if you buy one
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New Member Registered: April, 2016 Posts: 23 | | Review Date: September 7, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $45.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | solid build quality, good color rendition | | Cons: | soft at f/2.8 | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 9
Camera Used: Pentax MX
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Took a chance on this lens going on the generally high quality of Komine made Vivitars, but with little information found online except for the one other review here. The copy I have is a k-mount and is in great condition. After using it for over a year, I can say I'm really pleased, getting consistently good results in various conditions. As the previous reviewer said, its particularly good for landscapes and I can agree on that. Its a bit soft at f/2.8 but is sharp and contrasty from f/5.6-f/11. I've been mainly using it with my Pentax film cameras (not yet a Pentax digital owner), but I can confirm these results with tests made on my GH2. The build quality is excellent and its fairly compact. It seems to be made from mostly metal parts and feels like it will last a long time. As the Pentax 35mm lenses are more rare and expensive, this little Vivitar offers a good alternative of you can find one at a reasonable price.
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