Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Vivitar 24mm 1:2.8 Auto-Wide-Angle

From what little info I could find about this lens it seems to have been made by Tokina in the late 1970's. The camera, a Sears KS Super II, is all automatic with no manual option. From the one time that I used it I can say it performs well, however I don't get too excited about a camera without a manual option.









I wouldn't normally buy a camera like the Sears KS Super II on Ebay, however I noticed it had a couple of extra lens.  One was a Sears 135mm f/2.8 and the other was the lens featured here.  There also was the standard Sears f/2.0 lens.  All three are decent lenses and the price for the whole package was under $20. So I put it on my watch list and was pleased to win the auction for slightly less than $20.  I had been needing some K-mount lenses and I was very happy to get three new ones to try out for a low cost. I tend to think that if the Vivitar 24mm had been properly listed by itself that it would have gotten a better price than what I payed for all three lenses.  Especially since I have since found out that the Tokina version of the Vivitar 24mm has a very good reputation.

This image looks a lot better at a size that wouldn't be convenient for my blog.  I do have a fondness for the bare trees and shadows of winter.









I like a wide-angle for getting a different look with machinery.












Overall I have been pleased with the Vivitar 24mm.  It may be slightly less sharp than my Canon 24mm, however to me there isn't a great difference in the performance of the two lenses.  Which I think speaks well for the Vivitar.


















I took these photos with my Pentax K1000 on Kentmere 400 film developed in Xtol.  I think the Kentmere 400 does pretty well in Xtol.  Still my next roll of bulk film is going to be some Ilford HP5.  It doesn't cost a lot more than the Kentmere and from the single rolls I have used in the past the results of the HP5 is more what I am looking for in B&W.  Still the Kentmere has come to earn some respect and I wouldn't discourage anyone from trying it out.

I am excited that I should be getting a Zenit S this week.  It is a Soviet 1950's SLR.  Basically, it is a Zorgi rangefinder with a reflex-box added.  I only recently learned about it and was enamored by its appearance. So I should have something to report about my experience in meeting the Zenti S in person soon.  The picture is from Wiki Commons. 

2 comments:

  1. I never know what I'm doing with the off-brand lenses. I bought a Nikon N60 from a friend recently and he had two Kalimar lenses with it; I have no idea about their reputation. Guess I'll just have to shoot them to find out, hunh?

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    1. I know that Kalimar didn't make the equipment with their brand on it. They were a US distributor for stuff from Asia. Depending on the maker there could be some good quality Kalimar lenses. Vivitar didn't make their own stuff either. However they did design lenses and had other companies make them. Vivitar was one of the first companies to use computers to assist in designing lenses

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