Vivitar Series 1 28-105 with a Contax 137MA
Aug 2, 2022 19:05:33 GMT
on Aug 2, 2022 19:05:33 GMT
Posted: Aug 2, 2022 19:05:33 GMT
This lovely combination arrived today but it was not entirely expected...
137MA_Series 1 28-105mm
I had bought the Contax 137MA from a young lady and she apologised for having lost the body cap and said she'd 'pop on an old lens to protect the throat of the camera' which was very thoughtful of her. But I got quite a surprise when I opened the heavy package to find a mint Vivitar Series 1 28-105 f2.8-3.8 lens attached.
My excitement diminished when I spotted it had the 67mm filter thread and the serial number started 09... Oh, the Cosina version which is not one of the more sought-after types. But hang on, it's a freebie so stop being so mean-spirited!
I added the lens to a digital camera and snapped a few frames; it turns out this is a very decent performer. It's a bit soft around the edges at f2.8, although centre sharpness is very acceptable, and by f5.6 it's good across the frame. There is some vignetting on a full frame camera at the wide-angle end but it's not a major issue. It offers a macro facility although that's at a distance of about 3ft but the image is sharp and evenly illuminated.
What came as a big surprise (especially given previous poor experience with Cosina-made zooms from the late 1970s to the mid-to late 1980s) was its build quality. There is no zoom creep at all, even when held vertically, and this is not exactly a light-weight, short zoom at 610g (1lb 5oz). One other thing I really like is that it features a MM mount and like the Zeiss lenses, it has the f22 in green.
I was so shocked at the quality of this lens that I got back in touch with the seller and offered to pay towards it but she would not hear of it, so we settled instead for a donation to her favourite charity. This Vivitar Series 1 lens, made by Cosina, has been a truly pleasant surprise and I plan to give it a proper work-out soon.
137MA_Series 1 28-105mm
I had bought the Contax 137MA from a young lady and she apologised for having lost the body cap and said she'd 'pop on an old lens to protect the throat of the camera' which was very thoughtful of her. But I got quite a surprise when I opened the heavy package to find a mint Vivitar Series 1 28-105 f2.8-3.8 lens attached.
My excitement diminished when I spotted it had the 67mm filter thread and the serial number started 09... Oh, the Cosina version which is not one of the more sought-after types. But hang on, it's a freebie so stop being so mean-spirited!
I added the lens to a digital camera and snapped a few frames; it turns out this is a very decent performer. It's a bit soft around the edges at f2.8, although centre sharpness is very acceptable, and by f5.6 it's good across the frame. There is some vignetting on a full frame camera at the wide-angle end but it's not a major issue. It offers a macro facility although that's at a distance of about 3ft but the image is sharp and evenly illuminated.
What came as a big surprise (especially given previous poor experience with Cosina-made zooms from the late 1970s to the mid-to late 1980s) was its build quality. There is no zoom creep at all, even when held vertically, and this is not exactly a light-weight, short zoom at 610g (1lb 5oz). One other thing I really like is that it features a MM mount and like the Zeiss lenses, it has the f22 in green.
I was so shocked at the quality of this lens that I got back in touch with the seller and offered to pay towards it but she would not hear of it, so we settled instead for a donation to her favourite charity. This Vivitar Series 1 lens, made by Cosina, has been a truly pleasant surprise and I plan to give it a proper work-out soon.
