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 Post subject: Pile O' Zooms
PostPosted: Sat Mar 11, 2023 6:43 am 
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Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 4:17 am
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Location: Whitemouth R., up the Escarpment
Posting this as it may help me to keep track of what I've been finding with these things.
This set will cover the range of 70-210mm.
There were tons of them made in the mid to late 70's, by both camera manufacturers and third party makers.
In trying to keep the scope of it manageable, I'll get to the other focal lengths at some later time.
For now:

Image

From left to right of the image-

1.) Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f 3.5

A bit of a wonder when it was released. Most zooms of the 80-200 range were f4.5.
This Kino (later renamed Kiron) made lens is one of my better lenses at distant subjects (near infinity).
It performs admirably wide open at f3.5, and improves a tiny shade at f5.6 to f8.
It's 1:2 reproduction ratio at the macro setting is the best macro-zoom I've experienced.

My particular copy is a bit low in contrast in less than bright sunshine.
It is a big heavy lens that deserves a tripod collar of it's own, but I'm not sure where the designers would have put it.

2.) Tamron Adaptall 2, 80-210mm f3.8-4. Often referred to by it's model designation 103-A.
Almost as sharp at 210mm as the series 1 above, without all the weight. There's a moderate macro range too with a 1:4 repro ratio. I personally like the rendering of this one a lot, and it's contrast is very usable.

3.) Nikkor 80-200mm f4.5 N (new).
The "new" is the manufacturer's descriptor.
I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this one.
I think it may have been designed with portraiture in mind, rather than an all-purpose lens.
It is fine at moderate distances, and the sharpest of them all at the 80mm focal setting.
It was a bit disappointing for me at 200mm on distant subjects. There is no macro. The minimum focusing distance of 7.5 feet is also a bit of a let down.
It has the best contrast of the lot.

4.) Cosina 70-210mm f4.5-5.6.
This early '90's lens was store branded as Image.
The compact size is a definite improvement. I'm willing to put up with the stop and a half slower speed. It's performance seems to be near the equal of the Tamron above.
I still need to give this one a proper workout- I haven't really used it that much at anything other than 210mm. It's marked as macro, but really doesn't get in close that much at all. I have to read up on it find the repro ratio.

5.) Vivitar 80-200mm f4.5
I can't exactly remember what the problem was with this early Kino/Kiron made lens.
IIRC, it was pretty blah at 200mm on distant subjects.
It, too, needs a complete workout before I come into any firm decisions about it.

I'll probably be getting back to this list as I find out more...

Regards,

Doc Sharptail

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