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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

I found a monster....

Timur Civan

Timur Civan

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Don't laugh.

Vivitar series 1 90mm F2.5 Macro.

This lens is from the 70's or early eighties I believe, based on the style of construction.

In NYC it's actually kind of hard to find good macro lenses. There are only two 100mm macro masters, and one 60mm macro standard speed I know of. (The Lseries 100macro is not a lens in my opinion, focus throw is ridiculously short for motion macro work)


Was shooting a music video for the band "Capital Cities". Needed macro power. All the macros were rented out, and I didn't know anyone with any still manual macros to rent. What to do.... I picked up an old extension tube and diopter for my Takumar 50mm F1.4 figuring I'd hobble something together,
It was terrible.

My AC glen Chin, happened to have with him the vivitar. I scoffed, a "vivitar dude, really? "

He smirked and said try it out...

Hooked it up to the epic, and holy monkey loving shit stacks...... This was one of the sharpest lenses I've ever seen, with some of the most beautiful bokeh ever. Looked it up, apparently its legendary, with a strong cult following. Known as the "bokina", because this particular lens was produced by tokina, for Vivitar, and its incredible bokeh. I hunted one down on eBay at lunch, and bought it on the spot. Like new condition. Never seen a lens like this. Imagine master prime sharp infused with dreamy Leica bokeh, in a $250 1970's build quality manual lens with 1:1 macro ability.

Once the video is done I will post it up. Should only be a few days now. I couldn't contain my excitement. I'm waiting for a novoflex adapter to arrive so I can shoot some stuff with it to put up.

http://makingnottaking.blogspot.com/2009/10/vivitar-series-1-90mm-f25-vmc-12-bokina.html

The Music video i was talking about: Capitol Cities
[video]http://vevo.ly/YQkXgq[/video]
 
will this be any good do you think Canon FD fit Vivitar Series 1 28-90mm 1:2.8-3.5
 
i thirow in a vivitar series one wide angle lens in my kit, people always snicker at it , until i put it on the camera ...
 
Nice one, Timur. I'm currently bidding for one, so stay away all you Mr. Moneybags, OK? ;)
 
Ebay pricing will see a spike now :)
 
I've always been told by many that some lenses in the Vivitar Series 1 could easily hold their own agains't Nikon Nikkors, don't know which ones sadly but it's funny that here people seem to disregard most if not all vivitar series 1 like crap. I wouldn't be surprised if now people start testing them more and realize there is actually more than a couple of good lenses in the Series 1.

By the way, great find Timur! Makes me wonder just how many others could actually be worth it.
 
This lens is the freaking monkey-shit bomb! Yes, I own one, it's one of those dirty little photographer secrets. Picked mine up a few years back when someone else introduced me to it. They were going on ebay for about $100 then. Looks like $300 now, even $400, to get one with perfect glass in it.

It has interchangeable mounts too. You can swap out the rear component on it and convert between Nikon, Canon, Pentax, etc.. mounts. You don't need to screw with Novoflex or other adapters, unless you really want to. Adapters seem to go for about $75 or so on ebay and most sellers don't really know what they're for. If they were smart, they would bundle them with the lens, but they probably don't have the lens. They just clean all the old stuff out of the store room and find some VS190 "adapters" and put them on ebay. Timur is right, this lens is a fluke, it has no business being as awesome as it is. Anyway, that said, I have hardly shot anything with it since getting the Nikon 105mm macro. It's a more modern design with superior performance all around. Yes, really. Sure, more expensive, but an even more beautiful lens, IMO. The Nikon 105mm is my favorite macro. This Vivitar is a close second. Tokina made the lens for them, as pointed out. They also sold the lens under the Tokina label, but it's near impossible to find that way, although usually cheaper still if you do, because most people only know it as the Vivitar S1 90mm.

Also be aware we're talking about the older version of the lens. Vivitar released an updated AF version of the lens with an F2.8 aperture and no ability to change lens mounts. Nikon, Canon, Pentax, etc.. mounts... Better mechanics and construction, although I think the older one is more likely to last. It's mostly the same lens, still a 1:1 macro, same bokeh properties and such and better color rendition with a more modern coating (probably 10 years newer). However, it's not as sharp. You can pick up the newer version of the lens for cheap -- still not a bad macro to have in the kit, especially for the $80 or so you can typically get the newer one for!
 
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If you can't find the Tokina, get the Tamron 90mm Macro SP 2.5. Just as good and still cheap. It has an universal mount called Adaptall.
 
But how will I ever get to be on Hoarders if I part with these things?
 
What kind of Canon FD to EOS adapter do you guys recommend for using the older glass? Seems like there is a big price discrepancy between certain brands. If ther is only a metal ring that adapts the older lens, how can there really be a big difference in quality?
 
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