Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm 1: 4.5-6.7 MC Auto Focus Zoom review

According provided by lens Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm 1: 4.5-6.7 MC Auto Focus Zoom for Nikon many thanks to Nikolai Kirichenko.

Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm 1: 4.5-6.7 MC Auto Focus Zoom review

Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm 1: 4.5-6.7 MC Auto Focus Zoom review

This lens is also known under the names: Cosina, Phoenix, Promaster, and possibly some others. The copy from this review is for Nikon cameras, but the lens itself was produced for all popular systems.

Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm

Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm

The lens is well assembled, but it still feels that it is very far from the manufacturing quality of the 'serious' lenses. The trunk of the lens constantly spontaneously protrudes, so the lens lengthens noticeably. And it becomes very uncomfortable to walk with him ..

Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm

MC enlightenment of the front and rear lenses of the Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm lens

Auto focusing speed is average, at 100mm the lens focuses much faster than at 400mm. When focusing my camera motor Nikon D700 uneven, strained buzzing, the front lens rotates and drives forward. When zooming, the front lens does not rotate. The rubberized focus ring rotates approximately 180 degrees.

Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm at 400mm when focusing on MDF

Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm at 400mm when focusing on MDF

The Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm is a piston design lens for changing focal length, be sure to pull the rubberized zoom ring towards you or away from you, rather than rotate it, as is done with conventional lenses. The lens has an aperture control ring. To control the aperture value from the camera, you need to set the aperture ring to F / 22 and fix it with a special button (for more details, see the section on Non-G Lenses) Auto focus with the Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm lens is only available when used on cameras with a built-in focus motor. A list of cameras that support auto focus with AF lenses can be found in the 'Auto focus on Nikon cameras'. Also, this lens does not transmit the focusing distance to the camera and is an analog Non-d lens. The Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm can use a hood that fits into special slots near the front lens.

Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm

Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm on the ZK

Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm is very weak aperture - at 400 mm, the aperture opens up to a maximum of F / 6.7, which is 1,43 worse than the classic value of F / 5.6. When I used the lens on my camera Nikon D80, the camera recognized the Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm as a lens with a focal length range of 102-390mm, and the maximum aperture of 102mm was F / 4.8. On camera Nikon D700 everything was according to the lens markings. I have seen problems with the lens chip on many of these lenses, especially under the 'Cosina' name.

The parameters shown in the photo gallery:
Everything is filmed on Nikon D700. On-camera JPEG L ('optimal quality' compression), no processing. Functions: vignetting control, ADL, noise reduction at long exposures, noise reduction at high ISOs were turned off. All shot in Picture Control mode SD (standard mode): contrast correction - 0, brightness - 0, saturation - 0, hue - 0, sharpness - position 5 out of 10. Used white balance: 'Cloudy.' The size of the photos was reduced to 3 MP.

The parameters shown in the photo gallery:
Everything is filmed on Nikon D80. On-camera JPEG L Fine. Noise reduction at slow shutter speeds and noise reduction at high ISO were turned off. Everything was shot in N (Neutral) Picture Control. Was used white balance: 'Cloudy.' The size of the photos was reduced to 3 MP.

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Conclusions

Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm 1:4.5-6.7 MC Auto Focus Zoom is an interesting telephoto lens with 4x zoom. On Nikon DX cameras EGF will be 150-600mm, which makes it easy to reach distant objects while doing photo hunting. Among the shortcomings, I want to highlight the spontaneous loss of the trunk and the poor image quality on open apertures. When you close the aperture to F / 8.0 and below, the lens becomes very personal. With such a telephoto and not very fast lens, it is quite difficult take off.

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

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Comments: 19, on the topic: Overview of Vivitar Series 1 100-400mm 1: 4.5-6.7 MC Auto Focus Zoom

  • Alexander

    Hello, Arkady! I didn’t understand this phrase ”… irregularly, strainedly buzzing, the front lens rotates and moves forward. The front lens does not rotate when you zoom. ” Is there a mistake?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      What exactly is not clear?

      • anonym

        “The front lens rotates and slides forward. The front lens does not rotate when you zoom. ”

        • Arkady Shapoval

          When focusing, the lens rotates, while zooming it does not rotate. I write because many lenses have different options, for example, there is internal focusing, but when zooming, the lens rotates. And vice versa.

          • Alexander

            Got it.) I apologize for my carelessness!

        • THE

          when focusing, the lens rotates and moves out; when zooming, it only moves out and does not rotate.

  • Anonymous 1

    My old F-90x had a powerful motor, so I pulled VIVITAR's focus like an ox, but the “trunk” in the stowed position at the lens would move out instantly and always, which was very annoying, so I sold it. Although I shot sports with them confidently and decently, the picture was not bad at all with the df-8. I was not afraid of the counter.

  • denis08ua

    As for me, this lens is interesting only for its appearance, it looks gorgeous on the camera, mlm!

    • Lynx

      But sobsno what's wrong with crystal dick?
      Of the large number of dildos available on the market today, glass products with colored inclusions look the most elegant and aesthetically pleasing, not being reduced to the kind of “cheap rubber stamping”. Even if you put it on a sideboard, it is a set for glasses and vases.

      • Arkady Shapoval

        Please stop your comments on the non-core topic of this blog.

        • Lynx

          received

  • Nik

    Very good telephoto-price ratio. Probably, for such a price, it is impossible to find the best telephoto lens for Nikona.

  • Vyacheslav

    And what is the price of such a lens and where can I buy it?

  • Nicholas

    Who is interested - write to the e-mail: msk_n@voliacable.com

  • Camrad

    Looks like an alien

  • Eugene

    Good day. Is it worth chasing this lens? Or can I take vivitar mm f3,5? It’s hard to find a zoom here, and 200mm for Nikon is on sale.
    For autofocus / convenience do not take into account.

    • Eugene

      Not finished - comparison with 200mm f3.5

      • Eugene

        Or you can take 85-205 with f3.8, it seems like it is also good for reviews.

        • Eugene

          Generally need a lens with a good picture at 200mm
          There is a 135mm Jupiter - I like it very much.

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