Vivitar 28MM 1: 2.0 MC CLOSE FOCUS WIDE ANGLE. Review from the reader Radozhiva

Vivitar 28MM 1: 2.0 MC CLOSE FOCUS WIDE ANGLE review specifically for Radozhiva, prepared Sergey Merkulov.

Vivitar 28MM 1: 2.0 MC CLOSE FOCUS WIDE ANGLE

Vivitar 28MM 1: 2.0 MC CLOSE FOCUS WIDE ANGLE

Little is said about Vivitar, a powerful brand in which at least 28 manufacturers took part. I would like to say more. After all, Vivitar lenses are in an affordable price range for beginners and amateurs. Many of them are of good quality, and often unique, having appeared at a time when the world was a laboratory for the search for the “ideal lens”.

Today on the lens market there is a certain unification, because manufacturers have decided on the requirements for the properties and quality of their products. And it will never occur to anyone to release any Vivitar 28 2.0, which is a wide-angle with a claim to macro. But why is this lens unique? And why is there so much fan on pentaxforums and other resources?

Let's face it.

The Vivitar brand is developed by an American brand that orders products in Asia. The most acclaimed photographers were lenses from Kiron (serial numbers 22xxxxx) and Komines (28xxxxx). Foreign forums indicate that Kiron "suffer" traces of grease on the blades of the diaphragm. Komines does not have this problem, and they are considered more acute.

My lens is called VIVITAR 28mm f2.0 MC CLOSE FOCUS Wide Angle and is manufactured by Komines. I bought it in Ukraine for $ 100, but the same one on ebay costs $ 369 + shipping. Not cheap for an old man from the 70-80s of the twentieth century.

Vivitar 28MM 1: 2.0 MC CLOSE FOCUS WIDE ANGLE

Price for Vivitar 28MM 1: 2.0 MC CLOSE FOCUS WIDE ANGLE on ebay

Taking pictures on a crop, I acquired this lens, hoping for its versatility. It was thought that 28 mm on a crop would acquire an angle width equivalent to 40 mm, equally suitable for shooting indoors and outdoors, and even facilitating attempts to take a portrait. In general, my expectations were met.

Vivitar 28 2.0 showed itself well on the set of flora, which was helped in every way by the open diaphragm. The lens has a drawing bokeh and perfectly separates the object from the background.
Moreover, if the Nikkor 35 1.8G, which has a similar angle on the crop, is impossible when trying to “macro” on open apertures, and generally when trying to “macro”, then Vivitar 28 on 2.0 has “all the cards are in hand”. It is sharp and clearly conveys the texture of the object.

The fact that the Vivitar 28 2.0 is designed for shooting at close distances is evidenced by its distance scale: 0,23 m - 0,3 - 04 - 05 - 07 - 1 - 1,5 - 3 - infinity.

The landscape on F2 looks gentle, distant objects on the apertures F11 and F16 are clearly expressed. Vivitar 28 2.0 catches hares, so I recommend using a rubber hood (or use a palm bent visor) for daytime shooting with it. True, the “hares” of the lens are interesting in color.

Hack and predictor Aviator

VIVITAR 28mm f2.0 MC CLOSE FOCUS Wide Angle (6 aperture blades from f2 to f16) has a unique character that you need to get used to. Having got the lens, it is necessary to study and experiment, since it opens the way to wide possibilities. Given the focal length, aperture and drawing, the Vivitar 28 2.0 is unlike most modern lenses. The model was a bold experiment and focused on advanced amateur photographers.

You will find more reviews from readers of Radozhiva here.

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Comments: 53, on the topic: Vivitar 28MM 1: 2.0 MC CLOSE FOCUS WIDE ANGLE. Review from the reader Radozhiva

  • R'RёS,R ° F "RёR№

    I recognized my lens, I’m glad that it’s in business :-)

  • Rodion

    And on what apertures is this lens really used in everyday life? Is it really open?

    • Michael

      Given that this is a staffer (almost), then all available)

    • Sergey Merkulov

      Actually, he wrote about everyday life. I use the lens for a year. Shooting: cottage, train, Hydropark, view from the balcony. Is this not everyday life? :)

  • Koba

    there is another similar lens, but not a macro, the same 28/2 from Vivitar and it also costs a lot of money in China - about $ 150, apparently that one is not bad and experts know about it.

  • Vitaliy U

    Great review! Thanks to the author. If there are any other interesting (or not very))) lenses, do more reviews.

    • Sergey Merkulov

      Vitaliy, thank you. I will add that I also shot cultural events for work (park concerts) with this lens. In principle, satisfied. Although photos only benefit from elementary light-color correction.

  • 1Ds_Mk3

    There is no such thing under Nikon, and Allah is with him - there is Nikkor 28 / 2.0.

    • Sergey Merkulov

      Vivitar 28 2.0 used on the Nikon d7000 and Nikon d3100. Sorry to forget to indicate in the text.

  • anonym

    Hello! On ebay there is also over 40 pounds.

  • anonym

    Tin. I got tokina 100-12 for $ 24. I understand that this is consumer goods, but in any case more practical than manual 28/2.

  • Reader

    Litter! Help me choose between Nikon 24-120 3.5-5.6d and Nikon 28-105 lenses. Already reviewed a lot of photos from both glasses and can not decide. Pictures by pictures, but how do real lenses behave? Features-whims, etc. I will be glad to hear advice and opinions.

    • Vitaly U.

      Why do you address such questions here? On "Radozhiv" there are reviews of the lenses you are interested in, there are a lot of comments. I had 28-105, and I recommend it.

      • Vitaly U.

        Not “here”, but “here”. Sorry (smartphone))

      • Reader

        Forgive me again for asking the wrong review, but in those reviews there is no direct question of choosing between them.

    • Pawel

      24-120 is made of threshing floor and sticks, constructive on snot, the diaphragm contact strip is fixed with tape, my advice is 28-105

    • Koba

      used it for a year. A very good lens on a full frame camera. There is a very high quality 1: 2 macro with afto-focus preservation. Slightly less sharp than my current 24-85 / 3.5-4.5 (not VR), it also has very little distortion and the new ACR modules have a profile for automatically correcting distortion and vignetting (strange, but for the newer AF-S 24-85 /3.5-4.5 it is not, although in all other normal RAW converters there are profiles for all lumens including these lenses). Focusing is fast enough, did not create any discomfort ... The hood is disgustingly large, with it the lens looks like an ugly monster, and it does not catch glare very often.

  • Noa

    as for me, the "soap soap"

  • Reader

    Plus, 28-105 has a macro. I’ll probably take it, and the price is cheap.

  • Igor

    The author wrote an interesting and correct review. I also had such a lens. With character". When I delved into his character, I began to use it often, and even now from time to time I regret that I sold it.
    About its use (on the crop) ... Aperture "2" is not working, except perhaps for photographing a beautiful leaf in close-up. But, you must admit - this same leaf in close-up is much wiser (and easier) to remove for a normal fifty dollars. There will be sharpness, color rendition and bokeh.
    That is, it turns out that this lens is generally reasonable to use for shooting architecture (for example, on the narrow streets of Lvov or Venice) and for landscape photography. A sane landscape on it is obtained with an aperture of "5,6", and architecture at all with "8".
    But, nevertheless - at these aperture values, it shows itself much better than standard zooms. He has a more juicy picture. It conveys volume better. Better contrast and color rendering.

    • Sergey Merkulov

      Very interesting opinion, thank you. I tried with Vivitar 28 2.0 plants, reportage and a little landscape. But somehow I did not think about architecture.

      Aperture 2 is a matter of taste. I visually liked version 28 2.8, with an even more nervous and broken pattern on the open one, the flowers from it look like an impressionist painting. A very original and artistic lens, although it costs less than version 2.0.

      • Igor

        I agree with you, Sergey. And on this overview Vivitara, on a completely open one, I, too, quite by accident got several “masterpiece” (from an artistic point of view) pictures.
        The year before last, in our Kiev botanical garden I shot a blooming bird cherry. In the open, right in the sun (through the flowers). What a beauty! And by the way, the soft effect came, and even the rainbow round halo. Right picture of Renoir, absolutely no post-processing :)

      • Igor

        I forgot to mention (for the sake of completeness) - on Pentax, with this lens - it is very colorful and juicy - early summer (June) greenery is transmitted on a sunny day. Somehow "airy". Even in comparison with Zeiss - it seems to me that it was with that Vivitar - the most beautiful pictures of the June Hydropark were obtained ...

        • Sergey Merkulov

          Igor, tempt. It’s a difficult time to produce cameras :) but they wrote so deliciously that my hands started to try vivitar on other systems :)

          • Igor

            :)

  • Igor

    Yes, and I also forgot to add - compared to conventional standard zooms, when shooting the same architecture, it has much smaller (I don't remember the correct term) - “barrel distortion”. That is, post-processing of images in a photo editor takes much less time. In principle, if you adapt to this lens and correctly adjust the camera itself, then a significant part of the images taken with this lens are "ready immediately" after unloading from the camera. They don't even need to be minimally processed in Photoshop ...

  • Victor

    Dear Sirs! Let's discuss (and test including!) The optics intended for the initial application, i.e. test full-frame wide-angle with full-frame cameras and vice versa. In this case, any confusion in the conclusions disappears. No need to lead people into verbal jungle. It will be better for EVERYONE!

    • Igor

      Nuuuu…. If we think like that, then we should, no - a more accurate word "must" - discuss only those lenses that are sold in the store, in the same box with the cameras we buy :)

  • Outcast

    Comine Company, Ltd….
    What the hell komines.
    The author, if we are incapable even of the correct spelling of the manufacturer, then maybe this is all in the furnace?
    Below the baseboard. After the first calls, I wanted to delitnut it all to ## pits.

    • Andrey T.

      Plus, no one looks at the auction prices for sellers' Wishlist - only for cares. And for care - more than $ 100 sold five percent of the total sales of these lenses. And cheaper than $ 100 - in bulk ...

      • Andrei

        Well, the author still hopes to sell the lens for $ 100))

        • Hemul

          What a gall man. Cursing, srach breed. Probably with hemorrhoids. Itchy cones? :)

  • Midas

    Well, well, quality. I wouldn't buy one for a dollar, all the pictures are in the trash, and only there.

    • Pokemon

      I do not agree with you.

    • anonym

      yes, pictures of rubbish. maybe undercover would be better.
      on the other hand, are there many 28mm lenses of those times with such aperture? not, well, there is, say, Konica UC Hexanon AR 28 mm / F1.8, but it is so rare that it is offered for absolutely crazy money. taking into account the rather lousy quality of the picture that he gives out (in hell open at all), this is a purely collectible artifact.
      and what else are there?

      • Arkady Shapoval

        There is, for example, Nikon 28/2 in a number of modifications, starting from 1975, it was produced right up to 2005. The same Canon NFD 28/2 1979. There is even a Canon FD 24 / 1.4 1976. Pentax 28/2 1976 etc.

      • Alexey

        There is a lovely Zuiko 28 2.0, sharp with open.

        • anonym

          is that which? OM system?

          • Alexey

            Yes exactly. One of the sharpest widths in general.

  • Eugene

    Photo with a spider is cool! Good angle and light!

    • Sergey Merkulov

      Thank you :)

  • Alexander

    I have one under the Kiron brand, in full frame. On open it gives a soft picture, slightly soft, I consider sharpness sufficient for a portrait. Although by today's standards it is rather weak of course. Strong vignetting and blue borders at contrasting transitions in the corners, however it is easily treated with post-processing. It has its own interesting bokeh. At 2.8, the sharpness in the center becomes noticeably better, while the bokeh is less aggressive. With 5.6 it’s already possible to shoot some landscape scenes, but the sharpness throughout the field is achieved by at least 8. It easily catches hares, but they are beautiful as for me. Distortion is negligible and in most cases it can not be corrected.

    In general, a good lens for those times. Now it makes sense to buy if the thirst for creative experimentation prevails over the desire to get the perfect picture. The lens really has its own character.

    • Sergey Merkulov

      Hares are very interesting. The lens gives unusual and aesthetic effects.

    • Sergey Merkulov

      I think that with the development of mirrorless lenses, old lenses will get a second chance; It’s very interesting how this lens will work when shooting video.

  • Sergey Merkulov

    We will be consistent and continue the experiment.

    Colored "hares" Vivitar 28 2.0 Komine on video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9ox0by4VBQ

  • henadzi

    good afternoon. Vivitar 28MM 1: 2.0 you can put it on kenon mark3

    • Arkady Shapoval

      what mount is it with?

  • פיטר ציפור

    I have such a vivitar 28 1: 2 22хххххх series, I use it from Sony a7r at full frame, a very interesting lens. On open air, and on f16 and at 50iso, the photo is generally super. There is something in it, I also often like to shoot with it. New 28-60 is somehow not so interesting - there is sharpness throughout the frame and that's it. This one has remained since the a1 canon, I just bought an adapter.

    • Rodion

      Ahah, at F / 16, say, the photo is super? Well, this is the whole essence of these ancient widths - up to 16 there is a nightmare in the corners.

  • פיטר ציפור

    Yes, a nightmare, but as they wrote above, sometimes random masterpieces are obtained, as they wrote above, depending on the light, background, time of day and year)))

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