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Re: [OM] new Zuikos desired

Subject: Re: [OM] new Zuikos desired
From: "John A. Prosper" <prosper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1998 09:41:46 -0400 (EDT)

On Wed, 16 Sep 1998, Joseph Albert wrote:

|Also, I have a hard time thinking about a 35-80/2.8 Zuiko for $1200
|when the Vivitar Series 1 35-85/2.8 Varifocal is $175 in clean used 
|condition.

Or less if you look hard enough.  I think I paid $150 plus $5 shipping
for mine (mint condition).

|In my opinion, the best deal around on a tele zoom is the
|Vivitar Series 1 70-210/3.5 with 62mm filter threads.  It is
|long gone as a new item, but still can be found used.  Moreover,
|OM mount ones tend to be ones owned by amateurs and not 
|heavily used-- near mint ones turn up often enough.
|On the other hand, most of the Nikon mount ones I've
|seen were heavily used, probably 80's press photographers
|put them through their paces.  This lens was one of the few
|late 70's zoom lens designs that meet today's quality standards
|for a zoom lens.  It is, in my opinion, superior to the
|Tamron SP 70-210/3.5, Tokina ATX 80-200/2.8, and 65-200/4 Zuiko (for close
|focus), and I have used all of these lenses mentioned in this sentence,
|as well as the Vivitar 70-210/3.5 67mm filter thread lens (that also wasn't
|quite as good as the 62mm filter version).

I paid $191 for mine although I have heard of others paying $125!
(mint-).  It employs internal focusing, and its 62mm filter rings are
a perfect match for the Nikon 4T & 6T close up diopters.  By itself it
can focus down to 47/48 inches.  I wish I had the Zuiko 35-80/2.8 so I
can use the 4T/6T on it as well.  The Vivitar 35-85/2.8 Varifocal has
a 72mm filter size :-(, but for the price, who can really complian?
:-)

|Some of the focal lengths where a newer design prime lens offering
|would be in order though would include: 135mm, 180mm, 200mm, 300mm,
|400mm.  Olympus long ago surrendered the wildlife market to nikon and canon,
|but an updated design 135/2.8, 180/2.8, and 200/4 would be in order, in my 
|opinion.

I wouldn't mind seeing a 14/2.8, 35/1.4 or a swing and tilt family
(e.g., 24/3.5, 50/2 or 45/2, 90/2). 



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