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Re: [OM] 300mm cost (now)

Subject: Re: [OM] 300mm cost (now)
From: dreammoose <dreammoose@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 15:03:37 -0800
Few, if any, of us know anything about the lens you are asking about. Vivitar is a US marketing company, not a manufacturer. Over the years, they have sold a vast array of lenses manufactured by various companies and of widely varying quality. They may well have sold more than one 300mm lens in OM mount. You don't mention the speed (f3.5 or fx.x?), which might help someone identify the lens. Vivitar has sold some famous lenses that qualify as classics (none 300mm, I think). Several of the early 'Series 1' lenses designed in the US and manufactured by Kiron in Japan are famous for quality. More recent 'Series 1's have more mixed reputations. For more info on quality lenses from Vivitar and other third party manufacturers, check out http://people.smu.edu/rmonagha/third/cult.html#vivitar

Vivitar has also sold a lot of inexpensive, rather ordinary lenses. I suspect the one you are looking at falls into this category. If you are on a budget and/or unsure about how you would like working with a longish telephoto, and the lens has clean, unmarked glass and functions properly, it's probably not a bad thing to try. Remember that the photographer has more to do with the quality of the picture than the equipment. All of this is particularly true if you will be looking at 4x6" prints. A quick look on eBay shows 2 different looking lenses, f5.5 that looks like an older design and f5.6. Two 5.6s sold for $71 and $80, so the price being asked sound reasonable. F5.6 is getting slow enough to mean a rather dark and hard to focus image in the viewfinder. You should try looking through it on your camera before buying.

On the other hand, the Zuiko 300/4.5 is a well known lens. Many of us have them and know them to be very well made, optically excellent and unusually light and compact for the focal length and speed. If you can afford one, you can't go wrong. Even if you end up not liking it, the hold value pretty well. A few have sold recently on eBay for under $300.

Moose

Kierstin wrote:

you didn't say if you thought that £40 was too much or if you thought that
this lens would be any good?



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