We've been around this one several times:
The same lens is sold under the Phoenix and Vivitar Series 1 labels in
the US, Exacta and ?? in Europe and who knows what elsewhere.
As you can see from the tests on Brian's site, this lens is optically
superior to the Samyang, Phoenix and ?? 18-28/4-4.5 and covers a wider
fl range.
The Samyang is conventional old style metal construction. The Vivitar is
virtually all plastic.
In past threads, several members have posted that the lenses are light
and give the impression of flimsiness, but none, to my knowledge has
posted about any problems with the lenses connected to construction or
anything else. Plastics and metal react very differently to stress.
Engineered plastics can actually withstand more stress than brass
without deforming, but then break under even greater stress that simply
bends the brass more. The point is that once it's bent, brass may make a
lens unusable where a plastic part may be unaffected. By the time the
plastic breaks, the brass will also be unusable. I've used a filter
withoug trouble on the plastic threads, but only a few times. The
included (at least with my Vivitar) lens hood bayonets on outside the
filter threads.
As others have pointed out, it's a cheap lens for what it does. So if it
breaks after a few years use, you just buy another one. As I have
pointed out, I just love the light weight in my camera bag. It sure
beats carrying 18/3.5, 21/3.5, 24/2.8, 28/2.0 and 35/2.8 for casual
shooting when there is plenty of light. I'd actually never carry all
those, particularly the 35mm, as I would have usually something else
along to cover that, but you get th point about the range of coverage.
At the short end, it's also as fast as the primes I have.
Walt, you mention the 77mm filter size and using a step down ring with
bigger ones. The Tamron 80-200/2.8 you just praised (and the Tokina)
takes 77mm filters too. Why don't you buy them a nice filter or 2?
Moose
rlovison@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>Thanks for the link Chuck. Moose, I'm all ears. :)
>
>On Friday 27 February 2004 07:59 am, you wrote:
>
>
>>Brian has test results posted here:
>><http://homepages.caverock.net.nz/~bj/zuiko/index.htm>
>>along with the competing Samyang 18-28.
>>
>>As I recall Moose owns and swears by the 19-35 and no doubt will be
>>weighing in on this matter. From the test results the Vivitar is a
>>little better optically than the Samyang but the Samyang is all metal
>>construction. Don't know if that says "better" or just "heavier".
>>
>
The olympus mailinglist olympus@xxxxxxxxxx
To unsubscribe: mailto:olympus-request@xxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe
To contact the list admins: mailto:olympusadmins@xxxxxxxxxx?subject="Olympus
List Problem"
|