Just an interesting aside, a "filler", on Kiron lenses: With the purchase of one of my M42 bodies and a couple of other lens/body items a little while ago, the seller just "threw-in" a Vivitar 85-205mm f/3.8 Tele-Zoom Auto. . . It must be brand new - it looks like it's never been used! A little research reveals it was made by Kiron back in 1970. Cost US$200 back then. This is back when the SMC Takumar (or Pentax) 85-210 mm f/4.5 zoom was sellling for US$550. It's very well built, if moving all the controls is any indication. One of these days soon I'm taking that lens out with my Spotty F and see how they both perform together! We might all be surprised!
keith whaley Sas Gabor wrote: > > Hi, > [. . .] > > > 28/2.0 Kiron > I think that Kiron (Kino Precision, Japan) lenses are quite good > ones, they are among the best 3rd party lenses I ever used. > The ones I know are 24/2, 70-150/4, 80-200/4.5, and a 100mm macro. > All of them have good mechanical and optical construction. > Of course their coatings are not up to SMC, but far better than what > the contemporary Vivitars, Sigmas or Tokinas have. > The above mentioned 80-200/4.5 zoom is a quite interesting one, as it > has a "Zoom lock" feature and the front element does not rotate. > The 24/2 is still held by a friend, and at mid apertures it's well > comparable to my SMC-A 24/2.8. (Think of slides, not small prints.) > I didn't test it wide open, sorry. > > > Even manufacturer's 28s can be weak at the edges, especially > > the fast ones, [...] > > That's not to say that I won't believe it > > could be fun and useful, especially if you got it for a lot less than > > the $350 or so that KEH currently has an M28/2.0 listed at. > > I don't think that price tells everithing about image quality. > The M28/2 (or the A version, which I use) is a great lens, but in > controlled light conditions (where SMC is not a must) it's results > are hard to distinguish from say the Cosina MC 28/2, which is > actually even smaller and costs less than 1/4 of the Pentax ones. > > So I think that that Kiron might wortht a try, if cheap enough. > These ones can be surprisingly good, and they're better than average > 3rd party 28 around for sure. > > Gabor
