I can only comment on the lenses I'm acquainted with. The Vivitar S1
70-210 (62mm), very good optically, relatively light and well built, but
every copy I've ever seen, including the example I currently own loosens
up over time and the zoom begins to evidence more than a small amount of
creep when pointed even a little up or down. The earlier S1 f3.8
70-210 is built like a tank, heavy and evidences no creep. It is
reputed to be a bit inferior in image quality to the later Series One
70-210's, but I've noticed no practical difference. You might want to
look for a SMCP-F 70-210 f4-5.6. In my experience it is very sharp,
very well built. very compact compared to the zooms in your list, it's
only real drawback being it's lousy manual focus feel. Finally you might
consider the Vivitar S1 90-180 Flat Field f4.5, the sharpest zoom I've
used. It needs to have it's rear flange modified to fit on any recent
Pentax camera but it's well worth the effort.
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
I am interested in comparison of the following manual focus zoom lenses. I am
considering purchasing a zoom in the range 70-200mm, around f/4 is okay. How
do you rate the following lenses with respect to distortion, flare, sharpness,
luggability (is just too heavy to lug around), any other measure you think
appropriate? Main use would be landscape, and lawn bowls. Would you recommend
any other similar type of lens over these ones.
70-210 F/4 Pentax SMC A MACRO (58)
vs
70-210 F/3.5 VIVITAR SER 1 MACRO (62)
or
70-210 F/2.8-4 VIVITAR SER 1 MACRO (62)
Existing gear I have:
Pentax MZ-6
Sigma AF 28-80/3.5-5.6 (rarely used)
Pentax SMCT 28/3.5
Vivitar MF 28/2.0
Pentax SMC-F 50/1.7
Tamron SP AF 90/2.8
--
Leigh.
--
I can understand why mankind hasn't given up war.
During a war you get to drive tanks through the sides of buildings
and shoot foreigners - two things that are usually frowned on during peacetime.
--P.J. O'Rourke
