On Sat, 22 Jun 2002 03:17:03 GMT, Rudy Garcia wrote:
>In article <20020621205655.29223.00000282@mb-ms.aol.com>,
> russbutner@aol.com (russbutner) wrote:

>> I believe that you are correct. Vivitar never made their own stuff. It was
>> made by one of four different manufacturer's back in the days of old. Give me
>> the serial # of yours, and I will tell you what year, and who made it. I have
>> the production code on the Vivitar lenses. Yes, their newer stuff is crap,
>> but
>> people do not realize that the Series 1 line was designed by top notch
>> American
>> boys, and they were the first to incorperate computers into the design
>> process.
>> Their first 70-210, 3.5 zoom changed the way that the pro's looked at, and
>> regarded zooms back then.I have been using the "older" Series 1 zooms,
>> professionally for many, many years now, and I have many times been
>> complimented on the sharpness and contrast of my trannies by many different
>> publisher's. Tony, means well, he is just basing his opinion on the newer
>> Series 1 line ( made by Cosina). As we speak, they are looking elsewhere for
>> another manufacturer. I am in constant contact with a couple of their lens
>> tech's and the big brass, and they are aware of their current reputation.
>> Hopefully, they will rectify the situation in the near future. I am sure that
>> if Tony was to give one of the older Series 1 lenses a fair test, he would
>> have
>> a much higher opinion of them. I own many Nikon lenses, which I love.
>> However,
>> I don't hesitate to use the Viv Series 1's when need be!!!

>I second that. My old Series I 70-210 is super sharp, though you need
>to be careful with possible flare inducing lighting.

While I never found a "super sharp" older Vivitar Series I,
some were quite good (especially the 90mm macro), but as you
point out, flare could be a problem. While the older ones
were impressively-constructed (and smooth-operating in the
samples I've seen), I would not "put down" Cosina construction
by comparison - the old 100-500 Cosina was very
well made, and the current Voightlander rfdr. lenses (made
by Cosina) are, to say the least, impressive both optically
and in construction (see www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/slemn.html
for ratings on a couple of these, along with a couple of
Vivitar Series I and a LOT of Nikkors...). Also, as I
recall, it was the Nikkor 80-200 f4.5 that really earned the
early respect for the capabilities of zooms - though the
Vivitar certainly also did that for the "mass market"
"3rd party" lenses...