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Vivitar 28mm f2

     This lens has a good reputation.  It was made by Kiron and made well.   My test lens has a Minolta MD mount.   It handled well on the Eos M3 even though there was a little play in the adapter.  Focusing was not an issue except for the normal difficulties with wide angles.  The lens is f2-f16 with half stops.  It's not too big or too heavy on a mirrorless body.  The focus ring on my copy is a little stiff.   That is not unusual as the grease solidifies over time.

     This lens is what I would expect from Kiron.  It is soft a f2 but tightens up at f2.8 w/ improved contrast.  At f3.5 it is sharp.  At f5.6-f8 it is stellar, except for flare.

     Most of this lens' faults happen at f2.   Fringing, clipping in highlights, low contrast and diffusion happen at f2.   There is one fault that happens at all apertures and it is flare.  Bokeh fringinging is well controlled but can be seen at f2. 

     Flare is an issue.  See pics below.   Don't leave the house w/out a lens ood and don't shoot toward the sun.   You will be pounished for your forgetfulness.

     Distortion is well controlled.  This is a good standard lens on a sub frame body.   

     B/W looks very good from this lens.   Color rendition, saturation and shadow detail are typical of Kiron glass.   Colors are slightly subdued, a bit bluish and the high contrast of the lens steals detail from shadows.   Kiron is very much like Nikon in many ways.   That makes sense because Kiron was founded by ex-Nikon staff who weren't happy with the plastics in 80's Nikon lenses.   

     Overall, this is a very good lens.  It does suffer from flare but most 28mm's do.   At f2.8 is very sharp.   It makes a good normal length lens for mirrorless bodies.   

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vivitar flare
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ISO 400 - f2 thru f8

flare, flare, flare

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ISO 400 - f2.8  - 100% crop - 10 feet

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ISO 400 - f2 - simple b/w conversion

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ISO 400 - f3.5 - 100% crop - very sharp

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ISO 400 - f2.8

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ISO 400 - f2 and f2.8 - 100% crop

sharpness & contrast

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ISO 400 - f2 and f4

contrast & bokeh

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bokeh fringe - f2 - click to view

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bokeh fringe gone - f2.8 - click to view

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