Jump to content

Vivitar 17-28mm f/4-4.5 - any good?


bob_hayden

Recommended Posts

I'm interested in expanding my capabilities for my Canon AE-1 Program and am looking at a very wide zoom.

 

<p>

 

Any suggestions/advice on what to look for and price ranges? I see Vivitar has the above 17-28. Any words on the quality of this lens? Seems it can be picked up for $150 or so.

 

<p>

 

Thanx,

Bob H

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I've seen the Vivitar 17-28mm wide angle zoom. But I believe the correct zoom range is 18-28mm. Anyway it's really a dark image when you look the viewfinder. I believe it's a F4.0 ~ F4.5 Max aperature.

A better lens would be the Vivitar Series 1, 19-35mm, F3.5 ~ F4.0

This lens only cost $10.00 more. It's a newer design, comes in Canon

FD mount and Canon EOS AF mount. There is less metal and more plastic on the lens, but it still has Vivitars 5 yr warranty. I have the 19-35mm zoom and the color contrast is so high. Distrortion is good to acceptable considering the price and zoom range.

 

<p>

 

Ed

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

No one beats Vivitar for the money - NO ONE! But as the old saying

goes, you get what you pay for. I have the 17-28 Vivitar Zoom lens...

I have mixed feelings about this lens...Good contrast, yes, but still

a piece of smelly caca in many respects... Vivitar has an affordable

19mm fd lens, not a zoom - but a good piece of glass. This lens beats

the pants off the zoom! Why do ya need such a limited zoom anyway?

Just move back and forth - you have legs don't 'cha?

Browse e-bay like a shark, you'll find a sea of aftermarket lenses &

zooms at great prices!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 16 years later...
No one beats Vivitar for the money - NO ONE! But as the old saying

goes, you get what you pay for. I have the 17-28 Vivitar Zoom lens...

I have mixed feelings about this lens...Good contrast, yes, but still

a piece of smelly caca in many respects... Vivitar has an affordable

19mm fd lens, not a zoom - but a good piece of glass. This lens beats

the pants off the zoom! Why do ya need such a limited zoom anyway?

Just move back and forth - you have legs don't 'cha?

Browse e-bay like a shark, you'll find a sea of aftermarket lenses &

zooms at great prices!

 

I'm considering this lens in Olympus OM mount, because the Olympus light meter can't be beat for low-light night photography, and AFAIK there is no other ultra-wide angle lens available for the OM system (zoom or prime), or at least none that's semi-affordable. Just ... how bad was it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
No one beats Vivitar for the money - NO ONE!

 

This is true of the Ponder & Best Vivitar of long ago. Many FD-mount lenses fall into this class.

 

It does NOT apply to recent, mostly Korean-made lenses that are cheap. The present company bought the name, but none of the intellectual property.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...