Vivitar 90-180/4.5 Flat field

Fellow members: Dose anybody have the Vivitar 90-180/4.5 Flat field

lens? and if so what's your opinion on this lens? Thank you. Mike.

I don't have it, but I wonder if you've seen <a href="http://www.cameraquest.com/viv90180.htm">this</a>.

I used one many years ago, when the lens was "hot". I would think that it would hold its

won against the single focal length lenses of today.

Mike, <p> I have one and I use it, although not so often. (I am more with 6x6 and 4x5.) This lens is defintely a heavy beast but I like it - to some extent - just because of that: it's the heavy duty feel it gives). Optical performance: I have no complaints at all! Even close-ups and details of family pictures ( some not bigger than postage stamps ) looked really sharp and contrasty when projected on a 5x5 meter screen. That is good enough for me. And its two-touch mechanism makes me never worry whether the lens focus stays where it should be or whether the tube is gliding down as may happen with one-touch zooms when working copy stands.<p> I must admit I almost never use the lens hand-held. It definitely needs support. And here the lens' revolving tripod ring shows considerable advantage over long lenses without it. Thereby the camera/lens unit does not hang fixed at one end with much stress on the mount but kept well balanced on the unit's center of gravity. And not to forget: One can easily change change from horizontal to vertical format without having to fumble with tripod heads. To sum it up: This Vivitar Flat Field is a no-nonsense lens, really good to use with monopod or any other support. <p> Uli

I use this lens in Canon FD mount quite a lot for tack sharp photos. I also use macro lenses by canon and Tamron, but this lens really is super sharp. It is very well made, and also heavy. When this lens was marketed initially, it sold for $450 [in today's money, this would be around $1,000+). If you can get one today, I can only recommend it. Major drawback is the weight if you are inwilling to haul a heavy lens. I can recall looking for this lens in any camera mount, and then planning to buy a camera to fit it. It was such a hard to get lens at the time.

Unless mistaken, either Popular or Modern Photography once referred to this lens as the sharpest zoom lens ever made ... "legendary".

Thank you so much for all the information and first hands experience, nice to know its a great performing lens, as mentioned by Uli I mostly shoot 6x6 for weddings, but on an occasion I like to have some fun with 35mm format. Again thanks all. Mike.