Vivitar 35-105 f3.2-4 / Tokina 35-105 f3.5-4.3

[FilmFrenzy]

Has anybody experience of either of these lenses?
Specs look very similar, both quite cheap and the focal range is perfectly adequate for what I need it for.

How good are they optically? (obviously not expecting them to be like a prime).
How comfortable have you found them to use?
Why did you sell or keep it?

[j37r]

I have never used either of the lenses your asking about but have used lenses close to them.

I have a Tokina 35-200 F3.5-4.5 in FD mount and that is a very good quality lens, compact but heavy, also have a Vivitar 28-200 in FD, not quite as good as the Tokina, but a useful lens to have.

The best of the 35-105 lenses has to be the Canon FD F3.5 constant two touch, I have all 3 to use on a T90, A1 or F1n, I tend to use the Canon most of all because of the superb image quality.

Your choice will depend on which camera you intend to use one of these lenses on, you will need an adapter of some sort, bear in mind that the FD versions will need an adapter that uses a glass element to maintain infinity focus, the non glass versions will only allow focusing to a number of metres from the camera.

Someone else may have used the lenses you are enquiring about and be able to give you more idea about which is more useful.

What camera are you intending to use it on?


John

[FilmFrenzy]

Thanks for the response.
A Minolta XD5. I have a basic set of Minolta primes 28mm, 50mm and 135mm as well as a 75-200 but was looking for a one lens solution for when I don't want to go equipped with a bag. 35-105 is perfect.

3rd party zooms are being given away and I was tempted to go with the Tokina, seemed really well put together and there are a smattering of sample images online (nice look but hard to telll quality when downsized) but in fact have been persuaded by the glowing online CV of the Minolta 35-70 3.5, again they seem to be almost given away.
If I go out with one lens it tends to be the 50mm so I will gain 35mm range on my current set-up even though losing 35mm off the potential set-up of the lenses I asked about.

[nimbus]

The third party zooms are largely cheap because they do not have mounts compatible with modern cameras and some are of very dubious optical quality. Even some marque lenses are nothing to write home about, indeed never were. For my money I would rather pay a little extra for a Minolta lens over a third party item, I did pick up a Minolta 35-70 for a friend at a bargain £5 a few years ago.

[FilmFrenzy]

The third party zooms are largely cheap because they do not have mounts compatible with modern cameras and some are of very dubious optical quality. Even some marque lenses are nothing to write home about, indeed never were. For my money I would rather pay a little extra for a Minolta lens over a third party item, I did pick up a Minolta 35-70 for a friend at a bargain £5 a few years ago.

And I was feeling good about £15 Very slight hint of a wobble on the zoom ring which should tighten when I track down my screwdrivers but optics look mint and everything else feels like quality.