Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

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Archive 2009 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

Andrej Korenc
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p.1 #1 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

Hi,

Vivitar Telephoto 135mm f/1.5 Professional - ever heard of it? I'm currently selling it, but nonetheless; here are some samples made with it.

It's an extremely rare lens, which was produced in a very small batch of 30 pieces (some claim 300, but it's actually unknown, how many were made) in 1967, with a preset T-mount. I bought mine in Nikon F mount (yes, it does focus to infinity), but it can also be used with practically all other mounts (Canon EF and EF-S, Sony/Minolta, Pentax, 4/3 and M4/3 ...).
What's also interesting, is that mine carries a serial number of 19671001, which probably means it's the very first of it's kind.

Some info:

Picture angle: 18°
Number of diaphragm blades: 16
Minimum f/stop: 22
Closest focusing distance: 1.65m
Weight: 1.970g (2.170g with lens hood, tripod collar and rear bayonet cap)
Dimensions: 100 X 155mm
Lens hood: metal screw-in type, generic
Tripod collar: yes
Front filter diameter: 95mm

When I bought it, it was in a pretty bad shape; lot's of scratches, fungus and dust inside, so I decided to get it refurbished. Two technicians at Fotomehanika camera services in Slovenia took it apart in March this year, cleaned it, polished a few lens element inside and voila - I was given back a really nicely done piece of glass.

All images I'm about to post, are shot at f/1.5 using my D3; uncropped, just boosted contrast a bit. The D3 doesn't have an f/1.5 option for 135mm lenses in it's "Non-CPU lens data" menu, so as far as my D3 is concerned, these images were shot at f/1.4 ...

And don't we all wish for a 135/1,4 lens ...

2012 © Andrej Korenc

Edited on Oct 14, 2009 at 12:20 PM · View previous versions

Oct 14, 2009 at 12:04 PM

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p.1 #2 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

OMG, these look great. Man, i have never heard of this thing.

Oct 14, 2009 at 12:07 PM

Andrej Korenc
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p.1 #3 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

Optically it's not a bad performer, actually it's quite good. It's better at close distances than towards infinity, but that's maybe just a feeling of mine, because ... well, just don't get me started about shallow DOF! Yup, it's hard to nail the focus ... The lens' focusing ring turns about 340°, which in combination with live view helps a lot, but I still need to be very precise.
And the bokeh ... 16 aperture blades really do their job!

2012 © Andrej Korenc

Oct 14, 2009 at 12:13 PM

Andrej Korenc
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p.1 #4 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

Mounted on my D3 ...:

2012 © Andrej Korenc

Oct 14, 2009 at 12:21 PM

yukselserdar
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p.1 #5 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

uhh i really like the oof areas and bokeh seems nice as well.
No money left, otherwise i would have asked for the price

Oct 14, 2009 at 12:45 PM

eSchwab
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p.1 #6 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

Insane, that portrait is crazy. It makes the 85 1.4 look like a consumer lens. How much?

Oct 14, 2009 at 12:50 PM

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p.1 #7 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

FWIW, the number of blades has nothing to do with how the bokeh looks when the lens is wide open

Oct 14, 2009 at 01:01 PM

TWoK
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p.1 #8 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

Wow, this is amazing!

Oct 14, 2009 at 01:17 PM

loggerhead
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p.1 #9 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

Add me to the list of droolers...looks like a terrific old MF lens!

Oct 14, 2009 at 01:20 PM

AGeoJO
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p.1 #10 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

Eric Schwab wrote:
Insane, that portrait is crazy. It makes the 85 1.4 look like a consumer lens. How much?

I never knew that there is an f/1.5 aperture of this focal length and wow, look at the diaphragm. Really cool. At f/1.8, the Sony/Zeiss lens came close.... BTW, it is listed on the B&S board for $1,500.00. Sorry, the price is Euro 1,500.00 and not US $.

Edited to reflect the wrong currency in the original post

Edited on Oct 14, 2009 at 02:56 PM · View previous versions

Oct 14, 2009 at 01:28 PM

Yakim Peled
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p.1 #11 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

2Kg. 135mm lens? Mama mia. What a beast.

Happy shooting,
Yakim.

Oct 14, 2009 at 01:56 PM

plastic_lens
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p.1 #12 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

More alternate gear but thought I'd post here since we're talking about fast 135mm lenses, I recently got a Soilgor C/D *P 135/2 in Minolta mount. It's on my X-570. This is also a very nice lens, and its sharpness at f2 is more than I ever expected, based on my first roll of Provia.

It can be a challenge to handhold on the small Minolta body, but easier with a motor drive. The Soligor has a more manageable 77mm filter mount. My sample came with both caps in near mint condition for $75

Oct 14, 2009 at 02:41 PM

cgiff
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p.1 #13 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

Yeah, this is very cool. If you have any more sample images I'm sure we'd all be happy to see them!
I can't remember the last time I so readily thought about dropping ~$2k out of no where.

Oct 14, 2009 at 06:23 PM

Jammy Straub
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p.1 #14 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

That's a beautiful hunk of glass. I'm sure some collector or museum would love to have it, bonus that the image are very very nice as well

Oct 14, 2009 at 06:45 PM

Peter F
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p.1 #15 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

wow .. hmm i was looking for a 135mm f/2.0 Ai-S, this could be a nice alternative

beautiful piece of glass

Oct 14, 2009 at 09:17 PM

kris3d
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p.1 #16 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

Hello, wants to buy it
is perhaps to sell this lens willing to pile it, my e-mail amok3d@o2.pl

Nov 14, 2009 at 04:40 PM

oobie
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p.1 #17 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

No nano coating, and it still takes good pics? I don't believe it...

Nov 14, 2009 at 09:44 PM

williamkazak
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p.1 #18 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

Really nice pics. What a pleasure to read about a rare treasure of a lens like this.
The phrase "Fast glass" comes to mind. I recall reading that phrase and now I see why fast glass is so treasured even with the increased difficulities.

Edited on Jul 10, 2010 at 12:52 PM · View previous versions

Nov 14, 2009 at 10:09 PM

T.Lee
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p.1 #19 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

Thats a huge lens.. would swallow one of the smaller dslr's

Nov 15, 2009 at 10:54 PM

SAng
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p.1 #20 · Vivitar 135mm f/1.5 + Nikon D3 samples!

It having 16 aperture blades and all, reminds of this lens: Cosmicar (Pentax) 135 2.8 Television lens supposedly made for movie cameras.

A buddy of mine recently got hold of one of those, and the images looked sharp with really nice bokeh - although at f2.8 obviously a far cry from this one.

These shots really look fantastic.

Nov 16, 2009 at 04:26 AM

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