Vivitar 28-85mm 3.5-4.5 Canon FD Mount Lens (USED)

Vivitar 28-85mm 3.5-4.5 Canon FD Mount Lens (USED)

Sure! Here’s an article on the Vivitar 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 Canon FD Mount Lens:

The Vivitar 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 Canon FD Mount Lens: A Versatile Classic for Manual Focus Enthusiasts

In the world of vintage lenses, the Vivitar 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 Canon FD Mount lens stands as a versatile and highly respected zoom lens. Launched in the 1970s during the height of Vivitar's reputation for producing high-quality, affordable optics, the Vivitar 28-85mm lens continues to attract photographers who appreciate its robust build, smooth manual controls, and excellent image quality for both professional and enthusiast use. Its compatibility with the Canon FD mount makes it an ideal choice for users of classic film and digital cameras with FD-to-EF or FD-to-mirrorless adapters.

Design and Build Quality

The Vivitar 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 lens is built with the durability expected from many manual-focus lenses of its era. It has a well-constructed metal body that, while a bit on the heavy side, gives the lens a premium feel and ensures long-lasting reliability. This is a common feature in lenses of the 1970s and 1980s, making it a desirable choice for those looking for a sturdy, well-built piece of equipment.

The lens features a relatively compact design for its focal length range, measuring around 70mm in length and 72mm in diameter, with a weight of approximately 480 grams. Its 55mm filter thread is also quite convenient, offering compatibility with many readily available filters.

The zoom ring and focus ring are both smooth and well-damped, offering tactile feedback during use. This makes it a joy to manually focus, particularly for those who enjoy the process of controlling every aspect of the shot. The aperture ring is clickless and features an easy-to-read scale with a wide aperture range from f/3.5 at the wide end to f/4.5 at 85mm. These characteristics make it easy for users to fine-tune settings without feeling rushed.

Optical Performance

One of the standout features of the Vivitar 28-85mm lens is its impressive optical performance, especially considering its affordable price point during its release. With a zoom range that starts at 28mm (wide-angle) and extends to 85mm (short telephoto), the lens offers excellent versatility for many types of photography, including landscapes, portraits, and street photography. The f/3.5-4.5 aperture, while not particularly fast, still provides plenty of flexibility in good lighting conditions, and the lens performs well in daylight and indoor settings.

The image quality is generally sharp across most of the zoom range, though, like many vintage zoom lenses, you may notice slight softening at the extreme ends of the focal range, especially when used at full aperture. Stopping down to f/5.6 or f/8 yields crisper results with improved sharpness across the frame. The lens also demonstrates good color rendering, with vivid, natural tones, and minimal chromatic aberration.

While not the most advanced lens by today's standards, the Vivitar 28-85mm offers a character and charm that makes it a favorite among film and manual-focus photography enthusiasts. The bokeh, for instance, is pleasant and creamy, especially when shooting at the longer focal lengths with the aperture wide open. This makes it ideal for portraiture, providing a smooth separation between the subject and background.

Usability and Versatility

The wide focal range (28mm to 85mm) offers significant flexibility, making the Vivitar 28-85mm a solid all-around lens for various photography needs. Whether you're shooting landscapes, portraits, or everyday snapshots, this lens offers enough versatility to cover most situations. The ability to go from a wide-angle 28mm shot to a mid-telephoto 85mm frame without switching lenses is a convenience that will appeal to photographers who prefer the simplicity of a single zoom lens.

As this lens is part of the Canon FD system, it is primarily designed for older film cameras and manual-focus use. However, the rise of digital mirrorless cameras and availability of FD-to-EF and FD-to-mirrorless adapters has allowed modern photographers to mount this lens on digital bodies, making it a fantastic tool for hybrid setups. Many users have reported positive results when pairing the Vivitar 28-85mm with mirrorless cameras, where manual focus is less of a challenge due to the focus peaking and magnification features these cameras offer.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Excellent build quality with a durable metal body.
• Versatile zoom range (28mm-85mm), perfect for travel, street, and portrait photography.
• Smooth manual focus and aperture rings, offering precise control.
• Good optical performance, especially at moderate apertures (f/5.6 and beyond).
• Affordable compared to other lenses in its focal range.
• Compact and lightweight for its class.

Cons:

• Aperture range (f/3.5-4.5) may be limiting in low-light situations.
• Some softness at the extreme focal lengths when used wide open.
• Chromatic aberration may be noticeable at times, especially in high-contrast scenes.
• Full manual focus, which may not suit every photographer, especially those accustomed to autofocus.

Conclusion

The Vivitar 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 Canon FD Mount Lens remains a beloved classic for photographers who appreciate manual control, solid construction, and versatile optical performance. Whether you're working with vintage film cameras or adapting it to modern mirrorless bodies, this lens offers a blend of nostalgia and practicality. While not the fastest lens in terms of aperture, its sharpness, pleasant bokeh, and wide focal range make it a great tool for a variety of shooting scenarios.

For those on the hunt for an affordable, reliable, and enjoyable manual-focus zoom lens, the Vivitar 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 Canon FD Mount lens remains an excellent choice that continues to deliver stunning images.