Darren, That's too low a price! I'd snap it up if I didn't already have a copy here somewhere. The quality is legendary for a Macro and the zoom makes it outstanding. It was one of the first lenses I lusted after some 20 years ago. Regards, Bob S.
On Thu, Oct 17, 2013 at 9:17 AM, Darren Addy <[email protected]> wrote: > I will be on the road tomorrow, so I hope you will permit me to post > this a day earlier than normal. The astrophotography bug is biting and > so I'm looking to purchase a lens that will perform on the other end > of the spectrum from this one and to pay for it I need to move a > couple of my better lenses, but this is a beauty. You already know > that LOOONG focal length macros are desirable for working distances. > (See the prices for the Pentax-A* 200mm macro, as an example). Here is > a macro that gives you 1:2 at 180mm (and the freedom to use other > focal lengths as well). The "Flat Field" means higher quality in the > corners than you are probably used to in ordinary macro lenses. > > This is one of the "cult classic" lenses that you rarely find in a > Pentax mount. This is a gorgeous copy of this lens and it it ready to > use on your Pentax DSLR. My only reason for selling this beauty (and > another scarce lens) is to pay for a high-dollar lens that I really > need more for astrophotography. > > The Cult Classics page has this to say about the Vivitar Series 1 > 90-180mm Flat Field: > > - - - beginning of quote - - - > > Vivitar 90-180mm f/4.5 Flat-Field Macro Lens > > Vivitar also made a number of high quality zooms under the Series I > label. The 90mm to 180mm > f4.5 flat-field VMC lens from 1978 is an optic that has also achieved > cult status > . > This Vivitar 90-180mm f/4.5 lens was really designed for medical > photography needs. A ring-light flash unit was designed to mount on > the front of this lens too. But as far as I know, it was never > released. This original medical market niche explainssome of the > design features and range of this high quality zoom lens. > > This lens is over 6 inches long, and pretty heavy at 2.3 pounds. At a > constant f/4.5, you aren't going to value it for its speed either. But > it produces excellent results in macro-work down to 1:4 at 90mm and to > 1:2 at its 180mm setting. On most modern zoom lenses, macro > photography settings are a lower quality setup. Achieving macro > capabilities means shifting some elements and so sacrificing some of > the zoom's control over spherical and other aberrations. > > Most current zooms only offer macro settings at either one end or the > other of their range. Generally, you would prefer macrophotography at > the longer end of the range, but most zooms opt for the easier macro > settings at the shorter end of the zoom's range. Only a few zooms > offer continuous macro-settings over their full range. Even the better > current zooms generally only get to 1:4 to 1:6 reproduction ratios > (.e., the object is one-fourt > h lifesize on film). The Vivitar 90-180mm f/4.5 Series I macro zoom is > designed to provide the highest possible > quality continuously down to its closest macro settings. The Vivitar > 90-180mm f/4.5 flat-field lens provides high quality macrophotography > continuously from 90mm (to 1:4) to 180mm (to 1:2). That's unique, and > useful, so you should expect to pay quite a price premium for such a > cult status lens! " > > - - - end of quote - - - > > Here is a set of images produced by this same model of lens: > http://www.flickr.com/photos/odderikgarcia/sets/72157606482781081/ > and here is another thread with images from the Vivitar Series 1 > 90-180mm Flat Field > http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=17707 > > This lens is in excellent cosmetic, optical and mechanical condition. > I will be happy to ship this lens WORLDWIDE to PDML members. > > This lens is virtually never seen in a PK mount, so here is your > chance to get a Pentaxian's rarity. Priced to sell at $399 plus actual > shipping. (See eBay for much higher prices in a much more common > mount, and you don't often find eBay sellers willing to ship > worldwide). > http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/280905685736?lpid=82 > Contact me for a shipping quote to your location (serious only, please). > > (Apologies for the wordiness, but I figured I would just copy and > paste what I plan on saying in my Pentax Forums Marketplace ad, to be > placed later today. Email me for photos, if interested.) > > Respectfully, > > Darren Addy > Kearney, Nebraska > > > -- > Nothing is sure but death and Pentaxes. > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
