Kiron 28-85mm f2.8-3.5. Any thoughts?

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ha917

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I've been reading TP for a while but haven't really posted much, thanks for being so informative though!

So, I have just bought a Kiron 28-85mm f2.8-3.5 Canon FD lens. My only other manual focus lens is the 50mm f1.8 so I don't have much experience of them. I just wanted to know your thoughts on it before it arrives in the post. Is it any good? Have there been any noted problems with it or am I going to have a blast using it?

Many thanks!
 
ha917 said:
I've been reading TP for a while but haven't really posted much, thanks for being so informative though!

So, I have just bought a Kiron 28-85mm f2.8-3.5 Canon FD lens. My only other manual focus lens is the 50mm f1.8 so I don't have much experience of them. I just wanted to know your thoughts on it before it arrives in the post. Is it any good? Have there been any noted problems with it or am I going to have a blast using it?

Many thanks!
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The KironKid says "It's a good lens"...whose the Kironkid? well he pops up on many sites and is an authority on lenses made by Kiron.
 
Kiron lenses are usually of excellent quality but I've got no experience of that particular lens so I can't comment. Just have a go with it and see how it is.
 
Thanks guys. I hadn't heard of Kiron before today. I will have to wait and see, I don't think it will arrive until early next week.

I will give the KironKid a look and see what he says about it now.
 
From your link "28-85 was probably best lens I have had. Lost it to a case of fungus."

That's promising. I'm hoping there will be no fungus in the one I've got. Its surprising that when I googled the lens and looked at images, only a few came up, same on Flikr.
 
I had a Vivitar Series 1 (Made by Kiron) 28-90mm f2.8-3.5 and it was a superb lens for colour and sharpness, BUT it was very prone to aperture ghosting and colour fringing in OOF areas, especially wide open. It was a very solid thing, weighed a ton, close focus was very good at the wide end but it was varifocal in design so at the long end it was something a bit lame like 1.5m.
 
Kiron is also one of the 3 best manufacturers of Vivitar legacy lenses (Kiron/Komine/Tokina). The 105mm f2.8 macro branded Kiron/Vivitar/Lester Dine is one of the most sought after macro lenses around at the minute (vivitar lenses with a serial number beginning with 22 are Kiron made).

Should be a good lens in the right circumstances
 
It looks as if my shot in the dark lens buying may have been a spot of good luck! Thanks for the encouraging comments.

I will put some photos up as soon as I can, probably some time next week.
 
ha917 said:
It looks as if my shot in the dark lens buying may have been a spot of good luck! Thanks for the encouraging comments.

I will put some photos up as soon as I can, probably some time next week.
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The Kiron Kid has popped up again, if you want to ask him a question:-
http://www.apug.org/forums/forum52/...gh-quality-mf-zoom-replace-my-35-105-a-2.html

Anyway it's best to test the lens yourself as people forget that there is manufacturing tolerances and lenses can differ.
 
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