Here's why you should try out even the worst lens before you decide to ditch it

My collection of lenses grows each month. I’ve recently accepted the fact that I didn’t buy a big enough cabinet to store them all. In an attempt to free up some room I decided to conduct a culling. In the process of getting exceptional lenses, sometimes I have to buy a batch in order to get the one I’m after. Recently, I bought such a box which had one lens I wanted and the rest were all “bonus” junk. One of these freebies was an old Minolta SR mount Vivitar 80-200mm f/4.5. This lens is a one-touch, push-pull style zoom; slide the fat ring of the lens to adjust the focal length and to adjust focus you simply rotate the same ring. The lens’ ring is about as a tight as a 30 year old sock. With even the slightest tilt it sloppily slides forward or backward. There is a term for this condition which is called ‘lens creep’. Usually lens creep just means that the heavy front barrel of a zoom lens slowly drifts forward or backward, depending on which way it’s angled. Mmyeah… on this lens, the zoom ring itself “creeps” about as smooth and quiet as a bowling bowl thrown down a flight of stairs.

This worn out 3rd-party zoom lens wasn’t about to take up any of the much-needed space in my lens cabinet. I was about to just pitch it in the trash to make room for a proper lens when I decided I might as well hook it up to my camera and least have a good laugh at its failings.

Please, take a look below to see just how pathetic this lens really is:

Sony A7RII w/ Vivitar 80-200mm f/4.5 (Minolta SR mount)

It’s a total piece of junk right? WHAT?! Are these images coming out of this lens?!?! I shot all of these wide-open at f/4.5. This lens has amazingly smooth bokeh, the colors are fantastic, and the center of the frame is as sharp as a prime lens. What on earth is going on here? This was supposed to be an old junker lens. I guess the old adage holds the same truth in lenses: you can’t judge a book/lens by its cover.

I’ll not be throwing this lens away. In fact, I plan on overhauling it to bring it back into good working condition. Perhaps another post is in order after that happens.

About the author

Tom Leonard is a photographer, engineer, traveler, and explorer. And above all, he’s a dad to ten wonderful children. He is exploring the world 30 days at a time, and you can follow his adventures and check out his photos on his blog. This article was also published here and shared with permission.

stewart norton

I found a lens that looks exactly the same as that and same specs but under a different name ( some research showed that it was sold under a few brand names) in a charity shop for £10. Didn’t hold out much hope but i was wrong. I am amazed at the quality of this lens. Great sharpness and lovely contrast and the bonus of it working with the focus indicator. Manual focus means i wont be shooting any sports with it but for portraits or anything not moving it is superb ! Once in a lifetime find ?
newworld666

Yes it’s just pathetic !!!

I don’t know if it’s the lens or the body .. but colours are just terrific … where those reds are comming from?
https://www.diyphotography.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/old-lenses-3.jpg.optimal.jpg
And the fluorescent green grass around the ball .. is almost pathetic too !

I can’t imaging a photo like that can be produce on a modern fullframe..
- Clement RENAUT
  
  Get your monitor calibrated ;)
  - newworld666
    
    A good Dell 4K 32″ 3214Q perfectly calibrated every month with i1profiler …
    I never get flashy roses this..
    https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-TM7Hsqf/0/O/i-TM7Hsqf.jpg
    I am happy for you to love such flashy colours … like many other people owning A7RII or similar.
pincherio

Slap a speed booster on that sucker. Pronto.
Michele M. Ferrario

Maybe Tom Leonard is better if you educate yourself for the concept of “good” if a dull, no contrast, no detail, Instagram look is ok i have some quastion.
孟恬

I have this one, too. But I need to learn how to clean it…
Nelly Zagloba Van Cleeff

Perceived obsolescence
KC

I used that lens way back. I thought it was quite good. Combining the zoom and focus was a bit revolutionary at the time. And, yes, pointing down would shift the ring. It’s not worn out – they did that right out of the box. It’s a heavy lens (many were) so you end up holding the lens, not the camera body. Your hand ends up being “a brake”.

Vivitar has quite a history going back to 1938 under Ponder & Best: http://www.vivitar.com/p/about-us
Shachar Weis

I happen to have that exact lens and it’s really bad.
Bluemachine

Back in the day (pre-digital), Vivitar produced several great lenses that were especially prized for their sharp optics (not so much their barrel construction). This lens is one of them. Another is any “Series 1” lens with big series 1 stamp on the barrel.
Jyi Offer

Some of the old lenses are actually better than new depending on the look you’re after (no coatings etc)
But I’d be keen to see a how-to on refurbing one