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28-200mm F3.5-5.3 Vivitar Macro Focusing Issue
  • @sammy @LaserGuidedTaco

    A few of us have purchased this lens from the 'hidden gems among lenses' thread recommendation. I read the reviews of having focusing problems. It seems that the macro function is stuck on. I just received mine today, and my lens cannot focus as well. Any insight on this subject or lens would be helpful. It is the canon fd mount version.

    1. I am using a fotga adapter, and I've also tried the fotodiox adapter for fd mounts.

    2. To use the macro function you must slide it to 200mm and turn to the left. There doesn't seem to be any locking or engaging. You must then turn it all the way to the right to slide back to anything under 200mm. When back to anything lower, it will still focus but everything is blurry.

    I can take pictures if anyone needs more information. Looking to solve this issue so we can all use the lens. Thanks!

  • 15 Replies sorted by
  • I think it is just some damage.

    Try to remove rubber and see how lens moves, may be something is stuck and prevents proper movement.

    Some old push-pull lenses have small pins broke so during movement elements do not move properly.

  • Interesting, I'm going to play with it today to see if anything happens. Also, I'll try visiting the local camera shop to see if they know anything about it. Thanks.

    I tried twisting it, and it seems there is a pin or a screw that prevents it from focusing. It only allows a small turn both ways.

  • Same thing as @disluke ..no luck either

  • From what I've gathered so far, it seems like a pin is holding the lens back from focusing correctly. I'm not versed in lens repair so it looks like I'm going to have to return it. Otherwise this lens might be incorrect for these fd lens mount adapters in some way.

  • Bought it from ebay for about $140.(shipping+customs including ) Very happy with the purchase. Looks clean and performance is very good.Thanks for the recommendation.

  • Bought it from ebay for about $140

    Hmm :-) In the time I bought it it was about $20 (plus some shipping) :-)

  • I had to return mine because I couldn't figure out the issue, but I too bought mine for around $30.

  • $140 is alot!!!!!! I guess I didn't have customs to deal with. They were $40-$60 when I was looking for one.

  • My cost was $60+40 Shipping.The seller forgot to add a declaration and I had to pay additional $40 as customs duty.That unfortunately raised it to 140. Since I could not return it on the quality count,I decided to keep it. May be its bit expensive,due to a pardonable human error. It's Sharp and in almost new condition.Happy that it was not a lemon !!!

  • @bunuelll

    Do not worry, it is very useful lens. As added bonus, it can serve as good weapon, just remove from the camera :-)

  • Can you suggest a macro extension tube for this ? I use the Fotodiox MD adapter on my gh2. I find the 1:4 macro bit restrictive. Can I go a little closer ? Now the closest distance between the lens front to object in sharp focus is about 38 inches. (Object area covered is 3.5" (W) X 2" H. I did not find any discussion on this subject about this lens. I thought I will ask you. Specifications,brand name...anything. Thanks in advance.

  • OOps.... That was silly of me. Got carried away.

  • @sammy @LaserGuidedTaco @daisuke do all of you guys tried to mount it on GH2 camera?

  • I just got the Minolta MD version of this lens on eBay (already had some Rokkors and an adapter) and I had a similar problem on my G6 with an adapter ring. I couldn't focus on anything closer than about 35ft (10m) except at 200mm where the lens lets you use the whole focus range in the Macro mode. I read the user manual and this focus range seems to be available only at 200m by design. But for some reason, at least with my MC/MD adapter, it seems to be necessary with m4/3 to focus on anything reasonably close.

    Also, it was nowhere near parfocal - at 200mm it focused to infinity at around the 2.5m mark :/, and at 28mm it just barely focused on trees across the street at the infinity symbol.

    So I took the thing apart to see what I could learn, and I made some serious improvements with only basic modifications:

    • If you remove the four screws around the inner barrel (with the focal length markings and curves on it), rotate it 90 degrees so the focal length markings are on top by the aperture dot instead of on the side (curves are on right side now) and replace the screws, then you can use the whole range of focus at any focal length throughout the zoom range. Suddenly I could focus as close at 6ft away!

    • I slid the inner barrel down and took the lens mount off and my copy seems to have a crooked, mis-seated metal ring inside that seems like it was screwed on cross-threaded and won't budge now. But when I put it back together, I tried to at least set everything up and screw it back in so it was level rather than tilted with the cooked ring, and that seems to have made the lens nearly parfocal, as advertised.

      • careful if you do this - screws are small and have weird oval washers the likes of which I've never seen before and are a little annoying to put back in. Short screws in photo hold the lens mount assembly on, long ones hole the inner barrel in place.

    So now its a useful lens. Wondering if my MD adapter's distance from the sensor is a little off though, which would also explain why my Rokkors have a longer minimum focus distance than I thought they should…

    remove screws and rotate barrel.jpg
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    barrel rotated.jpg
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    crooked ring.jpg
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    screws and oval washers.jpg
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