Let your beauty unfold

[RBSinTo]

This was a grabshot made a couple of weeks ago at a busy downtown intersection here in Toronto.
A young, attractive woman was waiting for her ride at the corner, and I noticed the tattoo across her upper back. I made a quick lens change and got one shot just as her ride arrived.
motorized Nikon FA
Vivitar 135 2.3 AI manual focus
Fuji 100 ISO colour slide
exposure about 2.3 @ 1/4000th

[Shadowman]

Nicely done.

[RBSinTo]

Thanks, John.
This shot and and "St. Michael looking down" were both taken with a lens described as a "forgotten gem": a Vivitar Series 1 135 f2.3.
I read about it on two other sites, and then found one at KEH at an exceptional price because it had a Nikon non-AI mount.
I had it AI'ed locally and have been fooling around with it for the last while.
I'm very happy with the image quality, and it cost at least half of what a Nikkor 135 f2.0 AIS goes for.
Robert

[rpcrowe]

Charming image.

BTW: The Vivitar Series I lenses I have seen were (are) pretty darn good. I used a Vivitar Series I, Pentax K-mount 90mm f/2.5 Macro which was very sharp and built like a tank. However, it did need an adapter (which came with the lens) to shoot between 1:2 imagery and 1:1.

I wonder if the quality differed with the manufacturer. Here are some of the manufacturers that Vivitar subcontracted their lenses to build. https://www.cameraquest.com/VivLensManuf.htm

[RBSinTo]

Thanks, Richard.
I checked and mine was made by Komine.
My understanding is that the Series 1 lenses were built to a high standard, and were essentially uniformly good regardless which manufacturer did the production.
Years ago, it seemed that everyone and his brother had a Vivitar 90 macro, because it was such a good lens. Many of my photobuds had them and were doing outstanding work with them.
I never used it because about 30 years ago I was fortunate enough to win a package at a film company bankruptcy auction that had among other lenses, a micro-Nikkor 105 f4 AI which I use to this day.
Another outstanding Series 1 lens is the 90~180 f4.5 flat field macro. Its image quality is said to be first-rate.

[FootLoose]

That ear is doing some heavy duty. Supporting a frame to hold the glassed on her face. A bridle through it to hold her head onto her neck. And a couple of rivets through it to hold it together!

[RBSinTo]

That ear is doing some heavy duty. Supporting a frame to hold the glassed on her face. A bridle through it to hold her head onto her neck. And a couple of rivets through it to hold it together!

Yes but to be fair, that ear has help because there is another one, just like it on the other side of her head.

[KimC]

Very cool shot Robert; I like it a lot.

[John 2]

Nicely seen and well captured Robert.

[RBSinTo]

Kim / John,
Glad you like it. Thanks for the kind words.
Robert