David, I don't see any noticeable vignetting through my viewfinder at 105, at any distance (including close macro), with or without a filter. You may have a bad sample. You may also have a bad test -- try actually shooting some slides. First of all, my viewfinder is only 96%, so I may be missing some dark corners. Second, there is some vignetting inherent to the viewfinder/focus screen, which may be dependent on your exact angle of view. Only the slide test will tell you for sure, unless it is so bad that you must have a bad sample. FWIW, my first three rolls (all prints, so far) with this lens all look great, with no signs of any serious flaws. The zoom range, reasonable speed, small size and weight, and close focus ability make this an excellent "normal" lens for me. The only peculiarity is that the minimum focus distance is so close to the front of the lens that the hood (if I can ever get one!) may well block out the ambient light. Joel
