What sort of Vivitar Series 1 is This??

s162216

s162216

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Samuel
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Hi,

I am trying to get one of the original Kiron made Vivitar series 1 70 -210mm lens in M42 mount. I just missed one on Ebay last night but hopefully it might be relisted as no one brought it.

I noticed another one today, it seemed like what I wanted, but I am a bit suspicious as it looks nothing like a Kiron verison as the zoom markings a very different and the serial number makes it look like its made by Kommie. When I looked at the blury picture of the instructions though, it looks like a Kiron one though as it has the 1:2.2 mag ratio and the accessory ring is 67mm, you can see what I mean if you zoom in on the picture below and read it carefully.



If you look at the logo on the box and the logo on the lens cap of a version 4 by Cosina in the link at the bottom of the post they look the same? But the version 4 was f2.8 - 4 not f3.5 like on the lens.







Heres a known Kiron lens for comparison, it looks nothing like the one above:



Heres a page that has all the 5 main versions, none as far as I know after these were made in M42 mount

http://www.robertstech.com/vivitar.htm

Anhyone have any idea which version it is?
 
The box and lens are different, as evidenced by the focal lenth differing from the lens ring '200mm' and the box '210mm'

I sold lots of lenses in the 70's and cannot rember and series one vivitar having a metal lens barrell grip they were all rubber.

Looking at the depth of field markings I would say it is not a zoom but a fixed focal lenth , my best guess would be 200mm f3.5

I think that it is an early version of this :-

http://michaelmcbroom.com/vivitar200mm.jpg

Later versions had green writing !!
 
Found it :-

Here

A very early 200 f3.5 Vivitar ( rubber grips were standerd an later lenses) and of course series 1 lenses were all zooms not fixee focal lenths

I would say made around 1975-1976, mono coated ( glass/air ) worth a punt at 20 quid i would say
 
Thats really annoying as I really want one of the original Vivitar series 1 by Kiron in 70 - 210. I never seem to have any luck with zooms, with my first one, a cheap but in very good condition, an M42 mount, Hannimex 80 - 200, the screws holding the mount to the lens body broke off in the middle of a field. The screw holes don't actually have any thread, its stripped away.

For Christmas I got given a Vivitar branded 85 - 205mm M42 mount zoom by my parents that I had noticed on Ebay and someone got for me. The lens was supposed to be in excellent condition with clean optics and it came with the box, instructions everything from 1975 but on one of the elements it was covered in fungus. I am now having to get them to send it back so they can get their money back.

I looked around and heard that the original Vivitar Series 1 lenses by Kiron were mean't to be very good and I so almost got one, but just as I went to buy it now, the bloody Internet crashed and by the time I had got it back the ebay auction had ended. M42 mount versions of it are so rare I later found out, I searched all over the world for one on Ebay but now can't find one for a reasonable price (i.e under £60). Found 100's of Cannon and Minolta mount ones but very few M42's.
 
That Series 1 70-210 was a sensation when it was launched. Very well made and surely it is still a pretty good today. I can understand why you want one :love:

I would say you would also benefit from a better camera than your old Zenith which was never cutting edge technology. An old tractor compared to the Japenese Ferraris, if you'll excuse the mixed metaphors.

You should be able to pick up cheaply a Canon AE-1, or AE-1P, Pentax ME Super or Olympus OM-10 from about the same era and benefit from their advanced technololy, particularly a brighter viewfinder and auto-expsoure control. They can be had for modest money these days and you can probably get a Series 1 lens to fit quite easily. M42 mount was going out even at that time, hence the shortage.

HTH :)
 
The one to go for is this

The tamron 80-210 was fantasitc it was £99 + mount at £12 ( 30+years ago) go for the model with the external lens hood it was realy realy good ;)
 
HoppyUK said:
That Series 1 70-210 was a sensation when it was launched. Very well made and surely it is still a pretty good today. I can understand why you want one :love:

I would say you would also benefit from a better camera than your old Zenith which was never cutting edge technology. An old tractor compared to the Japenese Ferraris, if you'll excuse the mixed metaphors.

You should be able to pick up cheaply a Canon AE-1, or AE-1P, Pentax ME Super or Olympus OM-10 from about the same era and benefit from their advanced technololy, particularly a brighter viewfinder and auto-expsoure control. They can be had for modest money these days and you can probably get a Series 1 lens to fit quite easily. M42 mount was going out even at that time, hence the shortage.

HTH :)
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My dad has an ME-Super, although its a very nice camera, I always find that I like my Zenit as you have to do some thinking - i.e you have to measure the light etc, nothing is automated. The other reason is that if I get a camera with a different mount then all my teleconverters, extension tubes etc will not be compatible and I do a lot of macro. Obviously I could use an M42 adapter but then I would have to use them on manual aperture setting and its ok to focus if you have it fully open using the auto setting but when you switch to manual it knocks it off focus.

Theres a very nice Pentax Program-A ending tonight though with a 50mm lens that I think is f1.4 as it says it has the standard pentax lens. I might get it as its going for a good price.

Been looking around though and there are not many series 1 vivitars in K mount either.
 
Holden Caulfield said:
This is a bargain for the '103' version

Pound for pound better than the series 1 vivitar IMHO
Click to expand...

That's not a Vivitar Series 1 though is it? Not a classic. Not a legend.

s162216 said:
My dad has an ME-Super, although its a very nice camera, I always find that I like my Zenit as you have to do some thinking - i.e you have to measure the light etc, nothing is automated. The other reason is that if I get a camera with a different mount then all my teleconverters, extension tubes etc will not be compatible and I do a lot of macro. Obviously I could use an M42 adapter but then I would have to use them on manual aperture setting and its ok to focus if you have it fully open using the auto setting but when you switch to manual it knocks it off focus.

Theres a very nice Pentax Program-A ending tonight though with a 50mm lens that I think is f1.4 as it says it has the standard pentax lens. I might get it as its going for a good price.

Been looking around though and there are not many series 1 vivitars in K mount either.
Click to expand...

Makes sense :thumbs:
 
That's not a Vivitar Series 1 though is it? Not a classic. Not a legend
Click to expand...

I don't know where this idea that vivitar series one lenses are 'classic' or 'legend'

I worked in the phototrade for 30 years and I have to tell you that most of the hyperbole that surrounds equipment was generated by journalists who got freebies (alledgedly).

What I do know was that the Tamron 80-210 trounced it's more expensive SP brother and gave any series one lens a damm good run for the money.

Second thoughts , you crack on and look for a series one I might buy the Tamron ;)
 
It was an instant legend in 1974, the first of several Vivitar Series Ones that were revolutionary in terms of spec, performance and price for their time. The L lenses of their day.

I was one of those journalists that raved about it, but sadly no freebies ;)
 
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