Talk:Vivitar

Vivitar Lens Families

This list was started with information gathered on the Manual Focus Lens forum. Once the list seems stable and complete, it should be incorporated into the main page.

• P&B example
• P&B Vivitar example
• Vivitar Professional example
• Vivitar
  • Chrome Nose family (ca 1968-70?) example
    • (Chrome Nose lenses have pre-standarized serial numbers but are believed to have been made by Kino)
  • Bright Band family (ca 1970?) example
    • (Bright Band lenses have 22xxx SNs and were made by Kino - these are basically a later model of chrome nose)
  • Auto T-4 family (ca 1969) 1969 Camera 35 ad for family
    • longitudinally ribbed focus ring with chromed strips at top and bottom
    • has the L <-> O selector at base to swap mount adapters
    • same lenses as Soligor T-4 line (only badging is different)
    • 28mm f/2.8
    • 35mm f/2.8
    • 135mm f/2.8
    • 135mm f/3.5
    • 200mm f/3.5
    • 300mm f/5.5
  • SMS family (all seem to have diagonal diamond pattern on rubber focus ring)
    • Vivitar SMS 28mm f/2.8 Close Focus Wide Angle, 49mm filter, sn 26405205
    • Vivitar SMS 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 MC Macro Focusing Zoom, 62mm filter
    • Vivitar SMS 70-210mm f/4.5 MC Macro Focusing Zoom, 52mm filter, sn 77317510, 77316676
    • Vivitar SMS 75-210mm f/4.5 MC Macro Focusing Zoom, 52mm filter, sn 77602760
    • Vivitar SMS 75-300mm f/4.5-5 MC Macro Focusing Zoom, 58mm filter, sn 77502874
    • Vivitar SMS 80-200mm f/4.5 MC Macro Focusing Zoom, 55mm filter, sn 77203775, 77200615
  • 2 window preset family (ca 1975?) example
  • TX Lens System family (ca 1976-80?) (lens listing from PopSci May 1976 vivitar ad, page 43)
    • all black with knurled rubber focus ring bands
    • has the L <-> O selector at base to swap mount adapters
    • 28mm f/2.5
    • 35mm f/2.5
    • 135mm f/2.5
    • 200mm f/3.5
    • 300mm f/5.6
    • 400mm f/5.6
    • 75-260mm f/4.5
    • 90-230mm f/4.5
  • Last generation fixed mounts (ca 1978-80+?) as listed in Wolf's 1980 book
  • 5xxxx preset family (date? info? example?)
  • 6xxxx preset family (date? info? example?)
  • 7xxxx preset family (date? info? example?)
  • Pyramid preset family (date? info?) example example
    • Vivitar Wide-Angle 28mm f/2.5 sn#ss051368
    • Vivitar 28mm f/2.8 sn#63903
  • Vivitar Telephoto T-Mount Two ring family (18 blade iris, two aperture rings, one to set, one to preview)
    • 85mm f/1.8 (Vivitar Telephoto?)
    • 135mm f/2.8 - I have a copy (Vivitar Telephoto)
  • Tele Vivitar T-Mount Two ring family (18 blade iris, two aperture rings, one to set, one to preview)
    • 85mm f/1.8 (Tele Vivitar)
    • 135mm f/3.5 (Tele Vivitar)
    • 200mm f/3.5 (Tele Vivitar)
    • 300mm f/5.6 (Tele Vivitar)
• Vivitar Series 1 (ca 1978+) example

Other Lens Types

RL Edition example (common wisdom online suggests RL lenses were identical to non-RL but came with an extended 7 year warranty. So any given lens might come in both a "normal" or RL edition but RL is not a separate family of lenses. (it's claimed that SMS stands for Special Marketing System and that SMS series lenses are just extended warranty lenses too like the RL labelled lenses. But so far, the evidence suggest the SMS lenses were at least cosmetically different from any other known Vivitar family)

In the Vivitar book by John C. Wolf. Vivitar themselves divided their lenses into three primary groupings: Series 1, TX, and Fixed Mount.

Misc Vivitar Notes

Vivitar trademark filing

• Serial number: 72228273
• Registration number: 0808478
• Primary Vivitar Trademark
• A declined Vivitar Trademark application

Known facility locations for Vivitar

• Ponder & Best, 814 N. Cole Ave. Hollywood (Los Angeles), Ca US
  • Address when they filed the Vivitar trademark, Sep 21, 1965
• Vivitar Corp. import/export facility post-earthquake: 20480 East Business Parkway, City of Industry, Ca 91789 US

Popular Science:

• Review of Vivitar 85-205mm f/3.8 close focusing zoom
• Brief reviews of Several Series 1 lenses
• Story of Series 1 development with release dates for a couple of lenses
• Review of Series 1 200mm auto focus
• review of Series 1 450mm cat with plastic element
• mention of series 1 600mm cat and series 1 35-85mm
• 1973 70-210mm f/3.5 zoom
• 120-600mm f/5.6 zoom
• Vivitar Profession 135mm f/1.5!