Difference between revisions of "Vivitar Professional 180mm f/2.8"

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The Vivitar Professional 180mm f/2.8 lens is a rare telephoto lens marketed by Ponder & Best.
 
 
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=Description=
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The '''Vivitar Professional 180mm f/2.8''' lens is a rare telephoto lens prototype made for Ponder & Best. The "Vivitar Professional" name was only applied to a few, rare lenses distributed by [[Vivitar|Ponder & Best (later Vivitar)]]. The most well known example is the [[Vivitar Professional 135mm f/1.5]], which was initially developed for a government customer, then marketed and sold to the public in small numbers. The 180mm f/2.8 is even more rare. It is not known how many of this model lens existed but it was never advertised or sold. Only one example of the Vivitar Professional 180mm f/2.8 is documented (see photos on this page). The serial number is 1000002, suggesting that at least one other copy existed. The date of manufacture is unknown, as is the identify of the manufacturer; however, the lens is marked "Made in Japan". The known example was obtained in 2011 from a Mister Money pawn shop in Caper, WY<ref>Mister Money, Store 28, Caper, WY</ref> and was attached to a Honeywell [[Spotmatic]] SP camera. The store owner had no record of who pawned the equipment or when and considered the lens of inconsequential value compared to the camera.
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Vivitar Professional badging was only used for a few, rare lenses marketed by [[Vivitar|Ponder & Best (aka Vivitar)]]. This badge follows the P&B Vivitar badged lenses and precedes the more common Vivitar branding. It is unknown how many of this model lens were produced. Only one example of the Vivitar Professional 180mm f/2.8 is known. The serial number is 1000002, suggesting at least one other copy existed. The date of manufacture is unknown as is the identify of the manufacturer, however the lens is marked "Made in Japan".
 
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=Specifications=
 
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* Badging: Vivitar Professional
 
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* Manufacturer: Unknown
 
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* Manufacture date: Unknown
 
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* Focal Length: 180mm
 
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* Aperture Range: f/2.8 - f/32
 
−
* Iris blades: 8
 
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* Filter diameter: 86mm
 
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* Minimum Focus: 1.38 meters (6 feet)
 
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* Mounts: M42 screw mount
 
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* Elements: unknown
 
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* Groups: unknown
 
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* Weight: 1,408 g (3lbs 1.7oz)
 
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* Accessories: tripod mounting ring and retractable hood
 
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* Known serial numbers: 1000002
 
  
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=Photos=
+
It was not unusual for Ponder and Best to receive prototype or pre-production lenses from their Japanese manufacturers. Bill Swinyard, Product Manager at Ponder and Best from 1968-1971, explains:
 +
<blockquote>
 +
''Pre-production samples or one-off designs were often lent to magazine editors and local photo pro's (e.g., Gordon Chittendon, freelance photog for Road & Track magazine) and we rarely got them back. The editors considered it a perk of their position. I personally often would take a new product sample over to Hollywood Boulevard -- there were always dozens of semi-pro street photographers there -- and ask them to preview the lens for me. These lenses didn't make it past prototype or pre-production versions because (1) they were of poor quality, (2) their US-landed cost would be too high to find a market (Vivitar was an amateur brand; most pro's scoffed at it), or (3) there wasn't a reasonable position in our product line for it. One great lens doesn't make a new product line; and we sold lens lines, not just lenses. That's what our US dealers wanted.''<ref>personal correspondence between Bill Swinyard and Steve Rainwater, 17 Feb, 2012</ref>
 +
</blockquote>
 +
 
 +
The Vivitar Professional 180mm f/2.8 appears to be a case where the cost would have been too high and, unlike the 135mm f/1.5, there was no government customer to justify production.
 +
 
 +
==Specifications==
 +
{{lens_spec
 +
|badge=Vivitar Professional
 +
|manufacturer=
 +
|manufacture_date=
 +
|focal_length_range=180mm
 +
|aperture_range=f/2.8 - f/32
 +
|diaphragm_type= Preset /Automatic (selectable)
 +
|diaphragm_blades=8
 +
|filter_diameter=86mm
 +
|minimum_focus=1.38 meters (6 feet)
 +
|mounts=M42
 +
|elements=
 +
|groups=
 +
|weight=1,408 g (3lbs 1.7oz)
 +
|accessories=tripod mounting ring and retractable hood
 +
|example_serial_numbers=1000002
 +
|stock_number=
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
==Photos==
 
  {{Flickr_image
 
  {{Flickr_image
 
  |image_source=http://www.flickr.com/photos/steevithak/6043663648/in/pool-camerawiki
 
  |image_source=http://www.flickr.com/photos/steevithak/6043663648/in/pool-camerawiki
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<br style="clear: both" />
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=Links=
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==References==
 +
<references />
 +
 
 +
==Links==
 
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/steevithak/sets/72157627309803137/detail/ Vivitar Professional 180mm f/2.8 lens, a flickr gallery: photos of the lens and taken with the lens.]
 
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/steevithak/sets/72157627309803137/detail/ Vivitar Professional 180mm f/2.8 lens, a flickr gallery: photos of the lens and taken with the lens.]
 
* [http://forum.mflenses.com/vivitar-professional-180mm-f2-8-t42005.html Manual Focus Lens Forum: Vivitar Professional 180mm f/2.8]
 
* [http://forum.mflenses.com/vivitar-professional-180mm-f2-8-t42005.html Manual Focus Lens Forum: Vivitar Professional 180mm f/2.8]
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[[Category:Japanese lenses]]
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[[Category:Vivitar]]

Latest revision as of 05:18, 19 June 2017

6043663648_c7d72f6577.jpg
Vivitar Professional 180mm f/2.8 lens
image by steevithak (Image rights)

The Vivitar Professional 180mm f/2.8 lens is a rare telephoto lens prototype made for Ponder & Best. The "Vivitar Professional" name was only applied to a few, rare lenses distributed by Ponder & Best (later Vivitar). The most well known example is the Vivitar Professional 135mm f/1.5, which was initially developed for a government customer, then marketed and sold to the public in small numbers. The 180mm f/2.8 is even more rare. It is not known how many of this model lens existed but it was never advertised or sold. Only one example of the Vivitar Professional 180mm f/2.8 is documented (see photos on this page). The serial number is 1000002, suggesting that at least one other copy existed. The date of manufacture is unknown, as is the identify of the manufacturer; however, the lens is marked "Made in Japan". The known example was obtained in 2011 from a Mister Money pawn shop in Caper, WY[1] and was attached to a Honeywell Spotmatic SP camera. The store owner had no record of who pawned the equipment or when and considered the lens of inconsequential value compared to the camera.

It was not unusual for Ponder and Best to receive prototype or pre-production lenses from their Japanese manufacturers. Bill Swinyard, Product Manager at Ponder and Best from 1968-1971, explains:

Pre-production samples or one-off designs were often lent to magazine editors and local photo pro's (e.g., Gordon Chittendon, freelance photog for Road & Track magazine) and we rarely got them back. The editors considered it a perk of their position. I personally often would take a new product sample over to Hollywood Boulevard -- there were always dozens of semi-pro street photographers there -- and ask them to preview the lens for me. These lenses didn't make it past prototype or pre-production versions because (1) they were of poor quality, (2) their US-landed cost would be too high to find a market (Vivitar was an amateur brand; most pro's scoffed at it), or (3) there wasn't a reasonable position in our product line for it. One great lens doesn't make a new product line; and we sold lens lines, not just lenses. That's what our US dealers wanted.[2]

The Vivitar Professional 180mm f/2.8 appears to be a case where the cost would have been too high and, unlike the 135mm f/1.5, there was no government customer to justify production.

Specifications

  • Badging: Vivitar Professional
  • Manufacturer: unknown
  • Manufacture Date: unknown
  • Focal Length: 180mm
  • Aperture Range: f/2.8 - f/32
  • Diaphragm Type: Preset /Automatic (selectable)
  • Diaphragm Blades: 8
  • Filter Diameter: 86mm
  • Minimum Focus: 1.38 meters (6 feet)
  • Mounts: M42
  • Elements: unknown
  • Groups: unknown
  • Weight: 1,408 g (3lbs 1.7oz)
  • Accessories: tripod mounting ring and retractable hood
  • Example Serial Numbers: 1000002
  • Original Stock Number(s): unknown


Photos

6043663648_c7d72f6577_m.jpg
image by steevithak (Image rights)
6043664166_917d2565cc_m.jpg
image by steevithak (Image rights)
6043116571_97d3780419_m.jpg
image by steevithak (Image rights)
6043664920_0bfcd0e105_m.jpg
image by steevithak (Image rights)


References

  1. ↑ Mister Money, Store 28, Caper, WY
  2. ↑ personal correspondence between Bill Swinyard and Steve Rainwater, 17 Feb, 2012

Links

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