Vivitar XV-3

With K-mount lens by Pentax image by fononik (Image rights)

Among the long series of SLRs for K mount lenses sold under Vivitar branding (but manufactured by Cosina), the XV-3 stands out as a particularly full-featured example. It is based on the Cosina CT-4, with that model's aperture-priority autoexposure and a 16-LED shutter-speed indicator at the left of the viewfinder. Unusually the viewfinder also offers a direct-viewing window for sighting the F-stop position.

There is an AE lock button alongside the rewind crank, and the baseplate of the camera can accept the XV-3 Auto-Winder accessory (itself a rebadged Cosina CT-4W Auto-Winder). Using manual shutter speeds, a steadily-lit LED indicates the currently-selected speed while a blinking one shows the meter-recommended speed (if different). The shutter and meter require power from a pair of 1.5v button cells (silver-oxide preferred for greater capacity); without these only the flash sync "X" setting of 1/100 second will operate, and there will be no LED metering display.

Links

• PDF Vivitar XV-3 manual (and for the Cosina CT-4) from Mike Butkus' OrphanCameras.com
• XV-3 profiled (German) (and in Google Translate English} from the Tauber collection