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Bigfoot, the Yeti, Nessy and now these, Mythical?
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2018 4:56 pm    Post subject: Bigfoot, the Yeti, Nessy and now these, Mythical? Reply with quote
Hi everyone, only my second post so bear with me, i'm looking for any info on a couple of enlarger lenses, I've searched and searched to no avail and wonder if they even exist. They are the Vivitar Series 1 50mm f2.5 and the Series 1 80mm f4, there's a wealth of knowledge on this forum, maybe someone can help.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 10:19 am    Post subject: Re: Bigfoot, the Yeti, Nessy and now these, Mythical? Reply with quote
SilverPrintMan wrote:
Hi everyone, only my second post so bear with me, i'm looking for any info on a couple of enlarger lenses, I've searched and searched to no avail and wonder if they even exist. They are the Vivitar Series 1 50mm f2.5 and the Series 1 80mm f4, there's a wealth of knowledge on this forum, maybe someone can help.


Are you sure these are Series 1 lenses and not the high end enlarger lens line from vivitar : VHE ?

Please confirm


PostPosted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 6:00 pm    Post subject: Bigfoot, the Yeti, Nessy and now these, Mythical? Reply with quote
Hi PBFACTS, that's what I thought, VHE were their top line, probably made by Schneider, possibly Rodenstock. I recently found a second hand book printed in 1980 pictured below in a charity shop all about Vivitar, plenty of information on their lens line up, the original series 1 line up, tx mount lenses etc and all sorts of different products they supplied. The author appears very knowledgeable and informed and I don't think he could have written the book without considerable help or even a commission from Vivitar themselves. On page 113 he discusses their enlarging lenses, see picture 2 below, it continues on the next page to discuss their more mediocre low budget lenses. Were these available or prototypes that never made market, or just plain fantasy!


PostPosted: Sat Oct 20, 2018 5:01 am    Post subject: Re: Bigfoot, the Yeti, Nessy and now these, Mythical? Reply with quote
SilverPrintMan wrote:
. . .
Were these available or prototypes that never made market, or just plain fantasy!


Prototypes, perhaps?

I have no first hand knowledge, SilverPrintMan. But there's another example of a possible phantom lens in The Vivitar Guide.
On page 36 of my (1980) copy of that book, a "17mm f/3.5 Series 1" lens is shown and described. As far as I know, Vivitar didn't sell a 17mm Series 1 lens.

[And for what it's worth, the 17mm Series 1 lens appears to be different from the normal Vivitar 17mm f/3.5 lens which is also listed in the book.]


EDIT: It appears the Series 1 17mm does exist. See this topic:

http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=79893&sid=2925cc3ef8318a449231e4903d343be1

Last edited by 55 on Fri Oct 26, 2018 8:19 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sat Oct 20, 2018 12:38 pm    Post subject: Re: Bigfoot, the Yeti, Nessy and now these, Mythical? Reply with quote
55 wrote:
SilverPrintMan wrote:
. . .
Were these available or prototypes that never made market, or just plain fantasy!


Prototypes, perhaps?

I have no first hand knowledge, SilverPrintMan. But there's another example of a possible phantom lens in The Vivitar Guide.
On page 36 of my (1980) copy of that book, a "17mm f/3.5 Series 1" lens is shown and described. As far as I know, Vivitar didn't sell a 17mm Series 1 lens.

[And for what it's worth, the 17mm Series 1 lens appears to be different from the normal Vivitar 17mm f/3.5 lens which is also listed in the book.]


I will more assume
    a deal with manufacturer which did not go to term
    or a too much low sales of vhe lenses which killed the planned s1 enlarger line

Remember the "solid cat" 1200/11 planned/documented/advertised but never went to sale


PostPosted: Fri Oct 26, 2018 8:24 pm    Post subject: Re: Bigfoot, the Yeti, Nessy and now these, Mythical? Reply with quote
55 wrote:
. . .
As far as I know, Vivitar didn't sell a 17mm Series 1 lens. . .


It seems I was mistaken. See this topic:
http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=79893&sid=2925cc3ef8318a449231e4903d343be1


PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2018 6:20 pm    Post subject: Re: Bigfoot, the Yeti, Nessy and now these, Mythical? Reply with quote
55 wrote:
55 wrote:
. . .
As far as I know, Vivitar didn't sell a 17mm Series 1 lens. . .


It seems I was mistaken. See this topic:
http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=79893&sid=2925cc3ef8318a449231e4903d343be1


Funny - I came across the 17mm and my first thought was to put it out to this forum. I didn't read on any of the other current threads. Today I popped on to actually browse and see this thread about these Series 1 enlarger lenses. Having been keeping an eye on eBay for Vivitar Series 1 lenses for several years now...almost daily (I have an addiction...) I have never seen the enlarger lenses you speak of. But then I had never seen the 17mm wide angle until my post. So I'd be lying if I said there's no such thing. Perhaps they are out there if even in extremely few numbers?
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