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The rare Vivitar 250mm f/4.5 Pre-Set Lens.
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 4:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
steevithak wrote:
I finally managed to obtain a copy of the Vivitar 250mm f/4.5 lens. I've got one that's in like-new condition and looks identical to the one in Big Dawg's photos at the beginning of this thread with one exception. Mine is an M42 mount, not a T mount. Serial number is 68527. I've checked and doubled-checked and I'm certain it's actually an M42 and not a T mount with bad threads that just happens to fit an M42 (I've actually had that happen). I get proper infinity focus mounted on my Vivitar 220/SL and the threads have the right pitch for M42. So the question is - are we sure the copy in Big Dawg's photos is really a T mount and not an M42? Were any test shots done to confirm infinity focus? Does anyone else have a copy of this lens and can you confirm whether yours is T or M42 mount?

I just got it this evening and only have a crummy cell phone pic right now, which you can see here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/steevithak/7984486552/in/photostream

But I'll be shooting proper photos of it soon, along with plenty of test shots with it, so I can document it over on camera-wiki.org

Incidentally, I also managed to round up some pretty good pics of the Norita Noritar 250mm f/4.5 version of this lens for the camera-wiki.org article on that lens:

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Norita_Noritar_250mm_f/4.5


Mine was a T mount. The early version T-mount with the three set screws to hold the adapter on the end of the lens. The later versions of T-mount had M42 threads but a different thread pitch than the normal M42 lens mount. If you look at the photos in the beginning of this thread you'll see the set screws that hold the T-mount adapter on. And yes I removed the adapter to be sure it was a T-mount. I no longer own this lens so I'd have a hard time to show you the mount removed. I'd almost bet yours is the same.

Yes I shot some photos with it and infinity focus was spot on. Actually it shot very well with great colors and was sharp. Quite light weight for it's size and focal length.

I'll be looking forward to the photos, especially the mount end of the lens.


PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 4:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Big Dawg wrote:

Mine was a T mount. The early version T-mount with the three set screws to hold the adapter on the end of the lens. The later versions of T-mount had M42 threads but a different thread pitch than the normal M42 lens mount. If you look at the photos in the beginning of this thread you'll see the set screws that hold the T-mount adapter on. And yes I removed the adapter to be sure it was a T-mount. I no longer own this lens so I'd have a hard time to show you the mount removed. I'd almost bet yours is the same.

Yes I shot some photos with it and infinity focus was spot on. Actually it shot very well with great colors and was sharp. Quite light weight for it's size and focal length.

I'll be looking forward to the photos, especially the mount end of the lens.


Thanks! I'm really intrigued by this as it means there may be two Vivitar versions of the lens. The photos of the Norita badged lens I found clearly show an adapter on the back but it's impossible to tell for sure if it's some kind of T adapter or an M42 adapter. Looks like I need to track down some advertising or marketing info, or maybe a magazine review on this one.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 5:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
steevithak wrote:
Mine is an M42 mount, not a T mount.


Mine is a T mount with a Pentax K mount fitted on it. I can partially see the "T/PK" and "Japan" writing between the adapter and the lens. Looks like the adapter is secured with three screws. The T mount piece also has three screws.

Are you sure your lens didn't come with an M42 adapter fit over the T one? Your photo showing the lens from the front does not help. Try taking a side shot of the mount end.


PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 10:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've posted a set of photos of my M42 mount version of the lens, including close-up shots of the mount next to another M42 lens and a T mount lens for comparison. To answer a previous question, the 250mm preset I've got does not have any type of screw-on adapter mounted on it. In fact, as purchased, it had a Vemar M42 mount auto 2x converter attached. I hope to find time to shoot some test photos with this lens in the next week or two and will post a link once those are up. Meanwhile, here are the photos of the lens itself:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/steevithak/sets/72157631607150595/

-Steve


PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 12:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
This is indeed an oddity.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 8:46 pm    Post subject: I had a vivitar 250mm f4.5 for a while Reply with quote
but I cant recall what it looked like!


PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 4:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
steevithak wrote:
I've posted a set of photos of my M42 mount version of the lens, including close-up shots of the mount next to another M42 lens and a T mount lens for comparison. To answer a previous question, the 250mm preset I've got does not have any type of screw-on adapter mounted on it. In fact, as purchased, it had a Vemar M42 mount auto 2x converter attached. I hope to find time to shoot some test photos with this lens in the next week or two and will post a link once those are up. Meanwhile, here are the photos of the lens itself:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/steevithak/sets/72157631607150595/

-Steve


Yes but I do see the three set screws that hold the mount on. As I've said before mine was an early version of the T-mount that did not screw on but rather was held in place by three set screws. And as you can see in the photos they were used at one time to remove the adapter. Buggered up a little... LOL The T-mount to M42 adapters that have threads, most if not all, also have the three set screws and if you loosen those set screws and remove the threaded portion of the adapter you then have an early version of the T-mount adapter that would fit the one that I had. Not saying they didn't make some in straight M42 mount. The Early version T-mount adapter that was on my Viv 250mm also had the same knurling pattern as the focus ring. An almost exact pattern.

Just have to remember all T-mounts were not threaded adapters. And for me I have to remember in those days they sold lenses to fit all the cameras they could. Some with fixed mounts and some with adapters.

Photos ....











PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 7:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Whoever made it, it's a damn sexy looking lens. How does it perform?


PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 3:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nisseliten wrote:
Whoever made it, it's a damn sexy looking lens. How does it perform?


Quite well in fact. And for a 250mm preset lens of this vintage it is not that heavy either.













PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
more.







PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 1:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
steevithak wrote:
I've posted a set of photos of my M42 mount version of the lens, including close-up shots of the mount next to another M42 lens and a T mount lens for comparison.


Your lens looks exactly like mine, except mine is T mount and has an extra adapter on it, like Big Dawg's. My adapter, however, doesn't have the same knuckled style as the lens rings - it just has straight indentations.

Now, there is almost a 10mm difference between M42 mount (45.46mm) and T mount (55mm), but I don't see any such difference accounted for in your pictures, so it seems strange that yours is an M42 mount lens. That extra 1 cm is taken by adapters on my lens and Big Dawg's.

My lens is ~17.4cm from front to rear (not counting my adapter or the threads of the original mount). Distance from silver distance ring to base of original mount is ~4.2cm. Do you have the same measurements? I doubt the interior design was changed to account for the mount difference, so in theory your lens should be ~1cm longer if it was meant to be an M42 mount.


PostPosted: Sat May 11, 2013 5:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I managed to get around to using this lens a bit on my E-M5 and here are a few shots:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurentiucristofor/8726930163


http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurentiucristofor/8726930135


http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurentiucristofor/8726930121

It has a bit of glow wide open but captures good detail. It doesn't improve a lot on stopping down. Chromatic aberrations don't seem to be a problem - a very pleasant surprise. A nice lens to use, especially on flowers. Less sharp than an adaptall-2 lens, but with less CA too.


PostPosted: Sat May 11, 2013 7:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
very good result, I still think that's a gorgeous looking lens as well. Cool


PostPosted: Wed May 14, 2014 12:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm a new poster here, but I read this thread a couple of years ago, with great interest.

By chance, I acquired the Norita version of the lens recently.

Mine has the aforementioned 3 screw adapter attached.

Unfortunately the preset f stop is stuck, but it's in the shop for a fix.

Nice looking lens that I hope to use more or less permanently aimed at a bird feeder at our country cabin.

Thanks to all the previous posters who brought the lens to my attention.

Texsport


PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
You are welcome. I sold mine several years ago and am looking for another right now. I'll post if I find one.


PostPosted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 12:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I own a Norita 250/4.5 preset.

In addition to my original Norita 250/4.5 preset, I've since acquired 3 Vivitar badged examples which are identical, except for the name.

One was lost in the mail. One is for parts. The third was given to my grandson for back yard birding.

Both working lenses have had the same defect, frozen f-stop preset mechanisms, corrected by the same simple repair.

Quite fun lenses, used on our OMDs frequently.

Texsport
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