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Three Variants of the VS1 70-210/3.5 Version 1 (Kiron) Zoom
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PostPosted: Mon May 22, 2017 9:59 pm    Post subject: Three Variants of the VS1 70-210/3.5 Version 1 (Kiron) Zoom Reply with quote

There are six versions of the Vivitar Series 1 70-210 line of MF zooms. Probably the most well known is the first version, made by Kino (SN 22nnnnnn, f/3.5), first released in 1973 and produced until 1981. Certainly it is the one version of the six that seems to have undergone the most internal changes during its long production run, and in this thread I would like to discuss what I think are the three mechanical/physical production variants of the Kiron Version 1 design.

I will be referring a few times to a couple of other sources of info: One of them is a 2012 thread on this forum, "how good is Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm Macro F3.5 (Kiron)", and the other is an article on camera-wiki.org/ about the "Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f/3.5 VMC Macro Focusing Zoom" (which was also quoted in that 2012 thread). Since I was planning on responding to some of the comments in that mflenses.com thread (some of which I disagree with), I could have appended my remarks to that thread, but then, of course, I would have been committing one of the most horrible infractions of netiquette there is - the unpardonable sin of replying to an old thread. Hence this new thread...

Smile

According to the camera-wiki article, there are three variants, named as "Prototypes" (1972-1974), "Version 1" (1974-1978, sn 224xxxxx - 227xxxxx), and "Version 2" (1978-1981, sn 228xxxx - 221xxxxx). However, I believe that there are, including the various prototypes as another variant set, actually ~four~ sets of variants, but I would like to limit my comments to the three main production variants (since I know little about the prototype variants).

I have three of these fine ol' lenses in my possession - an M42 copy, SN 22300212, apparently from 1973; another m42 copy, SN 22401027, apparently from 1974; and a K-mount copy, SN 22945237, apparently from 1979. These lenses show distinctive external physical differences (that hint strongly at corresponding significant internal differences) near the front end of the lens barrel, where they look like this:



I am going to refer to these (from left to right) as "Variant 0" (likely overlooked in the camera-wiki article, I believe), "Variant 1" (likely named as "Version 1" in the camera-wiki article), and "Variant 2" (likely named as "Version 2"). [I would have preferred to number my variants simply as "Variant 1", "Variant 2", and "Variant 3", but that would tend to introduce an "off-by-one" numbering confusion (compared to the camera-wiki article), so I'm gonna go with "Variant 0", "Variant 1", and "Variant 2", but please note that I am ~not~ using "Variant 0" to refer to prototypes in this context.]

Notice that there are at least two obvious differences in the lens barrels -- there is a band (marked by a groove) at the front end of the barrel which is significantly wider (about 13 mm) in Variant 0 than it is in Variant 1 and in Variant 2 (where the bands both have the same narrower width, about 7 mm). Note also that there are a series of three screws on each lens barrel, 120 degrees apart from each other (one visible on each barrel in the image) located a distance back from that band groove, but that the distance from the groove to the center of each screw is different in each variant - about 16 mm in Variant 0, about 1.5 mm in Variant 1 (where the screw heads almost touch the groove), and about 5 mm in Variant 2.

I believe that my Variant 1 corresponds to camera-wiki's Version 1 and that my Variant 2 corresponds to camera-wiki's Version 2, based on the serial numbers (although camera-wiki's serial number brackets seem to disagree slightly with some of my own research on variant serial numbers - which I'll get to in another post in this thread below), but also that my Variant 0 is not mentioned in the camera-wiki article at all (and that it is an earlier production variant, separate from camera-wiki's Prototypes).

[There is some discussion of the modifications between production variants in the Vivitar service manuals (mentioned in the camera-wiki article), but I'll talk about them later below also.]

And I'll bet, by now, some of you have dug out your ol' Kiron VS1 70-210/3.5 zoom(s) to take a look at your own sample(s), right? Smile

Well, that's it for the moment...


Last edited by fwcetus on Sat Jun 10, 2017 3:54 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2017 12:00 am    Post subject: Re: Three Variants of the VS1 70-210/3.5 Version 1 (Kiron) Z Reply with quote

fwcetus wrote:
According to the camera-wiki article, there are three variants, named as "Prototypes" (1972-1974), "Version 1" (1974-1978, sn 224xxxxx - 227xxxxx), and "Version 2" (1978-1981, sn 228xxxx - 221xxxxx). However, I believe that there are, including the various prototypes as another variant set, actually ~four~ sets of variants, but I would like to limit my comments to the three main production variants (since I know little about the prototype variants).

OK, besides looking at my own trio of VS1 Version 1 (Kiron) 70-210/3.5 lenses, I have also done a bit of "eBay research", too. Over the last couple of years or so, I've checked eBay periodically for copies of these lenses up for auction, and have been saving one or two images from each lens whenever the image(s) show(s) the serial numbers and enough of the lens barrel to see the location of the front groove and at least one of the screws (as discussed in my first post, above).

[eBay does work reasonably well for this, since eBay encourages multiple images of each item for sale (and SLR lens owners usually like to take lots of photos, right? - LOL) -- the only problem that sometimes is "annoyance" is that sometimes the zoom/focus ring covers the groove location or at least the screw locations in the images, but much/most of the time that's not a problem -- then, I have added in my own lenses' info and a few other pix from the "intertubes" as well, although probably 95% of my "data" consist of eBay pics.]

Anyhoo, here are some results at the moment:

I have recorded 4 lenses between SN 22300212 (my oldest M42 copy) and SN 22301920 that are what I am calling Variant 0. (All of these were found to be non-VMC lenses.) These would likely have been manufactured during 1973.

I have recorded 56 lenses between SN 22307576 and SN 22524587 (including my other M42 copy) that are what I am calling Variant 1. (Lenses from SN 22307576 through SN 22421831 were found to be non-VMC lenses, while lenses from SN 22426697 through SN 22524587 were found to be VMC lenses.) These would likely have been manufactured during a period from 1973 through 1975.

I have recorded 168 lenses between SN 22534393 and SN 22157701 (including my K-mount copy) that are what I am calling Variant 2. (All of these were found to be VMC lenses.) These would likely have been manufactured during a period from 1975 through 1981.

Note that my Variant 1 SN bracket (22307576 - 22524587) sort of approximates camera-wiki's Version 1 SN bracket (224xxxxx - 227xxxxx), and that my Variant 2 bracket (22534393 - 22157701) sort of approximates camera-wiki's Version 2 SN bracket (228xxxx - 221xxxxx), but there are indeed some/many "disagreements" for both comparisons. [Note also that camera-wiki does not mention any older production lenses that might correspond to my year 1973 Variant 1 records.]


PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2017 1:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Which lenses were and were not VMC (Vivitar Multi-Coated) lenses were discussed in that 2012 mflenses thread. Not surprisingly, I found that, for the VS1 70-210/3.5 Kiron lenses, a smaller number (of the older lenses) were non-VMC lenses, while a larger number (of the newer lenses) were VMC lenses. The changeover to VMC lenses occurred sometime between SN 22421831 and SN 22426697. A couple of differences with having VMC coatings can be seen in the following image of my trio of lenses, where non-VMC lenses (e.g., my M42 copies) not only have a different color cast (upper double arrow), compared to VMC lenses (e.g., my K-mount copy), but it can also be seen from the flash photo that VMC lenses do reflect less light (lower double arrow) (and, therefore, transmit more light and flare less easily).



PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2017 3:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have two -
A variant 3 "VMC" sn 22500800 in Nikon mount
A variant 3 "VMC" sn 22155531 in Canon FD

Both booty from the Adolph Gasser closing sales.


PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2017 1:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Had to look at the pic of mine on my test page, not sure where I put it - looks like a v3, I'm pretty sure it's a "VMC". I was thinking initially that it was an early one, and that I should look around for a later one to test... vice versa.
Good stuff Fred.


PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2017 11:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One of the more interesting features of the first version (the Kiron built version) of the VS1 70-210 zoom line was its "macro focusing" functionality. In this particular lens design, it was put into "macro mode" by activating (rotating) the Zoom/Macro Selector Switch while zoomed to the 210mm position. The Zoom/Macro Selector Switch is made up of those two distinctive tabs near the base of the lens, and, in order to rotate the tabs, the Selector Switch Lock Button (a rectangular white button on one of the two tabs) must be depressed first.

Well, while most copies of this lens have tabs that are all quite familiar to many of us, the tabs and their little white button did undergo an evolution of sorts, since at least some of the Variant 0 copies did feature smaller Zoom/Macro Selector Switch tabs (with concave surfaces), and a smaller Selector Switch Lock Button as well:









I really don't know why the change in the tabs and the button was called for - for ease of use, and/or for strength, and/or for some other reason - but I point it out as an interesting difference between at least some of the Variant 0 lenses (along with the Prototypes as well, presumably) and later lenses.


Last edited by fwcetus on Wed May 24, 2017 12:10 am; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Wed May 24, 2017 12:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A macro focus switch was quite common in zooms of the 1970's, and into the 1980's also.
You will see lots of them on Sun lenses for instance, also Tamrons and Tokinas.


PostPosted: Wed May 24, 2017 12:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

luisalegria wrote:
A macro focus switch was quite common in zooms of the 1970's, and into the 1980's also.
You will see lots of them on Sun lenses for instance, also Tamrons and Tokinas.

Good point -- I just edited the wording in my last post a bit as a bit to match reality better. Embarassed Thanks. Smile


PostPosted: Wed May 24, 2017 12:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mine is K-mount VMC coating serial: 22802637


PostPosted: Thu May 25, 2017 3:10 pm    Post subject: Re: Three Variants of the VS1 70-210/3.5 Version 1 (Kiron) Z Reply with quote

fwcetus wrote:
I believe that my Variant 1 corresponds to camera-wiki's Version 1 and that my Variant 2 corresponds to camera-wiki's Version 2, [...], but also that my Variant 0 is not mentioned in the camera-wiki article at all (and that it is an earlier production variant, separate from camera-wiki's Prototypes).

From what I've been able to learn, it seems as if there were not many Variant 0 lenses produced. [It's possible, I suppose, that their current scarcity is due entirely to low survivability, but the few that I have been able to find are all fairly close in serial numbers, hinting at small production runs.] So, one question might also be asked whether the Variant 0 samples are actually prototype lenses, as opposed to actual production lenses.

Quoting from the first lens test done by (the late-but-great) Modern Photography magazine in October of 1974 (also quoted in the camera-wiki article):

"How can you distinguish the latest [production] lenses from the earlier [prototype] ones? The new lenses have a 67mm front diameter instead of the original 62mm. They accept an accessory lens hood rather than having the telescoping built-in lens hood of the earlier versions. (The built-in lens hood had to be abandoned to allow a larger front lens-cell which the improved internal engineering required.)"

Well, based upon those criteria (i.e., 62mm filter threads and the presence of a telescoping hood in prototypes, and 67mm filter threads and the absence of a built-in hood in productions samples), it would seem that the Variant 0 lenses are indeed early production lenses.

Here is an how a prototype sample looked in a Popular Mechanics article in June of 1973:

Notice the presence of an extended hood.

An illustration of the inside construction and outside features used in Popular Science of January of 1974:

Again, it was a prototype lens (with built-in hood that was used for the diagram). [Note also the photo of Ellis Betensky, the optical designer of the lens, shown computing the optics of the lens.]

Note that the original patent drawing would seem to be the source of the above lens graphics:



Interestingly, the spec sheet for the lens in the Ponder & Best catalog from September of 1974 was still using the prototype design (and the patent drawing), even though the lens had already been in production for many a month already:




Well, in any event, I am willing to assume that, due to the absence of any built-in telescoping lens hood and the presence of 67mm filter threads (and, despite the different "style" of the Zoom/Macro Selector Switch and Selector Switch Lock Button), the Variant 0 lenses were early production lenses from 1973.


Last edited by fwcetus on Thu May 25, 2017 5:11 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Thu May 25, 2017 4:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

fwcetus wrote:
fwcetus wrote:
I believe that my Variant 1 corresponds to camera-wiki's Version 1 and that my Variant 2 corresponds to camera-wiki's Version 2, [...], but also that my Variant 0 is not mentioned in the camera-wiki article at all (and that it is an earlier production variant, separate from camera-wiki's Prototypes).

[...] Well, in any event, I am willing to assume that, due to the absence of any built-in telescoping lens hood and the presence of 67mm filter threads (and, despite the different "style" of the Zoom/Macro Selector Switch and Selector Switch Lock Button), the Variant 0 lenses were early production lenses from 1973.

Another thought to share regarding the prototype-versus-production question: The oldest Variant 0 lens I have data from (based upon serial numbers) is my own. Now, I am not the original owner of that lens, but the original owner did state the following:

"Here is my personal one-owner Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm lens that I purchased when these first came out. This is a Version 1 lens, and does have both Automatic and Manual settings when the Pentax thread mount is used. The first version of the Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm went on sale in 1974, made by Kino Optical (Kiron). I bought this shortly thereafter. [The 3rd digit in the serial number is supposed to indicate year, but I don't think these were available in 1973…? It's an early model but I did not buy a prototype - it was a standard in-store purchase in Seattle.]"

So, the original owner did make clear that the lens was purchased as "a standard in-store purchase" (and not as a prototype).

EDIT: Note, however, that the lens, while likely manufactured in 1973, was originally sold/purchased in 1974.


PostPosted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 2:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just located an M42 (VMC) copy of the "variant 2" for the Kiron Version 1 lens "line", and was able to get its "weight" (well, determine its mass, actually). Previously, my "variant 0" and "variant 1" copies were M42 lenses, while my only "variant 3" copy was a K-mount lens, making any comparison of the three "variant" weights a bit of an (invalid) "apples-and-oranges" comparison. However, now that I have the weight of an M42 "variant 2" lens, I can show that the weights of the three variants do indeed differ significantly, and that they also trend from lighter to heavier:

M42 "variant 0" (SN 22300212) = 884.8 g

M42 "variant 1" (SN 22401027) = 910.2 g

M42 "variant 2" (SN 22843983) = 926.9 g


Since it is assumed that the optics of the Kiron lens did not change (at least dramatically) over time, I would attribute the above (increasing) weight differences to significant differences (and hopefully improvements) in internal mechanical details.

[Not surprisingly, my K-mount "variant 2" lens (SN 22945237), at 935.4 g, weighs a little more than does the M42 "variant 2" lens -- there's a bit more "hardware" involved in at least most manufacturer-specific mounts than in an M42 "universal" mount.]