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Vivitar 200mm f/4 - hitherto unknown?
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2021 12:09 am    Post subject: Vivitar 200mm f/4 - hitherto unknown? Reply with quote
I’ve stumbled across an auction listing for a Vivitar 200mm f4 lens on Shop Goodwill. Either my search engine skills are poor, or there’s literally nothing about this lens on the Internet. I’m even looking at sites like the compendium on apotelyt and it’s not mentioned there. Anyone know anything?

Listing photos below.




PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2021 12:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks like a late Vivitar. Cosina: https://radojuva.com/en/2012/03/cosina-mc-cosinon-t-200mm-f4/


PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2021 8:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
D1N0 wrote:
Looks like a late Vivitar. Cosina: https://radojuva.com/en/2012/03/cosina-mc-cosinon-t-200mm-f4/


That's right. At the beginning of the 1980s, Vivitar sold the Vivitar XV camera series (XV-1, XV-2, and XV-3) made by Cosina, and this lens was part of the Vivitar XV lens series made by the same company. The XV lenses were all made in metal but were still quite light and compact. Optically good to very good, they had solid mechanics.


PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2021 9:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
From what I can see, a similar Minolta (fantastic lens) would be a much better choice for a similar price (200mm F4 are affordable lenses), no matter which version (newer MD version is a bit shorter, but that's about it). Olympus is also great and very small, it's also very easy to recommend Canon. I've got a Minolta MD 200mm F4 for about 30 euros and I'm very happy with it, except for some CA wide open, but they all suffer from it. Sharpness is fantastic (great wide open and slightly improved at F5.6) and the bokeh pleasing.


PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2021 11:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Just to add to Dejan's list are the Super Takumar and SMC Tak 200/4. Here's a review on them at the Pentax forum:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/S-M-C-Super-Takumar-200mm-F4.html

Seems like a solid good lens. Of the various 200s I own, one of the standouts is my Canon nFD 200mm f/4 IF. Really a sharp optic, a lens that can probably still be found for a good price if one is patient.

I find that little Vivitar intriguing. First I've heard of it.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2021 12:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Dejan wrote:
From what I can see, a similar Minolta (fantastic lens) would be a much better choice for a similar price (200mm F4 are affordable lenses), no matter which version (newer MD version is a bit shorter, but that's about it). Olympus is also great and very small, it's also very easy to recommend Canon. I've got a Minolta MD 200mm F4 for about 30 euros and I'm very happy with it, except for some CA wide open, but they all suffer from it. Sharpness is fantastic (great wide open and slightly improved at F5.6) and the bokeh pleasing.


Agree. It even looks similar to that Vivitar.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2021 5:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
woodrim wrote:
Dejan wrote:
From what I can see, a similar Minolta (fantastic lens) would be a much better choice for a similar price (200mm F4 are affordable lenses), no matter which version (newer MD version is a bit shorter, but that's about it). Olympus is also great and very small, it's also very easy to recommend Canon. I've got a Minolta MD 200mm F4 for about 30 euros and I'm very happy with it, except for some CA wide open, but they all suffer from it. Sharpness is fantastic (great wide open and slightly improved at F5.6) and the bokeh pleasing.


Agree. It even looks similar to that Vivitar.


Yup, that's a good one.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2021 11:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The samples from this one look fine. Lens looks like a budget offering but 200mm lenses are easy to make and Cosina is a decent manufacturer. No nonsense 200mm F4. MFD is rather long at 2.9 meters. Cheaper coatings will likely mean lower contrast when shooting into sunlight.
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