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Yet another unknown Vivitar
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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 5:26 am
Post subject: Yet another unknown Vivitar
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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 5:26 am
Post subject: Yet another unknown Vivitar
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We have had a spate of these lately.
I wonder if it would be worthwhile having a dedicated thread for Unknown/Yet to be identified Vivitars.
Most of them pre-date the serial numbering system that we are all familiar with - so the territory is not well known.
Anyhoo ............
.......................here is a nifty little 100mm f2.8 Vivitar.
Does anyone recognise the features well enough to assign a manufacturer.
Thanks in advance
OH




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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 7:03 am
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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 7:03 am
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Sun has been implicated. I have this same lens as a Hanimar.


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 8:30 am
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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 8:30 am
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Looks like a Sun.


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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 8:55 am
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Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 8:55 am
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Many thanks.
OH


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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2014 12:21 pm
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2014 12:21 pm
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100, now that is rare.

Have similar (massive metal |||||| gripped focus ring) 135/2.8
I believe Revuenon Spezial label
May or may not be from the same desk.


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Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 10:30 pm
Post subject: To continue this thread -
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Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 10:30 pm
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Yet another Vivitar that does not fit the pattern of serial numbers..........
Ref - http://www.cameraquest.com/VivLensManuf.htm

Here it is - looks Mamiya-ish to me but that may mean Tokina ...???
See what you think
OH




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Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 10:40 pm
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Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 10:40 pm
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A "chrome nose"
Big Dawg had a collection of these.
Whatever they were, if they even had a single source, they weren't likely to be Tokinas as none I have seen resemble them much.
One at least of the chrome noses was Kino/Kiron, the popular 85-205/3.8 zoom.
And iirc one 35/2.8 looking exactly like this was reported with a "22" serial number.


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Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 11:58 pm
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Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 11:58 pm
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Two known Kino Vivitars for comparison. Definite differences. I think yours has a Yashinon look to it!



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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 12:58 pm
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 12:58 pm
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casualcollector wrote:
I think yours has a Yashinon look to it!

Yes, it is very similar to Yashinon.
Here is the rear part of Vivitar:

And here is Yashinon:



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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 6:35 am
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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 6:35 am
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dimitrygo wrote:
casualcollector wrote:
I think yours has a Yashinon look to it!

Yes, it is very similar to Yashinon.
Here is the rear part of Vivitar:

And here is Yashinon:



Yes it is very very similar to the Yashinon DX.
This raises an interesting question of course.
It is generally accepted that the Yashinon DX range were the group of lenses totally produced by Yashica themselves, and not re-badged items from other lens makers.
Now there are so many similarities between this Vivitar and the Yashinons, that one must wonder if Yashica supplied Vivitar .............
Interesting
OH


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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 8:11 am
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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 8:11 am
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Oldhand wrote:
This raises an interesting question of course.
It is generally accepted that the Yashinon DX range were the group of lenses totally produced by Yashica themselves, and not re-badged items from other lens makers.
Now there are so many similarities between this Vivitar and the Yashinons, that one must wonder if Yashica supplied Vivitar .............
Interesting
OH


That Yashica lenses were designed and made by Tomioka. Tomioka made lenses for many brands like Chinon and Mamiya (I even don't mention various resellers). There are several Mamiya lenses with exactly the same design of the barrel as Yashica lenses. The same goes for Porst and probably other brands. So there is no big wonder here - Tomioka made some lenses for Vivitar as well.


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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 8:15 am
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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 8:15 am
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dimitrygo wrote:
Oldhand wrote:
This raises an interesting question of course.
It is generally accepted that the Yashinon DX range were the group of lenses totally produced by Yashica themselves, and not re-badged items from other lens makers.
Now there are so many similarities between this Vivitar and the Yashinons, that one must wonder if Yashica supplied Vivitar .............
Interesting
OH


That Yashica lenses were designed and made by Tomioka. Tomioka made lenses for many brands like Chinon and Mamiya (I even don't mention various resellers). There are several Mamiya lenses with exactly the same design of the barrel as Yashica lenses. The same goes for Porst and probably other brands. So there is no big wonder here - Tomioka made some lenses for Vivitar as well.


Thank you.
Do you think that Tomioka made this one for Vivitar?
OH


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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 9:55 am
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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 9:55 am
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Oldhand wrote:
dimitrygo wrote:
Oldhand wrote:
This raises an interesting question of course.
It is generally accepted that the Yashinon DX range were the group of lenses totally produced by Yashica themselves, and not re-badged items from other lens makers.
Now there are so many similarities between this Vivitar and the Yashinons, that one must wonder if Yashica supplied Vivitar .............
Interesting
OH


That Yashica lenses were designed and made by Tomioka. Tomioka made lenses for many brands like Chinon and Mamiya (I even don't mention various resellers). There are several Mamiya lenses with exactly the same design of the barrel as Yashica lenses. The same goes for Porst and probably other brands. So there is no big wonder here - Tomioka made some lenses for Vivitar as well.


Thank you.
Do you think that Tomioka made this one for Vivitar?
OH

Yes, this is what I think.


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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 4:03 pm
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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 4:03 pm
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Interesting. Is Auto Vivitar starting serial 40 the same as serial 70? Could it be the reordering of serial numbering. 4 and 7
appear in most lenses of this type. Such rear element as well mount design is usually found with SUN made 100mm lenses:
matteo wrote:
I'm thinking about buying this Vivitar Auto 100/2.8, which serial number is 4085373 - so I believe this is "better" Sun-made,
but it's curious that it has black metal bayonet (instead metallic) and green numbers sign of metering...

Just look:









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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 5:28 pm
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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 5:28 pm
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Pancolart wrote:
Interesting. Is Auto Vivitar starting serial 40 the same as serial 70? Could it be the reordering of serial numbering. 4 and 7 appear in most lenses of this type. Such rear element as well mount design is usually found with SUN made 100mm lenses:

There are some small cosmetic differences but looks like optically they are the same.


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Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2014 8:32 am
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Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2014 8:32 am
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dimitrygo wrote:
Oldhand wrote:
dimitrygo wrote:
Oldhand wrote:
This raises an interesting question of course.
It is generally accepted that the Yashinon DX range were the group of lenses totally produced by Yashica themselves, and not re-badged items from other lens makers.
Now there are so many similarities between this Vivitar and the Yashinons, that one must wonder if Yashica supplied Vivitar .............
Interesting
OH


That Yashica lenses were designed and made by Tomioka. Tomioka made lenses for many brands like Chinon and Mamiya (I even don't mention various resellers). There are several Mamiya lenses with exactly the same design of the barrel as Yashica lenses. The same goes for Porst and probably other brands. So there is no big wonder here - Tomioka made some lenses for Vivitar as well.


Thank you.
Do you think that Tomioka made this one for Vivitar?
OH

Yes, this is what I think.


Well, I bit the bullet a couple of days ago and grabbed this lens after it attracted no interest from anyone else.
When it arrives I will give it some K-10D time and see what it can do.
Coming on a slow boat from the US .............
Stay tuned
OH


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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 10:52 am
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 10:52 am
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OK, the Vivitar 2.8/35 which might be a Yashinon which might be a Tomioka arrived today .........
And it is ..................... outstanding.
Late this afternoon I took a few quick piccies on the K-10D and I am blown away by the quality.
Have a look.
You can tell easily which were taken wide open and which were not.
Here ya go:
OH






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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 5:01 pm
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 5:01 pm
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Not unknown, but certainly not a very common Vivitar: 24mm, f2.8, made by Tokina around 1969. This one has a Canon FL mount. I just ordered a Canon FL/FD to NEX adapter for this and a few other Canon lenses that I have.



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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 5:48 pm
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 5:48 pm
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Vivitar 35/1.9 advertisment, 1974 by bcostin, on Flickr
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