Vivitar VMC 50/1.4 (Cosina)

[luisalegria]

Vivitar VMC 50/1.4 (Cosina)

A curious 50/1.4 I found at the late lamented Adolph Gasser store in San Francisco
- for $5

PJCT3029 by luisalegria, on Flickr

This was a not too common option on the Vivitar branded line of late 1970's-early 1980's SLRs, the PK-mount XV-series, that followed the M42 220-420SL/SL series. All of these were Cosina products based on the extremely generic Cosina CT- line.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosina_CT-1
http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Cosina_CT-1
http://www.collection-appareils.fr/x/html/camera-4665-Vivitar_XV1.html

The 50/1.4 lens is uncommon, as it was far more likely to find a 50/2 lens on these cheap cameras. But there it was, a curiosity on Adolph Gassers clearance table, a 50/1.4 for $5, so why not.

It is on the face of it extremely similar to the Pentax-M 50/1.4, down to taking 49mm filters, but the fit and finish is not quite up to that standard, and neither is the smoothness of the helical travel. Mine has play in the focus grip that I could possibly fix by peeling back the grip rubber, but it isn't much of a problem.

Otherwise its an all metal, solidly constructed piece probably from the late 1970's. It is multi-coated (hence "VMC"), focuses rather close (.5 meter or a bit less), has a perfectly standard chrome PK mount, etc.

As to performance - this is simply a great lens. It is very sharp indeed at all apertures, comparable in every way to the Pentax-M 50/1.4 in my experience, and this includes a fairly smooth bokeh. It is reliable and predictable and absolutely doesn't get in the way of taking pictures, and what more could anyone ask for?

Its only weakness vis-a-vis a Pentax is it flares rather more, or so it seems to me.

If you find one cheap, get it.

IMGP5508 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP5833 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP5573 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP3082 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP5602 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP6661 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP6616 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP6598 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP6549x by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP6513 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP6494 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP6375x by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP6317 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP6312 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP5595 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP6294 by luisalegria, on Flickr

[Lloydy]

That's a bargain at $5

[Pancolart]

Looks great! Is the focusing Cosina dry? Peeling grip won't do if i remember correctly you will need to remove label and follow from there.

[Oldhand]

Excellent results Luis.
It would have been a bargain for much more than you paid for it. At $5 it was a gift.
Tom

[memetph]

I like the last shot .

[tomasg]

Excellent results!

[TrueLoveOne]

Indeed a fine lens! These were also sold as Revuenon and Agfa on their re-branded SLRs, i think they're the same, but there's some discussion on who made what in this thread though: http://forum.mflenses.com/pentax-pk-bayonet-1-4-50mm-alternatives-chinon-cosina-ricoh-t60018.html
Unfortunately all of the images in there are gone...... i do not have the Revuenon anymore but it was very good!

Revue AC3 by René Maly, on Flickr