Vivitar Series 1 17mm f/3.5 - Didn't Know This Existed

[justtorchit]

I've long been a fan and collector of this older Vivitar Series 1 glass. If you had asked me before today about Vivitar's "Series 1 17mm f/3.5", I would have told you that you are mistakenly talking about Vivitar's 17mm f/3.5 manufactured by Tokina, but which was not part of their series 1 collection...there never was a 17mm in the Series 1 line....

But then I would be wrong!

See for yourself:












The manufacturer code is Tokina so if I had to guess, I would assume this is still that same lens albeit with the Series 1 treatment, matching cosmetics, VMC coating, and that's that. Again, I have no evidence, just my guess at this time. The seller says, with broken english so some of my questions may be lost in translation, he came across this in Japan and did find some evidence of it in some Vivitar literature. I asked if he might be able to share as I'm now extremely intrigued!

Here is the listing, for your reference, though I realize, down the road, this will disappear: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vivitar-Series-1-VMC-17-mm-3-5-Nikon-Very-Rare/253950393331?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Here is the listing and while super rare, I think $500 is quite steep. I personally believe rarity to be the only driver of price here as I don't imagine this 17mm outperforming the Tokina 17/3.5 RMC of that era - I think it's in fact the same thing. But I could be wrong. Any way, just one more reason I love the hunt! Something new all the time![/url]

[luisalegria]

Rarity is a good explanation, because it is indeed rare.
It would be interesting to check Vivitar advertising for it through the late 70's - 1980s. Offhand I don't recall it.

[marcusBMG]

Mine is just "vivitar" (though it did come with a "series 1" cap). The modelling is distinct from yours - it doesn't have those windows for the f number for example, aperture ring is thinner. Front end looks identical.
Quick google search for images doesn't pull up any like the one your post.
Based on common understanding of the viv serial numbers this would be #18, 1978... looks authentic but it is from Russia...

[vivaldibow]

Indeed very rare. Don't see it in old ads.

[55]

[cooltouch]

Please note that that $500 isn't an asking price. The eBay listing is an auction with an opening bid of $500. The guy is being inordinately hopeful, seems to me.

There is actually a third iteration of the Tokina-made Vivitar 17mm f/3.5. I have one. I've owned it for almost 30 years. Mine's in Canon FD mount, so I've only been able to take advantage of its ultra-wideness with my film Canons. I don't have an FF digital that'll work with Canon FD yet.

Here are a couple of pics of mine. Note the vestigial tulip blades of a built-in hood. It is these little suggestions of a hood that make mine different from the other two. Also note that mine focuses substantially closer than that S1 17mm above, and while closer than 22cm, is close enough, I reckon. Another difference between mine and the above S1 lens is that mine has a front filter diameter of 72mm, whereas the S1's is 67mm. Again, I don't know offhand if this is unique to my version, or if this is shared with the other regular 17mm or the Tokina 17mm.




Another observation: looking at both serial numbers, they both start with 3780 . . . And that S1 has all those zeros -- I can't help but wonder if that S1 17mm might be the 18th one made. Which means, if true, that mine would have been the 4,781st made. Just a bit of idle speculation.

[justtorchit]