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Vivitar Auto Macro 55mm 2.8 Prototype???
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 25, 2021 6:26 pm    Post subject: Vivitar Auto Macro 55mm 2.8 Prototype??? Reply with quote
So I was looking for a nice manual macro from the 70s and found this on ebay, being the only bidder. When I got it, I was amazed at how mint and unused it looks. And I was even more amazed by the serial number ending with three zeros! So i did some internet digging and found out that this lense was built 1975 by Komine in the second week of the year (deciphering the code Vivitar serial numbers used). But is it a prototype?? Some people suggest that very low numbers can be prototypes, and this is pretty much the lowest. Does anybody know anything about this?? --- Pictures turn out noice, too, although it underexposes on my Fuji.


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 25, 2021 6:44 pm    Post subject: Re: Vivitar Auto Macro 55mm 2.8 Prototype??? Reply with quote
Arne wrote:
So I was looking for a nice manual macro from the 70s and found this on ebay, being the only bidder. When I got it, I was amazed at how mint and unused it looks. And I was even more amazed by the serial number ending with three zeros! So i did some internet digging and found out that this lense was built 1975 by Komine in the second week of the year (deciphering the code Vivitar serial numbers used). But is it a prototype?? Some people suggest that very low numbers can be prototypes, and this is pretty much the lowest. Does anybody know anything about this?? --- Pictures turn out noice, too, although it underexposes on my Fuji.


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PostPosted: Sat Jun 26, 2021 12:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
My copy is number 28210764. It's a good lens.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 26, 2021 10:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hard to tell could be 75 or 85 those passed stickers (it says 54 on it I think) were discontinued mid eighties. I don't know how long vivitar sold these lenses.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 26, 2021 12:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yeah, it says 54 on the sticker, but that doesn't mean anything, right? Since it is an F-mount and the AI-prong is missing, I don't think it can be 85, though.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 26, 2021 1:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
First number is year, second month (so qc was april 75 or 85).


PostPosted: Sat Jun 26, 2021 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ah, thanks! Good to know!


PostPosted: Mon Jun 28, 2021 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
A great lens -- one of the best 55's in my opinion. As for the SN, I suspect you just got a hold of a copy with a low SN that has lots of zeros. Seems to me the prototype's SN would have been closer to 28500000.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 28, 2021 5:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
cooltouch wrote:
A great lens -- one of the best 55's in my opinion. As for the SN, I suspect you just got a hold of a copy with a low SN that has lots of zeros. Seems to me the prototype's SN would have been closer to 28500000.


At least for Minolta lenses that would be true. I have technical information stuff with images showing an early Minolta MC W. Rokkor-SI 1:2.8 f=24mm with SN 2000002, a Minolta VFC Rokkor 1:2.8 f=24mm with SN 2000003, a Minolta MC W. Rokkor 1:4 f=17mm with SN 2000003, a MC Zoom Rokkor 40-80mm 1:2.8 with SN 1000003, a Rokkor 1:11 f=1600mm with SN 1000003, and several others with low SN in the 2000100 ... 2000200 range.

S


PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 7:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
My copy of this lens years ago did very well.

It underexposed by about 2/3 stop in macro use~ with the lens extended.
Although a little slow for some lighting situations, it made an excellent portrait lens.

I have been watching for one at a reasonable price in working condition for some time now.
I settled for the Nikkor 55 f3.5 micro rather than face a long wait.
The Nikkor beats the Vivitar on all fronts except speed, but the margins are all very narrow.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 8:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doc Sharptail wrote:
Nikkor 55 f3.5 micro rather than face a long wait.
The Nikkor beats the Vivitar on all fronts except speed, but the margins are all very narrow.



And the Nikkor 55 f2.8 micro is even better!



f/16.0 Sony a7s


PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 11:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
If it has a "Passed" sticker on it, it ain't a prototype...


PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 11:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Neither Nikkor mentioned has a 1:1 reproduction rate without an extension tube though. The Vivitar has


PostPosted: Wed Jun 30, 2021 7:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
D1N0 wrote:
Neither Nikkor mentioned has a 1:1 reproduction rate without an extension tube though. The Vivitar has


When I bought mine, the camera shop said it was a flat field lens, and the 1:1 repro size was a pushing point.
I had mine on a copy stand for a great deal of the macro work, with 2 flash heads.
IIRC, at that 1:1 rate I had to compensate about a stop and a 1/3rd.

There is a portrait posted around here somewhere that I did with it.
Very workable, especially with the 60/40 metering nikons I was using at the time.
The glass is better than adequate, but still not quite the equal of the nikkor in my hands now.
That is not snobbery, or anything like it. It is what's seen through the viewfinder, and what ends up as a final image.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 30, 2021 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sure But IQ was not my point since I don't have Nikkors that won't fit K-mount I can't judge it. 1:1 repro was my point, since you chose to do broad sweeping statements about Nikkor. I am not calling you a snob, mind you. Not at all.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 30, 2021 10:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks for all the infos and input!! You're right, a passed sticker doesn't make sense on a prototype. Still a great lense, though Smile


PostPosted: Wed Jun 30, 2021 7:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doc Sharptail wrote:

The glass is better than adequate, but still not quite the equal of the nikkor in my hands now.



The Nikon Micro-NIKKOR 55mm f/2.8 AI-s ... is hellaciously sharp at every aperture and distance, diffraction limited by f/5.6 in the center, extremely well made and fairly inexpensive. ...

This lens is often used as the benchmark against which other lenses are compared.

https://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/55f28ais.htm


PostPosted: Thu Jul 01, 2021 5:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've gotta agree about the Nikkor 55/2.8 Micro. For years, I was very happy with my early 60s vintage 55/3.5, but after I picked up a 2.8 and compared the two, I was frankly amazed that the 2.8 was pulling up detail that was somewhat blurry with the 3.5.

I use my 24.3 MP NEX for duping slides and negs. I used to use my 55/3.5 Nikkor for this, but now I use the 55/2.8, and the difference in detail I can extract from the film I dupe is noticeable.
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