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Arne
Joined: 25 Jun 2021 Posts: 4
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Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2021 6:26 pm Post subject: Vivitar Auto Macro 55mm 2.8 Prototype??? |
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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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blotafton
Joined: 08 Aug 2013 Posts: 1616 Location: Sweden
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Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2021 6:44 pm Post subject: Re: Vivitar Auto Macro 55mm 2.8 Prototype??? |
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blotafton wrote:
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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Lloydy
Joined: 02 Sep 2009 Posts: 7786 Location: Ironbridge. UK.
Expire: 2022-01-01
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2021 12:06 am Post subject: |
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Lloydy wrote:
My copy is number 28210764. It's a good lens. _________________ LENSES & CAMERAS FOR SALE.....
I have loads of stuff that I have to get rid of, if you see me commenting about something I have got and you want one, ask me.
My Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/mudplugga/
My ipernity -
http://www.ipernity.com/home/294337 |
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D1N0
Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 2530
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2021 10:34 am Post subject: |
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D1N0 wrote:
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. _________________ pentaxian |
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Arne
Joined: 25 Jun 2021 Posts: 4
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2021 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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Arne wrote:
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. |
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D1N0
Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 2530
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2021 1:07 pm Post subject: |
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D1N0 wrote:
First number is year, second month (so qc was april 75 or 85). _________________ pentaxian |
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Arne
Joined: 25 Jun 2021 Posts: 4
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2021 2:22 pm Post subject: |
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Arne wrote:
Ah, thanks! Good to know! |
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cooltouch
Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2021 12:50 pm Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Michael
My Gear List: http://michaelmcbroom.com/photo/gear.html
My Gallery: http://michaelmcbroom.com/gallery3/index.php/
My Flickr Page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/11308754@N08/albums
My Music: https://soundcloud.com/michaelmcbroom/albums
My Blog: http://michaelmcbroom.com/blogistan/ |
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stevemark
Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 3928 Location: Switzerland
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2021 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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stevemark wrote:
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 _________________ www.artaphot.ch |
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Doc Sharptail
Joined: 23 Nov 2020 Posts: 1161 Location: Winnipeg Canada
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Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 7:27 am Post subject: |
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Doc Sharptail wrote:
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. _________________
D-810, F2, FTN.
35mm f2 O.C. nikkor
50 f2 H nikkor, 50 f 1.4 AI-s, 135 f3.5 Q,
50 f2 K nikkor 2x, 28-85mm f3.5-4.5 A/I-s, 35-105 3.5-4.5 A/I-s, 200mm f4 Micro A/I, partial list.
"Ain't no half-way" -S.R.V.
"Oh Yeah... Alright" -Paul Simon |
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LittleAlex
Joined: 27 Nov 2008 Posts: 1678 Location: L'vov (Western Ukraine)
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Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 8:06 am Post subject: |
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LittleAlex wrote:
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.
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And the Nikkor 55 f2.8 micro is even better!
f/16.0 Sony a7s _________________ "Sharpness is a bourgeois concept" - © H. Cartier Bresson |
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kymarto
Joined: 30 Nov 2016 Posts: 406 Location: Portland, OR and Milan, Italy
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Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 11:03 pm Post subject: |
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kymarto wrote:
If it has a "Passed" sticker on it, it ain't a prototype... _________________ Vintage lens aficionado |
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D1N0
Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 2530
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Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 11:13 pm Post subject: |
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D1N0 wrote:
Neither Nikkor mentioned has a 1:1 reproduction rate without an extension tube though. The Vivitar has _________________ pentaxian |
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Doc Sharptail
Joined: 23 Nov 2020 Posts: 1161 Location: Winnipeg Canada
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Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2021 7:49 am Post subject: |
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Doc Sharptail wrote:
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. _________________
D-810, F2, FTN.
35mm f2 O.C. nikkor
50 f2 H nikkor, 50 f 1.4 AI-s, 135 f3.5 Q,
50 f2 K nikkor 2x, 28-85mm f3.5-4.5 A/I-s, 35-105 3.5-4.5 A/I-s, 200mm f4 Micro A/I, partial list.
"Ain't no half-way" -S.R.V.
"Oh Yeah... Alright" -Paul Simon |
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D1N0
Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 2530
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Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2021 10:10 am Post subject: |
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D1N0 wrote:
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. _________________ pentaxian |
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Arne
Joined: 25 Jun 2021 Posts: 4
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Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2021 10:31 am Post subject: |
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Arne wrote:
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 |
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LittleAlex
Joined: 27 Nov 2008 Posts: 1678 Location: L'vov (Western Ukraine)
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Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2021 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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LittleAlex wrote:
Doc Sharptail wrote: |
The glass is better than adequate, but still not quite the equal of the nikkor in my hands now.
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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 _________________ "Sharpness is a bourgeois concept" - © H. Cartier Bresson |
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cooltouch
Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas
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Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2021 5:54 am Post subject: |
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cooltouch wrote:
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. _________________ Michael
My Gear List: http://michaelmcbroom.com/photo/gear.html
My Gallery: http://michaelmcbroom.com/gallery3/index.php/
My Flickr Page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/11308754@N08/albums
My Music: https://soundcloud.com/michaelmcbroom/albums
My Blog: http://michaelmcbroom.com/blogistan/ |
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