Vivitar 75-205 n/ai lens

Vivitar made some decent ai zooms but I'm not too familiar with the various models. I do know Kiron made some of Vivita's Series I lenses and they are very good.

Are you looking for something in particular, design specs, reviews, compatibility. Otherwise in terms of just using the lens is there much to be gained from the manual?

The Vivitar 75-205 1 touch (62mm filter) was made by Kiron in late 70s. It was not Vivitar top of the line series 1 lens. You should have a serial number that start with "22". I had a copy of the later marketed by Kiron themself 70-210 f4 (also one touch and 62mm filter). Other then its weight and size for a f4 lens, the Kiron 70-210 is one sharp zoom. I have no experience of your version.

Vivitars in the approximately 70-210mm range were made by several manufacturers, not just Kino. My 70-210/2.8-4 Series 1 was made by Komine.

If you can provide a serial number someone might be able to narrow it down.

That lens happens to be made by Kiron, and it is a cost-down copy of the Kiron version of the 70-210 f3.5 Series One zoom. The optical formula is the same number of groups and elements as the Series One. The largest elements pf the Series One lens have been slightly downsized, and the mechanical construction has been cheapened somewhat, hence the slightly reduced spec with respect to the Series One lens. IMHO, that particular lens is the best NON-Series One mid-tele zoom that Vivitar ever made, just a slight bit below versions 1 and 2 of the Series one lens.

I used to have that lens, and it's manual, but I sold it along with one of my FE bodies, to a student. Close focusing range is to 1:4 life size, again, a down spec vs. the Series One optic.

That lens often turns up quite cheaply on the 'bay, I've seen it sell for as little as $25 in good shape. At that price, it's well worth a flyer. I hope you didn't pay too much more than that for it.

sn-22277112

I inherited a Vivitar 70-210mm f3.5 constant-aperture zoom from my dad back in the late 1980s and used it quite a bit for about 12 years. It had a penchant for underexposing slide film. I was at the runway for the first flight of the Boeing 777 in June, 1994, and my slides came out about a third to a half stop underexposed. For black and white work it was a fantastic performer. Ultimately though I think for my next telephoto zoom I'll get a Nikon 80-200 2.8. Color saturation also on the Vivitar was not up to Nikkor standards.

Dave

Like other brand lenses, including a couple of Nikkors, certain Vivitars tended to develop oily diaphragms after several years. This can lead to exposure errors. None of my Series 1 lenses had this problem but I've seen it on non-Series 1 Vivs.

While it's safe to make general observations about Nikkors, Zuikos, Canons, etc., Vivitar color rendition, saturation and contrast, even bokeh, depend heavily on not only lens design (Vivitar designed at least some of the Series 1 lenses), but on the manufacturer which actually built the lens. There's really no characteristic look that defines a Series 1 lens.

My Series 1 70-210/2.8-4 has moderate contrast and natural but not snappy color rendition. It's very resistant to ghosting but can be affected by veiling flare. I used to have two Vivitar Series 1 28-90/2.8-3.6 varifocals, one in OM mount, the other in Canon FD. Both were almost too contrasty with vivid color rendition - no polarizer was needed to render skies brilliant blue. And while they were resistant to veiling flare ghosting was a problem.