Vivitar 200mm f/3.5 AF

[torontodon]

In a previous post to this forum I mentioned the discovery of a box of photo stuff in the garage. Included in the mix was a '70s era Vivitar Series 1 200mm f/3.5 with autofocus module. A bulky lens because around its middle is a "girdle" containing the electronics and mechanisms which allows you to push a button on the girdle to make the lens autofocus, regardless of the camera brand.

An interesting solution to the problem of different AF pins on different camera mounts.

The lens I found has a Canon FD mount. That, in itself, tells you something about the lens' age. I'm trying to remember the last Canon SLR I used it on. F1? A1? T90?

Regardless, the old lens still works. Amazingly, so does the AF module. Three new AAA batteries and the focus ring spun into place. Manual focusing indicates all is well inside, although the focus isn't as smooth as a non-AF version, as the AF gears do not disengage.

I have an adapter and threw the lens on my Panasonic GF2, deked outside and fired a couple of frames. On the GF2, a Micro Four Thirds camera, the focal length doubles. So that makes it a 400mm f/3.5. It also makes for a totally unbalanced camera and puts significant strain on the mount/adapter. The only way to use this combo is to keep your hand under the lens at all times.

The first images were okay, so I tried a series of shots through the aperture range. That's when I discovered the lens' aperture lever had been jammed by the adapter's pin, and the lens was only shooting wide open. I removed the lens and carefully remounted the adapter, making sure the adapter's collar and pin arrangement were, indeed, moving the lens' aperture lever.

And today I took it out to test it on my granddaughter's cross-country track meet. The adapter mechanism was showing it's cheapness and the AF system was not enjoying the lack of contrast of an overcast and slightly foggy day. To wit: set the lens aperture, rotate the adapter collar and hold it in place with the left hand pinky finger while rotating the focus ring with thumb and forefinger. Not a way to shoot sports action. Abandoned the lens after a couple of shots and used an Olympus 40-150mm (80-300 equivalent) designed for the M43 format. No where near as sexy, but a lot easier to use.

Then a lady came by with a DSLR sporting a huge hunk of glass, and I was tempted to shout out "I'll see your 500 and raise you 1000," and haul out my very old Canon 500m f/8 mirror lens which is the equivalent of 1000mm on the GF2 . . . but then thought better of it because it would have taken time to transfer the adapter from the Vivitar to the Canon, and that would have meant missing shots of my granddaughter. Priorities.

[Stephen]

As you have found out, it is always best with very heavy lenses to take the camera bodies weight via the mount rather than the other way around, the lens supports the body. Killfitt and Novoflex also suggested this with the early 50's heavy telephoto lenses and the Russian Photosniper outfit got it right with the rifle butt support. Funnily enough Vivitar in Series One made the light weight mirror lenses that broke this rule.

The Auto focus Vivitar lens still working is not unusual, they were very well made, I think by Chinon in Japan, who as contractor, assembled many of the Series One items.

For those considering the adaptors on micro four thirds, be careful, adding adaptor doubles the chance of play in having two mounts, and may well strain the "claws" of the camera body, making the basic lens fit a little looser than before. As the digital body is so light, let it hang on the adaptor and lens, unsupported. Also frankly, the cheaper Hong Kong varieties of adaptors, (the cheaper ones), are really quite lightly made engineering, (read flimsy). I bought one a few days ago, and the accuracy is OK, but is has plastic where cast aluminium should have been used, and the screws holding the mounts to the body are tapped into the plastic. Quite usable, but not for everyday general photography, just special uses of odd lenses, suits camera collectors, of course.
Stephen.

[lloydy]

I've got a few Fotga adapters, mid priced and all metal, that support heavier lenses on my NEX5 very well. But I still treat a heavy lens on the NEX as 'a heavy lens with a camera on the back' - I handle and support the lens, not the camera. And for some lenses I have made tripod mounts so I can use my monopod that I always have with me, or a tripod, never far away.
Even on an old school SLR I always liked a big lens to have its own mount.

[torontodon]

It's toast! Checking out the lens - getting ready for a trip to NYC (my youngest son lives there) - and generally checking out my gear prior to Xmas, and I happened to catch the light just right as I was peering into the back element of the Vivitar. Gasp! Either major scratches or, more likely, something growing in there.
I hadn't fired the lens in anger yet, and was thinking of taking it with me to NYC, so glad I checked and did some test shots. I would have been quite disappointed with the results and angry at having carried the weight. Oh well.

[russ]

Oct 3, 2012 15:54:07 GMT -5 torontodon said:

In a previous post to this forum I mentioned the discovery of a box of photo stuff in the garage. Included in the mix was a '70s era Vivitar Series 1 200mm f/3.5 with autofocus module. A bulky lens because around its middle is a "girdle" containing the electronics and mechanisms which allows you to push a button on the girdle to make the lens autofocus, regardless of the camera brand.

An interesting solution to the problem of different AF pins on different camera mounts.

The lens I found has a Canon FD mount. That, in itself, tells you something about the lens' age. I'm trying to remember the last Canon SLR I used it on. F1? A1? T90?

Regardless, the old lens still works. Amazingly, so does the AF module. Three new AAA batteries and the focus ring spun into place. Manual focusing indicates all is well inside, although the focus isn't as smooth as a non-AF version, as the AF gears do not disengage.

I have an adapter and threw the lens on my Panasonic GF2, deked outside and fired a couple of frames. On the GF2, a Micro Four Thirds camera, the focal length doubles. So that makes it a 400mm f/3.5. It also makes for a totally unbalanced camera and puts significant strain on the mount/adapter. The only way to use this combo is to keep your hand under the lens at all times.

The first images were okay, so I tried a series of shots through the aperture range. That's when I discovered the lens' aperture lever had been jammed by the adapter's pin, and the lens was only shooting wide open. I removed the lens and carefully remounted the adapter, making sure the adapter's collar and pin arrangement were, indeed, moving the lens' aperture lever.

And today I took it out to test it on my granddaughter's cross-country track meet. The adapter mechanism was showing it's cheapness and the AF system was not enjoying the lack of contrast of an overcast and slightly foggy day. To wit: set the lens aperture, rotate the adapter collar and hold it in place with the left hand pinky finger while rotating the focus ring with thumb and forefinger. Not a way to shoot sports action. Abandoned the lens after a couple of shots and used an Olympus 40-150mm (80-300 equivalent) designed for the M43 format. No where near as sexy, but a lot easier to use.

Then a lady came by with a DSLR sporting a huge hunk of glass, and I was tempted to shout out "I'll see your 500 and raise you 1000," and haul out my very old Canon 500m f/8 mirror lens which is the equivalent of 1000mm on the GF2 . . . but then thought better of it because it would have taken time to transfer the adapter from the Vivitar to the Canon, and that would have meant missing shots of my granddaughter. Priorities.

[russ]

The Vivitar Series 1, 200 f/3.5AF lens was designed by Vivitar, and made by Cosina and Komine. In good light with decent contrast, the auto-focus is quite accurate. Optically, it is a very good lens. Going head to head with the Nikon 180 f/2.8, it did very well. Because of it's short, stout size, I find it very easy to handhold. It always gives me very nice results.

Russ