3D printed Vivitar TX unmounted lens caps

[Kino]

Here's a great resource for those hard to find Vivitar TX unmounted lens caps.

Stu Jenkins uploaded these files on Thing Verse;
Short Version: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2795791
Long Version: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2795793

I had 2 of each printed out by Ringing Anvil Armory of Huntington, West Virginia for a very reasonable price and with a bit of filing (as indicated on plans), I now have lens caps for all my Vivitar TX mount lenses in the unmounted state.

Here is are the unassembled lot and the one tall cap I have assembled.

Now, as long as I find a TX adapter for any camera body I collect, I can avoid having to also collect a pile of lenses to use the body.

 

[dynachrome]

The lens pictured looks like an older T4 model but the caps should also fit a TX lens properly. The original rear caps seem to be made of bakelite. They are often found chipped. I have many TX lenses. I have duplicates of the ones I like best and I keep adapters attached. My favorites are 24/2.8, 28 and 35 f/2.8 lenses, the 135/2.5 and 2.8 lenses and the 70-150. The 28 and 35 f/2.5 lenses do not seem as well made as the later f/2.8 models and I find the 28/2.5 Fixed Mount sharper than the TX 28/2.5 at least at or near wide open. The 135/2.5 is nice for older cameras with finders that are not so bright and the 135/2.8 is handy because of its compact design. I wish Vivitar had kept the 21 and 105 focal lengths when it went over to the TX line. I have used the 21/3.8 T4 lens in stop down mode on Canon FD cameras. In the case of the 24/2.8 TX, it seems to be the same, optically, as the 24/2.8 FIxed Mount 37XXX... model. Last week I got the Fixed Mount version in Konica mount for $20 in nice condition. As I expanded my collections of various systems I used TX lenses and Tamron Adaptall II to fill in the gaps until I had all of the desired focal lengths covered.

 

[Kino]

The distinction between the T4 and the TX is not clear to me, but if the example is any indicator, all mine must be T4 mount.

I have heard there is some compatibility issues between the adapters but have no practical experience with this issue. Perhaps this is why one my Pentax screw mount adapter appears to be fully functional, but hangs on my 28mm lens, while the Nikon, Petri and Exacta adapters have no issues.

Oh, and I find it much easier to keep a waterproof case full of T4/Tx lenses with assorted adapters and my older SLRs in their everready cases with 50mm attached. That way I have an assortment of lenses instantly available as long as I have the right adapter; I can grab and go...

 

[dynachrome]

The T4 system is the older of the two. As newer cameras with more complicated mounting systems were developed, an updated system was needed. The TX system had adapters for Konica AR, Olympus OM, Nikon AI, Yashica/Contax, Minolta MD, Pentax K, Pentax ES and was backward compatible with older mounts like M42, Minolta MC, and Nikon F. Some old mounts like Toocon, Petri and Miranda did not carry over. During the same approx. Time period, Tamron went through Adaptamatic, Adaptall and Adaptall II.