Vivitar 100-200mm f/4

[dynachrome]

The Vivitar Fixed Mount 100-200mm f/4 is one of my favorites. I have it in a number of mounts. I use it mostly without the dedicated 2X teleconverter. The earlier examples are marked Close Focusing and the later examples, if I am reading the serial numbers correctly, are marked Macro Focusing. The later ones have slightly different cosmetics for the zoom and distance markings. Otherwise, they look the same. I know that several companies made purpose built macro lenses in the 180-200mm range but most regular 200mm lenses from this period did not focus down to 1:3 at three feet. I have three examples of the Vivitar Series 1 200mm f/3. They focus down to four feet. I plan to try some of my 58mm size two-element close-up lenses to get closer than 1:3. Has anyone tried that with the 100-200?

 

[xkaes]

The only Vivitar 100-200mm f4 that I'm familiar with was made by Komine. The serial number starts with "28...". I did not know that there were other versions. What are the serial numbers, filter thread diameters, and close-focusing distances of the ones that you have? Are any of them interchangeable lens mounts -- TX, T4, etc?

 

[dynachrome]

All of the 100-200mm f/4 Vivitar lenses have serial numbers starting with 28. They are all Fixed Mount lenses. All of these lenses focus down to 3 feet, giving a reproduction ratio of 1:3 at the 200mm setting. Some are marked Close Focusing and some are marked Macro Focusing. Here are serial numbers of two lenses I have and some from the auction site:

28922800 Macro Focusing Canon FD
28924455 Macro Focusing Canon FD
28904352 Close Focusing Canon FD
28803060 Close Focusing Olympus OM
28900155 Close Focusing Minolta MD
28003706 Macro Focusing Olympus OM
28908311 Close Focusing Canon FD

All of the lenses have a 58mm filter thread diameter.

 

[xkaes]

Thanks for that info. They were all made by Komine, of course, and the three different lens mount are not surprising -- assuming they are all fixed.

I had no idea that Komine made different models of the 100-200mm f4. Do the close-focusing distances vary? I assume on the "Macro" models it would.

Are all the "Macro" models the same, and are all the "Close" models the same?

 

[dynachrome]

As I explained earlier, both versions focus down to three feet.

 

[xkaes]

I understand. I'm just trying to figure out if there is a way to tell the two versions apart -- other than one being labeled "MACRO" and the other "CLOSE-UP".

 

[dynachrome]

Yes. Some of the lettering on the two versions has different colors. You can also answer your questions by looking at photos on the auction site.

 

[xkaes]

Thanks. I was wondering about something more substantive, such as filter size, optical design, close-focusing distance, etc. which would indicate that they are, in fact not the same lenses. A change in the coloring of the letters and numbers is done all the time for different sellers. For example, the Tokina 650mm f8.5 lens -- which was never sold under the Tokina label -- was sold as a Soligor, a Bell & Howell, and an Osawa. They are all the same lens, but the coloring of the distance scales is different for each.

 

[dynachrome]

I don't know how many times the same questions can be asked and answered about this lens. There is no substantive difference between the two cosmetic versions and I think that by now, you must know that.