Hi All, I recently bought the Vivitar 55mm f/2.8 macro for Konica (used, in very nice condition). When I fitted it to my Autoreflex T for the first time, I was surprised to find that the shutter would not fire. Switched back to my "normal" lens: no problem. Weird.

Today, I visited my local camera repair shop (not the world's greatest, but OK for routine stuff), and asked them to try the lens out on a couple of their Konica bodies. On their Autoreflex T, the camera would fire - one time only - if the shutter was cocked before the lens was fitted. Thereafter, no luck. On a much later Konica (with auto-film advance) the lens worked perfectly every time.

The dealer couldn't even offer a guess at the reason for the problem. Nothing is visibly out of alignment, or different from the lens mounts of my other Konica lenses (all Hexanons). The dealer offered to try to adjust or repair the lens, but he thought it would probably be a costly repair. I decided to think the matter over...and to post this messge.

Has anyone run into a similar problem with this lens...or any other? Is it possible that this Vivitar was designed to work with later Konicas, and not early models like mine? It certainly doesn't look or feel like a latter-day lens (and I would think that the minimum 16 f/stop would indicate an earlier date), but you never know.

Thanks for your help!

Jon

-- Anonymous, April 07, 2001

Answers

Lens Mount compatability

I had the same sort of thing occur with an older Konica optic. I had stumbled into a 400mm Hexanon on eBay that hadn't drawn a very high price and was close to auction end. I impulsively bid and ended up with the lens. I had forgotten that they made an old pre-set 400 and this turned out to be my reminder! Anyway, it wouldn't mount all of the way (to full lock) on any of my bodies. The oldest body I had was a T-3n and this would not work either. The seller had a body from just before that era (maybe a T?) and it coupled up fine on his.

I remember asking Greg Weber about it and if I recall correctly, he explained that there had been a slight change back then to the mount and that the lens mount could be filed into compatability. I ended up returning the lens to the seller (he didn't seem to be totally convinced of my mounting troubles but I couldn't get it on 6 different bodies correctly).

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2001

Vivitar macro lens

Hi Jon,

I have a Vivitar 55 macro, the model that goes all the way to 1:1 without an additional extension tube, uses 58mm or 62mm filters (don't have it at hand to check, but I know it's larger than the usual 55mm Hexanon) and stops all the way down to f22. I think the lens body is partially plastic, too, judging from the weight. It works fine on my usual user Konicas: FT-1 and T4. I haven't tried on earlier cameras (oldest I have is a T3, "semi-retired"). Nice lens, I sometimes use it as a "normal", nice to have the close focusing ability and it is very usable without a lens hood because the front element is so deeply recessed.

I have another, older, all metal (incl. the focusing ring) Vivitar 35mm f2.5 (or 28mm f2.5, I forget which), min. aperture f16, 62mm filter thread, that is somewhat difficult to mount on any of my user cameras... it will mount securely, but always takes a little fiddling & fussing. I suspect it's just not a very well made bayonet.

Don't know if this helps with the problems you've encountered! Hope so.

Alan Myers, San Jose, Calif.

-- Anonymous, April 18, 2001