[TimB]

Hello all,

Is there a way to tell whether a Vivitar Series 1 lens fits a K mount by the lens' serial number?

I'm trying to by a lens, and the only useful info I have is the serial number and nondescript pictures. I can't quite tell from the pics what the mount looks like exactly.
I've read a bunch about Vivitar lenses and deciphering serial numbers, but couldn't find anything that will tell me if it fits my K100D.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[creampuff]

Short answer is NO. The Vivitar serial numbers relate to the company who made the lens and approx production date. There is no indication of the lens mount.

[Buddha Jones]

Not sure, I know that the serial number will tell you who made the glass for the earlier models, the MF ones, not the early 80's AF ones. If it fits a Pentax it will be a K mount.

[TimB]

Not sure, I know that the serial number will tell you who made the glass for the earlier models, the MF ones, not the early 80's AF ones. If it fits a Pentax it will be a K mount.

The thing is I don't know if it's supposed to fit a pentax.
Here is the provided picture: (does that look like a k mount?)

Thanks.

Attached Images

 

[creampuff]

Ha, ha, how to tell? Ask the seller to get you a close-up shot of the lens from the rear. That might give a clue if it is a K mount. If the seller has the rear cap, it often indicates if it is a K mount. My guesstimate - probably not.

[TimB]

Yeah, I asked for a close up already and nothing so far.
Good call on the rear cap. I'll see if I can get any info on that.

Thanks.

[gpaual]

Photo Equipment - Mark Roberts Photography

you may find some info here there is a section of series one lenses and some comparison charts.......good luck

i have a series one from the 70's and on the rear portion of the aperture ring it is stamper " japan p/k-a r-p/k...perhaps that may offer you a clue......you will also be able to date your lens and see who manafactured it by chk'g that roberts chart

[TimB]

I've checked out Mark Roberts' page, that's, to a large extent, what got me looking into Vivitars in the first place.

I've been trying get info on aperture ring markings, but no success so far.

[roy]

Yeah, I asked for a close up already and nothing so far.
Good call on the rear cap. I'll see if I can get any info on that.

Thanks.

yeah,
but i've got a takumar 135/2.5 K that came with an olympus rear cap that works perfectly. i'm also SURE a konica cap would fit perfectly as you can almost mount the K/KR lenses on a K pentax.

[TimB]

yeah,
but i've got a takumar 135/2.5 K that came with an olympus rear cap that works perfectly. i'm also SURE a konica cap would fit perfectly as you can almost mount the K/KR lenses on a K pentax.

Roy,

Are you saying that an olympus or a konica mount lens is likely to fit a pentax K mount?

Thanks.

[Canada_Rockies]

Roy,

Are you saying that an olympus or a konica mount lens is likely to fit a pentax K mount?

Thanks.

Konica lenses go on fine, but sometimes they don't come off easily. Be very cautious with non-Pentax bayonet mounts.

[creampuff]

yeah,
but i've got a takumar 135/2.5 K that came with an olympus rear cap that works perfectly. i'm also SURE a konica cap would fit perfectly as you can almost mount the K/KR lenses on a K pentax.

You're confusing the issue here. My suggestion to TimB was to check with the seller if the lens had a rear cap and to check if it has any markings indicating that it was a K-mount.

Given the plethora of rear lens caps, I am sure there might be rear caps from other different original and 3rd party lens manufacturers that might conceivably fit the rear of a K-mount lens, but what does that prove? From your post, people might infer wrongly that other lens mounts can be mounted on the Pentax K mount.

[Lowell Goudge]

From the photo, I would say definitely NOT pentax mount.

I own that lens in K mount, and the most telling thing I can see is that the rear shroud, or protection for apature activating lever is too deep and goes 100% of the way around the lens, it does not do this on a K mount.

Additionally, even with K mount, it needs to be slightly modified to fit a DSLR (the protection for the apature lever has to be cut down a little, it is a 10 minute modification detailed elsewhere in this forum)

[TimB]

From the photo, I would say definitely NOT pentax mount.

I own that lens in K mount, and the most telling thing I can see is that the rear shroud, or protection for apature activating lever is too deep and goes 100% of the way around the lens, it does not do this on a K mount.

Additionally, even with K mount, it needs to be slightly modified to fit a DSLR (the protection for the apature lever has to be cut down a little, it is a 10 minute modification detailed elsewhere in this forum)

I couldn't quite tell if the aperture protection ring goes all around or if it's one of the older vivitar versions with the wide protection shroud.

I already prepared my jackhammer, welding equipment, table saw, and a light saber to make that thing fit my camera, if it was, indeed, a wider version of the pentax mount .

[creampuff]

I would suggest you save the effort if you're unsure of the actual mount. The Pentax A 70-210 f/4 is a more versatile alternative. Certainly a much lighter lens and image quality is good. Plus you can shoot in every exposure mode.