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08-07-2009, 01:32 PM   #1
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Vivtar 200mm F3.5 - Olympus Mount - What to do?

I have a manual focus 200 mm F3.5 Vivtar lens with an Olympus Mount. Any suggestions for adapting the mount for Pentax K200D?

Many thanks!

08-07-2009, 02:58 PM   #2
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there are users here who have adapted the lenses to k-mount, not exactly sure how
08-07-2009, 03:33 PM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by cdurfor Quote
I have a manual focus 200 mm F3.5 Vivtar lens with an Olympus Mount. Any suggestions for adapting the mount for Pentax K200D?

Many thanks!
I adapted a Olympus-mount 300/5.6 Tamron to P/K functioning by swapping the Oly mount for a Tamron P/K Adaptall lens mount. I INTENTIONALLY didn't adjust the base distance for infinity focus to produce a "backyard bird/squirrel" range lens -- but I COULD have reduced the adapter thickness if I'd wanted to. As it is, I can't focus to infinity but I can get closer than originally designed with probably some small loss of optical quality I can't see in practice.

This was really a quick-an'-dirty job and the Pentax adapter was (gasp) simply epoxied to the lens base after removing the Oly bayonet mount. Nothing required except a cross-point (Phillips) screw driver and glue. It still serves its purpose as well as the optics allow - which ain't bad at that.

I wasn't near my lathe at the time but I COULD have reduced the thickness of the adapter with nothing but sand paper, a flat and elbow-grease if needed.

H2
08-07-2009, 06:07 PM   #4
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What's the serial? If it starts with 37 - you're in luck, and the lens is a T4 interchangeable mount type. Look at the base of the lens - if it has a thingy with O<-*->L written on it, it definitely is a T4/TX mount. That means you can take off olympus mount and put a Pentax M42 or K(very rare) on it.

08-07-2009, 07:56 PM   #5
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I was hoping that the Vivitar designers had included some sort of removable spacer system, so mount conversions were easy. I haven't seen evidence of this. The lens is pretty inexpensive in M42 mount, so you have to decide how much trouble you want to go through.
08-08-2009, 06:08 AM   #6
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Many thanks for all of this valuable information that was not obtainable from comemrical sources... The Identifier number in the lens is: 28521786 if this helps refine the comments.

At the base of the lens it says O/OM.

Thanks again for helping me decide whether this piece of glass stays or goes....
08-08-2009, 09:29 AM   #7
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Make lemonade

QuoteOriginally posted by cdurfor Quote
At the base of the lens it says O/OM.
I have the same lens in the M42 mount (which includes the A/M-mode switch). I prefer it to the DA 50-200, for instance, at 200mm. IQ's good and f3.5 vs f5.6 when you need it too.

The mount IS interchangeable to some degree and fairly easy to do IF you have a Pentax mount to replace it with. There are three very small screws just above the aperture ring that allow you to remove the camera-specific mount. I haven't explored this particular lens to determine whether there would be issues with M42 vs P/K vs OM swaps but if you're satisfied with only K/M-mount functioning something could likely be done. OTOH, these aren't expensive lenses and I wouldn't pay to have it done.

Or, make lemonade. Consider mixing an OM and PK extension ring combination to make an adapter ring for a 200mm close-up/macro kit. This doesn't have to be complicated -- just file or sand two smooth mating surfaces and use epoxy glue! Typical FOV results with the associated lose of ~ 1 to 1.5 effective f-stop:

Normal FL = 4 x 6 inch FOV @ ~6 ft
15mm ring = 3 x 4.5 inch FOV @ ~ 4.5 ft
30mm ring = 2 x 3 inch FOV @ ~3 ft

H2

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