Guess The Lens - A Request For Identification

Nowhere Matt · 10-14-2009, 08:15 AM

I have long forgotten where I bought the lens and who the manufacturer may be and was hoping for some help.
Right away some of you will notice it has the automatic aperture and some clever detectives will see that it is a KR mount and may not even want to look any further for fear of it getting stuck on your computer. I have been very lucky and can report that the lens has never become stuck on my K10 but I have thought a few times of making the modification to make that a certainty.
Does that mean that this is a Ricoh made lens? The lens is made in Korea and was purchased for my K1000 somewhere in 1984-1986.
Any help or suggestions with identifying the lens is welcomed. (Yes I will clean that fingerprint off the front before using it next.)

"70-210mm, (A) 1:4.0-5.6 macro MC AUTO ZOOM" manual focus, KR mount

Attached Images

**Lowell Goudge** · 10-14-2009, 08:30 AM

is this possibly marketed by quantaray?

Nowhere Matt · 10-14-2009, 08:59 AM

Originally posted by Lowell Goudge

is this possibly marketed by quantaray?

Do you suggest this because of the QT II looking markings between 52 and MC?

Nowhere Matt · 10-18-2009, 08:43 PM

Anyone else have any idea on who produced this lens?
I may have bought it from Wards or J.C.Penny in the middle 1980's.

Blue · 10-18-2009, 08:57 PM

It looks a lot like a Sears 80-200mm f4 that I bought from sears around the same time period. It is likely made by the same company that made the Korean Sears lenses.

Edit: There is a good enough finger print on that lens to run!

ramair455 · 10-18-2009, 09:26 PM

Yeah, it looks like an old K mount Sears @ Roebuck lens.

**Ash** · 10-18-2009, 09:55 PM

Looks very much like a Vivitar push-pull telezoom I had some time ago - and it was on a Ricoh XR10....

MikePerham · 10-19-2009, 08:01 AM

Originally posted by Ash

Looks very much like a Vivitar push-pull telezoom I had some time ago - and it was on a Ricoh XR10....

I had the Pentax version I used with my LX - but I think that was a constant F4 as I recall. Anyway, hated those push pull zooms and was happy to see them disappear. Love my DA* 50-135 and the two collar system.

pdxbmw · 10-19-2009, 08:13 AM

I accidentally put a lens exactly like that on my K10D. It was a b*tch to get off. "KR" is forever imprinted in my mind.

emr · 10-19-2009, 08:13 AM

Does the "KR" mean it was for Ricoh?

EDIT: I see it was already discussed

tr13 · 10-19-2009, 09:43 AM

I look at manual lenses regularly and I think it is Sigma lens. At least I remember few such items.

Nowhere Matt · 10-19-2009, 09:58 AM

Would specific images be more helpful? Different views of it's features?

I don't exactly know why but I think I sometimes rather like the challenge of using this older lens with my K10 as opposed to even my DA 50-200. Maybe more nostalgia than anything else but I am interested on what to call the thing. At times I want to say it was made by Focal for sale in Montgomery Wards. I have a Focal teleconverter and may have bought them at the same time and place but Focal seems to brand their products well. This tele-zoom is not.

Blue · 10-19-2009, 12:19 PM

Originally posted by emr

Does the "KR" mean it was for Ricoh?

EDIT: I see it was already discussed

The ones Sears sold were marked KR and were sold for use on Pentax, Ricoh, Chinon and their own K-mount Sears branded bodies. This was before Ricoh evolved to the point of being incompatible. I would guess that other store branded lenses were set up the same way. Interestingly, Kmart had their own store brand, Focal, that were Japanese made.

straightshooter · 10-19-2009, 12:50 PM

J. C. Penney, Sears, Montgomery Wards and others back then all had lenses that appeared to have been made by the same company. I have a Penney's 80-200 that's almost identical in look to your lens complete with the KR marking. My mother bought it years ago to go with her Program Plus.

CW

**Ash** · 10-19-2009, 01:03 PM

Originally posted by MikePerham

I had the Pentax version I used with my LX - but I think that was a constant F4 as I recall. Anyway, hated those push pull zooms and was happy to see them disappear. Love my DA* 50-135 and the two collar system.

This lens couldn't compare to the 50-135.
The 50-135 is in another league.
My Vivitar, which very closely resembles this one was an A lens and the push-pull zoom crept massively whilst carrying the camera around my neck. It was a real nuisance, and to be honest I hardly got a good shot out of it. Optically it was two strawberries short of a punnet.

Originally posted by Nowhere Matt

Would specific images be more helpful? Different views of it's features?

I don't exactly know why but I think I sometimes rather like the challenge of using this older lens with my K10 as opposed to even my DA 50-200. Maybe more nostalgia than anything else but I am interested on what to call the thing.

If this lens is anything like the Vivitar I had, then I would say stick with the 50-200, or if the nostalgia keeps gnawing at you, get yourself an old Pentax M 75-150 (if you can find one) or if you really want the push-pull mechanism the A 70-210 f/4.

10-14-2009, 08:15 AM	#1
Nowhere Matt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Nowhere Land Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,362	Guess The Lens - A Request For Identification I have long forgotten where I bought the lens and who the manufacturer may be and was hoping for some help. Right away some of you will notice it has the automatic aperture and some clever detectives will see that it is a KR mount and may not even want to look any further for fear of it getting stuck on your computer. I have been very lucky and can report that the lens has never become stuck on my K10 but I have thought a few times of making the modification to make that a certainty. Does that mean that this is a Ricoh made lens? The lens is made in Korea and was purchased for my K1000 somewhere in 1984-1986. Any help or suggestions with identifying the lens is welcomed. (Yes I will clean that fingerprint off the front before using it next.) "70-210mm, (A) 1:4.0-5.6 macro MC AUTO ZOOM" manual focus, KR mount Attached Images

10-19-2009, 08:13 AM	#10
emr Guest	Does the "KR" mean it was for Ricoh? EDIT: I see it was already discussed Last edited by emr; 10-19-2009 at 08:22 AM.

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10-14-2009, 08:30 AM	#2
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,891	is this possibly marketed by quantaray?

10-14-2009, 08:59 AM	#3
Nowhere Matt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Nowhere Land Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,362 Original Poster	Originally posted by Lowell Goudge is this possibly marketed by quantaray? Do you suggest this because of the QT II looking markings between 52 and MC?

10-18-2009, 08:43 PM	#4
Nowhere Matt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Nowhere Land Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,362 Original Poster	Anyone else have any idea on who produced this lens? I may have bought it from Wards or J.C.Penny in the middle 1980's.

10-18-2009, 08:57 PM	#5
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	It looks a lot like a Sears 80-200mm f4 that I bought from sears around the same time period. It is likely made by the same company that made the Korean Sears lenses. Edit: There is a good enough finger print on that lens to run!

10-18-2009, 09:26 PM	#6
ramair455 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Okc Photos: Gallery Posts: 284	Yeah, it looks like an old K mount Sears @ Roebuck lens.

10-18-2009, 09:55 PM	#7
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Looks very much like a Vivitar push-pull telezoom I had some time ago - and it was on a Ricoh XR10....

10-19-2009, 08:01 AM	#8
MikePerham Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Prince George, BC Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 642	Originally posted by Ash Looks very much like a Vivitar push-pull telezoom I had some time ago - and it was on a Ricoh XR10.... I had the Pentax version I used with my LX - but I think that was a constant F4 as I recall. Anyway, hated those push pull zooms and was happy to see them disappear. Love my DA* 50-135 and the two collar system.

10-19-2009, 08:13 AM	#9
pdxbmw Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 218	I accidentally put a lens exactly like that on my K10D. It was a b*tch to get off. "KR" is forever imprinted in my mind.

10-19-2009, 09:43 AM	#11
tr13 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Russia Posts: 343	I look at manual lenses regularly and I think it is Sigma lens. At least I remember few such items.

10-19-2009, 09:58 AM	#12
Nowhere Matt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Nowhere Land Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,362 Original Poster	Would specific images be more helpful? Different views of it's features? I don't exactly know why but I think I sometimes rather like the challenge of using this older lens with my K10 as opposed to even my DA 50-200. Maybe more nostalgia than anything else but I am interested on what to call the thing. At times I want to say it was made by Focal for sale in Montgomery Wards. I have a Focal teleconverter and may have bought them at the same time and place but Focal seems to brand their products well. This tele-zoom is not.

10-19-2009, 12:19 PM	#13
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by emr Does the "KR" mean it was for Ricoh? EDIT: I see it was already discussed The ones Sears sold were marked KR and were sold for use on Pentax, Ricoh, Chinon and their own K-mount Sears branded bodies. This was before Ricoh evolved to the point of being incompatible. I would guess that other store branded lenses were set up the same way. Interestingly, Kmart had their own store brand, Focal, that were Japanese made.

10-19-2009, 12:50 PM	#14
straightshooter Inactive Account Join Date: May 2008 Location: Forest Park, Georgia/Jacksonville, Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 633	J. C. Penney, Sears, Montgomery Wards and others back then all had lenses that appeared to have been made by the same company. I have a Penney's 80-200 that's almost identical in look to your lens complete with the KR marking. My mother bought it years ago to go with her Program Plus. CW

10-19-2009, 01:03 PM	#15
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Originally posted by MikePerham I had the Pentax version I used with my LX - but I think that was a constant F4 as I recall. Anyway, hated those push pull zooms and was happy to see them disappear. Love my DA* 50-135 and the two collar system. This lens couldn't compare to the 50-135. The 50-135 is in another league. My Vivitar, which very closely resembles this one was an A lens and the push-pull zoom crept massively whilst carrying the camera around my neck. It was a real nuisance, and to be honest I hardly got a good shot out of it. Optically it was two strawberries short of a punnet. Originally posted by Nowhere Matt Would specific images be more helpful? Different views of it's features? I don't exactly know why but I think I sometimes rather like the challenge of using this older lens with my K10 as opposed to even my DA 50-200. Maybe more nostalgia than anything else but I am interested on what to call the thing. If this lens is anything like the Vivitar I had, then I would say stick with the 50-200, or if the nostalgia keeps gnawing at you, get yourself an old Pentax M 75-150 (if you can find one) or if you really want the push-pull mechanism the A 70-210 f/4.