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09-04-2011, 09:08 PM   #1
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does anyone own a vivitar 35-200mm?

I was hoping that someone that owns a vivitar 35-200mm might be able to help me out (mine is a 3.0-4.5 serial 77??? so hopefully the same). I am converting one from minolta mount to pk mount. what I need to know is, at what zoom distance is the distance scale on the lens correct? This lens will focus to infinity at any zoom range, right? Does yours focus far past infinity at 200mm?

The problem I am having is that the minolta mount was .210" thick (about 5.334 mm). I should have to loose about 1.94mm or about .077". The new mount should be about .133" thick? So I'm down to .085" and still no infinity. I'm running out of mount to cut away. Fyi I am using a donor mount off another lens.

09-07-2011, 07:53 PM   #2
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Well, I'll be darned!! I DO have one! Maybe??? Mine is a 35-200mm, f2.9-4.5, RL Edition, Ser # 77xxxxxx, with the "A" aperture setting, and a macro (1.5x) setting that's available at the 200mm position. Sound like yours?

The measurement from the metal base to the metal mounting flange is approx 3/16" or about 5mm.

Just took some photos of the moon - the lens appears to focus 'just' past infinity - by about this much | .

Hope this helps. Good luck with your project!!
09-08-2011, 07:34 AM   #3
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Thanks for the info. Mine is 3.0-4.5. I haven't been able to figure out the difference between the RL edition and the regular ones because they seem like the same lens. If it wouldn't bee too much trouble, could you tell me if yours is par-focal? In other words, if you focus and then zoom, does it stay focused, or does the focus change when you zoom?
09-08-2011, 10:17 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by ripit Quote
Thanks for the info. Mine is 3.0-4.5. I haven't been able to figure out the difference between the RL edition and the regular ones because they seem like the same lens. If it wouldn't bee too much trouble, could you tell me if yours is par-focal? In other words, if you focus and then zoom, does it stay focused, or does the focus change when you zoom?
My understanding of the RL Edition is that is had a 5 year warranty instead of the standard 1 year - no other difference.

As to focus - it changes very slightly as I zoom either from 200-->35 or from 35-->200. Most of the change occurs at either extreme - but still a small difference, not like some others where the change is significant.

09-08-2011, 11:34 AM   #5
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Thanks a huge amount for the info. That one piece of info about the focus could potentially save me a lot of work and time. Since it was close I assumed it was parfocal. I might have spent forever very carefully trying to cut a little off the mount and check it again and again trying to get that. Now I know if it's not that way to start with I just need to remove enough to push it somewhere past infinity (it doesn't really matter how far I go as long as it goes past infinity through the whole range). Thanks again.
09-08-2011, 02:14 PM   #6
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No problem - glad I could help - good luck with your project.
09-20-2011, 11:46 AM   #7
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I recently Purchased a lot of camera lenses and things for my Minolta camera (which I use for school all the time). Among the lenses was Vivitar 35-200mm RL Edition 1:2.9-4.5 lens. Unfortunately it was the only one not in Minolta mount, but in the Pentax K mount. I don't know how that got in there but i was thinking about converting it to to be able to use on my Minolta MD mount camera. Since i seen many good things written about this lens and because i wasn't able to find one in Minolta mount. I would have rather purchased one than convert mounts . I believe its sacrilege to hack at, or cut a mount of any lens. I prefer to use adapters. But if i must i prefer removing and replacing mounts which i feel is OK , since it can be reversed.
So upon goggling some key words imagine my surprise when i cam across this thread.

Hey Ripit , what are the chances you did not touch that lens mount yet? and if you did not, would you be interested in a trade?

09-20-2011, 07:42 PM   #8
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I should have all the mount parts and would have loved to have traded but there are some complications. First, I shortened the mount screws (they seem like they would be long enough to engage through the old mount but not near as much. Second, Mine has been making a noise and I finally found out last night that one of the groups of elements near the front is loose. Finding that out really burned me as the glass is nice and function is smooth. I was actually going to try and fix it tonight. Third, the little tabs on the aperture ring have been cut off.
There still might be some hope (or partial hope). I am assuming you don't want my lens with its issues. My understanding is that with many of these third party lenses, they basically just make one lens and then make different mounts. If our lenses are identical, my mount may fit your lens and yours may fit mine. Perhaps we could exchange notes and or pics, and if things look good, we could exchange mount parts. The mount and aperture lever should be intact and working fine (gonna have to find it). I would think that would be a whole lot easier than trying to make a mount or modify an adapter. It's too bad you didn't find me earlier.

edit: forgot to mention, I used a donor mount off a damaged pk lens so the original minolta mount is unaltered.

Last edited by ripit; 09-20-2011 at 07:50 PM.
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