This is a Cosina-built camera (aren't all Vivitar SLR cameras?) that seems quite nice to me. Nice mix of features.
It is a black metal body, like the earlier 400/SL and lesser models:
http://mattdentonphoto.com/cameras/vivitar_400sl.html
But it is considerably smaller, roughly the same size (but heavier) as the new Bessaflex TM. It is, however, much heavier and better-built than the later Vivitar V models (V2000, V3800, V4000, etc). It lacks the sculptured plastic gripping surfaces and soft rubber that the later models offered, and it does not have the film cartridge-viewing window on the back that some models have.
It is Pentax P/K mount, and it offers aperture-priority AE as well as manual shutter speeds to 1/1000. It has the usual metal Copal-Square style shutter.
It also has a very bright viewfinder, with split-image and micro-focus collar focusing aids. Mine had just had the foam redone by the previous owner - otherwise, I do suspect it would have had the same foam rot that is to be expected with cameras of this vintage.
The manual for this camera listed at Butkus (http://www.butkus.org/chinon/vivitar_cameras/vivitar_cameras.htm) indicates a printing date of 1979, and that sounds about right. It has an LED meter indicator, which is unusual in that it displays the full range of shutter speeds and highlights the one you selected (as well as the one it *thinks* you should select) instead of the usual + 0 and - signs. Very nice.
It also takes modern silver oxide batteries. Again, very nice.
My copy came with a Vivitar-branded 50mm f/1.4 P/K mount lens. The serial number, located on the barrel intead of the beauty ring, indicates that it was made by Cosina as well, no surprise there. But f/1.4 is a bit fast for most of the P/K mount Cosina-made Pentax clones - most were f/1.7 or f/1.9 or even f/2.
Another nice touch - a shutter release lock on the shutter collar, not unlike the older Konica and Canon F series cameras (OK, it is made of plastic instead of steel, but it works fine). Oh yes, and it has an optical viewfinder that displays the selected f-stop in the top of the viewfinder so you can see what aperture you've selected or change it without taking the camera from your eye.
So far, I am quite pleased with the camera. I actually bought it for the lens, as I have noticed that Pentax-M 50mm f/1.4 lenses are getting much more expensive lately. But I now suspect that this lens will stay right on this camera most of the time; the camera itself is worthy and I like it.
My only complaints so far - the shutter release is so sensitive, it goes off before I'm quite ready sometimes, and I find the smaller frame is a bit small for my large hands (by example, I find the Bessaflex TM to be just fine in terms of size, so I guess this must be a bit smaller).
So, if you're looking for a Cosina-built, metal-bodied, P/K-mount AE (Aperture preferred, not Shutter preferred) camera that has modern features such as non-mercury batteries, a nice useful viewfinder and shutter speed indicator, as well as an (optical, not electronic) aperture display, with the option of even installing a motor drive (if you can find one), then this might be a good camera to look for.
NOTE: I have been informed that the Vivitar XV-3 is actually a Cosina CT-4. So there you go. {mos_smf_discuss:9} |
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