Vivitar Auto Telephoto 400mm F/6.3
Super telephoto prime lens • Film era • Discontinued
- Announced:
- · 1970
- Production status:
- ● Discontinued
- Country of design:
- · Japan
- Original name:
- · AUTO Vivitar TELEPHOTO 400mm 1:6.3
- Class:
- · Slow full-frame super telephoto prime lens
- · Professional model
Specification
| Optical design: | |
| 35mm full frame | |
| 400mm | |
| F/6.3 | |
| 4 elements in 3 groups | |
| Interchangeable mount (T-4) | |
| 6.2° (35mm full frame) | |
| Diaphragm mechanism: | |
Diaphragm type: | Automatic |
Aperture control: | Aperture ring (Manual settings only) |
| 8 (eight) | |
| Focusing: | |
| 7.30m | |
| <No data> | |
Focusing modes: | Manual focus only |
Manual focus control: | Focusing ring |
| Physical characteristics: | |
| 1134g | |
| ⌀?×292mm | |
| Accessories: | |
| Screw-type 72mm | |
| Built-in telescopic round | |
| <No data> |
Source of data
- Vivitar Automatic T-4 Lens System booklet (June 1971).
Manufacturer description
New Vivitar T-4 Lens - 400mm f6.3 Auto lens
The latest addition to the growing line of automatic T-4 lenses is a surprisingly light weight automatic 400mm.
The light weight, superb balance and sophisticated optical design make this lens ideal for hand-held telephoto shooting. Its 8x image magnification is especially helpful for sports coverage and wildlife photography.
There are 4 elements in 3 groups, and an aperture range from f6.3 to f22. Like all automatic T-4 lenses, it has an automatic diaphragm and full metering coupling. There is a built in lens shade.
From the Popular Photography magazine (January 1971)
Photokina '70
The twelfth and newest member of Vivitar's T4 Adapter family is a 400-mm f/6.3 with a fully automatic aperture working down to f/22. Rotary focusing brings it as close as 26 ft. The design is four glasses in three groups, in a very handsome mount. Weight is a surprising 36 oz., which is good going for a 400.
From the Popular Mechanics magazine (September 1971)
LONG TELEPHOTO LENSES are usually hefty in price and weight, but this new high-powered 400-mm Vivitar is relatively light on both counts. Designed for single-lens reflex cameras, it's priced at $169.50, weighs 2 1/2 pounds and is said to handle easily even on hand-held shots without a tripod. The f/6.3 lens, called the Auto T-4, is 11 1/2 inches long, covers angle of 6°, can be focused as close as 24 feet. Provides meter coupling and automatic diaphragm stop-down on most SLR models; also has own tripod socket in barrel. Adapters to fit Mamiya, Pentax, Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Miranda, Exakta, Leicaflex and Topcon cameras are $10 to $15.
From the editor
Has the same optical design as the SOLIGOR TELE-AUTO 1:6.3 f=400mm (T-4).
Notes
- Independent-brand lenses were made for 35mm film SLR cameras by companies that competed with the camera manufacturers. Some came from factories that made lenses under their own brand names (Angenieux, Kiron, Sigma, Tamron, Tokina). Many others were national and international marketing organizations (Kalimar, Panagor, Rokunar, Soligor, Starblitz) that bought lenses from anonymous manufacturers. One firm — Vivitar — actually designed its own lenses and accessories, which were then subcontracted to manufacturing firms. Still others were private labels, sold only by specific photo specialty shops (Cambron, Quantaray, Spiratone).
- The actual manufacturer of a Vivitar lens can be identified by the first digits of the serial number: 09 - Cosina, 13 - Schneider-Kreuznach, 19 - Sigma, 22 - Kino Precision Industries, 25 - Ozone Optical, 28 - Komine, 32 - Makina Optical, 33 - Asanuma, 37 - Tokina, 42 - Eugen Bauer, 44 - Perkin Elmer, 47 - Chinon, 51 - Tokyo Trading, 56 - Kyoe Shoji, 61 - Samyang, 6x - Olympus, 75 - Hoya, 77 - Kobori, 81 - Polar, 9x - Cosina. This numbering system, however, was used by Vivitar only between 1969 and 1991 (approx.).
- This Vivitar lens has s/n 37xxxxx, therefore it was produced by Tokina.