# Old Vivitar Nikon Lens - Help?



## AimsG (May 11, 2010)

When I got my first DSLR my uncle gave me an old lens.  I can't find much information on it on the internet and was wondering if anyone knows anything about.  I'm probably going to sell it, if its worth selling....unless its worth keeping??  Anyway, anything anyone could tell me would be great. 

All I know is that it was made for analog cameras so my first question would be, could I even use it on a DSLR?  The box says Vivitar. 80-200mm. f4.5.  Also handwritten on the box is this: Zoom lens for Nikon EM Camera. 

I haven't touched it since I got it more than two years ago.  Any info would be awesome!

Thanks!


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## Dallmeyer (May 11, 2010)

Is it a "macro"? I have a similar Vivitar lens 4.5/70-210. Maybe worth $15-20 or so. Not much. Better off using it yourself if you can.


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## KmH (May 11, 2010)

AimsG said:


> When I got my first DSLR my uncle gave me an old lens. I can't find much information on it on the internet and was wondering if anyone knows anything about. I'm probably going to sell it, if its worth selling....unless its worth keeping?? Anyway, anything anyone could tell me would be great.
> 
> All I know is that it was made for analog cameras so my first question would be, could I even use it on a DSLR? The box says Vivitar. 80-200mm. f4.5. Also handwritten on the box is this: Zoom lens for Nikon EM Camera.
> 
> ...


Any lens with a Nikon mount that was made after 1959 will mount on any Nikon camera made after 1959, analog or digital.

You don't mention which Nikon digital SLR camera you have.


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## Fraginator3000 (May 11, 2010)

No 4 looks like a heart...


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## Dallmeyer (May 11, 2010)

Aorta composed that shot a bit better


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## AimsG (May 11, 2010)

Nice pics, Dallmeyer.  It helps to see pics taken with a similar lens. 

I'm not sure if it's a macro or not.  I have a Nikon D80 so it will probably fit.  I heard there might be some issues because my camera is digital and the lens was meant for an analog camera...?  Which body were you using for the pics you posted Dallmeyer? 

Thanks for the input!


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## Dwig (May 11, 2010)

KmH said:


> ...Any lens with a Nikon mount that was made after 1959 will mount on any Nikon camera made after 1959, analog or digital...



Not accurate.

There are quite a number of variants in the Nikon-F mount, both in the lenses and bodies. Some combinations do not mount. 

Original F lenses: these fit only the Nikon F, F2, Nikkormat FS, and Nikkorex F. These are rare and rather collectable. They can be idendified by the f/stop ring having a deep (3-4mm) overhang. This was a dust shield that was reduced to a 2mm overhang in the very early '60s, circa 1961.

Later pre-AI lenses: these have a 2mm overhang and will not fit any body with AI meter coupling unless that body's AI coupler will flip up out of the way (F2A, F2As, F3, FM, FE). They will not fit any digital bodies that has provision for metering from AI lenses. They will fit some of the newer entry level digitals (D40, D40x, D60, D3000, D5000) that only support electronic meter coupling.

G-series lenses: these will mount on any F-mount body, all the way back to 1959, but are of little use on any except those that support electronic control of the f/stop from the body (most of the last generation of film bodies and all digital bodies). 

DX lenses: These will mount on any F-mount body, but do not provide an image that comvers the full area of the larger FX sensors or that of 35mm film. There use on film bodies or FX digital bodies is rather limited.

If the hand written note on the OP's lens box is accurate, his Vivitar lens is an AI class lens. If so, it will mount on any current digital body. Whether it meters is a question that can be answered by reading the instruction manual for the camera and seeing what functions are supported when using AI lenses.

Here's a good link discussing Nikon lens mount identification and compatibility:

Nikon Lens Compatibility


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## Dallmeyer (May 11, 2010)

A canon XS (1000D) digital. It has Macro Focussing Zoom written around the front glass and M.R 1:1 written on the barrel.

Not sure of it's current price btw, can't find much info. Here in the UK it would be a 10 or 20 quid table sale bargain!


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## KmH (May 11, 2010)

AimsG said:


> Nice pics, Dallmeyer. It helps to see pics taken with a similar lens.
> 
> I'm not sure if it's a macro or not. I have a Nikon D80 so it will probably fit. I heard there might be some issues because my camera is digital and the lens was meant for an analog camera...? Which body were you using for the pics you posted Dallmeyer?
> 
> Thanks for the input!


It should mount and you can take pictures with it but you will probably need to auto focus it and it may not meter.

The only way to find out for sure is to see if it fits on your D80 and try it out if it does.


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## djacobox372 (May 12, 2010)

AimsG said:


> Nice pics, Dallmeyer.  It helps to see pics taken with a similar lens.
> 
> I'm not sure if it's a macro or not.  I have a Nikon D80 so it will probably fit.  I heard there might be some issues because my camera is digital and the lens was meant for an analog camera...?  Which body were you using for the pics you posted Dallmeyer?
> 
> Thanks for the input!



It will fit and work but it won't meter, you'd need a d200/300/700 or d2x/d3/d3x to meter with these older manual focus lenses.  The lower lines of nikon DSLRS require the lens to have a cpu to pass along metering information.

It's an okay lens, contrast will likely not be all that god.

Too bad it isn't a vivitar 3.5 70-210--those were fantastic lenses.


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