Pekka Buttler, 01/2025
Specifications
The table below summarizes the lens’ key specifications (measurements based on pictured sample of the lens):
| Brand: | Vivitar | Lens name | 135MM 1:2.8 auto telephoto |
| Focal length(s)1 | 135 mm | Angle-of-view2 | 18 ° |
| Maximum Aperture | f/2.8 | In Production | 1976-803 |
| Lens mount (this lens) | Canon FD | Other lens mounts | multiple4 |
| Length5 | 87,5 mm | Diameter6 | 64,0 mm |
| Filter ring diameter | 55 mm | Weight | 403 grams |
| Lens element count | 4 (see below) | Lens group count | 4 (see below) |
| Aperture blades (S/R/C)7 | 6 S | Focus throw | 260 ° |
| Minimum focusing distance | 1,5 m (indicated) 145 cm (measured) | Maximum magnification | 1:9,06 (measured) |
| Has manual aperture ring | YES | Has Manual focus ring | YES |
| Aperture mechanism type | Auto | Aperture click stops8 | 2.8•4•5.6•8•11•16•22 |
Further notes:
• This is one of many Vivitar 135 mm f/2.8 lenses offered during the 60s–80s.
• This lens was originally manufactured by Komine. Komine is one of those Japanese lens manufacturers that were happy with manufacturing lenses for more prominent brands (without trying to build their own brands). Vivitar was one of Komine’s bigger customers
• Not only did Vivitar use a wide range of designs and manufacturers for its range of 135 mm f/2.8 leses over the decades, there are even (at least) two different Komine-designed 135 mm f/2.8 Vivitars (see ‘versions and variations’)
• The filter threads do not rotate while focusing.
• The lens features an integrated lens hood that is so short that it can only help with oblique rays.
– Vivitar 135 mm f/2.8 (Komine) focused at infinity with hood retracted
– Vivitar 135 mm f/2.8 (Komine) focused at MFD with hood retracted
– Vivitar 135 mm f/2.8 (Komine) focused at MFD with hood extended
Versions and variations
Komine manufactured at least two 135/2.8 designs for sale under the Vivitar brand.
The first version was likely manufactured 1970–74, featured a ribbed metal focusing ring, a 5-element design and a 8-blade aperture.
The later version was likely manfactured 1976–80, featured a rubber focusing ring with pyramids, a 4-element design and a 6-bladed aperture. (pictured lens)
Beside the Komine–manufactured (serial number starts #28) 135/2.8 lenses, Vivitar sold 135/2.8 lenses manufactured by (at least) Kino precision (aka Kiron) and Tokina.
History of Vivitar
Vivitar initially was the trade name used by Ponder & Best Inc. until Ponder & Best changed its name to Vivitar Corp. From the 1960s to the early 2000s the company contracted various (mostly Japanese) optical and electronics manufacturers to manufacture photographic gear to be branded as Vivitar.
You can read more details in the Vivitar company profile.
Adapting
n.B! The following applies to all Canon FD mount lenses. Should you have the Vivitar auto telephoto in another mount, please see the JAPB guide of the respective, other lens mount.
This lens cannot be used natively on any current SLR or dSLRs. To use it in its native environment, you will need a Canon FD or FDn-mount film body.
Thanks to being a fully manual lens (manual aperture, manual focus), the lens can be adapted to all mirrorless cameras using a suitable adapter. However, for the adapter to allow the lens to stop down, you will need an adapter that can be set to engage the FD lens’ aperture control lever. Personally, this is my biggest gripe with the FD-mounts as this leads to what I refer to as the four-ring problem:
[1] Activation ring for aperture control
[2] Locking ring for breech-lock mount
[3] Aperture ring
[4] Focus ring
Note, that especially the first three rings are very close together.
Moreover, a large range of special adapters (helicoid adapters, tilt/shift adapters, speed boosters) for using Canon FD lenses on most mirrorless systems are available.
Using Canon FD lenses on dSLRs is a possibility, but is not problem free. Thanks to the relatively short flange focal distance of the Canon FD mount (at 42,0 mm, clearly shorter than that of any full-frame dSLR mount), any adapter will necessitate some corrective optics to achieve infinity focus.
Footnotes
- Focal length is (unless stated otherwise) given in absolute terms, and not in Full-frame equivalent. For an understanding of whether the lens is wide/tele, see ‘Angle-of-view’. ↩︎
- Picture angle is given in degrees (based on manufacturers’ specs) and concerns the diagonal picture angle. Rule of thumb:
> 90 ° ==> Ultra-wide-angle
70–90 ° ==> Wide-angle
50–70 ° ==> Moderate wide-angle
40–50 ° ==> ‘Standard’ or ‘normal’ lens
20–40 ° ==> Short tele lens
10-20 ° ==> Tele lens
5-10 ° ==> Long tele lens
< 5 ° ==> Ultra-tele lens ↩︎ - Information based on single source. See http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Vivitar_135mm_f/2.8 ↩︎
- Including: Canon FD, Contax/Yashica, Konica AR, M42, Minolta SR, Nikon F, Olympus OM and Pentax K ↩︎
- Length is given from the mount flange to the front of lens at infinity. ↩︎
- Diameter excludes protrusions such as rabbit ears or stop-down levers. ↩︎
- S=straight; R=rounded; C=(almost)circular at all apertures. ↩︎
- Numbers equal aperture values on aperture ring; • intermediate click; – no intermediate click. ↩︎