Pekka Buttler, 01/2026
This lens was kindly provided for cataloguing by Vladimir at #photogears
Specifications
The table below summarizes the lens’ key specifications (measurements based on pictured, last version of the lens):
| Brand: | Vivitar | Lens name | 17mm 1:3.5 auto wide-angle |
| Focal length(s)1 | 17 mm | Angle-of-view2 | 104 ° |
| Maximum Aperture | f/3.5 | In Production | 1976–1980 3 |
| Lens mount (this lens) | Minolta SR | Other lens mounts | multiple4 |
| Length5 | 58,9 mm | Diameter6 | 79,7 mm (with hood) 69,5 mm (barrel) |
| Filter ring diameter | 72 mm | Weight | 374 grams |
| Lens element count | 11 | Lens group count | 8 |
| Aperture blades (S/R/C)7 | 6 S | Focus throw | 180 ° |
| Minimum focusing distance (indicated) | 22 cms | Maximum magnification (calculated) | 1:11 |
| Has manual aperture ring | YES | Has Manual focus ring | YES |
| Aperture mechanism type | Auto | Aperture click stops 8 | 3.5-5.6-8-11-16 |
Further notes:
• This lens (and its somewhat smaller successor) were the widest-angle rectilinear lenses sold under the Vivitar brand (until 2010 when an even wider lens was introduced.
• This lens was originally manufactured by Tokina who sold it also under their own brand as the “Tokina Wide-Auto 17mm F/3.5 RMC”9
Versions and variations
Vivitar sold two lenses with the mainline specifications of 17 mm and f/3.5. Both were manufactured by Tokina:
The first version was sold 1976 to 1980, had a filter thread of 72 mm, an 11 elements in 8 groups design, and a petal shaped, integrated hood (this lens)
The second version was introduced in 1980, had a filter thread of 67 mm, an 11 elements in 9 groups design and a traditional circular filter thread (no petals).
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
We’re discussing the adapting of Minolta SR mount lenses. If your copy of this lens uses another lens mount, please check the adapting tips on the JAPB pages of the other lens mounts: Canon FD, Contax/Yashica, Konica AR, M42, Nikon F, Olympus OM and Pentax K
This lens cannot be used natively on any current SLR or dSLRs. To use it in its native environment, you will need a Minolta SR (SR/MC/MD/X-600) film camera. Luckily these are quite easy to find. To use the lens’ full designed capabilities, a Minolta MD-compatible body (any Minolta SR body launched after 1977) is most recommended..
Thanks to being a fully manual lens (manual aperture, manual focus), the lens can be adapted to all mirrorless cameras using a suitable adapter. Moreover, a simple ‘dumb adapter’ will do the job perfectly. Thanks to the popularity of the Minolta SR mount, the availability of adapters to all mirrorless mounts can be taken for granted, on the other hand, specialist adapters (speed boosters, helicoid adapters, tilt/shift adapters) are not available for all mirrorless mounts, but daisy-chaining adapters (e.g. Minolta SR -> Canon EF; Canon EF –> mirrorless) can offer a work-around.
Using Minolta SR mount lenses on dSLRs is also be an option, but it is not trouble-free due to that the Minolta SR mount’s flange focal distance is shorter than that of any dSLR mount (technically with the exception of Olympus’ four thirds mount). Hence, any attempt at adapting Minolta SR lenses must rely on an adapter that uses corrective optics to allow infinity focus. However, such adapters are readily available.
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 is sparse. ↩︎
- 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. ↩︎
- Vivitar was not the only rebrander to rebrand this Tokina lens, as it exists at least also as the Asanuma 17/3.5. ↩︎