- VIVITAR AQUA SHOT UNDERWATER DIGITAL CAMERA SERIAL NUMBER
- VIVITAR AQUA SHOT UNDERWATER DIGITAL CAMERA PROFESSIONAL
But, within certain years, this list may be helpful as one tool among many to help determine who made a given lens.
VIVITAR AQUA SHOT UNDERWATER DIGITAL CAMERA SERIAL NUMBER
No direct evidence to date confirms that Vivitar used the serial number system presented above. I also remember having given away prototype models of a Vivitar 100mm f/2.8, an 85mm f/1.8, and an 800mm f/8." (photos of Bill Swinyard's prototype can be seen in the article: Vivitar Auto Wide-Angle 20mm f/3.8)įrequently Asked Questions How likely is it this list or other alleged Vivitar serial number lists are valid? The 0003 indicates only that it is a very early model, although there were a dozen or so of such prototypes made. Mine is a Vivitar 20mm f/4 with a black alloy mount, while the production version was labelled as an f/3.8 and had a stainless mount. "I still have one of the prototypes that later went into production.
Bill Swinyard describes an example of a prototype lens he owns: In other cases the lenses were produced and sold but with slight mechanical or visual differences in the higher numbered production versions.
VIVITAR AQUA SHOT UNDERWATER DIGITAL CAMERA PROFESSIONAL
In many cases prototype lenses never made it to production for example the Vivitar Professional 180mm f/2.8. Prototypes lenses generally used the same serial number scheme as production lenses but will have very low numbers in the portion of the number that reflects the manufacturing sequence.
There is general agreement among collectors that sometime after 1990, this system fell into disuse or was completely abandoned. The first lenses that appear to follow this number scheme appear in the late 1960s and by 1970 it appears to be used consistently. The consensus seems to be that most lenses sold in the 1960s did not use this system. "P&B Vivitar" or "Vivitar Professional") and in lenses sold late in the history of Vivitar. There are many documented exceptions to the numbering system presented here, especially in lenses with very early or unusual badging (e.g. The sources used in assembling this list are cited as used but not all should be considered authoritative. Many variants of this list can be found online, sometimes with unsubstantiated claims the list was provided by Vivitar insiders. The information presented here is the result of individual research by lens collectors. Vivitar never published any public documentation of their serial numbering system.
It is actively changing in response to ongoing research. This list should not be considered definitive.