Vivitar Vivitar 70-150mm f3.8 Heritage

Overview

The Vivitar 70-150mm f3.8 is a close/macro focusing zoom manufactured by Kino Optical (Kiron) for Vivitar, identifiable by its 22xxxx serial number prefix. Vivitar itself was a brand that commissioned lenses from various Japanese optical makers; this particular design came from Kino Optical, whose lenses are widely respected under the 'Kiron' name (Kino also marketed a version of this lens as the Kiron 70-150mm f4). The reviews note two distinct versions exist: an older two-ring (two-touch) variant with a separate dedicated macro mode at 70mm, and a one-ring push-pull (pump-action) variant that focuses closely at all focal lengths. It was commonly sold in Pentax K and M42 mounts (and other mounts of the era, including Minolta and Nikon), often bundled with a dedicated 2x Vivitar teleconverter. Note that there is a completely separate Tokina-made Vivitar 70-150mm with a 37xxxx serial that should not be confused with this Kiron-made optic. It enjoys a modest cult following among budget-minded vintage shooters for being a genuinely good, inexpensive macro-capable zoom. The only established piece of jargon tied to it is the 'Kiron' maker attribution, which vintage enthusiasts use as a mark of quality.

Verdict: The Vivitar (Kiron) 70-150mm f3.8 is a budget-friendly, macro-capable telephoto zoom best suited to vintage shooters who want a versatile, well-built manual-focus lens without spending much. It shines at its close-focusing end, delivering genuinely sharp results, and rewards patience in learning its controls. It is not a bokeh-first character lens, but for the money it is a highly recommended practical performer.

Optical Character

Bokeh

Mixed reports: not particularly smooth per some, but CA/fringing well controlled and barely noticeable per others.

Sharpness wide open

Reasonable overall sharpness, particularly strong at the 70mm close-focusing end and in the macro range.

Community Insights

What people love

Excellent value for money — average price around $27.92 with an 83% recommendation rate, making it a very good macro lens for the budget minded photographer
Very sharp at the 70mm/close-focusing end, especially useful in macro range (even better with an added extension tube)
Manual focusing is described as 'a joy'
Well-controlled chromatic aberration and barely noticeable bokeh fringing on well-regarded samples
Solid build quality ('well built')
Compact and handy for a zoom of its type

What people dislike

Learning curve for operating the focus and focal length controls — described as 'not very intuitive'
Bokeh is not particularly smooth according to some reviewers
One reviewer flatly did not recommend it, rating it 4 and citing the unintuitive handling

Pro Tips

Use it at the 70mm close-focusing end for the sharpest results
Add a 25mm extension tube at 70mm close-focus for even greater sharpness and magnification in the macro range
Take time to learn the two-ring or push-pull controls, as handling is not intuitive at first
If mounting on a DSLR, verify the aperture lever guard is not the overlarge type that blocks mounting

Sources (1)

Web-grounded synthesissecondary

The Vivitar 70-150mm f3.8 is a close/macro focusing zoom manufactured by Kino Optical (Kiron) for Vivitar, identifiable by its 22xxxx serial number prefix. Vivitar itself was a brand that commissioned lenses from various Japanese optical makers; this particular design came from Kino Optical, whose lenses are widely respected under the 'Kiron' name (Kino also marketed a version of this lens as the Kiron 70-150mm f4). The reviews note two distinct versions exist: an older two-ring (two-touch) variant with a separate dedicated macro mode at 70mm, and a one-ring push-pull (pump-action) variant that focuses closely at all focal lengths. It was commonly sold in Pentax K and M42 mounts (and other mounts of the era, including Minolta and Nikon), often bundled with a dedicated 2x Vivitar teleconverter. Note that there is a completely separate Tokina-made Vivitar 70-150mm with a 37xxxx serial that should not be confused with this Kiron-made optic. It enjoys a modest cult following among budget-minded vintage shooters for being a genuinely good, inexpensive macro-capable zoom. The only established piece of jargon tied to it is the 'Kiron' maker attribution, which vintage enthusiasts use as a mark of quality.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/vivitar-70-150mm-f3-8-2x-tc-kiron-70-150mm-f3-8.htmlhttps://www.robertallenkautzphoto.com/vivitar/vivitar-70-150mm-f3.8http://women-and-dreams.blogspot.com/2017/04/vivitar-70-150mm-f38.htmlhttps://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/2959341http://www.blog.bkspicture.com/review_Vivitar_70-150mm_f3.8_Close_Focusing_Auto_Zoom.htmlhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/Vivitar%2070-150mm%20f3.8/