Vivitar Vivitar 50mm f1.7 Heritage

Overview

The Vivitar 50mm f/1.7 is a classic 'nifty fifty' normal prime that was badged by Vivitar and manufactured by Cosina, wearing the VMC (Vivitar Multi-Coating) badge that also appeared on Vivitar's Series-1 and later offerings. As reviewers note, Vivitar badged several 50mm lenses (f/1.7, f/1.9, f/1.4), and this particular optic has a long and tangled history: it appears to have started out being made in Japan, attached to Vivitar/Cosina 35mm SLR cameras (such as the Vivitar V3000) that were sold under many different shop and store brand names, and later the same basic design ended up being produced in China under names like Phenix, Seagull, and Centon. One reviewer owns three copies 'in different disguises' from both Japan and China, all identical underneath. A Flickr owner notes the optics were assembled 'similar to Tomioka manufactured lenses,' and it is rumored that the companies shared many components. Beyond the generic 'nifty fifty' descriptor, no specific nickname is established for this lens in the reviews. People appreciate it as a cheap, lightweight, creative and capable normal lens with pleasant rendering.

Verdict: The Vivitar 50mm f/1.7 (Cosina-made) is a budget-friendly, lightweight nifty fifty for photographers who want a creative, characterful normal lens on the cheap. It renders pleasantly with interesting bokeh, is soft with a bit of bloom wide open but very sharp when stopped down, and its simple construction makes it easy to service. Ideal for tinkerers, adapters-on-mirrorless shooters, and anyone who appreciates a capable, inexpensive classic — not for those seeking a pristine, high-contrast optic out of the box.

Optical Character

Bokeh

Described as 'interesting' and 'pleasant,' earning a high community bokeh score with no swirl or bubble character.

Sharpness wide open

Soft at wide apertures with a bit of 'bloom' wide open, but capable of very sharp images stopped down.

Contrast

Possible slight loss of contrast wide open due to reported 'bloom,' but not specifically documented.

Community Insights

What people love

Excellent value — cheap to acquire (some copies bought for around $5-7), earning a 9.4 value rating and 92% recommendation on Pentax Forums
Small and lightweight, almost pancake-sized, comparable dimensionally to the Olympus OM Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 and SMC Pentax-M 50mm f/1.7
Pleasant, 'interesting' bokeh and agreeable overall rendering
Capable of very sharp images when tuned and stopped down
Simple construction that is conducive to easy disassembly and servicing (degreasing blades/helicoid and re-lubing restores like-new operation)
A creative, versatile 'nifty fifty' with a fun, collectible history under many brand disguises

What people dislike

Soft at wide apertures
A bit of 'bloom' wide open
Older copies may need servicing (grease on aperture blades and helicoid)

Pro Tips

Stop down a stop or two from wide open to reduce the reported 'bloom' and gain sharpness
Service the lens — degrease the aperture blades and helicoid and re-lube with fresh grease to restore like-new mechanical operation
The simple construction makes disassembly and tuning of the elements accessible for those wanting to dial in optimal sharpness

Sources (1)

Web-grounded synthesissecondary

The Vivitar 50mm f/1.7 is a classic 'nifty fifty' normal prime that was badged by Vivitar and manufactured by Cosina, wearing the VMC (Vivitar Multi-Coating) badge that also appeared on Vivitar's Series-1 and later offerings. As reviewers note, Vivitar badged several 50mm lenses (f/1.7, f/1.9, f/1.4), and this particular optic has a long and tangled history: it appears to have started out being made in Japan, attached to Vivitar/Cosina 35mm SLR cameras (such as the Vivitar V3000) that were sold under many different shop and store brand names, and later the same basic design ended up being produced in China under names like Phenix, Seagull, and Centon. One reviewer owns three copies 'in different disguises' from both Japan and China, all identical underneath. A Flickr owner notes the optics were assembled 'similar to Tomioka manufactured lenses,' and it is rumored that the companies shared many components. Beyond the generic 'nifty fifty' descriptor, no specific nickname is established for this lens in the reviews. People appreciate it as a cheap, lightweight, creative and capable normal lens with pleasant rendering.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/vivitar-50mm-f1-7-mc.htmlhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/wng555/albums/72157673674947951/https://allphotolenses.com/lenses/item/c_2849.html