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1. #VIVITAR 70 210 SERIES 1 MOVIE#
2. #VIVITAR 70 210 SERIES 1 FULL#
3. #VIVITAR 70 210 SERIES 1 TRIAL#
4. #VIVITAR 70 210 SERIES 1 FREE#

So our lenses were designed by hand calculation and desk calculators, followed by much trial and error. Time-share computer time was expensive and neither Vivitar nor its suppliers knew about designing consumer lenses with mainframes. “Now this was the computer mainframe era, and computer time was accessible only to the largest companies or universities, or to smaller firms on a time-shared basis. Most Vivitar designs were micro-theoretical improvements to the well-known European lens designs.” In our aftermarket consumer-lens world of the time, 35mm lenses were based on established design principles and optical parameters having relatively simple lens element groupings.

#VIVITAR 70 210 SERIES 1 MOVIE#

“The manufacturer of the movie camera was not helpful, saying that the shifting internal element had been an accidental discovery that worked only with a tiny image. Together we wondered if it were possible to use this method to create a macro-focusing 35mm lens.” Previously, macro focusing had all been about lens extension, not moving shifting internal glass. It was a result of one internal lens element that shifted. “I suggested that Gary and Murray tear the lens apart to see how the macro function worked. Move this switch and, wow, it would macro focus right down to an ant crawling on the front element of the lens!” You’d push a button and turn a lens collar a bit. In one aha moment we were examining an unsolicited prototype super-8 movie camera that had a little switch on the lens. Neither Gary nor Murray was an engineer nor designer but they were astonishingly smart and imaginative. “In 1970-71 I was working steadily with Gary Eisenberger and Murray Schwartz on all kinds of new ideas for lenses. We also had a talented and funky ad agency that was willing to advance outlandish - sometimes outrageous - ideas, which propelled our sales beyond our forecasts.”

#VIVITAR 70 210 SERIES 1 FREE#

As long as we produced sales, we had free access to the budget. We became very good at introducing innovative products during a time when 35mm SLR sales were booming. “Vivitar had some very smart and motivated people in the early ’70s and let them lead out. Betensky was called in later, to some regret.” “I was the brand manager in charge of marketing (and initially, development) of the Series 1 lenses, and it actually started not with Ellis Betensky, but with two P&B research guys (Gary Eisenberger and Murray Schwartz) and myself. As you might have guessed, there’s a lot more to the story. Most accounts of the Series 1 lenses you’ll find online say simply that they were designed by Ellis Betensky to Ponder and Best’s specifications.

While at P&B, Bill had a hand in new product development and was central to the start of the Vivitar Series 1 lens program, which is where today’s story starts. Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f/3.5, the first Series 1 lens. Now retired, Bill continues his lifelong interest photography and also does some very nice woodturning, two subjects you can learn more about on Bill’s website, Snap Shavings. He has been on the faculties of the National University of Singapore, Arizona State University, Santa Clara University, and Brigham Young University. He was involved in marketing research, market development, packaging, pricing, advertising, publicity, and dealer and sale force communications.Īfter leaving P&B, Bill went on to Stanford University for a PhD and then became a professor of marketing. His responsibilities encompassed all of the Vivitar lenses and lens accessories, then about 60% of Vivitar’s sales. Bill was Brand Manager in the marketing department. in West LA and left P&B shortly before its move to new offices in Santa Monica, CA. He started work at the P&B building on Pico Blvd. To start out, I’d like to introduce one of the Ponder & Best employees I’ve been communicating with.īill Swinyard at P&B building on Pico Blvd in West LAīill Swinyard joined Ponder & Best in early 1969 and was with the company through late 1971. Initially, I was just hoping to improve the Vivitar pages on but I’ve learned so much that I’d like to start sharing it with others through a series of posts on our blog. But the best source of authoritative information on the history of Ponder & Best has been talking with the people who worked there. I’ve been searching out old documents and records.

#VIVITAR 70 210 SERIES 1 FULL#

You can read the full story of how I got started in my personal blog see the post: Help Preserve Vivitar History! The short version is that I found an obscure Vivitar lens and, during the process of researching it, realized how little is known about the history of Vivitar. One of my interests (or maybe obsessions) is learning about the history of Ponder & Best, more commonly known as Vivitar. Readers of this blog will know me as the system administrator for the web servers but I’m also a camera geek. The origin of Series 1 Lenses and the Macro Zoom