Vivitar 650/SLX
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| 650/SLX (center) "available soon," from December 1974 Popular Photography |
Distributor Ponder & Best announced the 650/SLX in 1974 as one of their SLR offerings for 42mm screw lenses. As with other Vivitar models this was a Cosina design, derived from the Hi-Lite EC. This was improved by adding a spot-metering option with AE lock, theoretically also sold by Cosina as the Hi-Lite EC II. But it's unclear how many were actually produced.[1][2] The 650/SLX did get profiled in Modern Photography magazine's 1974 "Annual Guide to 47 Top Cameras," noting its unusual combination of autoexposure with plain-vanilla M42 screwmount lenses.
Notes
- ↑ One 650/SLX prototype was reportedly sold by Photographica World in Berlin, Germany in 2003: Collectiblend Vivitar 650 SLX auction report.
- ↑ A spot-check of period Popular Photography issues finds advertiser Frank's Highland Park Camera listing 650/SLX stock in December 1974 at the high price of USD $276.76 body only; Competitive Camera Co., in December 1974 & March 1975, quotes USD $244.95; by June 1975 no advertiser lists the 650/SLX. In 1975 the arrival of the Pentax K mount would open up a new and subsequently crucial direction for Cosina, and in turn for Vivitar as well.
Links
- "Modern Photography's Annual Guide to 47 Top Cameras" (scroll about 1/3 down in the PDF) at Mike Eckman dot com
