Vivitar XC-3

The Vivitar XC-3 is a SLR camera. It was built by the Japanese company Cosina for Vivitar. A functionally identical model is the Cosina CSM.

Lens Mount and Focusing

It is possible to interchange lenses from the 35mm camera. The Vivitar XC-3 uses the universal M42 screw thread, allowing the use of a huge range of lenses from various manufacturers. Major manufacturers of M42 interchangeable lenses included Pentax, Pentacon, Zenit/KMZ, and Zeiss.

The 35mm camera does not have autofocus. Focusing is manual and is facilitated by a bright viewfinder with a central split-image indicator and a surrounding microprism ring. This allows for very precise focusing.

Exposure and Shutter

The built-in through-the-lens (TTL) light meter enables precise measurement of exposure settings. It is designed for film with a sensitivity of ISO 25 to ISO 3200.

Correct exposure is indicated in the viewfinder via a clear LED indicator (underexposure, correct, overexposure).

The heart of the camera is the fully electronic, horizontally moving focal plane shutter. It offers a speed range from 4 seconds to 1/1000 of a second.

The Vivitar XC-3 has a bulb mode (“B”) for long exposures. In this mode, the shutter remains open as long as the shutter button is pressed. There is also a purely mechanical “M” setting of 1/50 of a second, which works even with empty batteries and thus never renders the camera completely unusable.

Flash Photography and Other Functions

For connecting flash units, the camera is equipped with both a center-contact hot shoe and a classic PC sync port (“X”). The flash sync speed is 1/60 of a second.

In addition to normal photography, the camera also allows image capture using an electronic self-timer with a delay of approximately 10 seconds, the expiration of which is indicated by an LED.

A thread for a cable release is also provided. Mounting the camera on a tripod can be helpful in this case.

Technical Specifications

According to the manual, the Vivitar XC-3 measures 138.3 x 83.7 x 51 mm. It weighs 530 grams (body only).

The light meter and shutter are powered by two S76 batteries (eBay / Amazon*), but two LR44 batteries (eBay / Amazon*) can also be used.

Films for the Vivitar XC-3

According to the manual, the Vivitar XC-3 is designed for the 35mm format (35mm film). There is still a high demand for this format, which is why many manufacturers continue to produce films.

Films still available for purchase today for the Vivitar XC-3 include the Kodak ColorPlus 200* for color photos and the Ilford XP2 Super* for black and white shots.

The color film is developed using the C-41 process. This development process is available at almost every photo lab. In Germany, some large drugstore chains also offer color film development.

The exposure area of ​​the Vivitar XC-3 is 24 mm x 36 mm. The camera lacks an automatic motor, which means that you have to manually wind to the next frame using the film advance lever.