The SLR age brought with it many lens manufacturers. Vivitar, Tamron etc.. Camera stores pushed these lenses pretty heavily when you bought a camera. Hell, you couldn't afford a Canon 20 or a Nikon 200, so you settled with a Vivitar zoom.

You always felt that you were selling out when you hooked one of these off-brand lenses onto your snobby iron. Hell, you just paid $250 for a camera and 50mm lens.

Vivitars ruled the roost when it came to off brand lenses. Tamrons came next.... Spiratones ? Ha ! They made half-assed filters and guitar amps, right ? The mere mention of the name made you a silly bastard.

I don't care about that shit anymore. I'm so goddamn smart now that I realize that jewels can be found for $20. Either way, photographers overcome equipment limitations. Not the reverse.

This 17mm cost me about $20. Spiratone ? What a piece of junk.

I set this A-1 on shutter priority and let the camera figure it out..