Vivitar Corporation is a manufacturer, distributor, and marketer of photographic and optical equipment originally based in Santa Monica, California.

[citation needed] Since 2008, the Vivitar name serves as Sakar International's house brand for digital imaging, optics, mobile accessories, and audio products.

[1]: ix  Max Ponder headed the sales department, while John Best ran the operations side of the company.

Ponder and Best were the first to gain acceptance for lenses with interchangeable mounts, allowing customers to use the same lens on different manufacturers' camera bodies.

By carefully positioning their limited product line with key photo retailers, they quickly built a reputation for good-quality lenses at modest prices.

Recognizing the problem, Max Ponder travelled to Japan to meet with the manufacturer, offering suggestions for improvements based on the feedback received from customers.

There was also the model 285, which featured a zoom head to cover different focal length lenses and a built-in variable power setting.

[4] On August 21, 2008, subsequent to its filing for bankruptcy, parent company Syntax-Brillian completed the sale of the Vivitar brand name and intellectual property to privately held consumer electronics maker Sakar International, based in Edison, New Jersey.