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500mm Mirror Lenses
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 3:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
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Last edited by Blazer0ne on Tue Feb 22, 2022 5:23 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Blazer0ne wrote:






Love it Like 1 .


PostPosted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 8:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sciolist wrote:
Blazer0ne wrote:






Love it Like 1 .


ring-bokeh can be pretty rough but it's especially nice here


PostPosted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 8:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
benadamx wrote:

ring-bokeh can be pretty rough but it's especially nice here



Indeed. It's worked really well. Congrats.


PostPosted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 9:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sciolist wrote:
benadamx wrote:

ring-bokeh can be pretty rough but it's especially nice here



Indeed. It's worked really well. Congrats.


+1 Smile

Wonder why that jib is luffing?


PostPosted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 10:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I received the Hartblei/Rubinar and it is in excellent condition. Other than some routine test shots, I did my first shoot with it on this past weekend. There had been comments about this 8/500 (Rubinar) being more of a 600mm than the stated 500mm. I can confirm that it definitely is longer than 500mm by a good amount. I haven't yet determined an approximate length but it does look to be significant.

It is a quite decent lens but not up to its big brother's performance (Rubinar f/5.6). I am not sure yet how I would rate it against my other mirror lenses.

Hartblei/Rubinar:

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PostPosted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 11:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
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Last edited by Blazer0ne on Tue Feb 22, 2022 6:19 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 1:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I added a Minolta AF Reflex 8/500 last month to my mirror collection. I had to also buy the Sony LA-EA4 AF adapter in order to use the lens in AF mode on my A7 II. I've had a little trouble with the focusing in AF mode with it never being as good as my manual focusing. I may have it resolved now, or at least better, but won't know until I take it out for another shoot. Worst case, I have another excellent mirror when manually focused.

Here are a few images from the Minolta...

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 4:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Like 1 Like 1 Like 1 Excellent ones!!


PostPosted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 7:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
woodrim wrote:
I added a Minolta AF Reflex 8/500 last month to my mirror collection. ...
Here are a few images from the Minolta...

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This image is stunning. It reminds me of equally stunning photos taken by a Japanese master and published in the Minolta Spiegel around 1988. The said Japanese photographer was using his 9000 and 7000 cameras equipped with the first generation (beercan) Minolta AF 4.5-5.6/75-300mm lens.

The Minolta AF 75-300mm (I), by the way, still is a good lens, much better than the previous MD-III 5.6/100-300mm. Obviously it uses LD glass, even though it was never marketed as "G" lens (neither was the early AF 2.8/80-200mm APO): At 300mm, it has as little (or shall we say: as much?) CAs as the ED Nikkor AiS 4.5/300mm.

Thanks for sharing this inspiring image.

Stephan


PostPosted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Like seeing everyones mirror lens shots! Not sure why they get a bad rap sometimes, the DOF can be a little thin but the small size and lack of CA are huge positives. Some shots from my 3M=5A 500mm f8. Really takes some technique but the donut bokeh can be minimized or used to artistic effect like the falling snow behind the Robin. Cant complain about the sharpness of the lens as long as I am using a tripod or keeping shutter speeds high. Plus it can be used for single shot astronomic pictures even if they are not that great, still fun to do.










PostPosted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 10:41 pm    Post subject: Tamron 55BB + SP-200 tc Reply with quote
I have been lucky enough to acquire the rare as hens teeth SP 200 (aka 200F) "pro" adaptall 2x teleconverter, and I was taking some test pics of one of my regular test subjects, the turrets on Conwy Castle, with my 300mm f2.8's and also with a couple of examples of the 55BB mirror. I am quite impressed with the results with the mirrors actually. Ideal conditions. Pentax K3, my big ol' slik tripod, remote cable and 2 secs MLU. 1:1 crops straight from RAW just default export settings (+minor exposure adjust).



Lens only


crop and resize


1:1 100% pixel peep crop.


Lens + SP-200 tc.


Crop and resize.


1:1 100% pixel peep crop.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 29, 2019 1:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have acquired a soligor C/D 500mm f8 to check out.



PostPosted: Sat Jun 29, 2019 5:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
marcusBMG wrote:
I have acquired a soligor C/D 500mm f8 to check out.
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I have wondered about that one. I have an older Soligor that is very bad. Is yours close focusing?


PostPosted: Sat Jun 29, 2019 5:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:


This image is stunning. It reminds me of equally stunning photos taken by a Japanese master and published in the Minolta Spiegel around 1988. The said Japanese photographer was using his 9000 and 7000 cameras equipped with the first generation (beercan) Minolta AF 4.5-5.6/75-300mm lens.

The Minolta AF 75-300mm (I), by the way, still is a good lens, much better than the previous MD-III 5.6/100-300mm. Obviously it uses LD glass, even though it was never marketed as "G" lens (neither was the early AF 2.8/80-200mm APO): At 300mm, it has as little (or shall we say: as much?) CAs as the ED Nikkor AiS 4.5/300mm.

Thanks for sharing this inspiring image.

Stephan


Thank you, Stephan. I spend months photographing the birds in this Audubon swamp. Rarely do I use other than one of my mirror lenses. I have come to like using the spot metering, especially on these white birds, initially to control the whites from being blown out but then very much liking the resulting dark image.

BTW, I am a frequent visitor to your artaphot site and consider it my go-to for minolta lens information and assesments.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 29, 2019 7:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes woodrim, this has close focus to 2.5m. It's a nice looking lens, but based on my first pics, it's not a patch on the tamrons.
Soligor top, tamron 55BB below. Samsung NX20.







PostPosted: Sat Jun 29, 2019 10:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
marcusBMG wrote:
Yes woodrim, this has close focus to 2.5m. It's a nice looking lens, but based on my first pics, it's not a patch on the tamrons.
Soligor top, tamron 55BB below. Samsung NX20.


Not really surprising. I too get curious and buy lenses just to learn what I already should have known.


PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
well i dont know what got into me, but i've now got a Spiratone Minitel-M 500/8 and a Yashica (possibly ML) 500/8 on their way in the mail, will post comparison shots when i can.. have seen some indications online that these may be more or less the same lenses, will be interesting to compare.


PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 10:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
benadamx wrote:
well i dont know what got into me, but i've now got a Spiratone Minitel-M 500/8 and a Yashica (possibly ML) 500/8 on their way in the mail, will post comparison shots when i can.. have seen some indications online that these may be more or less the same lenses, will be interesting to compare.


The Yashica ML Reflex is unmistakable, it says that on the front. Also, the ML version has no tripod mount. The Spiratone is a good lens but focus is tricky and sensitive.


PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 11:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
marcusBMG wrote:
I have acquired a soligor C/D 500mm f8 to check out.

I have one of these also, but have yet to fully use it.
It's in pristine condition, complete with case to include filters and a matched 2X teleconverter.
I think I paid about $60US for it.

I have new reason to give it a tryout, with a recently-acquired 5DIV.
I'll be sure to post here with results.


PostPosted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 4:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
marcusBMG wrote:
I have acquired a soligor C/D 500mm f8 to check out.



I don't remember where I saw a magazine copy page showing the resolution test results of Minolta RF, Soligor, Tamron and some others. Soligor is the closest to Minolta RF. Tamron just very slightly lags behind but still very good.

The internet review seems to favor Tamron while Soligor didn't get high remark. When I have time, I'll do a comparison shot between Minolta and Soligor.


PostPosted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
woodrim wrote:
The Yashica ML Reflex is unmistakable, it says that on the front. Also, the ML version has no tripod mount.


good call, i believe it's the one on the right:



didn't pay ML price for it, no big deal either way


PostPosted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
vivaldibow wrote:


I don't remember where I saw a magazine copy page showing the resolution test results of Minolta RF, Soligor, Tamron and some others. Soligor is the closest to Minolta RF. Tamron just very slightly lags behind but still very good.

The internet review seems to favor Tamron while Soligor didn't get high remark. When I have time, I'll do a comparison shot between Minolta and Soligor.


If the Soligor outperforms the Minolta RF, I think that would indicate an exceptional Soligor copy or a defective Minolta, more likely the latter. In practice, Tamron is very close to the Rokkor in performance but has closer focusing. I think the magazine resolution test you're thinking of is the following:


I do not put a lot of stock in those reported results. Also, some of the brands, like Vivitar and Soligor, had various models, some very poor. Some are very overated while others the opposite. For instance, the 250mm Rokkor is highly regarded for a reason which is not reflected by that resolution rating. Questar received one of the highest scores but I believe that to be exagerated. I haven't had an Olympus but suspect those results to be too low.

I have experience with several and perceptions of others. One observation that I have made is that sharpness is by far not the only way of jusging these lenses. There are characteristics like focusing sensitivity or difficulty, and the resulting accuracy. This is difficult to explain but I've found some of these lenses to be more forgiving than others. We might think the same aperture should result in the same depth of field between lenses of same focal length but I think there's something about mirrors that defeats that logic.


PostPosted: Sat Jul 27, 2019 2:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nonetheless, Woodrim, it's an interesting yardstick. I note, with interest, that the sharpest "lenses" in this test are actually telescopes. And among the 35mm lenses, my favorite Sigma 600mm f/8 is bested only by the MTO. This bears out pretty closely my experiences with that lens. It was an exceptional optic.


PostPosted: Sat Jul 27, 2019 7:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
cooltouch wrote:
Nonetheless, Woodrim, it's an interesting yardstick. I note, with interest, that the sharpest "lenses" in this test are actually telescopes. And among the 35mm lenses, my favorite Sigma 600mm f/8 is bested only by the MTO. This bears out pretty closely my experiences with that lens. It was an exceptional optic.


sharpest or not, i've definitely found the sigma 600mm f/8 to be the most *usable* of any of the mirror lenses i've tried so far - it's reasonably easy to focus, and with the in-body stabilization on the a7ii i can shoot it freehand
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