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500mm Mirror Lenses
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 6:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Okay, so I've been quite happy with the performance of my Tamron 55B 500mm mirror, but you know how it is. Sometimes you find yourself wanting more? More! More, I say! It can be a powerful compulsion.

So anyway, I was at eBay, watching the seconds tick down on a Vivitar S1 800mm f/11 Solid Cat. I was kinda interested cuz the price was still low. It had been sitting at $260 for a while -- couple of days, I guess. But you know how auctions can get over there. The price stayed at $260 as the seconds ticked down to under a minute, and I was getting mildly interested. But still, I knew how these things could go over there.

Besides, I rationalized, if I added my Tamron dedicated 1.4x teleconverter to the back of my 55BB, I'd have a 750mm f/11 -- or so. Close enough to 800mm and it wouldn't cost me a dime.

So with my buying urge temporarily quenched, I just decided to watch for a change. The bidding got down to 17 seconds and suddenly the price jumps from $260 to $405. Whoah!, well that put me out of the running even if I would have wanted to bid. Then it gets down to 7 seconds and the price jumps again -- up to $456. Well above what these lenses typically go for on eBay. But then it was an auction and sanity doesn't always rule at an auction. Heh, sometimes it's nowhere to be found.

I think I'll go play around with my Tamron stuff now.


PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 8:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is a sigma XQ 500mm f4 on ebay for people looking for a really fast 500mm mirror lens:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fast-Sigma-XQ-500mm-f4-Ultra-Telephoto-Mirror-Lens-Pentax-Olympus-Nikon-Exakta/323301285521?hash=item4b46421e91:g:E8AAAOSw-0RbInR4


I know nothing of this seller or this lens just thought I would link it for interested parties. By the way anybody know anything about this lens?


PostPosted: Sun Jun 24, 2018 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

cooltouch wrote:
Okay, so I've been quite happy with the performance of my Tamron 55B 500mm mirror, but you know how it is. Sometimes you find yourself wanting more? More! More, I say! It can be a powerful compulsion.

So anyway, I was at eBay, watching the seconds tick down on a Vivitar S1 800mm f/11 Solid Cat. I was kinda interested cuz the price was still low. It had been sitting at $260 for a while -- couple of days, I guess. But you know how auctions can get over there. The price stayed at $260 as the seconds ticked down to under a minute, and I was getting mildly interested. But still, I knew how these things could go over there.

Besides, I rationalized, if I added my Tamron dedicated 1.4x teleconverter to the back of my 55BB, I'd have a 750mm f/11 -- or so. Close enough to 800mm and it wouldn't cost me a dime.

So with my buying urge temporarily quenched, I just decided to watch for a change. The bidding got down to 17 seconds and suddenly the price jumps from $260 to $405. Whoah!, well that put me out of the running even if I would have wanted to bid. Then it gets down to 7 seconds and the price jumps again -- up to $456. Well above what these lenses typically go for on eBay. But then it was an auction and sanity doesn't always rule at an auction. Heh, sometimes it's nowhere to be found.

I think I'll go play around with my Tamron stuff now.


I am really having a lot of sucess with my Tamrom 55B, I have put a Minolta MD mount on it & use it with a Minolta MD to E mount speed booster. This helps a lot to get a faster shutter speed& keeps the ISO lower. Have yet to really try it with the 2X teleconverter which I think will really need a tripod to be useful.


PostPosted: Sun Jun 24, 2018 9:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jamaeolus wrote:
There is a sigma XQ 500mm f4 on ebay for people looking for a really fast 500mm mirror lens:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fast-Sigma-XQ-500mm-f4-Ultra-Telephoto-Mirror-Lens-Pentax-Olympus-Nikon-Exakta/323301285521?hash=item4b46421e91:g:E8AAAOSw-0RbInR4


I know nothing of this seller or this lens just thought I would link it for interested parties. By the way anybody know anything about this lens?


Sold for $393.88


PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2018 1:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Something other than birds... but still from the swamp. Rubinar 5.6/500 and A7 II.



PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2018 1:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice. I have a lot of trouble getting good images with mirror lenses. You do a fine job.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 30, 2018 6:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just FYI for those interested. A Minolta MD 500mm just came up with a BIN of 189. Seems a fair price but international shipping puts it a little expensive. (I am not associated with the seller or ebay) I already have a Minolta 500 in the AF form.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MINOLTA-RF-ROKKOR-500mm-F-8-Reflex-Mirror-Lens-MD-Mount-From-Japan-416/253720688509?hash=item3b12ee777d:g:244AAOSwuyNbCL4B


PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2018 11:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Spiratone Minitel M 8/500 and A7 II.











PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

woodrim wrote:
Spiratone Minitel M 8/500 and A7 II.



Nice work with the focusing--love the last one. Out of focus areas sure look superb. It shows that light and what's in the background, coupled with how far away has a lot to do with it too. jt


PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2018 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

#1


Soligor 8.0/500mm T2 @ Sony A7 II


PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2018 3:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That looks good, Wolfgang. Are you happy with the Soligor? Do you have others to compare to?


PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2018 7:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

To early for a verdict - i used the lens last time on my Minolta Dynax 8000i years ago, now the first time on the Sony
for some (5) test shots.
I take the lens to the local airport in the next weeks, then i show some more pics. I have another mirror lens, a Rubinar 4.5/300mm.

But here one of the test shots with the Soligor:

#1


PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2018 7:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, I'm impressed by the last two lenses.

Wolfgang, that Soligor looks to have fine resolution and very good contrast, especially for a mirror. I love the textures in that first very "industrial" looking shot.

And Woodrim, I'm very impressed by that Spiratone. Do you know, was it made by Sigma? Some Sigma-made Spiratones will have the Sigma symbol, usually by the S/N. Y'all are right about the bokeh. Nice and gentle for a mirror.

And speaking of Sigma, anybody around here who is familiar with some of my old slide shots with the Sigma 600mm f/8 I used to own knows how much I liked that lens. I bought it new in 1984 and I wish I still owned it. Even though I now own a Tamron 55B which is probably every bit as good as it was, I still miss that lens. And because of that, I have now bought two Sigma 600s. The first one was a mistake -- well, not my buying it, but the lens ended up being a soft example, so it was a waste. But I've recently wondered if I might be able to do something about that. For some reason, it produces a strong doubling of the image -- the doubled portion being offset slightly to the right and above the primary image. I can't help but wonder if the doubling were eliminated that it might end up being a good lens? So I'm thinking about taking it to a repair facility that I use here to see if they may be able to collimate it and eliminate the doubled image.

In the meantime, though, I ran across a really good price on eBay for an early Sigma 600 -- even earlier than the 1984 vintage one I used to own -- so I took a gamble and bought it. Its resolution is much better than this second one I bought, but it isn't quite as good as my Tamron's and its contrast is low. I've given it a very close inspection using a bright light source and I can see a fine coating of dust on the interior lens surfaces, especially the primary mirror's. So I've decided that I'm gonna risk dismantling this lens and cleaning it thoroughly to see if this won't improve things. I didn't pay much for it, so if it doesn't change things much, I won't be out much, and I'm sure I could always resell it for what I paid for it.

I have a lot of non-photographic stuff on my plate right now, so it's probably gonna be a while before I get to the project of dismantling it, but I'll be sure to post the results here. I plan to do some before and after photos, just to document if cleaning it has done any good. And hopefully I won't knock anything out of collimation when I do clean it!


PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2018 8:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cooltouch wrote:

And Woodrim, I'm very impressed by that Spiratone. Do you know, was it made by Sigma? Some Sigma-made Spiratones will have the Sigma symbol, usually by the S/N. Y'all are right about the bokeh. Nice and gentle for a mirror.


Thanks, Michael. I too am impressed since I had low expectations when I purchased it. I will say that you cannot be even a half a smidgeon from perfect focus and get good results. An electronic viewfinder with magnification is essential.

I found some interesting reading on Spiratone mirrors and learned that their first was actually one of the Russian MTO. That was followed by a few from Tomioka, then this Minitel M that I have. There is speculation about who made it but not a definitive answer. I doubt any Sigma connection. I have just acquired a Sigma 5.6/400 and initial tests don't look as good as the Spiratone. However, I still need to give it a good field shoot.
http://www.subclub.org/Tomioka.pdf


PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2018 9:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the link to that article on Tomioka mirrors. It was very informative. I wish somebody would do a similar one for Sigma's various 600s. There have been at least four different models that I'm aware of.

I agree about the author's comments on Yashica DX lenses. I have a 50/1.7 DX in M42 which is definitely one of the sharpest normal lenses I own. And now that I've read this article, I guess I wouldn't mind too much owning a DX 500/8 mirror as well.


PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 3:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cooltouch wrote:
Thanks for the link to that article on Tomioka mirrors. It was very informative. I wish somebody would do a similar one for Sigma's various 600s. There have been at least four different models that I'm aware of.


Sounds like YOU might be just the right person to do that then, right Michael? Wink


PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

wolfhansen wrote:
To early for a verdict - i used the lens last time on my Minolta Dynax 8000i years ago, now the first time on the Sony
for some (5) test shots.
I take the lens to the local airport in the next weeks, then i show some more pics. I have another mirror lens, a Rubinar 4.5/300mm.

But here one of the test shots with the Soligor:

#1


Excellent Wolfgang!! Nice 110kV Line... Which Soligor was that, a f8/500mm?


PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 4:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yes, Klaus - with T2 Mount


PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 3:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kds315* wrote:
cooltouch wrote:
Thanks for the link to that article on Tomioka mirrors. It was very informative. I wish somebody would do a similar one for Sigma's various 600s. There have been at least four different models that I'm aware of.


Sounds like YOU might be just the right person to do that then, right Michael? Wink


Eh, that's all I need -- another project!

I probably have collected more data on that lens than anyone else, though. I seem to care more about it than most folks.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2018 3:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

1 w the 500mm Tammy SP: focus point on the head. I'm shooting this with a Nikon DSLR: sometimes wish it was mirror-less so these kinds of shots could be easier for focus.


PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2018 1:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Like 1 small Like 1 small Like 1 small


PostPosted: Mon Nov 26, 2018 7:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another w the Tamron SP 500mm:

DOF gets so scarce @ 500mm: even w a subject (hotel) this far from me, there is background separation. Best, jt

#1


PostPosted: Mon Nov 26, 2018 8:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was offered a Soligor ZOOM Mirror the other day, I think it was 500 to 800? Anyway....I hadn't got the cash on me, and it wasn't that much, and I didn't get it. Crying or Very sad An interesting lens though.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 26, 2018 8:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tamron shots look very good. I purchased one last week and will receive it sometime this week, in time for a go on the weekend. I'll be curious to compare it to my Russian lenses.

For now, here are some from the Spiratone Minitel









PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 2:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Really nice work with the butterflies--can't wait to see your results with your new purchase.
best jt