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Mirror lens: Perkin-Elmer 680mm f/12 Compact Telephoto
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2017 12:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
My guess is haze on one (or more) of the surfaces. Even a very thin film invisible to the naked eye could likely do that. Mirrors, though, do by their nature lack contrast. That said this is ridiculous. As suggested a thorough cleaning of all optical surfaces would be the first place to start.


PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 8:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I own a 600mm Vivitar solid cat made by Perkin Elmer and love it. This is the second 600mm one I've owned. I also have a 800mm Solid catadioptric coming by way of UPS today. This will be my third one of these. Also made by Perkin Elmer. I have found that outside of the doughnut Bokeh they are great lens.





PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 8:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Big Dawg, magic shots, especially number 1!


PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 8:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
alex ph wrote:
Big Dawg, magic shots, especially number 1!


<Many thanks Alex. The doughnut bokeh can be seen in the twigs on that one. I've found that the doughnut effect quite often is more apparent with bright back light in the image. in these that was suppressed somewhat thus the clearer images.


PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Big Dawg wrote:
I also have a 800mm Solid catadioptric coming by way of UPS today.


Completely off topic, but i have bought one of these a few months ago. Did some testing in the backyard, looks promising! I'll open a new topic when i have more shots. These are straight jpg from Sony A7.





PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
TrueLoveOne wrote:
Big Dawg wrote:
I also have a 800mm Solid catadioptric coming by way of UPS today.


Completely off topic, but i have bought one of these a few months ago. Did some testing in the backyard, looks promising! I'll open a new topic when i have more shots. These are straight jpg from Sony A7.





You are looking pretty good with those. I also sold off most of my lenses. I was an avid Vivitar collector and did so to learn about Vivitars. Finally sold off al but afew of the ones I really liked. The solid cats are a couple of them. They are now permanently in my possession.





PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Here are a few with the 600mm Solid cat. Should be close to what that Perkin Elmer should be capable of doing as they are very similar.









PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
#2 in your 8:07 post is a dramatic shot for the ages. What lighting.
That whole species can be defined by this one picture.


PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 12:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
luisalegria wrote:
#2 in your 8:07 post is a dramatic shot for the ages. What lighting.
That whole species can be defined by this one picture.


I am honored you would think that. For an F11 mirror lens these were lucky in that the bird landed where it did and the light was good.

By the way. Did you ever get that Kodak going?


PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 12:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
No, unfortunately not yet. I was planning major surgery on it, I have a piece of brass stock I was shaping as a replacement shutter-bar so the release button will work through the helical travel range. Thats the basic problem. There seems to be a mix of parts in this as that system changed between versions.

I also modified a cable release (shortened the probe), so that would probably work in any case.


PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 10:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
luisalegria wrote:
No, unfortunately not yet. I was planning major surgery on it, I have a piece of brass stock I was shaping as a replacement shutter-bar so the release button will work through the helical travel range. Thats the basic problem. There seems to be a mix of parts in this as that system changed between versions.

I also modified a cable release (shortened the probe), so that would probably work in any case.


I am so sorry. I spent a small fortune getting it modified and the shutter lock problem sorted as well as a full clean out by photography on Bald mountain. http://www.baldmtn.com/medalist_cost.htm. But I never tried it out. He no longer does repair so I hope you can revive it. Ken Ruth was supposed to be the best at these cameras but I guess he let me down on that one. Very sorry again. Your money back if you just can't do it. I hate that it did not work for you.


PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 3:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Big Dawg wrote:
Here are a few with the 600mm Solid cat. Should be close to what that Perkin Elmer should be capable of doing as they are very similar.







What an amazing shot it is indeed, fabulous!! and this with a f8/600mm lens (not f11)!!! Like 1 Like 1 Like 1


PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Some amazing shots. I really like cat lenses I have several from a Rubinar 300,500 and 1000 through Minolta 500 AF, and to a celestron 1250. They are a challenge to work with but can give rewarding results. Digital processing to improve contrast is a must though. One that is underrated in my opinion is the Tokina RMC 500 f8. I picked mine up for under 50 USD and its in near mint condition with case. It is reasonably sharp and has average cat contrast. They definitely need good light but comparable refractors are SO much bigger and heavier they are definitely worth having around.


PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The Perkin Elmer/Vivitar 600/8 solid cat is not the only excellent 600/8 mirror out there. Sigma's 600/8 -- if you get a good one, because there was, unfortunately, some product variability -- can provide superior results.

Canon FTb, Kodachrome 64


Canon A-1, Kodachrome 64


100% crop of above


The Sigma definitely has a hot spot -- not vignetting, a hot spot -- which sometimes can be taken care of in post. I usually don't worry about it, though.

I wouldn't mind owning a set of those Vivitar solid cats, though. I've always thought they were tres cool.


PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 5:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
TrueLoveOne wrote:
Big Dawg wrote:
I also have a 800mm Solid catadioptric coming by way of UPS today.


Completely off topic, but i have bought one of these a few months ago. Did some testing in the backyard, looks promising! I'll open a new topic when i have more shots. These are straight jpg from Sony A7.



What a beautiful cat and great shot of her/him!! Siberian?


PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kds315* wrote:


What a beautiful cat and great shot of her/him!! Siberian?


Thank you! Not a Siberian, she's a Maine Coon.


PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 5:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I gotta say you guys are killing me here . . . especially you, Big Dawg. Those are beautiful photos!!

When I revived this thread last Tuesday I did so to keep the tip I offered for others in context. It's something I saw out on the net that had been tried with success by an owner of this lens. But at the same time, based on the postings from years ago and well before Big Dawg, the Solid Cat 600/800 did not look as amazing as it does today with the photos from both Big Dawg and TrueLoveOne.

My Tuesday post came about as a result of a Solid Cat 600 offering I was seeing back then which seemed to me underpriced. Here is the auction:

Click here to see on Ebay then click see original listing

Note that auction included even a full set of filters, as originally supplied with these Solid Cat lenses.

So, anyway, I actually saw that auction a good hour before it (quickly) came to a close with Buy It Now at that low price for such a nice lens. I had plenty of time to grab the lens at that price. And I passed it up thinking (erroneously) these Solid Cat lenses are not great lenses.

So, like I said, you guys are KILLING me with all these superb photos!!!!!

Oh, well. (groan)


PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 6:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
guardian wrote:
I gotta say you guys are killing me here . . . especially you, Big Dawg. Those are beautiful photos!!

When I revived this thread last Tuesday I did so to keep the tip I offered for others in context. It's something I saw out on the net that had been tried with success by an owner of this lens. But at the same time, based on the postings from years ago and well before Big Dawg, the Solid Cat 600/800 did not look as amazing as it does today with the photos from both Big Dawg and TrueLoveOne.

My Tuesday post came about as a result of a Solid Cat 600 offering I was seeing back then which seemed to me underpriced. Here is the auction:

Click here to see on Ebay then click see original listing

Note that auction included even a full set of filters, as originally supplied with these Solid Cat lenses.

So, anyway, I actually saw that auction a good hour before it (quickly) came to a close with Buy It Now at that low price for such a nice lens. I had plenty of time to grab the lens at that price. And I passed it up thinking (erroneously) these Solid Cat lenses are not great lenses.

So, like I said, you guys are KILLING me with all these superb photos!!!!!

Oh, well. (groan)




A Good Refractive lens will blow these away with ease of use and better results. But these will do a good job if you have patience and the time to learn how they best perform. These also are so much more compact and even the solid cats are very much lighter than a 500mm or bigger prime lens. As to cost my 600mm cost $199 plus shipping and my 800mm cost $250 plus shipping. All US dollars on Ebay. You will get one or two out of 50 that will be keepers and several more that are borderline.
High ISO capabilities of modern DSLRs make using these much easier. A good flash and a Better Beamer would help as well I guess but I never use one. I'm really looking forward to using mine with my K1 Pentax as it allows much higher ISO and of course the 36mp doesn't hurt either. I am going thru my fourth round of Chemo Therapy for lung cancer at the moment and have been pretty much house bound since Dec.
A few more with the 800mm f11 solid cat.









PostPosted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 2:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Just to be clear here -- because I can't really tell by your wording -- when you write "one or two keepers out of 50" you're referring to images, and not lenses, correct?

Because if it's lenses, why would anyone bother?


PostPosted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 2:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
cooltouch wrote:
Just to be clear here -- because I can't really tell by your wording -- when you write "one or two keepers out of 50" you're referring to images, and not lenses, correct?

Because if it's lenses, why would anyone bother?


Images of course. I get a higher percentage since I have been using them for a while but still do not get as many keepers as I do with the Bigma 50-500 auto focus lens. Especially the 800mm is subject to out of focus shots as the depth of field for sharp photos is quite thin even at f11. Also any movement is heavily magnified thus giving it blur. And this with the fact you have to find the bird through the lens and manual focus plus shoot at a high enough shutter speed to counteract the twitchiness of the small birds and any shake I might induce into the equation. Shooting with a Pentax helps as the Image stabilization works with any lens even old T mount lens.
I shot some of these hand held but have since developed Essential Tremors and my hand shake too much to do that any longer. A tripod is the best way to get sharper images but it does slow the acquisition of the fast moving targets somewhat.
I've yet to get a bad one of these. There are some that develop fungus infections and some with the reflective coating starting to peel but by and large these Solid cats are lifetime lens if properly stored and used. Not much to get out of kilter as they are solid glass not separate elements.


PostPosted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 2:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Some more small birds with a solid cat lens.







PostPosted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 7:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Amazing shots. Just remarkable. Best to you, Big Dawg.


PostPosted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
guardian wrote:
Amazing shots. Just remarkable. Best to you, Big Dawg.


Many thanks guardian.
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