Mirror Lenses

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

I have taken pictures of both Canon and OM mounts and tried to compare them to this mirror, but do not have a conclusion. The picture is just not clear enough to see details. I'm afraid I will need to wait for it to arrive. If not a Canon mount, it makes no sense to have CA on the mount, so for that reason I am expecting it to be Canon.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Even more important than the mount is the quality of the images. Before purchasing I went to where I usually check out image quality when researching a lens - http://www.flickriver.com/photos/tags/makinon+mirror/interesting/ I found that the majority of images were from the 300mm.

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7553 Location: Hong Kong

I tried this lens. Its quality is average but it can focus close.

The copy I sold has 'PK' on the back of the lens indicates it is in Pentax K mount. The mount is very easy to change so it will not be any surprise if found it is not in FD mount.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7553 Location: Hong Kong

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Cheaper and easier to just buy another adapter. OM and CA are two that I don't have.

bernhardas · Expire: 2017-05-23

Edited

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

I never seen Rubinar 500mm f6.3 , I love the first shoot.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

That is great for a mirror. Good catch. Rubinar was my first choice.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

I have received the (Makinon) 5.6/300 I purchased, but surprisingly, it does not have any branding on it a tall. Since it was listed only as 300mm, I had to research from the pictures and came to the conclusion that it was Makinon. Strange. Also, the mount turned out to be OM. Since I don't have an OM adapter for my NEX, I could only hold the lens up to another adapter while taking some pictures. I'm afraid it is just too challenging to get focus in this manner. So I pointed at some stairs until there was a point that appeared in focus. He is that test shot... not razor sharp:

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

I have figured out the mount on my Makinon. It was confusing since it said CA, but looked like OM. And as it turned out, there as a 12 mm extension on it. It is OM, but seems converted from the Canon. It does not reach infinity but allows for short and intermediate distances. I could not get a decent picture from it even after working out an adapter. I've been hampered by rainy weather and bad light. Then I increased the ISO to 3200 and can now can shots. Shake is very sensitive with this lens.

I don't have any results that I would consider crisp, and certainly none the quality of the Rubinar, but at 1/20 the cost I guess not. Here's what I got, although taken in poor lighting with grainy 3200 effect...

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7553 Location: Hong Kong

I think the result is ok from a lens for little money(I used own this lens too). The shaking problem with lightweight mirror on my NEX-5N makes me very hard to get a sharp photo. An adapter with a tripod mount will help to stabilizes the whole set up. The build-in heavy tripod mount on my Tamron 350mm works well on reducing camera shake(the base of the tripod mount acts as a pivot).

mo · Expire: 2016-07-30

Mike,
After my trials with my tamron 350 and doubting if I will ever get a sharp image,I have come to the conclusion this 300-350 mirror range takes awhile to get used to, keep persevering and hope for some better light. Be patient and I believe you will find the right lens eventually Very Happy

Calvin do you know if there are third party tripod mounts for the Tamron 350? My SP500 Tamron tripod mount is a totally different design.

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7553 Location: Hong Kong

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

I forgot to mention how sensitive the focusing is - I can see the image going into and out of focus with the very slightest movement of the focus ring. I am certain that I would get virtually no in-focus images if I was still using my A200 with optical viewfinder without focusing aids. I may find it just too challenging in the field. I'll keep looking for the right Rubinar, but may experience the same focusing challenges.

What I did not yet mention is that the lens is quite nice otherwise. It is barely bigger than my 50mm Rokkor, very light, and the focus ring moves like silk.

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7553 Location: Hong Kong

marcusBMG · Joined: 07 Dec 2012 Posts: 1304 Location: Conwy N Wales

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

That Tamron seems better.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

I finally had a good day to test the lens further. This time I used ISO100 and it was bright enough to still have fast shutter speeds, a necessity. This experience reinforced what I saw earlier in how critical is the focus. This is apparent in the first picture where I had used magnification to focus on one of the middle stalks, then composed the picture. It seems that little movement resulted in the perfect focus moving to the left stalk where the thorns are sharper. Naturally, the farther away the subject, the less critical this will be. These picture show that the sharpness can be good if you are skilled enough to nail it. Maybe it is no different than other such lenses in that regard. Still, I think the Tamron, and certainly the Rubnar are better lenses. I was tracking a Rubinar 300mm recently that sold for nearly $1000. The 5.6/500 is much more reasonably priced, but the added focal length combined with the same f/5.6 must make it at least as difficult to focus if not more so.

I will be offering this lens up for sale because I know it is not conducive to my style of photography. I prefer to handhold and won't be happy if the focus is not dead-on. If anyone is interested in this lens for cheap, send me a PM.

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7553 Location: Hong Kong

I would not suggest the Rubinar 300mm. It is hard to focus it at close distance as the DOF is razor thin. Focusing with the Tamron is much more easy with the adjustable tripod mount on a NEX.

P.S. You can sell this lens for at least $100+ to finance for your future purchase.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7553 Location: Hong Kong

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

I went out today since we have a very bright, sunny day. All hand held at ISO100. Where I did get the focus right, it seems good. Wild and crazy bokeh.