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Tamron 350mm f/5.6 06B Mirror Lens - Loose Mount Question
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PostPosted: Sat May 30, 2020 4:46 pm    Post subject: Tamron 350mm f/5.6 06B Mirror Lens - Loose Mount Question Reply with quote

I finally landed this lens which has been on my list for years now. As you likely know, they're relatively rare, often debatably overpriced, and finding a clean copy devoid of any balsam separation seems to be the most challenging aspect. Well this past week, the stars aligned for me and I managed to pick one up for a "decent" price. The listing claimed it was in great condition, the images seemed to reflect this and with a fair return policy in play, I quickly purchased it for fear second-guessing myself would surely cost me the auction.





The lens arrived and I began my usual routine of checking over a used purchase. My biggest concern was balsam separation which is common on this lens. The listing had a pretty good image of the rear elements so I didn't feel totally blind going into the sale but you never know with a single image. Fortunately, while I did find the slightest spec of separation out at the far edge of an inner element, the optics overall are quite clean.

One thing that is puzzling me, is the mount seems to spin and never quite locks down. When I mounted the lens, I noticed it clicked into place, but with my hand still applying some pressure to the lens, the lens continued to rotate (despite the mount now being tight).




After reading the manual (online) I realize the little tab seen below, is a spring-loaded release, I THINK, to allow you to rotate the tripod mount 90 degrees. However, the lens seems to spin regardless of this being engaged or disengaged. And I should add the spinning doesn't feel good. It isn't consistent and smooth. It's tighter as some points. Which led me to pretty much immediately stop forcing anything because in my experience, it does feel like when a set screw somewhere has lost the tightening, but is still causing drag. Which is just damaging. I can't find such a spot on this lens. So I have ceased working anything for fear of further damaging the mount.



Is something stripped somewhere? Is this common? Am I just doing something wrong?



I don't have names for all these parts so I created this diagram to refer to things. I think ring A is supposed to spin independent of ring B. These two do not spin easily. I tried lightly, then also loosened screw C (as well as the one to the right of it). None of them seem to have any affect on how well (or in this case not well) the rings spin. I realize screw C is an indexing screw for older Nikon film cameras. I'm just not sure how these pieces all functioned together when this was new.

Does anyone have experience with this? From the manual it looked like the 500/8 may also share some of these traits? I appreciate any thoughts!


PostPosted: Sat May 30, 2020 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Aye I think I've seen one of these mirrors with st like this issue. That indexing screw C is suppposed to lock that rear ring in place, it can become worn or stripped. Here is a pdf of a user manual (see pp8-9):

http://www.gyes.eu/documents/tamron-sp_350mm-f5.6-06b_500mm-f8-55b_manual.pdf

I don't have a solution off the top of my head, i haven't had the rear end of a tamron apart (they are easy to clean).


Last edited by marcusBMG on Sat May 30, 2020 10:50 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sat May 30, 2020 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My 350mm works as described in the PDF on page 14. Hope thats helpfull.


PostPosted: Sun May 31, 2020 3:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just take the entire mount off and take a look at what's going on the inside. As to the debatable price - IMO it's worth every penny.


PostPosted: Sun May 31, 2020 3:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My comments may not be helpful. If you are able to quickly get another adapt-all mount and corresponding adapter (if the adapt-all is not nikon) to your Z, you can test it.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 01, 2020 9:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the issue is not in the adaptall adapter but on the lense side so changing the Adapter will yield little.

Indeed the lever on the lens also if pressed too hard releases the lens rather than just allow the 90degree turn.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 01, 2020 2:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks all for your thoughts.

marcusBMG
I'm kind of thinking this too, that it's stripped. Thanks for the link, that was the same online manual I had found and was trying to see if there might be more info there. Unfortunately not.

Slalom
Maybe this lever got pressed too hard by a previous owner and the lens is now outside the intended limits. And without knowing it, the previous users just continued to work it this way, unintentionally damaging the interior mechanism?

Has anyone ever opened one of these? Would removing the back 5-6 screws (visible directly on the back of the lens) affect the optics or collimation? The lens currently, optically, is in great shape. And I don't really intend to use the tripod foot. I just hate when things don't work. Especially if I think it might be a simple fix. This isn't a terribly complex mechanism I feel.

On a different note: I am so impressed with this lens performance-wise! Sorry for the rather banal subject matter but this is definitely the sharpest and most contrasty mirror lens I have ever used. I shoot in a neutral color profile and just about always tweak images through Adobe Camera Raw. The following samples have been adjusted but no more than any other lens including all of my native Nikon Z lenses. This is a very fine optic.





















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PostPosted: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice sample photos!
Hope you get the problems with the mount sorted out.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 03, 2020 6:25 pm    Post subject: Re: Tamron 350mm f/5.6 06B Mirror Lens - Loose Mount Questio Reply with quote

Partially resolved my questions. As things go on eBay, sometimes listings come in waves. Another, very clean copy of this 350/5.6 popped up (for less money actually) and I went ahead and purchased it, either with the ability to return it if it wasn't what the sale described, or it would be and I could sell my current copy. The new copy arrived and is both clean and fully functional! Indeed that tab D (see diagram in thread), has a firm 'click' to it, when you engage it. When you rotate the tripod collar, it rotates smoothly, and then it clicks into a place, re-securing the lens from rotation. Any attempt to rotate the collar beyond either detent would clearly be against the design since either side is a hard stop. So the the first copy I bought does indeed have a stripped tripod collar. Secondly, I cleaned the glass on the new optic and no rotation whatsoever. So while the first copy still yields good image quality, it will be going up for sale with notes about what is not operational. I appreciate everyone's input!


PostPosted: Wed Jun 03, 2020 10:39 pm    Post subject: Re: Tamron 350mm f/5.6 06B Mirror Lens - Loose Mount Questio Reply with quote

justtorchit wrote:
Partially resolved my questions. As things go on eBay, sometimes listings come in waves. Another, very clean copy of this 350/5.6 popped up (for less money actually) and I went ahead and purchased it, either with the ability to return it if it wasn't what the sale described, or it would be and I could sell my current copy. The new copy arrived and is both clean and fully functional! Indeed that tab D (see diagram in thread), has a firm 'click' to it, when you engage it. When you rotate the tripod collar, it rotates smoothly, and then it clicks into a place, re-securing the lens from rotation. Any attempt to rotate the collar beyond either detent would clearly be against the design since either side is a hard stop. So the the first copy I bought does indeed have a stripped tripod collar. Secondly, I cleaned the glass on the new optic and no rotation whatsoever. So while the first copy still yields good image quality, it will be going up for sale with notes about what is not operational. I appreciate everyone's input!


Good to know! Thanks.


PostPosted: Thu Jun 04, 2020 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great news


PostPosted: Thu Jun 04, 2020 9:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Like 1 Like 1


PostPosted: Sun Jun 07, 2020 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK I have now had a look at my 350mm.
The ring A is loosened by the small screw C so that the ring can be rotated clockwise a small amount to use nikon nikkomat cameras (p9 of the user manual). This ring is basically a sleeve with the engagement spaces for the ears/tabs on the mount.
The other issue might be with the portrait/landscape movement. This has a locking tab which is pressed to release - D in your pic. The entire mount A+B then rotates counterclockwise, up to the white dot (the screw C is the marker, that's why its top is red). This mechanism is unique to the 350mm, the 55B is different.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 08, 2020 12:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Aside from all that, I have replaced the Adaptall II mounts on my lenses with one that connects directly to my Sony A7 II. I prefer this to having to use an adapter to the Adaptall mount. Is there an adapter available to connect directly to the NZ?

It's a great lens. I've been using mine quite a bit.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 3:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

marcusBMG:
Thanks for checking that! Yes my new copy behaves exactly like this. Appreciate your detailed explanation.

woodrim:
I have seen some NZ-Adaptall adapters and have been considering them for simplicity's sake. This lens is amazing. Modern lenses have blown me away with what they can do. And even with all of that, I was so impressed when I mounted this decades-old mirror lens. I really did not expect it to be this good. It's not even that it's "good for a mirror lens". It's just good.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 3:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

justtorchit wrote:
marcusBMG:
Thanks for checking that! Yes my new copy behaves exactly like this. Appreciate your detailed explanation.

woodrim:
I have seen some NZ-Adaptall adapters and have been considering them for simplicity's sake. This lens is amazing. Modern lenses have blown me away with what they can do. And even with all of that, I was so impressed when I mounted this decades-old mirror lens. I really did not expect it to be this good. It's not even that it's "good for a mirror lens". It's just good.


I agree.