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Please recommend good mirror lens...
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 6:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
fergus wrote:
I have a Russian catadioptric (mirror) lens: 3M-5A 500mm F/8 which I'm quite pleased with. Ebayed 9 months ago for about 50 GBP condition pretty much mint. I don't know how it compares to the 3M-5CA (anybody know?)
(...)

3M-5CA (ZM-5CA) differs from Your ZM-5A being more compact (AFAIK letter C in the name means "compact") - it has no tripod mount at all, so the rear lens barrel is not as massive thus making it quite lightweight (0,6kg). It may have better (MC) coating than Your lens, but I bet You would not notice any differences in image quality.


PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:27 am    Post subject: Re: Vivitar Reply with quote
EdSawyer wrote:
Maybe the vivitar 600/8 Solid Cat? those are supposed to be quite good.


Not really that sharp...


PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
KhanX wrote:
I think the best is Zeiss Mirotar 500mm f8 and Leica Tylst 500mm f8 but I'm in love with Nikon AI 500mm f8 but I can't beat it in Ebay. Crying or Very sad

Now I use Nikkor-C 500mm f8. The lower version of AI. It's worth for all of my bucks. Laughing


Very nice results KhanX - CONGRATS!!
Mirror lens is not that easy to use, well done!


PostPosted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The Vivitar solid cats are expensive for what they are. I don't have any experience with the 600/8, but the 800/11 is quite good.

The other approach here is to look at the telescope makers. I have a Celestron C90 that is a 500/5.6. I haven't done much with it, but my initial puttering around suggests that it's quite sharp.


PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
wariag wrote:
No surprise, as such lenses are Soviet invention Smile
I have ZM-6A and I had ZM-5CA - both are very good, although ZM-5CA are often discussed to be risky lenses, as quality control can allow "lemon" to reach the market.
In case of this, be aware that usually such "lemon" needs about 10 minutes of Your time to become 1st class lens (my copy had reversed lenses in rear group-field corrector - and that's the worst thing which can happen in this simple construction).


How did you find out the rear group was reversed? How can you know this for sure? I'm suspicious about my lens having this problem...

Just got myself a brand new looking 3M-5CA for €23,- (including caps and leather case) from a private person.

I have been trying to make one sharp picture systematically for an hour (Pentax K10D, no lenshood), but it seems not possible to get decent focus. Even the viewfinder picture looks pretty unsharp all the time...

BTW: I can turn the focus ring 1 cm further past the infinity mark, can anybody else do this with his 3M-5CA as well?


PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
sirslak wrote:


.............................

BTW: I can turn the focus ring 1 cm further past the infinity mark, can anybody else do this with his 3M-5CA as well?


Yes, I've a ZM-5A and can turn the focus ring beyond infinity mark.
I think they are projected in this way.


PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes they are built to focus beyond infinity and so various mounts can be used with the lens, I fitted mine with a Pentax T mount over the m42 mount which makes it about 3-4mm longer and it can still focus to infinity ok


PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Tried to find some information on the so called field flatness or curvature corrector.
I think the two rear group lenses in my 3M-5CA are mounted wrongly, but theoretically there are 8 possible configurations. This is the current configuration, where the lenses are directly on top of each other in reality, separated by a very thin fragile sheet metal ring:



(picture is edited version from http://slrphoto.narod.ru/rubinar.htm)

I found these corrector principles on http://www.users.bigpond.com/pjifl/page12.html (light also falling in from the left):



Is anybody aware of the correct configuration in the MC 3M-5CA or is there any optics expert knowing about corrector principles?


PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 6:42 am    Post subject: Tokina RMC 500/8 Reply with quote
I picked up a new one of these in Konica AR mount, which works fine on my 4/3 Lumix L1.

This is a shot of a moving helicopter that i had to pan with, no IS I might add. Not perfect but I am happy with the result for $30.

100% crop resized.



PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very nice. And 100% cropped (sharp).

Rino.


PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 5:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
From where do you guys get these lenses for 30$, 50GBP? The prices seem much higher on ebay?

This thread got me thinking it would be nice to try a mirror lens but I cant invest much in it now.


PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
ovim wrote:
From where do you guys get these lenses for 30$, 50GBP? The prices seem much higher on ebay?

This thread got me thinking it would be nice to try a mirror lens but I cant invest much in it now.


Here's the actual lens I purchased. It was brand new. I was mistaken though it was $32.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390019286711&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm38%26_nkw%3D390019286711%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1[/url]

Last edited by cledry on Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:52 am; edited 3 times in total


PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 6:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ok, I've done some digging and it seems the "Buy It Now" prices are pretty high but I'm looking at some bids to see how high they get and maybe i'll try my luck. I quess the reason for higher prices is also due the fact I'm looking at M42 or K mount lenses which are still quite popular.

cledry: Your link doesn't work, but I got the item id from the link and saw the page anyway. Is the mount in this Tokina changeable? Could it be changed to M42 or Pentax K?


PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
ovim wrote:
Ok, I've done some digging and it seems the "Buy It Now" prices are pretty high but I'm looking at some bids to see how high they get and maybe i'll try my luck. I quess the reason for higher prices is also due the fact I'm looking at M42 or K mount lenses which are still quite popular.

cledry: Your link doesn't work, but I got the item id from the link and saw the page anyway. Is the mount in this Tokina changeable? Could it be changed to M42 or Pentax K?


It is not designed to be changed like an Tamron or Vivitar. It is a simple mount with 4 screws, but finding a compatible piece would be impossible.


PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 9:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ok, thanks.

Anyone have any experience with Sigma XQ 8/500?


PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 6:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I like my own one: MTO-500A. It gave me many satisfactory shots.





PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
nueng.kfc wrote:
I like my own one: MTO-500A. It gave me many satisfactory shots.





PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Welcome! Nice shoots! Thank you for joining us!


PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2009 4:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Leica MR-Telyt-R 1:8/500...





PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2009 5:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Shocked

So good bokeh with a mirror lens?


PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2009 8:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Shocked I don't see any donuts ?! Are you sure is it taken with this lens ? Wink


PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2009 8:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
Shocked I don't see any donuts ?! Are you sure is it taken with this lens ? Wink


Donuts only appear when you have some out-of-focus highlights. In this case you can see double contours in the OOF-parts, they are as typical for a mirrorlens as the donuts.


PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2009 10:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you!


PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2009 2:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
GORGEOUS flower shot! Like little nymphs in the woods, and I love the composition. Simply spectacular.


PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2009 4:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
no-X wrote:
Shocked

So good bokeh with a mirror lens?


This is the reason I recommend it as a good mirror lens...
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