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Tamron Adaptall-2 500mm f/8 55BB
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 01, 2016 10:22 pm    Post subject: Tamron Adaptall-2 500mm f/8 55BB Reply with quote
Hi,
As always, with adaptall lenses, all technical info can be found http://www.adaptall-2.com/lenses/55BB.html
I have been hunting this lens in Poland from some long time. I had Tokina 500mm. It was good lens I sold it to my friend also pentaxian.
But 500mm 55BB lens is a stellar.
it is much more contrast. And it is also bigger.
But worth to buy.





PostPosted: Tue Nov 01, 2016 11:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's a lens I wanted for a long time, I bought one and it was very poor, I got a refund. Last year I found another at a good price, it's a good lens - very good. I don't use it a lot, but when I do it always impress's me.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 01, 2016 11:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have the 55BB and I love mine. It is very sharp with great contrast.

Piotr, I have a question about your second photo. It appears it was taken in a darkened location with only stage lighting available to illuminate the violinist. Given the 55BB's fixed f/8 aperture, what ISO were you having to use to get that shot? Were you using a monopod or other sort of tool to stabilize the shot? Also, what camera did you use?


PostPosted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 12:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
It is a fine lens but it needs good light or a sensor that works well at high ISOs. It is probably operating at the equivalent brightness of f11, and even so it is tough to nail focus.
Would be interesting to try it on an A7II series camera - the amplified brightness of the EVF, focus aids and stabilisation would really help


PostPosted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
@cooltouch.
Yes, photo have been make at stage. Smile
I use K1 ISO was 12800. Post in Capture one as it gives me better colours.
All my photos have full exif embedded. I use exif viewer for firefox.
That day I also used combo 600mm from Tamron adaptall 300mm 2.8 + 2x TC = 600mm 5.6 and it give me iso aroud 6400. but it is much heavier


PostPosted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 10:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
hmm ... i recently got one as well, but haven't yet compared it to other 8/500mm RF lenses!! Some more work to do ... It certainly will have less CA than the Canon nFD 2.8/400mm L ... but then: the bokeh Mr. Green


PostPosted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lloydy wrote:
It's a lens I wanted for a long time, I bought one and it was very poor, I got a refund. Last year I found another at a good price, it's a good lens - very good. I don't use it a lot, but when I do it always impress's me.


I have a lens of this on its way from an ebay seller. I hope not to be this poor copy. I actually was thinking to buy a MTO 500/8 lens, but so it has completed an auction, I bought Tamron Adaptall SP 500/8 first version. I hope that I chose well. Question


PostPosted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 3:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've also had a bad 55BB, there is a thread here about it:

http://forum.mflenses.com/tamron-adaptall-500mm-55bb-disappointing-iq-help-t66320,highlight,%2Btamron+%2B500mm.html

but overall I think these are optics that deserve their good reputation. I acquired another one, it was just a cash converters chance (price was right) but no problems - sharp!
Note that these are easy lenses to eg clean a bit of fungus off the mirror or objective. Not so easy if there is fungus in the rear assembly. And delamination of a rear doublet is not uncommon and can't be fixed, gives rainbow reflections when scrutinised. However that doesn't usually noticeably affect IQ (doesn't on my 350mm 06B).


PostPosted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 9:19 pm    Post subject: Re: Tamron Adaptall-2 500mm f/8 55BB Reply with quote
Piotr Krochmal wrote:

Hi,
As always, with adaptall lenses, all technical info can be found http://www.adaptall-2.com/lenses/55BB.html


I think that Attila bought that domain a while ago.


PostPosted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 9:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
edri wrote:
Lloydy wrote:
It's a lens I wanted for a long time, I bought one and it was very poor, I got a refund. Last year I found another at a good price, it's a good lens - very good. I don't use it a lot, but when I do it always impress's me.


I have a lens of this on its way from an ebay seller. I hope not to be this poor copy. I actually was thinking to buy a MTO 500/8 lens, but so it has completed an auction, I bought Tamron Adaptall SP 500/8 first version. I hope that I chose well. Question


I bought the first copy in a charity shop for 80, it was in its case and very well used, the paint was worn off in many places; which I didn't mind as to me it showed that the lens was regularly used so it was probably going to be OK. Sadly it wasn't and I got a refund. I think that the lens might have been dropped after it was donated to the charity, nobody could have used that lens so much and tolerated such bad results.
These are very good, sharp, lenses. I think they are only likely to be poor if they have dropped. They need careful testing on a tripod as soon as you get them.

The second lens I got was from a friend who sadly has dementia, and it's perfect. Except for the fact the filters aren't with the lens and he hasn't got a clue where they are, or indeed what they are. Crying or Very sad So, if anyone finds a set of filters for this lens, I will buy them. Wink


PostPosted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 1:19 am    Post subject: Re: Tamron Adaptall-2 500mm f/8 55BB Reply with quote
Piotr Krochmal wrote:
As always, with adaptall lenses, all technical info can be found http://www.adaptall-2.com/lenses/55BB.html

Well, not "always" -- I just picked up an Adaptall-2 lens - a 47A - and I can't find it listed on that site (unless I'm just looking in the wrong place) (but which is ~not~ to say that it's not a great resource for a lot of classic Tamron lenses).

In regard to the Tamron SP 500/8 mirrors - in my experience, ~both~ the 55B and the 55BB are really sweet 500/8 mirrors, with very high "bang-for-the-buck"ratio.


PostPosted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 12:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
@fwcetus if you know better site for tamron and especially adaptall lenses please share Smile I found only www I put in post.
thanks for help Smile


PostPosted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 1:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi Lloyd I have extra set of rear filters for Tamron 500 mm f8 reflex if you need.Regards


PostPosted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 2:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Piotr Krochmal wrote:
@fwcetus if you know better site for tamron and especially adaptall lenses please share Smile I found only www I put in post. thanks for help Smile

No, Piotr, I don't know of a better Tamron site -- I just pointed out that it is not 100% complete -- don't forget that I did say, "(but which is ~not~ to say that it's not a great resource for a lot of classic Tamron lenses)", although I perhaps could/should have said, "(but which is ~not~ to say that it's not still the best resource for a lot of classic Tamron lenses)". You were helpful in pointing out that site for anyone who was not aware of it. Smile


PostPosted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 10:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kryss wrote:
Hi Lloyd I have extra set of rear filters for Tamron 500 mm f8 reflex if you need.Regards


Yes I do ! Happy Dog I'll send a PM kryss.


PostPosted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 11:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
OK wilco.


PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 1:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Piotr Krochmal wrote:
@cooltouch.
Yes, photo have been make at stage. Smile
I use K1 ISO was 12800. Post in Capture one as it gives me better colours.
All my photos have full exif embedded. I use exif viewer for firefox.
That day I also used combo 600mm from Tamron adaptall 300mm 2.8 + 2x TC = 600mm 5.6 and it give me iso aroud 6400. but it is much heavier


Thanks for your reply.

You know, it's odd. I was just sitting here a short while ago, thinking about comparing my 55BB against my Tamron 300/2.8 with 2x TC and see how they compared. Last year, I did a comparison with all of my long telephotos, shooting the moon when it was full, but I didn't take good notes, so I wasn't able to figure out which were which afterward. So maybe I'll try it again this time, but just with the 55bb and the 300/2.8 with 2x. My 300/2.8 is one of my sharpest telephotos -- if not the sharpest -- so I'm interested in seeing how the 55bb compares with it.

Have you done any comparisons with yours?


PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 1:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
For short distances there is no big differences. But I don't make tests at infinity. I read that 55bb is not best option for infinity. So I wait for your tests Smile
Unfortunatelly in Poland we have almost winter. cold nights lot of air pollution so this is not best time to test infinity.


K1 + 500mm 55BB


K1 + 300mm 60B + quite simple 2x TC


K1 + 300mm 60B

[/img]


PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 2:33 pm    Post subject: Re: Tamron Adaptall-2 500mm f/8 55BB Reply with quote
fwcetus wrote:
Well, not "always" -- I just picked up an Adaptall-2 lens - a 47A - and I can't find it listed on that site (unless I'm just looking in the wrong place) (but which is ~not~ to say that it's not a great resource for a lot of classic Tamron lenses).


This list of adaptall-2 and SP lenses includes the ones missing from adaptall-2.com.

http://www.gyes.eu/documents/tamron-adaptall-2_lenses.pdf


PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 2:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I read that this one was better than the Minolta RF Rokkor 500mm F8 which is already considered one of the best. Is that right?


PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 5:28 pm    Post subject: Re: Tamron Adaptall-2 500mm f/8 55BB Reply with quote
marcusBMG wrote:

fwcetus wrote:
Well, not "always" -- I just picked up an Adaptall-2 lens - a 47A - and I can't find it listed on that site (unless I'm just looking in the wrong place) (but which is ~not~ to say that it's not a great resource for a lot of classic Tamron lenses).

This list of adaptall-2 and SP lenses includes the ones missing from adaptall-2.com.

http://www.gyes.eu/documents/tamron-adaptall-2_lenses.pdf

Yes, that's a good resource, too, showing dates and price info at a glance, as well as links to English machine translations of relevant pages from http://www.tamron.co.jp/ .


PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Piotr Krochmal wrote:
For short distances there is no big differences. But I don't make tests at infinity. I read that 55bb is not best option for infinity. So I wait for your tests Smile
Unfortunatelly in Poland we have almost winter. cold nights lot of air pollution so this is not best time to test infinity. [...3 more images...]

I really like those chamber music photos, Piotr -- I have never thought about using a 500mm mirror for a (presumably) small concert, and I think it is interesting that one of the mirror's main weaknesses - "doughnut bokeh" - is not much of a problem at all (it's just barely visible) because of the relatively "empty" backgrounds. Good work.
Like 1 small


PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 6:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Teemō wrote:
I read that this one was better than the Minolta RF Rokkor 500mm F8 which is already considered one of the best. Is that right?


I've got the AF version of the Rokkor, and it very good indeed, I need to do a shootout between them, maybe throw the Canon FD 500 in as well?


PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
fwcetus wrote:
Piotr Krochmal wrote:
For short distances there is no big differences. But I don't make tests at infinity. I read that 55bb is not best option for infinity. So I wait for your tests Smile
Unfortunatelly in Poland we have almost winter. cold nights lot of air pollution so this is not best time to test infinity. [...3 more images...]

I really like those chamber music photos, Piotr -- I have never thought about using a 500mm mirror for a (presumably) small concert, and I think it is interesting that one of the mirror's main weaknesses - "doughnut bokeh" - is not much of a problem at all (it's just barely visible) because of the relatively "empty" backgrounds. Good work.
Like 1 small

Thanks Smile.


PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 6:01 pm    Post subject: Re: Tamron Adaptall-2 500mm f/8 55BB Reply with quote
Piotr Krochmal wrote:
Hi,
As always, with adaptall lenses, all technical info can be found http://www.adaptall-2.com/lenses/55BB.html
I have been hunting this lens in Poland from some long time. I had Tokina 500mm. It was good lens I sold it to my friend also pentaxian.
But 500mm 55BB lens is a stellar.
it is much more contrast. And it is also bigger.
But worth to buy.





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