Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!
SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

Tamron SP 500mm F/8 (55BB) Mirror Lens
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:12 pm    Post subject: Tamron SP 500mm F/8 (55BB) Mirror Lens Reply with quote
Feel free to post your images from the 55BB here if you'd like. Here's some from mine as seen through the GH1 µ4/3 camera:



The Lens.







Last edited by Tesselator on Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:22 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Slightly artsy mod. :p







Last edited by Tesselator on Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:21 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote






PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote






PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote






PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote






PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jupiter and 4 of it's moons all visible in one shot - awesome! 100% Crop




Hand-held moon shot

Last edited by Tesselator on Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:26 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

100% Crop of the above. - Still can't see any of the Lunar-Rover's tire-tracks though, dang it! Smile







PostPosted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 6:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
My samples are in these threads:

http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=48241

http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=50405

http://forum.mflenses.com/flowers-with-tamron-500-8-55bb-and-tc-2x-200f-t50521.html


PostPosted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 11:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Jupiter and its moons, and the moon shot are very very pleasing.!!!

Thanks for sharing


PostPosted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 11:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
There are many nice shots here, but I just noticed the moonshot was handheld at 1/125 Shocked and that's darned impressive.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 3:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nice shots hoanpham! I dug the bulldog shot and the cellphone reader! Smile

Thanks for the compliments guys!

The hend-held moon isn't quite as impressive tho when you consider it's a digital camera. I mean so even though it's 1,000mm equiv on the GH1 I still get to try and try for free until I get a sharp one. Smile I think I took four or five that night and just selected the one with the least amout of motion blur. Even so there was still a 1.5 or two pixel blur which you can still kinda see even after processing.

I want a cement pillar and about a 5,000mm lens so I can see all those glass structures that are supposed to be up there. Smile

Or I wonder... how long a focal length would one need to be able to photograph an 18-wheel truck on the moon's surface? (given clear skies of course.) Smile


PostPosted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 7:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
That's really nice and sharp. Is this the "budget" mirror lens of choice? What prices do they get on ebay? I had in mind to find a nikkor 180mm f2.8 ...but maybe a 500mm would find more use as I don't have something longer than 200mm.

Tesselator wrote:

Or I wonder... how long a focal length would one need to be able to photograph an 18-wheel truck on the moon's surface? (given clear skies of course.) Smile


Accually it's not related to focal lenght but to the diameter of a lens...more than 10 meters I estimated by a quick calculation Smile


PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 7:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The nikkor 180/2.8 ais ED is a very good lens, totally different from the Tamron 55BB.
The 55BB might be cheaper than the nikkor, due to many factors. Both are in must-have category.


PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 9:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes, I know that they are very different...just mentioned which lens is on priority list to buy Smile and I know it's a must have Smile

Another question about sp 55bb...I know some mirrors need a rear filter to operate properly. Is this also the case with Tamron? Any other things to keep an eye on?


PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 10:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think the 55b came with a set, but the 55bb was optional. My came with a clear uv filter back, but the case has room for a set. You may need a set if shoting film bw. Nothing i really need when using dslr. And i use pentax, it has very good in body shake reduction.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 8:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Impressive is a really poor description! Awesome shots, specially the moon and jupiter ones.
Congrats, you're getting the most of this lens..

Jes.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 10:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
hoanpham wrote:
I think the 55b came with a set, but the 55bb was optional. My came with a clear uv filter back, but the case has room for a set. You may need a set if shoting film bw. Nothing i really need when using dslr. And i use pentax, it has very good in body shake reduction.


I'm stil not sure about my question. Is it mandatory to use a clear filter in the back?

I'm thinking of buying this lens, but it's only lens, no caps or filters, so I'm not sure if it's usable:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USED-TAMRON-SP-500MM-F8-LENS-bb55-/271016215470?pt=UK_Lenses_Filters_Lenses&hash=item3f19d343ae


PostPosted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 9:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
sammo wrote:
hoanpham wrote:
I think the 55b came with a set, but the 55bb was optional. My came with a clear uv filter back, but the case has room for a set. You may need a set if shoting film bw. Nothing i really need when using dslr. And i use pentax, it has very good in body shake reduction.


I'm stil not sure about my question. Is it mandatory to use a clear filter in the back?

I'm thinking of buying this lens, but it's only lens, no caps or filters, so I'm not sure if it's usable:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USED-TAMRON-SP-500MM-F8-LENS-bb55-/271016215470?pt=UK_Lenses_Filters_Lenses&hash=item3f19d343ae


I have no conclusion about this.
As I read, all 55BB came factory installed with an UV clear filter, so I don't mind just let it there.
Others said that the filter may help reduce flare or internal reflection, but that's an extra glass to go through, wierd reason I think.
If I take the filter out from the lens, it will be lost. Better let it there, but i am too lazy to take it out when using the lens.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 7:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I had the 55BB and tried it without the rear filter and there seemed to be no difference...however I did not do extensive testing I just took it off shot with it and put it back.. Smile I still have the 55B.

When they say no filters are they talking about the back filter or just they won't supply a front filter?


PostPosted: Sat Jun 29, 2013 6:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I just bought one of these, with a X2 converter and OM adaptall, for £95 at a charity shop. I'm taking it back in the morning, it's a bad copy, soft and no contrast at all. Sad


PostPosted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 12:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
fuzzywuzzy wrote:
There are many nice shots here, but I just noticed the moonshot was handheld at 1/125 Shocked and that's darned impressive.


Actually, the correct exposure for the moon is 1/125 at f/8 at ISO 100. Sometimes I'll use f/11 for a bit more contrast. Way too many people feel the need to overexpose the moon when they take pix of it. Just remember: it's reflecting sunlight.

Mo, I'm sure they're talking about the back filter.

I also own a 55BB. I haven't taken it out in quite a while. Time to exercise it again, I guess. Back later with some shots.


PostPosted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 4:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lloydy wrote:
I just bought one of these, with a X2 converter and OM adaptall, for £95 at a charity shop. I'm taking it back in the morning, it's a bad copy, soft and no contrast at all. Sad


Was there any obvious damage or fungus?


PostPosted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 8:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
In theory the exposures estimated for daylight photography in direct sunlight should work for moon. The problem is just that the surface is "blacker" than coal, so you need to overexpose a few stops Smile


PostPosted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
sammo wrote:
In theory the exposures estimated for daylight photography in direct sunlight should work for moon. The problem is just that the surface is "blacker" than coal, so you need to overexpose a few stops Smile


Um. not quite. The moon's surface albedo is 0.12, which means it reflects about 12% of the sun's light. Coal's albedo would be right at 0. For more info, see:

http://www.universetoday.com/19981/moon-albedo/

You are correct with your first statement, however. At ISO 100, bright sun exposure would be 1/125 at f/16. Opening up two stops to f/8 is correct exposure. Even f/11 will give good exposure of a full moon. Three stops to f/5.6 is overexposure, though, unless you're shooting with print film, in which case you might still be okay. Given that most all 500-600mm mirrors have a fixed f/8 aperture, though, shooting at 1/125 should give desirable results. Doing this hand-held, however, is difficult without revealing camera shake, unless one has a super-steady hand.

Taken with a 500mm Century Tele-Athenar II, one day past full moon, which I prefer because the slight sidelighting enhances the surface features, whereas photos of the full moon are often flat looking by comparison. 1/125 @ f/8. 100% crop. EOS DSLR mounted firmly on a stout tripod, using Live View to have the mirror up, which further minimizes vibration:



Incidentally, I've seen photos of the moon posted here that were taken with a Tamron 55BB, and which were surprisingly sharp. The 55BB is one of the best mirrors I've even come across.
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2