What's the second best tiny mirror lens?

glaebhoerl · Joined: 03 May 2014 Posts: 100 Location: Hungary

The best is of course the Minolta 250mm/5.6. Unfortunately it costs something like a million dollars, and even more unfortunately I don't have a million dollars.

So what's my second best option? Is there anything else that even approaches the Minolta for both tinyness and quality?

The target is a Fuji mirrorless camera, so maybe the newish Samyang 300mm/6.3? The Tokina macro mirror lens for MFT looks nicer, but sadly that's not available for other mounts.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

The Russian 300mm. It's not so cheap but it is very good.

glaebhoerl · Joined: 03 May 2014 Posts: 100 Location: Hungary

The MC3M-7K / ZM-7K? How not cheap is it? I couldn't find any on eBay even in the sold listings.

Is it better than the modern mirror lenses like the Samyang?

(And is it really that small? It looks smallish from photos, but mirror lenses can be very deceiving in that respect because they all have basically the same shape... it's only when there's a reference, like the camera it's mounted on, that it's clear how big it is or isn't. According to what I found the Minolta is 250g, the Samyang 315g, and the Russian is 475g (+- 5g as this is from memory). Assuming this data is even accurate, is the latter just typically dense for a Russian lens, while nonetheless physically small?)

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

http://forum.mflenses.com/rubinar-300mm-f4-5-mirror-lens-t56414.html

glaebhoerl · Joined: 03 May 2014 Posts: 100 Location: Hungary

Oh, the Rubinar. Thanks. That seems kinda big :D. I was thinking of this one:

http://forum.mflenses.com/fs-rare-russian-mc3m-7k-5-6-300mm-m42-mirror-lens-t24824.html

Which seems smallish, not sure how it would look next to the Minolta, but 470g according to here. And doesn't seem to be available in any case, nor any idea how much I would have to pay for it if it were... probably a lot.

The Samyang seems like the default option to me, if there's no other obvious choice... widely available, reasonably small, reasonably affordable. The only question is: reasonably good?

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

The Rubinar is huge Laughing

Great lens though Smile

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7554 Location: Hong Kong

I have a copy MC3M-7K in the past. It is pretty sharp on my EOS 350D(better than average Japanese). My copy have problem in the coating so I cannot determine about the contrast. The Rubinar I tried is better and faster but it is difficult to use on a mirror-less camera. I ended up with a Tamron SP 350mm f/5.6(06B) but I do not chance to try it yet. The tripod collar on the Tamron can be removed to reduce the weight but the lens is as big as Rubinar.

P.S. I have tried all old mirror lens ~300mm I known except the Minolta and Tamron.

kenetik · Joined: 02 Mar 2014 Posts: 524

I have a Spiratone Minitel-M which is actually quite good. It had engraving on it from the government when I picked it out at a used camera store, and was apparently very well cared for.

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7554 Location: Hong Kong

If one want a better Japanese mirror, I would suggest look for a Spiratone Mirror Lens(72mm filter). It is not as good the Minolta and Tamron but it is slight better than the average Japanese mirror in the past. It even comes with a dedicated 2x TC with tripod mount.
http://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/spiratone-minitel-s-plura-coat-300mm-mirror-lens.html

glaebhoerl · Joined: 03 May 2014 Posts: 100 Location: Hungary

Thanks, that looks like an interesting option. Researching the Spiratone I also stumbled upon this:

http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00b/00bS9v-525705584.pdf

It mentions a Cambron 300mm mirror lens which is even smaller than the Spiratone, but according to the text, not as sharp. And as with the MC3M-7K, neither seems to be currently available on eBay.

I'm still left wondering whether it's worth bothering with the older mirror lenses other than the Rokkor, or if the modern Samyang is good enough, or perhaps even better than them. Has anyone tried the Samyang, or under their other brands, Rokinon etc.?

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7554 Location: Hong Kong

The Samyang looks decent from the review. It should be better than the average old ones but may be less good as the Tamron/Minolta/Rubinar.
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/51840708

glaebhoerl · Joined: 03 May 2014 Posts: 100 Location: Hungary

Hmm... it does look quite decent. I'd actually seen that review already, quite a long time ago, back then I wasn't looking for a mirror lens (I didn't even have the Fuji camera yet), so it didn't leave a lasting imprint in my memory.

JohnBar · Joined: 21 Jun 2012 Posts: 581 Location: Liverpool

I use a Soligor CD 8/500mm

Be advised there are two versions, I use the smaller one with retractable shade 390g

It looks like this one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Soligor-500mm-f-8-Mirror-C-D-Lens-T-Mount-/151271013941?nma=true&si=Q9JYV3%252B3jzKeBQM8Kx%252F0t9Pa53o%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557