tricks for long telephoto lenses ? vivtar 600mm f8

[KarelDH]

Hi,

My brother bought me a vivitar 600mm f8 for a tiny amount of money
Serial number starts whit 37 so Tokina ?

So it looks like a bazooka, it actually has a aiming pin.

Now are there any hinds or tricks for using these monsters ?
i have a tripod but not a good one.

(If i use live view on 100% it looks pretty sharp bit of ca)

Thank u.

[martyn_bannister]

FWIW, my experience with this length of lens is that a SOLID tripod is mandatory. Mirror lock up and remote release also. And plenty of light/ISO to get the fastest shutter speed you can

You will only find out if yours is solid enough by trying it. I did an interesting shoot of the sun the other day. I was using a reflective solar filter on the front of such a 500mm lens, with a 2x teleconverter. The sunlight was reflecting off the filter and onto an adjacent window frame. I thought my tripod was pretty solid. I was using a remote release and mirror lock up on my 5D. Every time the shutter fired, the reflection off the filter moved! I tried everything to stop it. No joy!

Apparently one trick, which I didn't try, is to hang several kilos of weight off the tripod centre post to give it some stability.

Good luck

[fuzzywuzzy]

I hear beanbags work well for big long heavy gear like that.

[martyn_bannister]

[RioRico]

Yes, such a long tube needs substantial support. I can use long lenses handheld if:

1) the day is bright enough for a fast-enough shutter, and/or
2) I have SR active on my Pentax (Sony bodies work too), and/or
3) the definition of 'handheld' includes a shoulder stock.

Tripods can be stabilized. My travel tripod has a hook under the head, upon which I hang my camera bag -- but not on windy days! Tripod legs can be staked-down to the ground. Bungee cords may help. Sandbags may help. Prayer may help, but probably won't. Maybe you can find an old surveyor's tripod cheap somewhere. But a wobbly tripod under a long lens just SUCKS.

[luisalegria]

This is indeed the very nice Tokina version of the Vivitar 600mm
These were sold under many brands as usual, including some camera-makers.

The other common 600/8 was made by Kawanon. The Tokina looks like a better lens, it certainly was better equipped. The "gunsight" should be useful in aiming this, as the field of view is of course extremely narrow. BTW - you may be missing a knob or post that screws on the focus ring.

As for using this - because the focus ring is behind the point of balance this will be very difficult to hand-hold even if your camera has IS. The use of a long lens on a DSLR is best done by holding the focus ring as a point of balance as well as to track your subject. Because the focus ring is behind the point of balance this can't be done on this lens.

My experience is that on a DSLR with IS the tripod is mainly useful as a prop for the front end, to solve the balance problem, so it doesn't really matter what sort of tripod you have. Most of the use of such a lens is for close-up pictures of animals and birds, and its almost impossible to use a tripod to steady the lens, because you need to keep the lens moving to track the creatures.

[KarelDH]

hi,

[luisalegria]

I believe the two holes in the focus ring are
1. For metal post to make it easier to do fine focus.
2. A focus lock knob

The one on the back of the focus scale is for the rear sight - another metal post.