Vivitar 500mm F8 mirror reflex manual focus lens

[dhbailey]

I am very new to the world of the Canon EOS, waiting paitently for my newly ordered 20D and some extra lenses to arrive. I have spent the past 3 years getting my feet wet in digital photography with the Sony Mavica 300 but am very frustrated and realize it is time to move up to a more capable camera.

As I wait (rather impatiently) for the new gear to arrive I have a question on the quality of the lens in the subject line. I do realize that you get what you pay for, and I have ordered the Canon 75-300 IS lens, but am wondering if the 500mm lens is worth the price. It costs $109.95 at B&HPhotoVideo. I realize the 1.66 digital factor turns that effectively into an 800mm lens, and am wondering if the quality is any good.

I realize I would need to use at the very least a monopod, if not a full tripod for stable images, but the price seems very reasonable. I'm just wondering if anybody has any experience with this lens and the EOS family of cameras.

Thanks!

[DamienB]

It's rubbish. Avoid.

(Just *had* to respond to say I'd helped out David Bailey with a photography question :D )

[RichardtheSane]

you would get far better results if you bought a 1.4x comvertor giving you 420mm F8 and far better optics.

I believe the sigma 1.4x is $169 from B&H

[dhbailey]

Thanks for the quick replies. I had thought it might be rubbish.

Damien,
While I'd love to lay claim to being the David Bailey famous for photography (I remember seeing a book of photographs called Mrs. David Bailey when I was in college and couldn't ever remember having gotten married so I realized either there must be more than one of me, or I'd had a hell of a weekend drunk on and forgotten all about getting married!) I do have to admit that I'm not the one you might wish to have been able to boast about having offered advice to.

I am a nice guy, though, and very famous among the people who have heard of me. :wink:

Richard, thanks for the suggestion -- my only previous experience with a converter was using a 2x converter years ago with my 200mm lens on a Canon AE1 body and it didn't produce great results. Of course, it wasn't a Canon lens but an inexpensive compatible zoom.

I'll keep that converter in mind. Has anybody used it with the Canon EF 75-300 IS zoom? Does it produce clear output?

Thanks again!

[Cadwell]

you would get far better results if you bought a 1.4x comvertor giving you 420mm F8 and far better optics.

I believe the sigma 1.4x is $169 from B&H

The Sigma EX TC won't work with the Canon 75-300mm lens. It has the same restrictions as the Canon TCs. It will only work on lenses with recessed rear elements.

[robertwgross]

That's the kind of crappy lens that I tried to use 15 years ago, before I knew any better.

---Bob Gross---

[RichardtheSane]

you would get far better results if you bought a 1.4x comvertor giving you 420mm F8 and far better optics.

I believe the sigma 1.4x is $169 from B&H

The Sigma EX TC won't work with the Canon 75-300mm lens. It has the same restrictions as the Canon TCs. It will only work on lenses with recessed rear elements.

Doh!

I'm sure the Tamron would work - there will be one out there that does anyway, and the results will still be better than the 500mm F8.

2x convertors are known to reduce quality a lot but 1.4x are not nearly as bad :)