600mm for less than $1,000, but worth it?

[Belmondo]

I have a chance to buy a used 600mm f/4.5L (FD mount) for less than $1,000. Believe it or not, it used to belong to one of the local police departments. It is in beautiful shape with just a couple small paint nicks. The glass looks real perfect.

I bought one of the cheap FD-EOS converters, and took a couple test shots with it this afternoon

As you might expect. it is purely a manual lens. I took the test shots using Fv, and it seemed to work okay, although I also had to meter manually.

I estimate the distance to the car to be approximately 200 feet, so I still don't know if this lens will focus to infinity. I'm not too concerned about that because I would rarely have need for that capability.

The image quality is so so and there is some CA on vertical lines, but not too bad. It is reasonably sharp, but could be better I feel. Canon did make a converter that would no doubt be optically superior to the cheapy converter I'm using, but they didn't make very many of them, and they are almost impossible to find.

I guess what I'm asking all of you is your opinion of whether or not this lens (with it's current limitations) is really worth $900 or not. It will never be a sports lens.....everything is manual and time-consuming. I will never take a quick shot with this setup. On the other hand, it seems like it works reasonably well in situation where I have plenty of time to set up, manually meter the shot, focus, and take it.

I can see already I need a better head for my tripod with this beast. I suspect I'll get a gimbal mount if I decide to keep it.

This is the lens and case:
http://www.onlinephotographers.com/gallery/albums/Hot-August-Nights/600mm_lens_and_case.sized.jpg

This is the view towards the car I used for the test. This was shot at about 120mm with my 70-300DO, so the car appears closer than it actually was. I estimate 200 ft.
http://www.onlinephotographers.com/gallery/albums/Hot-August-Nights/View_up_street.sized.jpg

This is the full image taken with the 600mm
http://www.onlinephotographers.com/gallery/albums/Hot-August-Nights/Car.sized.jpg

And this is a 100% crop of that image.
http://www.onlinephotographers.com/gallery/albums/Hot-August-Nights/car_100_crop.sized.jpg


I value your opinions.

[Belmondo]

Here's one for perspective.

http://www.onlinephotographers.com/gallery/albums/Hot-August-Nights/Camera_and_Lens.sized.jpg

[commando]

Oh. My. God. That is a BIG lens! I'm impressed with the detail it gave, not perfect (like you said), but pretty good considering the distance. What do you need it for? Could you not just stand closer?

You wanna try hand holding it? ;)

(sorry, this isn't a helpful reply)

[Ballen Photo]

Tom, The 600mm EF lens seems to run around 7K. At least this is the pricing I have found for this lens, and it's an F/4.
It sounds like you really want this focal length, in which case this lens may well be worth it, and for the roughly 6K in savings, I'm sure you'll be fine with manual focus and settings.
Good luck on your decision, and let us know what you decide. :wink:
-Bruce

[eric1]

i'm with Bruce. i've been looking at the 500 and the 600 4.5. if i found one in good shape for $900, i'd buy it. if you don't like it , it wouldn't be hard to get your money back either. i think the converter your looking for retails around $300. i'm sure you can find one on ebay, if your persistant.

[Whaler]

Holy crap you can clearly see the tire balancing weight on the inside of the rear wheel.

[ilya]

You'll never use it Thos. :lol:

Maybe once. Like when that train is like really far off-shore, and its getting tubed in a huge gnarly wave.

bob atkins gives it 3.5 IQ, and 4.5 mechanical. So so
http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/tutorials/ratings.html

Maybe use the money as downpayment to a nice 300 2.8 if you don't already own one, and if you need reach use a tcon...

ilya

[ron chappel]

I say get a special EOS only mount made up!! :D :D

Undo the rear FD mount parts and design an EOS mount plate.The mount itself is just formality to anybody who can use a lathe (and it's impossible to make it crooked on a lathe in case you are wondering)
Infinity focus will be guaranteed as well as *perfect* optical performance.

The tricky bit will be making/incorporating a new stop down control ring .Machining up a ring to fit between the mount and the lens body is easy enough but you'll have to experiment with a home made cam to actuate the internal stop down lever.From what i've seen when converting FD lenses (mostly experimentally for fun),you may be able to use the existing contol ring combined with a home made cam.

You also may just want to do what i did sometimes-just put a blob of blue-tak against the internal stop down lever,holding it at a guestimated F stop position.After all one rarely needs anything other than wide open or close to it on such a long lens.To change the aperture using this method just remove the camera,nudge the aperture contol lever then replace the camera :)

Of course this whole modification will be fully reversable if done right-just screw the FD mount parts back on. 8) 8) 8)

By the way-what a deal you got!!!!!! I'm as jealous as hell :)

[robertwgross]

Holy crap you can clearly see the tire balancing weight on the inside of the rear wheel.

I'm not positive that the tire weight is the main subject matter for Tom's acquisition of the 600mm lens.

I would love to have a good 600mm lens, but primarily for wildlife.

---Bob Gross---

[LazyPhotographer]

Buy it!

Your new best friend, Me

:D :D

[IanD]

There is no way that I'd plunk down the cash for a 500 or 600 F4 but $900 plus what ever for an adaptor and this FD lens, where do I send the money. OK so it is manual everything and cannot be used for action shots, but for stationary subjects it will and does work.
Buy Buy Buy
:lol: :lol:

[DReb-MO]

I value your opinions.

I'd buy it just to resell it. It's worth more then $900. What would you do with it? Doesn't seem like there would be too many occasions to use it. My 2 cents.

[Tom W]

Buy it - don't hesitate. Write the check, dig up the cash, whatever it takes.

[scottbergerphoto]

B-Meister,
I paid 4 times that for a 500 f/4.5 (Sigma EX). BUY IT!
Regards,
Scott

[Belmondo]

Thanks for all the opinions. I guess I'm going to buy it. The tricky part now is finding the Canon FD-EOS converter. Supposedly it is the hot setup for the big FD lenses. The adapter I'm using is a cheapie, and although I haven't proven it to myself yet, I'm not supposed to be able to focus to infinity with it.

A couple things about the Canon adapter, though:
1. They're very rare. Canon didn't make a lot of them, and they're extremely hard to find.
2. They're actually a 1.26X teleconverter, so the 600mm will become a 756mm (plus crop/magnification factor of 1.3X or 1.6X, depending on which camera I use).
3. I have to find room to store all this stuff.

[Whaler]

U Haul will rent you storage space and even give you the first months rent free. :D

[Cadwell]

They're actually a 1.25X teleconverter, so the 600mm will become a 756mm (plus crop/magnification factor of 1.3X or 1.6X, depending on which camera I use).


So a 35mm equiv of 983mm or 1210mm depending on body? Have you considered just getting an EOS mount for the Hubble instead? :P

[JZaun]

The big question is

Do you have a use for it? If yes buy it.

If not it will be posted in the next REGRETS thread :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

JZ

[Adam Hicks]

By the way, it sounds like you might have some room to negotiate this a bit? If so shoot for $750 and go for it!

Adam

[GenEOS]

Sounds like you are happy with it, and for the money, it's a nice piece. Remeber those cameras we used to put that plastic stuff in? You can still get them and this lens is a fine tool for certain things. Not too long ago, that lens was the apple of a lot of photogs eyes....and still is to those who appreciate excellence!

Have fun with it...

[CyberDyneSystems]

At that price? I'd go for it....

Then I'd follow Rons advice and have a cutom EOS mount made up.

For a very affordable Gimble mount... which I'd recomend for this occasional use item.. look at the Manfrotto unit.

It is every bit as solid as the Wimberly at 1/4 the cost (about $175.00 WITH QR and plate) it's only downside is size... but considering the size of the lens.. who cares? :)

[BigRed450]

Deals like this come once in a lifetime, jump on it my friend.

It wasn't that many years ago that us sportsshooters use to use all manual lenses like that and we did fine. Surpising how fast you learn to focus on the fly when the need arises....

[Jon]

If you don't get it, please send me the contact info 'cuz I want it! (even have some FD kit to mount it on while getting the Eos mount made up!)

[Belmondo]

If you don't get it, please send me the contact info 'cuz I want it! (even have some FD kit to mount it on while getting the Eos mount made up!)

Jon:

PM sent.


Tom