Mirror Lenses

Thanks all for the help, you have really helped me here.

In response to a few of your points. I dont plan to use this in churches. Its more of a special effect lens, like my fisheye. I was thinking about using it for engagement and romantic portraits, and of course not exclusively. Just another tool to add to my bag of tricks.

In regards to the bokeh, I am actually looking forward to it. I enjoy it, and think this will give me a different look.

Looking through some samples, the Zuiko 500 F/8 Reflex looks great, but I am having a hard time finding it, especially with a Canon mount. Any help there?

On ebay

http://cgi.ebay.fr …enses&hash=item​5d2c550b5b

and OM to eos with a quite reliable AF confirm and programmable.

http://cgi.ebay.fr …ories&hash=item​230ba9fcb8

I agree you must use this lens as "different" type pictures not like a Canon 500L4.0 competitor

I carried this lens in my pocket for a japanese trip in october, and I could get many nice pictures I wouldn't get without a 500mm .. and harsh bokeh can be interesting too ..

cskorik wrote in post #11445216
These are fun lenses. But they are almost impossible to use on modern DSLR's.

I would NEVER put a mirror lens on my camera if I wanted to take professional quality photos.

NEVER.

what?...i think your statement is crazy...they are totally easy to use on modern DSLR's...i used to use mine on a tripod...with live view-10X zoom...allows you to nail focus...yes you can't always use a tripod, but if you're shooting at 500mm with no IS you'll need something to keep the camera steady for the need for faster shutter speeds...

i mean maybe not professional quality photos...but how else can you get 500mm for under $200...

cskorik wrote in post #11445216
These are fun lenses. But they are almost impossible to use on modern DSLR's.

I would NEVER put a mirror lens on my camera if I wanted to take professional quality photos.

NEVER.

Let's have your description of a "professional quality" photo.

Ball is in your court!

DreDaze wrote in post #11446003
i mean maybe not professional quality photos...but how else can you get 500mm for under $200...

Use your nifty fifty and get 10 times closer?

Hey, you asked!

richardfox wrote in post #11446783
Use your nifty fifty and get 10 times closer?

Hey, you asked!

I wouldn't do that ..

Even with good legs, I wouldn't try it with him .. !!!

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How good is the Samyang/Falcon 500mm f/6.3 as an alternative to all these f/8 lenses? That's 2/3 of a stop faster so you could pretty much half your ISO.

newworld666 wrote in post #11448262
I wouldn't do that ..

Even with good legs, I wouldn't try it with him .. !!!

Stadium was full when I got my ticket ..

It would have been pity not see this with a 500mm

I am not courageous enough to approach him .. and I feld more comfortable to stay other of the creak


My Zuiko, really helped me ... but a 150$ Tokina would have give same type of results ... I am still happy my walk around package was 24L, 85L and zuiko 500/8 surely I will again do that .. not really intrusive and very versatile combo (Huge pocketable focal range, Indoor/outdoor, day/night, huge dof range, from more than acceptable sharpness to ultra sharp, smothest bokeh to harshest one, etc etc)

Very nice shots, and for anyone to say you can't get "professional photos" with a mirror lens makes the statement completely wrong. Your ability to control the bokeh is to be admired. It takes serious skill to master a reflex lens!

I took this shot at the MTV Rock Awards show in 1987. This was on Fuji ISO 1600 with my Canon A-1 with my Canon 500 f/8 mirror - hand held in virtual darkness. I was way in the back on shaky wooden bleachers, and the ONLY light was on the stage. The 8 x 10 print I have is a bit soft, and the reduction of the scan to post stinks, but you get the point. I had to sneak in the camera and lens, and wished I would have had at least a monopod. However, I at least captured a good memory. "Professional quality"? Hardly, but any shot at all under those conditions was amazing. Just like the show...

I'm going to look for the negative for this and scan same. I know the photo is relatively sharp.

Now, identify these people.

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Thank you for your compliments...

I am not sure, I wouldn't have sold my lens, just to be present at that concert ...

I had for 20 years a canon A1 too with a FD85L1.2 ...

I begin to believe that new fullframe bodies, give a a new youth to these mirror lenses.
With mirror lenses I tried (tokina and Zuiko) I mostly shot at 3200isos and it's less than two years we can get acceptable S/N ratio with Dslr. The Sumo test was even at 6400 iso.

The Ran wrote in post #11449399
How good is the Samyang/Falcon 500mm f/6.3 as an alternative to all these f/8 lenses? That's 2/3 of a stop faster so you could pretty much half your ISO.

I never saw any nice results with such lenses.

Actually, after more than one year analysing the situation, I would say there is 3 leagues for reflex lenses :

1) rather good lenses (at least comparable to a good zoom+2XTC)
Tamron, Tokina, Leica, Olympus, Nikon (canon FD too but doesn't suit for EOS mount)

2) less convincing mirror lenses but still usable
Sigma 600 and ultra heavy russian mirrors

3) most other mirrors are or more or less called "bottle's ass" in French

newworld666 wrote in post #11449631
I never saw any nice results with such lenses.

Actually, after more than one year analysing the situation, I would say there is 3 leagues for reflex lenses :

1) rather good lenses (at least comparable to a good zoom+2XTC)
Tamron, Tokina, Leica, Olympus, Nikon (canon FD too but doesn't suit for EOS mount)

2) less convincing mirror lenses but still usable
Sigma 600 and ultra heavy russian mirrors

3) most other mirrors are or more or less called "bottle's ass" in French

I would say there is also a 4th category.
http://www.keh.com …1/sku-NK069991157560?r=FE

DavidR wrote in post #11449773
I would say there is also a 4th category.
http://www.keh.com …1/sku-NK069991157560?r=FE

Yessssss .. and zeiss has got one too ..

yogestee wrote in post #11442270
Bryan,, mirror lenses have lost favour over the decades.. A friend used to have a Nikkor 500mm f/8.. I used to borrow it for shooting surfing pics and it was a sharp as a pin.. Focusing can be a problem in anything less than sunny conditions because of the set f/8 .

Right about the time teleconverters became decent. People who really needed 500mm already had 200mm lenses, people who really needed 1000mm already had 500mm lenses, and teleconverters provided more versatile combinations.

Mirror lenses had no benefits over teleconverters. They didn't even have any benefits over the cheapo $39 400mm f/8 stovepipes. They are also quite delicate to bumps, except for the "solid cat" Perkin-Elmers...miniature versions of the huge solid glass mirror lenses P-E makes for government space programs to withstand rocket launch vibration.

newworld666 wrote in post #11448262
My Zuiko, really helped me ... but a 150$ Tokina would have give same type of results ... I am still happy my walk around package was 24L, 85L and zuiko 500/8 surely I will again do that .. not really intrusive and very versatile combo (Huge pocketable focal range, Indoor/outdoor, day/night, huge dof range, from more than acceptable sharpness to ultra sharp, smothest bokeh to harshest one, etc etc)

Your pictures are what make me consider going this route every time. Are you saying the Tokina is another good one, and for nearly 1/4 of the price?

I know the L supertelephotos are more versatile, and give creamy bokeh. They are also much heavier, and much more expensive. Things that I dont raelly want to carry with me to weddings. To be honest, I dont really need the long focal length, I am just interested in the unique bokeh. I need an acceptable level of sharpness to begin with, and contrast, blacks, and color can be boosted in post. Should I look more towards the tokina?

Yes !!!! it can be a good alternative for such type of bokeh..

I bought at the same time a Tokina (120€) and a Olympus Zuiko (500€) and made some "real life" tests .. I new, I would sell the lens I wouldn't keep rather quickly (It took me 3 weeks on ebay )


Then I made some comparison with my 300L2.8+TC2X with the 2 mirrors ..

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=875076


here are some tokina results

http://photos.corbi.eu …-F8-Reflex/12148667_EXG5A

Here are zuiko first samples

http://photos.corbi.eu …-F8-reflex/12211870_uQjCp

..
So definitely, you can get rather good results with the Tokina too .. Some other people could get very good results with a 250€ Tamron, but I didn't test myself this one.

I really kept the Zuiko because it was really sharp, had less distortion, and had a good deeep of colors and micro contrast.
Tokina is really small and light, I was quite convinced by it, The man who bought mine, is posting sometimes pictures issued from a Nikon D700 on a french forum and makes really good photos too.