Albinar 500mm Mirror lens
Feb 11, 2014 19:45:09 #
I just got my Canon 1000D first digital Camera, and am in the process of learning how to use it. I also need some in put on the Albinar 500 mm mirror lens. Has any one used this lens with the eos rebel 1000D, and if so how did it perform?
My camera came with a 2x front mount 58mm converter but for the standard lens. But if I want to go to 500/1000mm Alibnar for the 500 lens I would require a72mm 2x is this correct?
(The front lens filter is 58mm for the 18-55 mm 1.3.5-5.6 lens.
The front filter for the 500 seems to be a 72mm so I am assuming the 2x adapter, slide on lens would be the same?
My camera came with a 2x front mount 58mm converter but for the standard lens. But if I want to go to 500/1000mm Alibnar for the 500 lens I would require a72mm 2x is this correct?
(The front lens filter is 58mm for the 18-55 mm 1.3.5-5.6 lens.
The front filter for the 500 seems to be a 72mm so I am assuming the 2x adapter, slide on lens would be the same?
Feb 12, 2014 06:01:00 #
it sounds like a off brand mirror lens. the easiest fix is a between lens and camera teleconverter. the front of the lens is too big to do anything with. it will need a t- mount for that camera, and that will fit a teleconverter for that camera,.
Feb 12, 2014 10:04:42 #
I have never had good luck with mirror lenses. The contrast is terrible and the "bokeh" is bizzare.
There's a big temptation to go for the longest reach lens you can get. I know this because I suffered from the same affliction. Please try to avoid it.
Invest your money in a medium zoom range lens that has good optical quality (read reviews). Don't go for a mirror lens.
At 500mm you will also need to have the camera on a tripod for all your shots. You just can't hold it still enough unless you are in bright sunlight at a high ISO.
There's a big temptation to go for the longest reach lens you can get. I know this because I suffered from the same affliction. Please try to avoid it.
Invest your money in a medium zoom range lens that has good optical quality (read reviews). Don't go for a mirror lens.
At 500mm you will also need to have the camera on a tripod for all your shots. You just can't hold it still enough unless you are in bright sunlight at a high ISO.
Feb 12, 2014 12:29:07 #
I had a 500mm Pentax years ago and loved it also used with a 2X adapter. Did some wonderful slides in Yosemite Valley ex wife got them and they ended there life in a garage fire. I currently have 2 Nikon FG's , 1 Canon eos rebel 1000d digital and A Pentax K1000. so it isn't like me not understanding some things about telephoto lens (just not very much) Cause, What the heck, I'm just a new hire so what do I know! I am new to the mirror lens though and was wondering if they were any good. I have a couple of long series E lens for the FG and I am told they will mount to my Canon digital with the right T mount. I have 2X adapters for both FG's though not a 500 yet, am looking at a Vivitar. Have to wait though my funds are seriously depleted until the end of this month when my S.S. comes in.
Feb 12, 2014 23:52:49 #
Hi,
This really depends on what you are trying to achieve and I would proceed with caution and do a lot of research.
You will mostly hear that reflex lenses are not a good idea. I don't subscribe to that concept personally, but there are very good reasons why many people express that viewpoint and the reasons cited are usually valid. With lenses you don't always get what you pay for, but you hardly ever get what you don't pay for. If you are on a limited budget I would suggest that there are many more useful things to spend your money on that will serve you better and more usefully for many years. Like a used wide angle lens for example.
I have a Canon T3i as the basis for my system, but the camera itself is less than 10% of my investment in the rest of my gear, and the camera will be upgraded way before the rest.
Back to your original question, and my personal experiences. I once had a bunch of Canon manual focus gear that got stolen (T90 etc. lenses), including a Canon FD 500 mm Reflex lens. I really liked that reflex lens, although it didn't get used much, but when it did, it was great.
The first thing to be aware of is that with an APS-C 1.6 crop form factor camera, a 500mm lens behaves like an 800mm lens on a full frame 35mm / digital SLR. That means really shallow depth of field, and with a fixed aperture of f/8, it is a bitch to focus, the contrast is low, and the 'bokeh' (see donut highlights) is just plain weird.
Then you want to look at what quality of glass you are going to get for $100. So a problematic lens design, and cheap glass.
Now, I liked my old Canon reflex, so I bought a good used Canon one on ebay (just over $300), got a lens mount adapter from Ed Mika ($150), and have some great canon glass and an effective 800mm lens equivalent for $450.
A tripod is absolutely best for this type of lens, but it will actually give good hand held shots under some circumstances and good light.
However, that said I would recommend rethinking, and spending your hard earned cash on something that is a lot more versatile in your journey.
Best wishes
This really depends on what you are trying to achieve and I would proceed with caution and do a lot of research.
You will mostly hear that reflex lenses are not a good idea. I don't subscribe to that concept personally, but there are very good reasons why many people express that viewpoint and the reasons cited are usually valid. With lenses you don't always get what you pay for, but you hardly ever get what you don't pay for. If you are on a limited budget I would suggest that there are many more useful things to spend your money on that will serve you better and more usefully for many years. Like a used wide angle lens for example.
I have a Canon T3i as the basis for my system, but the camera itself is less than 10% of my investment in the rest of my gear, and the camera will be upgraded way before the rest.
Back to your original question, and my personal experiences. I once had a bunch of Canon manual focus gear that got stolen (T90 etc. lenses), including a Canon FD 500 mm Reflex lens. I really liked that reflex lens, although it didn't get used much, but when it did, it was great.
The first thing to be aware of is that with an APS-C 1.6 crop form factor camera, a 500mm lens behaves like an 800mm lens on a full frame 35mm / digital SLR. That means really shallow depth of field, and with a fixed aperture of f/8, it is a bitch to focus, the contrast is low, and the 'bokeh' (see donut highlights) is just plain weird.
Then you want to look at what quality of glass you are going to get for $100. So a problematic lens design, and cheap glass.
Now, I liked my old Canon reflex, so I bought a good used Canon one on ebay (just over $300), got a lens mount adapter from Ed Mika ($150), and have some great canon glass and an effective 800mm lens equivalent for $450.
A tripod is absolutely best for this type of lens, but it will actually give good hand held shots under some circumstances and good light.
However, that said I would recommend rethinking, and spending your hard earned cash on something that is a lot more versatile in your journey.
Best wishes
Feb 13, 2014 05:00:32 #
Years ago I had a Nikon 500mm mirror lens. It was one of the better mirror lenses.
I was able to hand hold it in very bright light and get good images but in low contrast scenes it was terrible.
The out of focus high lights in the back ground are doughnut shaped. I could have lived with that if the IQ was better. Gave it away.
I was able to hand hold it in very bright light and get good images but in low contrast scenes it was terrible.
The out of focus high lights in the back ground are doughnut shaped. I could have lived with that if the IQ was better. Gave it away.
Feb 13, 2014 12:00:07 #
joer wrote:
Years ago I had a Nikon 500mm mirror lens. It was one of the better mirror lenses.
I was able to hand hold it in very bright light and get good images but in low contrast scenes it was terrible.
The out of focus high lights in the back ground are doughnut shaped. I could have lived with that if the IQ was better. Gave it away.
I was able to hand hold it in very bright light and get good images but in low contrast scenes it was terrible.
The out of focus high lights in the back ground are doughnut shaped. I could have lived with that if the IQ was better. Gave it away.
I hear a lot about low contrast, but today you can adjust contrast both in camera and in p.p.
Feb 13, 2014 12:10:06 #
>> I hear a lot about low contrast, but today you can adjust contrast both in camera and in p.p.
That is a valid point. What we do today in "the lightroom" is pretty much same (in terms of contrast) that we used to do in "the darkroom". Much less convenient of course, but choice of film, paper, development and so on enabled a lot of post-processing control. Reading about how Ansel Adams made his images and prints is fascinating.
However, the main point here is about the quality of the lens and the image that is captured. Mirror lenses are softer and have lower contrast than regular lenses as an artifact of the design.
So a mirror lens will not normally produce the same IQ as an equivalent standard lens design. So the question becomes do you want to start with a lower quality image and then try to repair it, or do you want a lens where those issues are not so pronounced?
That is a valid point. What we do today in "the lightroom" is pretty much same (in terms of contrast) that we used to do in "the darkroom". Much less convenient of course, but choice of film, paper, development and so on enabled a lot of post-processing control. Reading about how Ansel Adams made his images and prints is fascinating.
However, the main point here is about the quality of the lens and the image that is captured. Mirror lenses are softer and have lower contrast than regular lenses as an artifact of the design.
So a mirror lens will not normally produce the same IQ as an equivalent standard lens design. So the question becomes do you want to start with a lower quality image and then try to repair it, or do you want a lens where those issues are not so pronounced?
Feb 14, 2014 15:50:01 #
Peterff wrote:
>> I hear a lot about low contrast, but tod... (show quote)
when it comes to 500mm, there are some with shallow pockets that would say yes or maybe.
Feb 14, 2014 21:51:37 #
Agreed. I am one of those with shallow pockets in the 500mm range, although I went for old Canon glass not a modern off brand version. The pics above were taken on the first day I had the Ed Mika adapter and did a few test shots, and I'm very happy with the Canon FD 500mm reflex lens and results. My point is only to try to ensure that people have enough accurate information to make an appropriate decision for themselves.
Feb 15, 2014 21:40:00 #
I believe t5hat too many people in this day and age forget Ansel Adams and the magnificent work he did with black and white. He is less noted for his color work but his black and white work is a work of genius bar non. Though mostly noted for his work in Yosemite National Park, he did photo work all over California I was enthralled with his work in the forties and fifties in Santa Monica California and looking at photos that I enjoyed in real at the time as a teen ager.
Thanks for the advice on the 500mm. some day in the future I will get one. There are two on my E bay watch list, one for my Nikons and one for the Digital, though with the right adapter I can use my five "E" series lens on my Canon Rebel XS. "There may be greater. but none ever better" than this older digital camera.
Thanks for the advice on the 500mm. some day in the future I will get one. There are two on my E bay watch list, one for my Nikons and one for the Digital, though with the right adapter I can use my five "E" series lens on my Canon Rebel XS. "There may be greater. but none ever better" than this older digital camera.
Feb 15, 2014 21:53:52 #
I am "gaining in knowledge on both lens. I have not been able thus far to track down a review on the Albinar 500mm mirror lens. I have some idea of the quality and the workings of the design which are pretty much standard for this type of a lens, in the F stop range of 8 to 32 and the grouping and amount of elements that go to make up these lens. The things I don't know, far out shadow that which I do know, about these lens. But some day I will get one of the less expensive ones to "play" with and perhaps the light bulb will ignite and I will begin to understand
Feb 16, 2014 14:18:45 #
This thread continued to grab my interest so I did a bit more digging around and found some articles they may be interesting to others as well.
As far as I have found out Albinar was / is a distributor not a manufacturer of lenses and that quality varied a lot depending upon who manufactured the lenses, and some seem to be considered very inconsistent.
For modern inexpensive lenses there is a Korean manufacturer, Samyang, that appears to make decent lenses that are sold under a variety of brand names. Rokinon is one of the more common brands for these. I haven't tried their reflex lenses, but I have just acquired an 8mm fisheye that has been well reviewed in multiple places, which I found on e-bay for $175, and am thoroughly pleased with it.
Here is the Amazon link for the reflex: http://www.amazon.com/Rokinon-Multi-Coated-Mirror-Digital-Cameras/dp/B001L4EXAW
There is a slightly cheaper f/8 alternative that seems to be of lower quality according to the reviews I have seen.
Here are other links I found interesting or relevant:
http://makingitasapro.blogspot.com/2012/06/lens-review-opteka-500mm-f8-mirror-lens.html?m=1
http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/tutorials/mirror.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/859194-REG/Samyang_SY500MF6_3_500mm_f_6_3_Mirror_Lens.html
http://www.adorama.com/alc/0008618/article/100-in-100-Field-report-Pro-Optic-500mm-f63-mirror-lens
As I mentioned previously, I have a Canon FDn 500mm reflex with the Ed Mika glassless adapter. If anyone is interested in this information, or adapting Canon FD lenses to EOS, check out the following for more info:
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/fdlenses/500mm.htm
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-184606-1.html#3141304
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-184237-1.html#3137229
There's a lot of information to read in these links, but there is also a lot of misinformation being posted by people who have spent less time researching these topics. I am not trying to be disrespectful of anyone's opinions, just trying to provide access to information that some people may not yet be aware of.
My final comment on this topic (at least for now) is that most of the Ed Mika offerings are conversion kits, not adapters, but with the 500mm reflex it is a true a glassless adapter so the original FDn mount is retained allowing the lens to be easily transferred between FD type cameras (A series, F series, T series) and EOS bodies (both film and digital). The Canon 500mm reflex was designed to focus beyond infinity to deal with temperature variations. This was not sufficient to compensate for the difference in focal plane distances between FD and EOS mounts in itself, but is remedied by the removal of a single stop screw which is located underneath the rubber focusing grip, and bingo, you have the original IQ and infinity focus on either FD or EOS cameras.
My best wishes to anyone who is interested in pursuing the journey of using old Canon lenses on EOS digital bodies. It takes some money, some time, and the willingness to replace the mount on a lens, but I have found the results to be worthwhile.
As someone who bought one of the first AE-1s back in 1976, I grew up with manual Canons. Now I feel that I have the best of both worlds available to me.
Cheers
As far as I have found out Albinar was / is a distributor not a manufacturer of lenses and that quality varied a lot depending upon who manufactured the lenses, and some seem to be considered very inconsistent.
For modern inexpensive lenses there is a Korean manufacturer, Samyang, that appears to make decent lenses that are sold under a variety of brand names. Rokinon is one of the more common brands for these. I haven't tried their reflex lenses, but I have just acquired an 8mm fisheye that has been well reviewed in multiple places, which I found on e-bay for $175, and am thoroughly pleased with it.
Here is the Amazon link for the reflex: http://www.amazon.com/Rokinon-Multi-Coated-Mirror-Digital-Cameras/dp/B001L4EXAW
There is a slightly cheaper f/8 alternative that seems to be of lower quality according to the reviews I have seen.
Here are other links I found interesting or relevant:
http://makingitasapro.blogspot.com/2012/06/lens-review-opteka-500mm-f8-mirror-lens.html?m=1
http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/tutorials/mirror.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/859194-REG/Samyang_SY500MF6_3_500mm_f_6_3_Mirror_Lens.html
http://www.adorama.com/alc/0008618/article/100-in-100-Field-report-Pro-Optic-500mm-f63-mirror-lens
As I mentioned previously, I have a Canon FDn 500mm reflex with the Ed Mika glassless adapter. If anyone is interested in this information, or adapting Canon FD lenses to EOS, check out the following for more info:
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/fdlenses/500mm.htm
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-184606-1.html#3141304
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-184237-1.html#3137229
There's a lot of information to read in these links, but there is also a lot of misinformation being posted by people who have spent less time researching these topics. I am not trying to be disrespectful of anyone's opinions, just trying to provide access to information that some people may not yet be aware of.
My final comment on this topic (at least for now) is that most of the Ed Mika offerings are conversion kits, not adapters, but with the 500mm reflex it is a true a glassless adapter so the original FDn mount is retained allowing the lens to be easily transferred between FD type cameras (A series, F series, T series) and EOS bodies (both film and digital). The Canon 500mm reflex was designed to focus beyond infinity to deal with temperature variations. This was not sufficient to compensate for the difference in focal plane distances between FD and EOS mounts in itself, but is remedied by the removal of a single stop screw which is located underneath the rubber focusing grip, and bingo, you have the original IQ and infinity focus on either FD or EOS cameras.
My best wishes to anyone who is interested in pursuing the journey of using old Canon lenses on EOS digital bodies. It takes some money, some time, and the willingness to replace the mount on a lens, but I have found the results to be worthwhile.
As someone who bought one of the first AE-1s back in 1976, I grew up with manual Canons. Now I feel that I have the best of both worlds available to me.
Cheers
Feb 16, 2014 15:25:04 #
Peterff wrote:
This thread continued to grab my interest so I did... (show quote)
love me, love my ae-1. we are lucky that we have a number of members that actually have put in a lot of time with mirror lenses. go to our search section and type in mirror lenses. also google reflex lens reviews.
Feb 16, 2014 15:46:30 #
>> love me, love my AE-1
Yep. When my original gear got stolen I was pretty devastated, but I was most emotionally attached to the AE-1. I bought one on e-bay last year, and also a couple of T90 bodies. Back in 1986 when I bought the T90 it turned the AE-1 into a second / backup body.
When opened up the box last year and I picked up the AE-1 my first reaction was "I just got my baby back!"
>> we are lucky that we have a number of members that actually have put in a lot of time with....
To me, this is the value of a forum such as this. We have a wide diversity of opinions being expressed, but we have a huge distributed knowledge and experience base here which is invaluable so long as we understand the difference between knowledge, experience and opinion and that they are expressed appropriately!
Cheers, the glass is half full!
Yep. When my original gear got stolen I was pretty devastated, but I was most emotionally attached to the AE-1. I bought one on e-bay last year, and also a couple of T90 bodies. Back in 1986 when I bought the T90 it turned the AE-1 into a second / backup body.
When opened up the box last year and I picked up the AE-1 my first reaction was "I just got my baby back!"
>> we are lucky that we have a number of members that actually have put in a lot of time with....
To me, this is the value of a forum such as this. We have a wide diversity of opinions being expressed, but we have a huge distributed knowledge and experience base here which is invaluable so long as we understand the difference between knowledge, experience and opinion and that they are expressed appropriately!
Cheers, the glass is half full!
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