Canon Rebel and Sigma 600 mm mirror lens: Hi all. A friend of mine inherited a Sigma 600 mm mirror lens and needs to know how to use it on her Canon Rebel. The lens does not have a...

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Hi all. A friend of mine inherited a Sigma 600 mm mirror lens and needs to know how to use it on her Canon Rebel. The lens does not have a diaphragm so is always at f/8.

How does she set the exposure? Does she set the camera to manual mode at f/8 and you adjust the shutter speed as necessary?

Thanks for the help.

Rob O' Loc: Freakin' Hot Arizona

Either set the camera to Aperture priority mode and let the camera choose the shutter speed, or set the camera to manual and adjust the shutter speed yourself. It's the same as a lens with adjustable aperture that you set at f/8 and leave it.

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

Be sure you get the adapter if you don't have it yet. Probably T-Mount to EOS - they also make T-Mount to Nikon. About $5 on eBay, Some even have the "AF Confirm" chip. Without the chip your dial should be on M. Even though the chip allows Av or Tv, I find I'm better off at full manual. I use an Opteka 650-1300 and a Lentar 500 F8 like that with my Canons.

A tripod will be very handy with this.

There will be a bit of experimenting with exposure time. With a little work and playing around, you'll get some decent shots.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

RocketScientist wrote:

Be sure you get the adapter if you don't have it y... (show quote)

The lens mounts on to the camera already so I presume she does not need the adapter. I think the tripod is a must, not just "very handy".

Thanks for the input.

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

abc1234 wrote:

The lens mounts on to the camera already so I presume she does not need the adapter. I think the tripod is a must, not just "very handy".

Thanks for the input.

If you have a sunny day and you are at a park or lake, you might be able to use a shutter speed of 1/250 or faster and ISO 200 or 400 (my Xs & T1i will do a good job at ISO 800) and not really need a tripod for shooting squirrels and birds. Birds in flight will be iffy at best. Birds sitting on a wire or a woodpecker poking holes in your house will probably work.

The biggest pain in the butt is getting focus down.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

RocketScientist, for normal lenses, we adjust exposure based upon the histogram. Should we do the same with the mirror lens?

Thanks for the help.

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

abc1234 wrote:

RocketScientist, for normal lenses, we adjust exposure based upon the histogram. Should we do the same with the mirror lens?

Thanks for the help.

It ain't any different, use your tried and true technique. What I was saying above is that if you crank the ISO a bit, you can use a faster shutter speed for the same (or nearly same) result.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

RocketScientist, you have made this simple. Thanks for the help.

Biochemist

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

abc1234 wrote:

RocketScientist, you have made this simple. Thanks for the help.

Biochemist

It's the least I can do. ...And I specialize in doing the least I can do! :lol:

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

RocketScientist wrote:

abc1234 wrote:

RocketScientist, you have made this simple. Thanks for the help.

Biochemist

It's the least I can do. ...And I specialize in doing the least I can do! :lol:

Very funny. I agree with you and if you can do less, you will.

Scoutman Loc: Orlando, FL

abc1234 wrote:

Hi all. A friend of mine inherited a Sigma 600 mm mirror lens and needs to know how to use it on her Canon Rebel. The lens does not have a diaphragm so is always at f/8.

How does she set the exposure? Does she set the camera to manual mode at f/8 and you adjust the shutter speed as necessary?

Thanks for the help.

Some examples of shots with what appears to be the very same lens. Though no real good examples in these sets, produces some unusual bokeh that are unique for a mirror lens. Little doughnut like circles.

http://www.pbase.com/cameras/sigma/600_8_mirror

swanseamale47

RocketScientist wrote:

Be sure you get the adapter if you don't have it y... (show quote)

I'm fairly sure the Sigma 600 didn't come in a T mount, only camera specific fittings. I suspect your thinking of the cheap "branded" makers mirror lens which were usually a T mount.

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

swanseamale47 wrote:

I'm fairly sure the Sigma 600 didn't come in a T mount, only camera specific fittings. I suspect your thinking of the cheap "branded" makers mirror lens which were usually a T mount.

Entirely probable.

Larrie Loc: NE Ohio

abc1234 wrote:

Hi all. A friend of mine inherited a Sigma 600 mm mirror lens and needs to know how to use it on her Canon Rebel. The lens does not have a diaphragm so is always at f/8.

How does she set the exposure? Does she set the camera to manual mode at f/8 and you adjust the shutter speed as necessary?

Thanks for the help.

The Canon 500 mirror has a removable filter near the rear element. this can be swapped out with various ND filters. The problem is finding them.

swanseamale47

The sigma has a rear filter draw too.