bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

I have a few different mirror lenses. The Korean made ones can't hold a candle to the Japanese made ones but even the Japanese made ones are not that terrific. I'm attaching a link to an image made with a 1970's made Spiratone 500 mm F8. As you can see, it leaves something to be desired, but it can at least capture a half decent image if you have nothing else that long...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/32270151101/in/dateposted-public/

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I have no experience with that particular mirror (catadoptric) lens.

However, there are lots of cheap, junk mirror lenses around.... and a few good ones.

Tamron SP 500mm f8 is one I've used and recommend. It is no longer made, but is an Adaptall2 lens. That's an interchangeable mount system (not just an adapter) and there are Adaptall2 available for almost any camera system, old or new (I've got them for Nikon F, Konica K/AR, Canon FD, Canon EF/EOS, Pentax K/A bayonet and Olympus OM mount). Adaptall2 are still being widely manufactured in China and can be bought for $30 to $40.

The SP 500mm has very good image quality for a mirror lens and solid build. If you go looking for one, I'd caution to try to get one that's complete with the tripod mount, lens hood and (preferably) the little filters that were originally provided with it. The filters can be found pretty easily (standard screw-in, 30mm if memory serves)... but the other items, if missing, are difficult and/or expensive to replace.

If using a Nikon camera, there were several very good Nikkor mirror lenses in the 1970s and 1980s. One of them looked to me an awful lot like the Tamron, in fact (only minor, cosmetic differences), but Nikon fanboyz swear that they didn't outsource any lenses in those days.

There also was a very good Canon FD mount.... which can't be directly used on modern Canon but I've heard of modifying and/or adapting them (but most FD/FL lenses are difficult to adapt to the modern system).

I think Minolta had one or two good ones, too, that might work on some modern Sony. Olympus and Pentax did, too.

There were a few others in vintage mounts (most non-interchangeable, but possibly adaptable to modern cameras.... especially Canon and Sony DSLRs and/or mirrorless). Perkins-Elmer 600mm and 800mm, a 600mm Vivitar Series 1 (might have been manuf. by P-E), another Tamron SP 350mm f5.6 (much rare than their 500mm) and a Sigma 600mm are several that come to mind and were said to be pretty good. Of various mirror lenses that I tried over the years, the Tamron 500mm was and still is my favorite. One minor consideration, it does not work well with teleconverters.

Here are a few shots made with the Tamron SP 500...

Shoe-billed stork


Bad hair day?

Note the out-of-focus highlights in the background, which show some of the "donut" effect that's common with mirror lenses. I always felt that was less obnoxious with the Tamron, than with some other, cheaper mirror lenses.

It's also an unusually close focusing lens.... down to about 5 feet for roughly 0.33X magnification, if memory serves (a Canon EF 500/4L IS lens... which costs about 20X more and is around 4X or 5X as heavy, 15" longer.... closest focusing distance is 15 feet. 0.12X magnification)...

Orange canna, backlit...


The Tamron SP 500mm I used for the above shots I bought used for around $160, had to replace the matching lens hood (which had been lost by the previous owner) for $40... used it for 3 or 4 years... then sold for $200 on eBay.

Here's an interesting comparison of the Tamron 500mm mirror lens versus the older Canon EF 500mm f4.5L...

http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/tutorials/mirror.html

Ed Commons

Not familar with this one. I do have a Nikon 2000mm mirror lens that was used a few times. Did well for what is was obtained for.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

A few points. The Canon FD or FDn 500mm f/8.0 reflex lens is one of the easiest to adapt to the EOS system, a simple Ed Mika adapter does the trick, and removing a small stop screw under the rubber focusing ring allows for infinity focus. Other than removing the screw, no other lens modification is required. It can even be used with the Canon FD 2x A extender, but that gets even more challenging to use!

The filters are 'drop in' filters, the standard is plain glass, and the lens originally shipped with an additional 4x ND filter. The filters are, as you say hard to find and not inexpensive. Fortunately I have them. The front lens thread is a non standard size (83mm) but the lens has a built in hood. Cost wise, the lens, without the Ed Mika adapter is around $300 on ebay, so with the Adapter ends up around $400.

I like having this lens for occasional use, but I would characterize it as being for enthusiasts only. Personally I am glad to have it.

watebo

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll pass.