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Showing posts 1 - 25 of 33, (reverse)
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 06/06/2005 02:37:15 PM · #1
//''www''.''adorama''.''com''/''SY5008CA''.''html''?''searchinfo''=''mirror''%''20canon''&''item_no''=''3

''Like'' ''this'' ''perhaps''?

''Worth'' ''it''? ''Crap''? ''Benefits''? ''Downsides''?

''Any'' ''help'' ''or'' ''suggestions'' ''would'' ''be'' ''great''! ''Thanks''.
 06/06/2005 02:45:41 PM · #2
''I'' ''have'' ''one'' ''very'' ''similar''.. ''it'''''s'' ''the'' ''biggest'' ''crap'' ''ever'' ''made'', ''it''´''s'' ''not'' ''worth'' ''the'' ''wrapping'' ''it'' ''comes'' ''in''.

''the'' ''image'' ''quality'' ''is'' ''by'' ''far'' ''worse'' ''than'' ''the'' ''worst'' ''regular'' ''lens'' ''you'' ''can'' ''find'' ''with'' ''cracked'' ''optics'' ''and'' ''vaseline'' ''smeard'' ''all'' ''over'' ''it''.

''the'' ''benefits''.. ''it'''''s'' ''very'' ''lightweight'', ''the'' ''downside'', ''manual'' ''focus'' ''only'' (''you'' ''move'' ''it'' ''1''/''16''" ''and'' ''the'' ''focuspoint'' ''moves'' ''100''", ''so'' ''it'''''s'' ''really'' ''hard'' ''to'' ''focus'', ''image'' ''quality'' ''is'' ''really'' ''bad'', ''build'' ''quality'', ''just'' ''as'' ''bad''..

''the'' ''good'' ''thing''.. ''I'' ''got'' ''a'' ''real'' ''leather'' ''bag'' ''with'' ''mine'', ''made'' ''the'' ''purchase'' ''worth'' ''it''.. ''almost'' ;)
 06/06/2005 02:51:29 PM · #3
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''DanSig'':
''it'''''s'' ''the'' ''biggest'' ''crap'' ''ever'' ''made'', ''it''´''s'' ''not'' ''worth'' ''the'' ''wrapping'' ''it'' ''comes'' ''in''...

''the'' ''good'' ''thing''.. ''I'' ''got'' ''a'' ''real'' ''leather'' ''bag'' ''with'' ''mine'', ''made'' ''the'' ''purchase'' ''worth'' ''it''.. ''almost'' ;)


''heh''..
''Good'' ''info''.. ''Thanks'' ''for'' ''the'' ''help''.. ''I'' ''was'' ''wondering'' ''about'' ''them'', ''but'' ''never'' ''seen'' ''anyone'' ''use'' ''one''.. ''As'' ''well'' ''as'' ''the'' ''low'' ''cost'' ''made'' ''me'' ''think'' ''something'' ''was'' ''up''.. ;-)
 06/06/2005 02:54:50 PM · #4
''Anyone'' ''have'' ''test'' ''shots'' ''from'' ''any'' ''of'' ''the'' ''mirror'' ''lenses''? ''I'' ''hear'' ''the'' ''Sigma'' ''600'' ''is'' ''not'' ''bad''.
06/06/2005 11:33:52 PM · #5
''take'' ''a'' ''look'' ''at'' ''this'' ''article''.

//''bobatkins''.''com''/''photography''/''tutorials''/''mirror''.''html

''There'' ''are'' ''also'' ''a'' ''couple'' ''of'' ''articles'' ''on'' ''it'' ''at'' ''popphoto''.''com'', ''just'' ''do'' ''a'' ''search'' ''on'' ''their'' ''site''.

''Message'' ''edited'' ''by'' ''Manic'' - ''url''-''ifying''.
 06/06/2005 11:35:35 PM · #6
''They'' ''can'' ''be'' ''OK'' ''if'' ''you'' ''like'' ''donuts'' ''in'' ''your'' ''bokeh''.
 06/06/2005 11:36:24 PM · #7
''Manual'' ''focus'', ''slow'' ''fixed'' ''aperture'', ''horrible'' '''donut'-''shaped'' ''bokeh''...''BUT'' ''really'' ''cheap'' ''way'' ''to'' ''get'' ''a'' ''Long'' ''telephoto''...
 06/06/2005 11:36:36 PM · #8
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''Spazmo99'':
''They'' ''can'' ''be'' ''OK'' ''if'' ''you'' ''like'' ''donuts'' ''in'' ''your'' ''bokeh''.

''Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm''
''Doughnuts''...............
 06/06/2005 11:47:02 PM · #9
''Does'' ''my'' ''70''-''300'' ''IS'' ''DO'' ''qualifies'' ''as'' ''a'' ''mirror'' ''lens''?

''I'''''ve'' ''had'' ''it'' ''about'' ''a'' ''month'', ''and'' ''it'''''s'' ''already'' ''one'' ''of'' ''my'' ''workhorse'' ''lenses''. ''It'' ''was'' ''pricey'' ''though''. ''But'' ''part'' ''of'' ''the'' ''attraction'' ''for'' ''me'' ''is'' ''a'' ''good'' ''range'' ''and'' ''IS'' ''in'' ''a'' ''very'' ''compact'' ''package'' ''with'' ''a'' ''58mm'' ''lens'' ''thread'' (''the'' ''filters'' ''I'' ''bought'' ''for'' ''the'' ''kit'' ''lens''--''which'' ''I'' ''never'' ''use''--''work'' ''on'' ''it''). ''I'' ''even'' ''have'' ''used'' ''a'' ''step'' ''down'' ''and'' ''used'' ''my'' ''49mm'' ''closeup'' ''set'' ''with'' ''it'' ''with'' ''good'' ''results''.

''If'' ''that'''''s'' ''of'' ''interest'', ''I'' ''can'' ''post'' ''some'' ''samples''.

''BTW'' - ''it'' ''has'' ''a'' ''reputation'' ''of'' ''not'' ''being'' "''sharp''", ''but'' ''from'' ''what'' ''I'''''ve'' ''read'', ''and'' ''what'' ''i'''''ve'' ''seen'', ''it'''''s'' ''as'' ''sharp'' ''as'' ''any'' ''lens'' ''I'' ''have''. ''What'' ''it'' ''needs'', ''however'', ''is'' ''what'''''s'' ''called'' "''Local'' ''Contrast'' ''Enhancement''", ''which'' ''is'' ''basically'' ''applying'' ''a'' ''USM'' ''with'' ''amount'' ''20'', ''radius'' ''50'', ''threshold'' ''0''. ''Basically'', ''it'''''s'' ''a'' ''mid''-''tone'' ''contrast'' ''boost'', ''not'' ''a'' ''sharpening''.

''EDIT'': ''Oops'', ''following'' ''the'' ''link'' ''now'', ''I'' ''see'' ''you'' ''are'' ''talking'' ''about'' "''cheap''" ''mirror'' ''lenses'' ;)

''Message'' ''edited'' ''by'' ''author'' ''2005''-''06''-''06'' ''23'':''47'':''52''.
 06/06/2005 11:54:15 PM · #10
''No'' ''it'' ''is'' ''NOT'' ''a'' ''mirror'' ''lens''. ''Mirror'' ''lenses'' ''are'' ''just'' ''that'', ''Concave'' ''mirrors''. ''The'' ''DO'' ''lens'' ''is'' ''a'' ''Diffration'' ''grating'' ''lens''.

''Message'' ''edited'' ''by'' ''author'' ''2005''-''06''-''06'' ''23'':''54'':''48''.
 06/06/2005 11:54:17 PM · #11
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''nshapiro'':
''Does'' ''my'' ''70''-''300'' ''IS'' ''DO'' ''qualifies'' ''as'' ''a'' ''mirror'' ''lens''?


''No'', ''it'' ''doesn'''''t''. ''It'' ''doesn'''''t'' ''use'' ''mirrors'' ''as'' ''optical'' ''elements'' ''to'' ''fold'' ''the'' ''light'' ''path''.
 06/06/2005 11:58:13 PM · #12
''What''???
''No'' ''Doughnut'' ''Bokeh'' ''from'' ''the'' ''75''-''300'' ''DOH''!!! ''lens''?
''Hmmmmmmmmmmmm''
''Doughnuts''.............
 06/07/2005 12:11:08 AM · #13
''don'''''t'' ''buy'' ''a'' ''mirror'' ''lens''.
 06/07/2005 12:46:01 AM · #14
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''yido'':
''What''???
''No'' ''Doughnut'' ''Bokeh'' ''from'' ''the'' ''75''-''300'' ''DOH''!!! ''lens''?
''Hmmmmmmmmmmmm''
''Doughnuts''.............


''I'' ''don'''''t'' ''seem'' ''to'' ''get'' ''any'' ''donuts'', ''though'' ''I'''''ve'' ''seen'' ''some'' ''post'' ''them''.
 06/07/2005 12:52:13 AM · #15
''I'' ''seen'' ''one'' ''of'' ''these'' ''on'' ''ebay'' ''where'' ''the'' ''guy'''''s'' ''description'' ''actually'' ''said'' "''Will'' ''someone'' ''please'' ''take'' ''this'' ''piece'' ''of'' ''Sh''@''t'' ''of'' ''my'' ''hands'' ''as'' ''it'' ''was'' ''the'' ''biggest'' ''mistake'' ''I'' ''ever'' ''made''!" ''He'' ''went'' ''on'' ''to'' ''beat'' ''it'' ''down'' ''more'' ''even'' ''as'' ''he'' ''was'' ''trying'' ''to'' ''sell'' ''it''.

''I'' ''was'' ''laughing'' ''for'' ''days'' ''after'' ''reading'' ''his'' ''ad''.

''Message'' ''edited'' ''by'' ''author'' ''2005''-''06''-''07'' ''01'':''20'':''50''.
 06/07/2005 01:02:33 AM · #16
''The'' '''doughnut''' ''is'' ''caused'' ''by'' ''the'' ''secondary'' ''mirror'' ''which'' ''is'' ''right'' ''in'' ''the'' ''center'' ''of'' ''the'' ''aperture'' ''and'' ''occupies'' ''approx'' ''30''% ''of'' ''the'' ''central'' ''diameter''. ''The'' ''pricier'' ''ones'' ''have'' ''somewhat'' ''better'' ''performance'' ''but'' ''still'' ''tend'' ''to'' ''produce'' ''that'' '''doughnut'''. ''I'' ''have'' ''a'' ''1000mm'', ''f''/''8''.''0'' ''Wollensak'' "''Mirrotel''" ''made'' ''in'' ''the'' '''60s'' ''that'' ''does'' ''a'' ''fair'' ''job'' ''with'' ''only'' ''a'' ''24''% ''central'' ''obstruction''. ''But'' ''it'' ''is'' ''of'' ''the'' '''Maksutov''' ''type'' ''design'' ''and'' ''the'' ''thick'' ''correcting'' ''concave'' ''lens'' ''causes'' ''some'' ''minor'' ''chromatic'' ''aberration''. ''I'' ''use'' ''it'' ''only'' ''for'' ''astronomical'' ''photos'' ''so'' ''it'''''s'' ''limitations'' ''are'' ''less'' ''bothersome''.
06/07/2005 03:57:11 AM · #17
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''dpakoh'':
//''www''.''adorama''.''com''/''SY5008CA''.''html''?''searchinfo''=''mirror''%''20canon''&''item_no''=''3

''Jsut'' ''in'' ''case'' ''you'''''ve'' ''not'' ''noticed''.. ''That'' ''lens'' ''is'' ''FD'' ''mount'', ''not'' ''EF''.
 06/07/2005 08:13:13 AM · #18
''Just'' ''to'' ''counterpoint'' ''all'' ''the'' ''mirror'' ''lens'' ''bashing'', ''remember'' ''that'' ''all'' ''catadioptric'' ''telescopes'' ''share'' ''the'' ''same'' ''design'' ''as'' ''these'' ''lenses''. ''The'' ''Celestron'' ''C5'' ''makes'' ''a'' ''great'' ''mirror'' ''lens'', ''and'' ''will'' ''give'' ''much'' ''better'' ''quality'' ''images'' ''than'' ''the'' "''cheapies''." ''Again'', ''you'' ''get'' ''what'' ''you'' ''pay'' ''for''. ''If'' ''you'' ''want'' ''to'' ''see'' ''a'' ''great'' ''mirror'' ''lens'' ''that'''''s'' ''made'' ''as'' ''an'' ''SLR'' ''lens'', ''do'' ''some'' ''research'' ''on'' ''the'' ''old'' ''Vivitar'' "''solid'' ''cat''" ''lenses''. ''Mirror'' ''lenses'' ''will'' ''always'' ''have'' ''that'' ''funky'' '''donut'-''shaped'' ''bokeh'', ''which'' ''may'' ''or'' ''may'' ''not'' ''be'' ''problematic'', ''depending'' ''on'' ''the'' ''situation''. ''Focusing'' ''is'' ''always'' ''an'' ''issue'' ''as'' ''well'', ''as'' ''is'' ''manual'' ''focussing'' ''with'' ''any'' ''really'' ''long'' ''telephoto''.
 06/07/2005 10:47:39 AM · #19
''Way'' ''back'' ''in'' ''the'' ''day'' ''we'' ''saw'' ''a'' ''LOT'' ''of'' ''catadioptric'' ''lenses'' ''being'' ''used'' ''by'' ''pros'' ''in'' ''sports'' ''shooting''. ''There'' ''was'' ''a'' ''time'' ''when'' ''they'' ''were'' ''the'' ''only'' ''semi''-''reasonable'' ''solution'' ''for'' ''hand''-''held'' ''extreme'' ''telephoto'' ''shots''. ''Good'' ''ones'' ''can'' ''be'' ''extremely'' ''sharp'', ''and'' ''the'' '''donut' ''bokeh'' ''is'' ''very'' ''attractive'' ''IMO''.

''Here'''''s'' ''a'' ''link'' ''to'' ''a'' ''site'' ''discussing'' ''the'' ''history'' & ''performance'' ''of'' ''Nikon'''''s'' ''mirror''-''reflex'' ''lenses'': ''Nikon'' ''Catadioptric'' ''Lenses.

''Here'''''s'' ''a'' ''drop''-''quote'' ''from'' ''that'' ''page'': ''To'' ''many'' ''photographers'', ''if'' ''you'' ''can'' ''live'' ''with'' ''its'' ''relative'' ''slow'' ''fixed'' ''aperture'', ''these'' ''lenses'' ''are'' ''very'' ''good'' ''alternative'' ''to'' ''ED'' ''glass'' ''optic'' ''of'' ''the'' ''equivalent'' ''and'' ''other'' ''optical'' ''innovation'' ''such'' ''as'' ''Internal'' ''focusing''. ''As'' ''no'' ''diaphragm'' ''can'' ''be'' ''incorporated'' ''in'' ''reflex'' ''lenses'', ''exposure'' ''is'' ''controlled'' ''by'' ''means'' ''of'' ''the'' ''shutter'' ''speed'' ''of'' ''the'' ''camera'' ''or'' ''by'' ''neutral'' ''density'' ''or'' ''other'' ''filters''. ''The'' ''doughnut''-''shaped'' ''blurs'' ''of'' ''the'' ''out''-''of''-''focus'' ''areas'' ''of'' ''pictures'' ''are'' ''a'' ''characteristic'' ''of'' ''reflex'' ''lenses'' ''and'' ''can'' ''produce'' ''fascinating'' ''visual'' ''effects''.

''I'' ''would'' ''NOT'' ''dismiss'' ''catadioptric'' ''lenses'' ''out''-''of''-''hand''; ''they'' ''are'' ''a'' ''very'' ''cost''-''effective'' ''way'' ''to'' ''get'' ''extreme'' ''telephoto'' ''into'' ''yourarsenal'', ''and'' ''especially'' ''useful'' ''for'' ''dSLR'' ''cameras'' ''as'' ''we'' ''have'' ''the'' ''capability'' ''of'' ''dialing'' ''up'' ''our'' ''ISO'' ''as'' ''needed'' ''to'' ''get'' ''a'' ''faster'' ''shutter'' ''speed''. ''However'', ''it'' ''shoulkd'' ''go'' ''without'' ''saying'' ''that'' ''you'' ''need'' ''a'' ''VERY'' ''good'' ''example'' ''of'' ''the'' ''breed'', ''the'' ''cheap'' ''ones'' (''as'' ''pointed'' ''out'' ''by'' ''the'' ''earlier'' ''posters'' ''to'' ''this'' ''thread'') ''are'' ''absolute'' ''junk''.

''Robt''.
 06/07/2005 11:01:12 AM · #20
''All'' ''the'' ''doughnut'' ''joking'' ''aside'', ''everyone'' ''should'' ''look'' ''at'' ''the'' ''review'' ''by'' ''Bob'' ''Atkins'' ''where'' ''he'' ''compares'' ''a'' ''500mm'' ''Tamron'' ''Mirror'' ''lens'' ''with'' ''a'' ''500mm'' ''L'' ''prime''. ''The'' ''mirror'' ''lens'' ''performs'' ''very'' ''well'' ''for'' ''about'' ''10th'' ''of'' ''the'' ''price''.

''The'' ''downside'' ''is'' ''that'' ''it'' ''is'' ''a'' ''manual'' ''focus'' ''and'' ''has'' ''a'' ''constant'' ''f8'' ''aperature''. ''And'' ''of'' ''course'' ''you'' ''cannot'' ''forget'' ''the'' , ''Hmmmmmmmmm''... ''doughnuts''........ ''for'' ''Bokeh''.

''I'' ''would'' ''not'' ''use'' ''a'' ''mirror'' ''as'' ''my'' ''main'' ''and'' ''only'' ''supertelephoto'' ''but'' ''if'' ''it'''''s'' ''a'' ''fun'' ''lens'' ''for'' ''occassional'' ''use'' ''and'' ''you'' ''don'''''t'' ''want'' ''to'' ''spend'' $''1000''-$''5000'' ''for'' ''a'' ''regular'' ''supertelephoto'', ''it'''''s'' ''a'' ''good'' ''buy''. ''You'' ''just'' ''have'' ''to'' ''use'' ''it'' ''in'' ''outdoor'' ''lighting'' ''and'' ''not'' ''on'' ''rapidly'' ''moving'' ''objects'' ''as'' ''it'' ''will'' ''be'' ''difficult'' ''to'' ''focus''. ''Before'' ''bashing'' ''lens''/''lens'' ''design'', ''we'' ''should'' ''know'' ''the'' ''limitations'' ''of'' ''the'' ''design'' ''and'' ''how'' ''to'' ''use'' ''it''. ''Mirror'' ''lens'' ''can'' ''produce'' ''some'' ''wonderful'' ''images'' ''at'' ''a'' ''very'' ''low'' ''cost''. ''You'' ''however'' ''cannot'' ''expect'' ''it'' ''to'' ''as'' ''versatile'' ''and'' ''easy'' ''to'' ''use'' ''as'' ''a'' $''1000''+ ''supertelephoto'' ''lens''.
 06/07/2005 11:08:37 AM · #21
''The'' ''Vivitar'' ''500'' ''Mirror ''gets'' ''a'' ''fair'' ''old'' ''slating''..

''Here'''''s'' ''some'' ''mirror'' ''lenses'' ''on'' ''B'' & ''H

''I'''''m'' ''curious'' ''how'' ''well'' ''the'' ''Sigma'' ''600mm'' ''Mirror'' ''performs''..

''To'' ''answer'' ''my'' ''own'' ''curiosity''.. ''Not'' ''very'' ''well''.. ''600'' ''mirror'' ''sample'' ''pics

''The'' ''site'' ''also'' ''has'' ''samples'' ''for'' ''LOTS'' ''of'' ''Sigma'' ''lenses.

''Message'' ''edited'' ''by'' ''author'' ''2005''-''06''-''07'' ''11'':''14'':''38''.
 06/07/2005 11:17:39 AM · #22
''Originally'' ''posted'' ''by'' ''PaulMdx'':
''The'' ''Vivitar'' ''500'' ''Mirror ''gets'' ''a'' ''fair'' ''old'' ''slating''..

''Here'''''s'' ''some'' ''mirror'' ''lenses'' ''on'' ''B'' & ''H

''I'''''m'' ''curious'' ''how'' ''well'' ''the'' ''Sigma'' ''600mm'' ''Mirror'' ''performs''..


''The'' ''Sigma'''''s'' ''a'' ''600mm'' ''f'':''8'' ''for'' ''just'' ''under'' $''400''.''00''. ''The'' ''Vivitar'' ''is'' ''500mm'' ''f'':''8'', ''for'' $''109''.''00''. ''The'' ''Vivitar'', ''from'' ''all'' ''I'''''ve'' ''hard'', ''is'' ''a'' ''piece'' ''of'' ''junk'', ''and'' ''I'' ''believe'' ''it'' ''at'' ''that'' ''price'', ''but'' ''what'' ''I'''''ve'' ''heard'' ''of'' ''the'' ''sigma'' ''is'' ''very'' ''enticing''. ''If'' ''you'''''re'' ''running'' ''a'' ''1''.''5'' ''ratio'' ''on'' ''sensor'' ''size'', ''which'' ''is'' ''in'' ''the'' ''ballparl'' ''of'' ''most'' ''dSLRs'', ''that'' ''Sigma'' ''is'' ''900mm'' ''for'' ''less'' ''than'' $''400''.''00'' ''PLUS'' ''they'' ''are'' ''lighweight'' ''and'' ''compact'', ''which'' ''is'' ''definitely'' ''NOT'' ''true'' ''of'' ''1000mm'' ''conventional'' ''telephoto'' ''lenses''...

''Robt''.

''Those'' ''samples'' ''seem'' ''pretty'' ''decent'' ''to'' ''me'' ''for'' ''the'' ''price''. ''They'' ''are'' ''definitely'' ''useable'' ''pictures''. ''here'''''s'' ''one'' ''that'' ''shows'' ''the'' ''bokeh'' ''well'':

''Sigma'' ''Catadioptric'' ''Image

''R''.

''Message'' ''edited'' ''by'' ''author'' ''2005''-''06''-''07'' ''11'':''20'':''15''.
 06/07/2005 11:24:16 AM · #23
''They'' ''can'' ''also'' ''be'' ''used'' ''pretty'' ''effectively'' ''in'' ''urban'' ''candid'' ''photography'', ''where'' ''the'' ''strangeness'' ''of'' ''the'' ''bokeh'' ''can'' ''enhance'' ''the'' ''rigidly'' ''graphic'' ''nature'' ''of'' ''a'' ''lot'' ''of'' ''urban'' ''scenery''.

''Obviously'', ''if'' ''you'' ''want'' ''a'' ''pin''-''sharp'', ''smooth''-''as''-''hell'' ''turbo''-''telephoto'', ''you'' ''shouldn'''''t'' ''even'' ''be'' ''considering'' ''this''.

''e''
 06/07/2005 11:27:32 AM · #24
''Oh'', ''and'' ''according'' ''to'' ''the'' ''blurb'' ''on'' ''the'' ''Sig'' ''600'', ''it'' ''has'' ''a'' ''ZEN'' ''finish''. ''Now'' ''what'' ''could'' ''be'' ''cooler'' ''than'' ''that''?

''e''
 06/07/2005 11:34:34 AM · #25
''bear'' ''that'' ''sample'' ''has'' ''some'' ''ugly'' ''ugly'' ''bokeh'' :-(
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