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MR 500 mm Telyt on M


ananda

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I just picked up the MR (mirror) 500MM Telyt just for fun and am trying it on my M 240. I got it for a reasonable price and will may sell it eventually, but the lens I have is absolutely mint. I took a few shots with it today. After a bit of work in LR on the DNG file, it looks pretty nice, but the donut bokeh is unwelcome. Yet the lenses I have (50 Summilux ASPH and 28 Elmarit ASPH) do not include a telephoto and this 500 mm piece seems about right when I want to experiment a bit. Or literally have to have a telephoto. I am wonder if anyone else has this lens in their kit with their M240 and why?

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I do have this lens for some years now. In my case it is used on a Canon 5D and a R8+DMR.

The bokeh does not bother me in most cases, it is only there on backlit subjects with point lightsources in the background.

Sometimes the donuts even have added artistic value...

 

It is and remains the smallest and lightest package for this focus length. You can even use it with good results for macro, with some extension tubes in front of it.

Great when the subject does not like to be approached like a butterfly or dragonfly. With this you can take the shot at about 2 or 3 m!

Maybe not the best Leica lens ever, but certainly unique in its application.

Edited by dpitt
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Actually it was never a Leica lens, it's a straight Minolta design, made by Minolta in a mount specified by Leica for the R system.  I had one for a little while, it was nicely made but honestly I never found much optical quality difference between mirror lenses.  The one I have now is as good as the R or Nikon ones I had were.  It's a Rokunon or Rokunar or something like that in T-mount for R/Leicaflex.  Cost me $25 or $50 I think, don't really remember, nice thing about it it's really small, 72mm front filter.  I've taken it to sporting events on a Rebel (with R-EOS adapter) and security never bats an eye, they think it's just a kit zoom or something.   Had I tried walking in with a 500/4L-IS it might've raised eyebrows :)

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I am wonder if anyone else has this lens in their kit with their M240 and why?

 

I've bought it several years ago when I had DMR, It's a small and lightweight tele. With Leica-M is very very useful because you can crank up with ISO values and take shoot at a reasonable shutter speed. The characteristic donut bokeh is a welcome when you need it, especially photographing sparkles in the water or in brunches of trees. I like it very much for the uncommon views. I hope you enjoy it, it's a funny "toy"  :)  :)  :)

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I just picked up the MR (mirror) 500MM Telyt just for fun and am trying it on my M 240. I got it for a reasonable price and will may sell it eventually, but the lens I have is absolutely mint. I took a few shots with it today. After a bit of work in LR on the DNG file, it looks pretty nice, but the donut bokeh is unwelcome. Yet the lenses I have (50 Summilux ASPH and 28 Elmarit ASPH) do not include a telephoto and this 500 mm piece seems about right when I want to experiment a bit. Or literally have to have a telephoto. I am wonder if anyone else has this lens in their kit with their M240 and why?

Most of them are mint, because the owners hardly use them after the first few shots. I get better resolution cropping a 280 or even 135. But it is fun having such a light and short long lens.

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There aren't many decent mirror lenses available but one worth considering is the Olympus Zuiko 500mm f8 http://www.savazzi.net/photography/olympus500.html  … unlike other catadioptric lenses it has back silvered mirrors which do not deteriorate … and with an OM to M adaptor could be a viable lightweight long focus optic for an M240. I've just bought one for use with my Leica T; the lens is being serviced and recollimated; when it's back I'll post some pics on the 'T' sub forum.

 

Another mirror lens with a good reputation is the Zeiss Mirotar which was available in Contax bayonet fitting … and if sourced will also adapt to the M240.

 

dunk

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The Tamron SP 500/8 is also worth considering.

 

 

The Tamron is one of the better mirror lenses but image quality is not on the same league as that of the Zeiss Mirotar and Zuiko OM 500mm lenses. Enrico Savazzi in the above link mentions the Tamron. 

 

dunk

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The Tamron is one of the better mirror lenses but image quality is not on the same league as that of the Zeiss Mirotar and Zuiko OM 500mm lenses. Enrico Savazzi in the above link mentions the Tamron. 

 

After reading Savazzi's article, checking his examples, and reading this:

 

"The Olympus OM Zuiko Reflex 500 mm f/8 catadioptric lens [...] is, in practice, just as good as a 500 mm refractor lens from one of the major camera brands, but price, weight and volume are several times lower."

 

I am quite perplexed.

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Does a lens booster also boost a mirrorlens?

In the normal use one loses half an f/stop due to the secondary mirror. So the mirror R-lens f/8 500mm is f/8 for the DOF, but only 9.5 for the incoming light (ISO and time).

 

What is good? One can measure a single sample. But is there a difference between several samples of the same brand? See lens rentals.

Jan

Edited by jankap
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After reading Savazzi's article, checking his examples, and reading this:

 

"The[/size] Olympus OM Zuiko Reflex 500 mm f/8 catadioptric lens [...] is, in practice,[/size] just as good as a 500 mm refractor lens from one of the major camera brands, but price, weight and volume are several times lower."[/size]

 

I am quite perplexed.

Don't forget he appears to work on micro 4/3rds.
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At any rate he does point out the technical difficulties of shooting a long lens, especially if it lacks bulk. That may account for part of the bad press mirror systems are getting. I'll have a go at my MR Telyt again one of these days.

It is disappointing the Leitz or the virtually identical Minolta offering were not mentioned in the article.

I once had a 800 Minolta one, decades ago - i remember finding it extremely disappointing compared to the 500.

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The biggest issue I have with my Tamron 500/8 is vibrations. Even on a solid tripod with remote, the shutter vibration is enough to ruin the shot. The electronic first curtain in modern Canon cameras (used in Live View mode) makes a day and night difference.

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