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08-12-2010, 12:39 PM   #1
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Anyone Know This Lens?

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Sunagor 1:8 f=500mm #6574972

It may already have an M42 adapter on it, but I do believe it's some kind of T-mount. I just won it for $12 and I was wondering if it was any decent? Anyone have one?

08-12-2010, 12:49 PM   #2
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Sounds like a generic, crappy mirror lens. Doesn't mean it isn't fun to use, though!

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08-12-2010, 12:56 PM   #3
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Yes, they are most likely T-mount

If memory serves me right, both Sunagor/Siligor were very similar in performance and can be seen floating around on eBay for next to nothing quite often. Though, I've seen a few instances were people were asking something in the range of 200 to 300USD for them, which is rather funny.

Anyways, I think I have 300mm and 400mm copies here and I don't think the 400mm had a compatible mount on it so I never tried it. But the 300 proved to be rather unimpressive on a DSLR with very prominent fringing and OOF CA up until F11 which all made it rather useless for me.

Anyways, sorry I don't have anything better to share with respect to your new acquisition. Though on a brighter note, at the price you payed. Even if it becomes a showpiece, it was most likely worth it! - Great catch imo!
08-12-2010, 01:07 PM   #4
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One of the guys on another board said that it's not a mirror lens, fixed, but other than that I really can't find out much. It might be the same type of glass as some Vivitar t-mount lenses. One site I read that they made a few for Vivitar so I am hoping it's not too bad, but for $12 I guess it doesn't matter much. I can always use it for a door stop if it turns out it's really bad!

If it isn't? Then I will have a nice LONG bird lens at a price I could actually afford. I admittedly have low expectations and I didn't think I'd ever own a 500mm anyway so even if it's borderline mediocre it will likely still do me. I'm still learning and I can't afford to be too picky on my budget. I think there's one on Ebay in the UK for like 69 pounds. I guess that's like what $100 American? That's a BIN. Other than that I can't even find another one.

Yeah, I think I completely lucked out though, even if it's only a so-so lens. I was watching it all week expecting it to go to $65-75 at the very least. Most of the time I'm just watching lenses out of idle curiosity, particularly the longer ones. $12? I think I'll live even if it does turn out to be a dud.


Last edited by magkelly; 08-12-2010 at 01:22 PM.
08-12-2010, 01:35 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by magkelly Quote
...I am hoping it's not too bad, but for $12 I guess it doesn't matter much.

If it isn't? Then I will have a nice LONG bird lens at a price I could actually afford. I admittedly have low expectations and I didn't think I'd ever own a 500mm anyway so even if it's borderline mediocre it will likely still do me. I'm still learning and I can't afford to be too picky on my budget...

Yeah, I think I completely lucked out though, even if it's only a so-so lens. I was watching it all week expecting it to go to $65-75 at the very least. Most of the time I'm just watching lenses out of idle curiosity, particularly the longer ones. $12? I think I'll live even if it does turn out to be a dud.
I think a few of us can identify with these situations. Take a gamble on a lens with questionable reputation just to see how it performs for you. Sometimes we create our own luck and find ones in our modest budgets. Helps us decide on future expectations.
Moon shots and animals at rest might be the best task for some of these long, slow lenses.
08-12-2010, 01:36 PM   #6
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Twelve bucks is a good price for a cheap long lens, whether tube or mirror. My Spiratone 400/6.3 tube (T-M42) was US$15 total not long ago, and my Sakar 500/8 mirror (T2-PK) was US$13. The Spiratone looks threatening, the Sakar doesn't. Neither are brilliant; both are expendable. With the right light and angle, both can make marvelous images. [/me does research] A little gargling shows that Sunagor 500/8's were made as both tubes and mirrors. Whichever you have, congrats! Also, Sunagor gets a little respect for decent lenses.

I'll roll this story again: Back in the day, I had an Olympus Pen-FT half-frame 135 SLR system. And I had a Spiratone 400mm tube tele, and bellows and macro tubes, and a shoulder-stock camera mount. I assembled all those into what looked a bit like a grenade launcher. The purpose: to shoot closeups of rattlesnakes from a safe distance. Yes, I shot on bright days, and pushed the Tri-X to ASA 800. Almost cutting-edge for 1976, eh?
08-12-2010, 01:39 PM   #7
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You know I forgot about that. I'll probably be able to actually take a good moon shot once in a while with this one. That would be worth the $12 right there. I've always wanted to but I've never been able to manage it with my digital P&S and we get some seriously big, bright, and gorgeous moons here in Autumn in particular.

QuoteOriginally posted by Nowhere Matt Quote
I think a few of us can identify with these situations. Take a gamble on a lens with questionable reputation just to see how it performs for you. Sometimes we create our own luck and find ones in our modest budgets. Helps us decide on future expectations.
Moon shots and animals at rest might be the best task for some of these long, slow lenses.


08-12-2010, 02:12 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by magkelly Quote
I'll probably be able to actually take a good moon shot once in a while with this one. I've always wanted to but I've never been able to manage it with my digital P&S and we get some seriously big, bright, and gorgeous moons here in Autumn in particular.
See. There you go!

Or -
The Traveling Sunagor 1:8 f=500mm Lens Thread

Na tha's got a ring to it, lad. Whut ya fink?
08-12-2010, 03:54 PM   #9
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Good try, lol, but nope....

QuoteOriginally posted by Nowhere Matt Quote
Or - The Traveling Sunagor 1:8 f=500mm Lens Thread Na tha's got a ring to it, lad. Whut ya fink?
08-12-2010, 11:07 PM   #10
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was there a picture on the auction?
08-13-2010, 03:33 AM   #11
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If it's like a Soligor mirror lens I bought for a little bit more then that it's a pig,has a rotating diaphraghm for aperture changes and weights half a ton with the casings made of lead or some similarly heavy metal. You might be lucky and have a very decent score even if the lens is slow in aperture speeds.
08-13-2010, 06:15 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by RioRico Quote
My Spiratone 400/6.3 tube (T-M42) was US$15 total not long ago
Wow:

I remember drooling over that lens in the 70s in their crappily designed Popular Photography ads. I think it was pretty inexpensive, too.

Did you have the shoulder stock with the cable release and trigger? I did, and it was so COOL!!!

Ahhh...the good old days.
08-13-2010, 06:59 AM   #13
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Here you go. Needs to be cleaned. Somebody left a few fingerprints on it while they were taking the pics and it's a bit dusty, but I'm pretty sure no fungus. I'm hoping the M42 t-mount on my Vivitar will work with this one too. It has what looks like a simple screw mount on the end, but I think I still need the t-adapter. It can't be that heavy. Shipping was way cheaper than I expected for this. Far too little for it to be super heavy unless they're eating part of it.

http://images.shopgoodwill.com/57/8-5-2010/sa168723685-ch.jpg

http://images.shopgoodwill.com/57/8-5-2010/sa153789785-ch.jpg

http://images.shopgoodwill.com/57/8-5-2010/sa387608785-ch.jpg


QuoteOriginally posted by HGMonaro Quote
was there a picture on the auction?

Last edited by magkelly; 08-13-2010 at 07:05 AM.
08-13-2010, 07:55 AM   #14
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Why would it be heavy? It mostly just an empty tube. I laugh when I see current versions of this lens being advertised for $200. With HD glass!!!
08-13-2010, 03:52 PM   #15
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Here's that Spiratone!!!

M42 SPIRATONE 400MM F6.3 LENS M42 PENTAX,MAMIYA,YASHICA - eBay (item 400142890442 end time Aug-16-10 11:15:15 PDT)
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