[benjikan]

Has anybody tried the Samyang 500mm f8 Ultra Telephoto Manual Focus Mirror Lens for Pentax?

Amazon.com: Samyang 500mm f8 Ultra Telephoto Manual Focus Mirror Lens for Pentax K & Ricoh Mounts: Camera & Photo

Ben

[benjikan]

Check this out from Germany the Walimex 500/6,3 DX with Pentax/Samsung bayonet mount.

JUSY ORDERED IT...OH NOOOOO "LBA" has set in!!!!!!!!!

Will be delivered next week. Will post samples ASAP. Opted for this as it was 2/3rds of a stop faster than the standard f8.0 mirror lenses? F 6.3.

http://www.foto-walser.de
http://www.foto-walser.de/shop/anleitungen/14755_500mm_f63.pdf

Ben

[dietcokefiend]

I tried that lens out on my k20d. I was looking for a bit more reach than my DA* 200mm for moon shots, and figured I would give it a try. My boss had one, so I borrowed it from him. The range is pretty awesome, but the final shot leaves much to be desired, almost to the point that a cropped DA* 200mm shot would give as much detail as the 500mm mirror image shot.

Oh and dont even think about letting your neighbor fart while you snap a picture, or you will have even more blur going on in your picture

[Chako]

I bought a T-mount version of the Samyang 500mm f/8 CAT. I tried it once on my Pentax. I first became interested in the lens after the late Herbert Kippler waxed enthusiastically on the same lens in a magazine article.

It is light and portable, and because of this, it lulls you into thinking you can hand hold this lens and get good results. I can't. I can hand hold a Bigma, but the extra weight acts like a dampener, and I can hold that rock steady. The light small mirror lens, no.

On a tripod, you can get good results. Here is one of my better shots with the lens. I rarely use it. I think this summer; I will take it out more. Maybe I just need more practice with the lens. I can say it is easier to focus on the K10D then it ever was on a Canon 20D.

[SpecialK]

Has anybody tried the Samyang 500mm f8 Ultra Telephoto Manual Focus Mirror Lens for Pentax?

Amazon.com: Samyang 500mm f8 Ultra Telephoto Manual Focus Mirror Lens for Pentax K & Ricoh Mounts: Camera & Photo

Ben

Coincidentally, I got one a few days ago. So far, I've gotten only very few even salvageable images out of about 75 shots. Here's one of the "better" ones:

Attachment 11187


Pros:
Very Light (my lightest lens)
Small (about 3" D x 5" L)
Includes made-in-Japan T-mount (the lens itself is Korean) - though see below...
Includes skylight, ND 2X and ND 4X filters - though see below...

Apart from crappy (so far) image quality...

Cons:
Low contrast and hazy appearance
Distance scale is on bottom side of lens
Rear cover only works on the smaller screw portion of lens - you'll need a K-type rear cap for the larger T-mount Adapter
Filters are hard to get to (without getting fingerprints on them) as they are buried down in the adaptor/screw area.

Settings in "Custom" menu...
"AE-L button..." on Yes to enable some modes, "FL with S lens.." on Yes to allow you to enter the focal length for the SR to function correctly, and "Aperture ring..." permitted to have the AE-L button work properly and adjust the shutter speed (as set with "AE-L button...")

I wanted the Sigma 600 f5.6, one of which I had years ago for my Canon-film. They are 3X the cost new of this dog, but may be worth it if one can be located.

I'm going to give this lens a better and serious test this weekend, but I am not optimistic.

[Cedar]

Check this out from Germany the Walimex 500/6,3 DX with Pentax/Samsung bayonet mount.

JUSY ORDERED IT [...]

Will be delivered next week. Will post samples ASAP. Opted for this as it was 2/3rds of a stop faster than the standard f8.0 mirror lenses? F 6.3.

Ben,

I have no budget for most glass over 300mm, and so have been following the threads on the 'Samyang/Phoenix' F8 mirror 500mm closely.

Do you mind sharing your experience with the Walimex f/6.3 500mm?

Any images to share with us yet?

Thanks.

[barondla]

If the distance numbers are on the bottom of the lens that is your fault. Look closely at the T adapter. There will be 3 or 4 small screws around the edge of the adapter. Loosen all these screws slightly while lens is on camera. Don' drop lens! When loose, the inner part of t adapter will turn. Put the distance scale on top of the lens and carefully retighten all the screws. All t adapters have to be adjusted to the lens/accessory they are paired with. Those telescope manufacturers were pretty smart!
Remember the Sigma 600 fondly. Had one for the Olympus OM. Nice lens with the easiest to change filters ever. Why mess with filters? Put the clear one in and use more shutter speed instead of ND filter. Filters were for people with slow top shutter speeds. Not a problem anymore. Decently sharp for a mirror. Guess I should have kept it. Would still work on the E300-330. If it had been T mount would have worked on both camera brands and would have kept it.
Have a Celestron C5 now. Stunning quality for an affordable mirror. Considerably better than the C90 I sold.
thanks
barondla

[TourDeForce]

Why mess with filters? Put the clear one in and use more shutter speed instead of ND filter. Filters were for people with slow top shutter speeds. Not a problem anymore.

Wow. Can't tell you how much I disagree.

[benjikan]

Ben,

I have no budget for glass over 300mm, and so have been following the threads on the 'Samyang/Phoenix' F8 mirror 500mm closely.

Do you mind sharing your experience with the Walimex f/6.3 500mm?

Any images to share with us yet?

Thanks.

I opted to return it, when I was able to score a Tamron 500 Mirror. I had experience with it in the past and as a result felt more confident with the Tamy..Great optics.

[barondla]

Tour De Force, why do you disagree? Not saying filters are useless (use lots of them). Saying for shooting a big tele lens it usually makes little sense to use nd filters. Better off to use higher shutter speed. Unless you want a certain kind of motion blur (like, moving water) or maybe very high ISO for grain.
thanks
barondla

[Cedar]

I opted to return it, when I was able to score a Tamron 500 Mirror. I had experience with it in the past and as a result felt more confident with the Tamy..Great optics.

Oh well.

Thanks.

[TourDeForce]

Tour De Force, why do you disagree? Not saying filters are useless (use lots of them). Saying for shooting a big tele lens it usually makes little sense to use nd filters. Better off to use higher shutter speed. Unless you want a certain kind of motion blur (like, moving water) or maybe very high ISO for grain.
thanks
barondla

ND filter is intended to 'even' the exposure across the frame so you can get detail from shaded areas without blowing out the highlights - or at least reducing the harsh blow-out. Next time you have a subject in shadows on a bright day try taking a wide shot with a fast shutter speed, then add an ND filter and shoot again. The difference will be dramatic.

Also, I will sometimes add an ND and/or CP filter when taking a picture of the moon when there are clouds about. The ND filter lets me capture the lunar detail and the clouds make a much more dramatic statement within the frame. Raising the shutter speed to get the detail on the moon means the clouds will all but disappear. Slow the shutter to capture the clouds & the moon washes out like a spotlight pointed at the lens.

I challenge you to give it a try. You'll like the results.

[barondla]

Don't see how this can work. A ND filter would cut all light the same amount. It shouldn't change the difference between highlights and shadow detail (unless you are talking a graduated ND). A 5 stop difference between shadow and highlight will stay the same with ND or not. Graduated ND wouldn't fit in the back of the lens. Could see a polarizer but thats a whole different thing. Never said that wouldn't make a difference. Those don't usually come to fit the back of the lens either!
Will try it to see, just don't understand how the physics could work.
thanks
barondla

[dragra]

I've tried a couple of older Tokina mirror lenses, but I didn't like them because they were quite soft and the viewfinder was so dark that focusing was more miss than hit. Then I stumbled upon Samyang f6,3/500mm at my local shop and gave it a try. The lens is built very well, all metal. It is surprisingly sharp, way better than the old film era Tokinas and focus confirmation works excellent with Pentax K20D and K-r bodies.

The lens size suggests handheld usage, but you can forget about this. For best results you need a tripod (as heavy as you can get) and a good tripod head (with as fine adjustments as you can get). Close focus distance is surprisingly short, somewhere about 2 meters, but the lens is not so well suited for portraits because of the somehow nervous bokeh. Where this lens shines is landscape photography. If you shoot action or wildlife the lens might not be ideal because of manual focus.

One more thing about fitting: when mounting the lens on K20D there are only about 2 millimeters between the lens barrel and the Pentax logo. I didn't try the lens with K30 but I think it might be a problem because of the long protrudig camera element with the Pentax logo.

cheers,
d

ps
check out my Samyang sample shots: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/members/33456-dragra/albums/5557-samyang-f6-3-500mm-dx/

[RKKS08]

As Foto Walser sells lots of Samyang lenses rebranded as Walimex, I think the Walimex 6.3/500 will in fact be the Samyang, too.

There must be some contract between Samyang and Foto Walser, as I found Samyang lenses are not available in Germany and other EU countries, if Walser offers the Walimex ones in the same country.