[zzaletel]

One other oddball that I came across is the MTO 500mm Soviet era mirror lens - looks to perform pretty well compared to some other options -(no personal experience but an interesting review / comparison is here - KMZ MTO 500mm Mirror Lens - mike eckman dot com)

[normhead]

I'm fascinated but can't help. My old A 400 5.6 is as low as I ever went, and it was well over your limit. It must feel like your hobby is lens hunting with a little photography thrown in on the side. I gave away my damaged but functional Sigma 70-300... how's that for cheap?

Sigma 70-300


DA* 60-250 with 1.4 TC


There is a difference.

[ksparks519]

I'm fascinated but can't help. My old A 400 5.6 is as low as I ever went, and it was well over your limit. It must feel like your hobby is lens hunting with a little photography thrown in on the side. I gave away my damaged but functional Sigma 70-300... how's that for cheap?

Sigma 70-300


DA* 60-250 with 1.4 TC


There is a difference.

Nice shots! Fortunately I still spend more free time taking and processing photos than I do looking for lenses, but the proportion of macro photos I take went from about 90% to 30% when the frosts started and I've been more frustrated by what I can't quite photograph than eager to find out what I can. I went out today for a few hours and just kept the plain vivitar 70-210 on my camera most of the time, no mirror lens or teleconverter, played with some settings and I got some better results than I have in a while. Not great results, but refreshing.

Also I'm kind of into the first one. It feels like an old postcard you'd find in a kitschy gift shop in Maine that hasn't updated its inventory in 30 years.

[normhead]

Nice shots! Fortunately I still spend more free time taking and processing photos than I do looking for lenses, but the proportion of macro photos I take went from about 90% to 30% when the frosts started and I've been more frustrated by what I can't quite photograph than eager to find out what I can. I went out today for a few hours and just kept the plain vivitar 70-210 on my camera most of the time, no mirror lens or teleconverter, played with some settings and I got some better results than I have in a while. Not great results, but refreshing.

Also I'm kind of into the first one. It feels like an old postcard you'd find in a kitschy gift shop in Maine that hasn't updated its inventory in 30 years.

Too funny, I went out with my F-70-210 a day ago, and took 20 shots but not one keeper. You have to wait a long time for that lens to stop hunting and confirm focus. I often see a pose and shoot before it locks focus. I had about 19 keepers I posted on FB for November. I usually post 40. A bit of snow does wonders. It's coming soon... like tomorrow.