Any experience on Photosniper Russian Tair-3 Phs 300mm f/4.5

hinman · 04-04-2009, 12:14 PM

I have two copies coming to my gear, it sure looks like a rocket launcher. I chose the gray one from black so that it looks less as a sniper gun. I know Voe used to have the Tair-3S 300mm f/4.5 with good pictures, but I hope some of you have some experience to share with me

Photo by owner "C Conway aka SpyStyle"

Any experience on using this lens on Pentax digital? I got this lens out of my search for a longer reach for birds after 200mm Hin's search on 300mm/400mm

Thanks,
Hin

Last edited by hinman; 04-08-2009 at 01:37 PM.

Stratman · 04-04-2009, 03:38 PM

Wow Hin ,that thing is HUGE for a 300mm lens, haha. How much does it weigh????

georgweb · 04-05-2009, 12:48 AM

Hello Hin,
that lens looks cool in white color!
Here's some recent conversation about the Tair with 2x Tcons.

Lucky shot: Tair 300/4.5 + M42_MC_Mir_2x_Tcon on K100D
[IMGWIDEleft]http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1177/1443921786_8e2543ffc2_o.jpg[/IMGWIDEleft]
Have fun with it!
Georg (the other)

hinman · 04-06-2009, 10:23 AM

Originally posted by Stratman

Wow Hin ,that thing is HUGE for a 300mm lens, haha. How much does it weigh????

Yes, I know. I think it weights about 980g, not sure the actual weight until I actually get the copy.

Update: My two copies of Tair-3 PhS weight much more than 980g as stated in mflenses review for Tair-3S. I think it is likely a mistake in mflens review. My Tair-3 PhS 300mm f/4.5 weights about 3.5lb/1.6kg

Originally posted by georgweb

Hello Hin,
that lens looks cool in white color!
Here's some recent conversation about the Tair with 2x Tcons.

Lucky shot: Tair 300/4.5 + M42_MC_Mir_2x_Tcon on K100D
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1177/1443921786_8e2543ffc2_o.jpg
Have fun with it!
Georg (the other)

Thank you for showing me the shots. I actually get influenced by you and that of Voe in showing what the Russian Tair 300mm is capable. I wonder if the lens is hand-holdable, a big unknown until I get my lens. The focal ring is actually underneath the lens and I am hoping that the lens can work hand-held as well as on tripod. Do your copy have the focusing ring underneath the lens. The stock rifle looks intriguing, with SR in our pentax bodies, I am hoping to work well with the stock rifle. It will require some work to get the gun trigger to with either a wired setup or the remote assistance. Not sure at this point.

Thanks,
Hin

Last edited by hinman; 04-17-2009 at 03:35 AM.

Igilligan · 04-06-2009, 10:25 AM

I think Gary (Damn Brit) mentioned to me that he had that sniper set up....

ryan s · 04-06-2009, 11:18 AM

If I hold this as steady as I hold a real gun...might as well pass me a tripod!

Is this the Tair version with like 22 blades? And which version is newer, this or black? Which version is mulitcoated?

hinman · 04-06-2009, 11:19 AM

Originally posted by Igilligan

I think Gary (Damn Brit) mentioned to me that he had that sniper set up....

Thanks Gus and I hope Gary can jump in with some information to share

Originally posted by ryan s

If I hold this as steady as I hold a real gun...might as well pass me a tripod!

Is this the Tair version with like 22 blades? And which version is newer, this or black? Which version is mulitcoated?

Based on the information that I gathered, I don't think the gun stock is that useful. I have this link on some information on the Zenit FS-12, likely a later version than mine, where the author mentions about better luck with tripod than the gun stock, but I am hoping some better luck with combination of SR and practice with the gun stock

http://cameras.alfredklomp.com/fs12/

Thanks,
Hin

Last edited by hinman; 04-06-2009 at 11:25 AM.

Damn Brit · 04-06-2009, 12:54 PM

Hi Hin, Gus just told me about this thread. I can't really give you any info as I haven't had an opportunity to use it yet, I bought the kit more for novelty and collectible reasons.
We live quite close to each other, I'd be happy to let you borrow it if you were interested,
PM me if you are.

hinman · 04-06-2009, 01:04 PM

Originally posted by Damn Brit

Hi Hin, Gus just told me about this thread. I can't really give you any info as I haven't had an opportunity to use it yet, I bought the kit more for novelty and collectible reasons.
We live quite close to each other, I'd be happy to let you borrow it if you were interested,
PM me if you are.

Thank you Gary, I had my copies coming this week. I will report back later on how useful the gun stock is or whether the lens alone works for hand-held as well as on tripod. I think the lens alone may weight about 980g and based on my casual search, the lens has decent pictures on sharpness. My copy is in M42 mount but I am not sure if it is in complete manual diaphragm or if it has A/M switch for auto and manual diapgragm. I am hoping to use it in Av mode like my other M42 lens.

Damn Brit · 04-06-2009, 01:13 PM

Originally posted by hinman

Thank you Gary, I had my copies coming this week. I will report back later on how useful the gun stock is or whether the lens alone works for hand-held as well as on tripod. I think the lens alone may weight about 980g and based on my casual search, the lens has decent pictures on sharpness. My copy is in M42 mount but I am not sure if it is in complete manual diaphragm or if it has A/M switch for auto and manual diapgragm. I am hoping to use it in Av mode like my other M42 lens.

I can confirm that it is completely manual and that it has preset aperture (unless there is a more modern version). I can also confirm that it is bloody heavy, it's like a stovepipe with glass

. I did try it out when I first received the kit and I did find the rifle stock effective especially if you are shooting upwards, the weight of it settles into your shoulder and improves stability. But as I mentioned in another thread about using stocks, I have been frightened to use it in case it is mistaken for a rifle. I think if I were to use it I would put fluorescent tape around it to increase visibility and reduce threat.

**Douglas_of_Sweden** · 04-06-2009, 01:59 PM

Originally posted by Damn Brit

I can confirm that it is completely manual and that it has preset aperture (unless there is a more modern version). I can also confirm that it is bloody heavy, it's like a stovepipe with glass

. I did try it out when I first received the kit and I did find the rifle stock effective especially if you are shooting upwards, the weight of it settles into your shoulder and improves stability. But as I mentioned in another thread about using stocks, I have been frightened to use it in case it is mistaken for a rifle. I think if I were to use it I would put fluorescent tape around it to increase visibility and reduce threat.

Novoflex and Zeiss had similar gun-like lenses. I have a "fun" story from my military service (photographer on an air force base...that is the Swedish air force). During my serving time the base had an anniversary, something like 50 years old or so. So they had a flight exhibition/show open for the public with loads of present and antique air fighters flying a whole weekend.

While most people enjoyed themself that weekend of course the guards, officers as well as private soldiers, were most likely a bit on the edge. Understandable. All those civilians everywhere...

Now all of a suddenly they got what appeared to be a real alarm: someone had climbed up on the roof of a small building near one of the starting run-ways and was laying down on the flat roof with what looked like an automatic gun, but unusually thick... a rocket gun? Nightmare of all air base security!

This person soon found himself surrounded by men, guns and dogs!

So was it a terrorist?

No...just a stupid news paper photographer who had braught his Novoflex follow-focus lens!

Those things do focus surprisingly fast and have a fantastic center sharpness! The built in bellows also allow you to reduce the close focus distance so they are supposedly an interresting alernative for chasing butterflies and other shy bugs.

Hinman, is this lens of yours a Russian answer to the German Novoflex? I have to admit that the sholder support and the handle looks even more like an automatic gun on this Russian lens.

hinman · 04-06-2009, 02:36 PM

Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden

Novoflex and Zeiss had similar gun-like lenses. I have a "fun" story from my military service (photographer on an air force base...that is the Swedish air force). During my serving time the base had an anniversary, something like 50 years old or so. So they had a flight exhibition/show open for the public with loads of present and antique air fighters flying a whole weekend.

While most people enjoyed themself that weekend of course the guards, officers as well as private soldiers, were most likely a bit on the edge. Understandable. All those civilians everywhere...

Now all of a suddenly they got what appeared to be a real alarm: someone had climbed up on the roof of a small building near one of the starting run-ways and was laying down on the flat roof with what looked like an automatic gun, but unusually thick... a rocket gun? Nightmare of all air base security!

This person soon found himself surrounded by men, guns and dogs!

So was it a terrorist?

No...just a stupid news paper photographer who had braught his Novoflex follow-focus lens!

Those things do focus surprisingly fast and have a fantastic center sharpness! The built in bellows also allow you to reduce the close focus distance so they are supposedly an interresting alernative for chasing butterflies and other shy bugs.

Hinman, is this lens of yours a Russian answer to the German Novoflex? I have to admit that the sholder support and the handle looks even more like an automatic gun on this Russian lens.

Based on my limited research, the Novoflex is a much more capable lens but I don't recall seeing it adapted to Pentax mount. I thought the Novoflex only have Canon, Nikon and perhaps some other 4/3rd mount with extra adapter.

Do you own the Novoflex lens? I am planning to go low profile with the Tair-3 as in using it on a tripod in the beginning.

Thanks,
Hin

georgweb · 04-06-2009, 02:54 PM

Hi Hin,
about your question regarding the focus mechanism, mine has the little wheel on the bottom, and I find this easier to focus - some say the opposite, though. I did not try to use it without a tripod, but why not.

Tom Tiger has used this lens a lot,
Tigers Lair (scroll on the left to part 2 of his stories)

The aperture mechanism was new to me and it is not the easy kind, I can tell you .-) It has got some real recoil if you release it!
BTW I have the rubber hood like on your pics, and the metal cap from a 'Burlington socks' tin can is the perfect match to put on the hood (could be from a tea tin can also).
Best, Georg (the other)

Ben_Edict · 04-06-2009, 03:09 PM

Originally posted by hinman

Based on my limited research, the Novoflex is a much more capable lens but I don't recall seeing it adapted to Pentax mount. I thought the Novoflex only have Canon, Nikon and perhaps some other 4/3rd mount with extra adapter.

Do you own the Novoflex lens? I am planning to go low profile with the Tair-3 as in using it on a tripod in the beginning.

Thanks,
Hin

Hin, I have the last version (still in production, currently) of the Novoflex 400mm lens and the 600mm front element (these are interchangeable). The Novoflexes sport an interchangeable camera mount and you can easily swap any Nikon or Canon mount, which comes with a used lens, against the Pentax K mount.

I have tried the Novoflex 400 on the K10 and could handhold down to 1/40s sometimes. Something like 1/200s is a better bet.

In the image posted here, you see an older version, which uses a bellows for extension. The current version (in production for the last 20 years or so) uses a fully closed sliding tube mechanism, which is more rigid. On top it's got two handgrips, the one near the camera for focusing via the grip and a second one near the lens, which immensely helps to stabilize the lens. The grip at the front also has an intergrated electronic trigger switch, though without the intermediate contact for switching the camera on and AF adjustment etc. I called Novoflex to inquire, whether they could provide a two-step trigger, but they can't. I tried to get this trigger as a replacment part from Bushawk, to adapt it to the Novoflex and the Bushawk people in the US were very nice, but their European distriobutor ignored me. Now I taped a simple Chinese cable shutter release to the front grip of the lens...

If you buy a Novoflex try to get a later modell and be careful about the lens: the old 400mm lenses have only 2 lens-elements. Only later the T-Noflexar with 3 lenses came onto the market and it is much better. The 600mm has always only two elements, but I have never really used that.

Focusing, by the way, is in many situations much faster than AF. Birds are a good example, as there are often twiggs and leaves near or just in front of the birds, which irritate the AF (not only on Pentax cameras....) Manual focusing is much better and with the rapid focus lens, also really much faster. -- The more I write, the more I think, I should use it more often.

Ben

**Douglas_of_Sweden** · 04-06-2009, 06:12 PM

Originally posted by hinman

Based on my limited research, the Novoflex is a much more capable lens but I don't recall seeing it adapted to Pentax mount. I thought the Novoflex only have Canon, Nikon and perhaps some other 4/3rd mount with extra adapter.

Do you own the Novoflex lens? I am planning to go low profile with the Tair-3 as in using it on a tripod in the beginning.

Thanks,
Hin

There is (or at least were) certainly K mount's for Novoflex, though it is some 20 years since I tried one myself. No I don't own one, unfortunately. Was bidding on one a while ago, but it went to far up for my taste.

If you are reasonable good at shooting (with a riffle), steady hands, sharp eyes, you can do very well with the Novoflex hand held. That was the whole idea with it. Putting it on a tripod would limit your actions very much. This was a very popular lens with both sport photographers and wild life photographers before AF. And I have no trouble believing Ben when he says that it still beats AF in many situations. Most human brains out runs all DSLR processors on this point.

Will be interresting to see what you can do with this Russion monster.

04-04-2009, 12:14 PM	#1
hinman Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,473	Any experience on Photosniper Russian Tair-3 Phs 300mm f/4.5 I have two copies coming to my gear, it sure looks like a rocket launcher. I chose the gray one from black so that it looks less as a sniper gun. I know Voe used to have the Tair-3S 300mm f/4.5 with good pictures, but I hope some of you have some experience to share with me Photo by owner "C Conway aka SpyStyle" Any experience on using this lens on Pentax digital? I got this lens out of my search for a longer reach for birds after 200mm Hin's search on 300mm/400mm Thanks, Hin Last edited by hinman; 04-08-2009 at 01:37 PM.

04-06-2009, 10:25 AM	#5
Igilligan Guest	Hi Hin I think Gary (Damn Brit) mentioned to me that he had that sniper set up....

04-06-2009, 01:13 PM	#10
Damn Brit Guest	Originally posted by hinman Thank you Gary, I had my copies coming this week. I will report back later on how useful the gun stock is or whether the lens alone works for hand-held as well as on tripod. I think the lens alone may weight about 980g and based on my casual search, the lens has decent pictures on sharpness. My copy is in M42 mount but I am not sure if it is in complete manual diaphragm or if it has A/M switch for auto and manual diapgragm. I am hoping to use it in Av mode like my other M42 lens. I can confirm that it is completely manual and that it has preset aperture (unless there is a more modern version). I can also confirm that it is bloody heavy, it's like a stovepipe with glass. I did try it out when I first received the kit and I did find the rifle stock effective especially if you are shooting upwards, the weight of it settles into your shoulder and improves stability. But as I mentioned in another thread about using stocks, I have been frightened to use it in case it is mistaken for a rifle. I think if I were to use it I would put fluorescent tape around it to increase visibility and reduce threat. Last edited by Damn Brit; 04-06-2009 at 01:29 PM.

04-06-2009, 01:59 PM	#11
Douglas_of_Sweden Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,374	Originally posted by Damn Brit I can confirm that it is completely manual and that it has preset aperture (unless there is a more modern version). I can also confirm that it is bloody heavy, it's like a stovepipe with glass. I did try it out when I first received the kit and I did find the rifle stock effective especially if you are shooting upwards, the weight of it settles into your shoulder and improves stability. But as I mentioned in another thread about using stocks, I have been frightened to use it in case it is mistaken for a rifle. I think if I were to use it I would put fluorescent tape around it to increase visibility and reduce threat. Novoflex and Zeiss had similar gun-like lenses. I have a "fun" story from my military service (photographer on an air force base...that is the Swedish air force). During my serving time the base had an anniversary, something like 50 years old or so. So they had a flight exhibition/show open for the public with loads of present and antique air fighters flying a whole weekend. While most people enjoyed themself that weekend of course the guards, officers as well as private soldiers, were most likely a bit on the edge. Understandable. All those civilians everywhere... Now all of a suddenly they got what appeared to be a real alarm: someone had climbed up on the roof of a small building near one of the starting run-ways and was laying down on the flat roof with what looked like an automatic gun, but unusually thick... a rocket gun? Nightmare of all air base security! This person soon found himself surrounded by men, guns and dogs! So was it a terrorist? No...just a stupid news paper photographer who had braught his Novoflex follow-focus lens! Those things do focus surprisingly fast and have a fantastic center sharpness! The built in bellows also allow you to reduce the close focus distance so they are supposedly an interresting alernative for chasing butterflies and other shy bugs. Hinman, is this lens of yours a Russian answer to the German Novoflex? I have to admit that the sholder support and the handle looks even more like an automatic gun on this Russian lens.

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04-04-2009, 03:38 PM	#2
Stratman Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: St Louis, Missouri U S A Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,464	Wow Hin ,that thing is HUGE for a 300mm lens, haha. How much does it weigh????

04-05-2009, 12:48 AM	#3
georgweb Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Berlin, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,386	Hello Hin, that lens looks cool in white color! Here's some recent conversation about the Tair with 2x Tcons. Lucky shot: Tair 300/4.5 + M42_MC_Mir_2x_Tcon on K100D [IMGWIDEleft]http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1177/1443921786_8e2543ffc2_o.jpg[/IMGWIDEleft] Have fun with it! Georg (the other)

04-06-2009, 10:23 AM	#4
hinman Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,473 Original Poster	Originally posted by Stratman Wow Hin ,that thing is HUGE for a 300mm lens, haha. How much does it weigh???? Yes, I know. I think it weights about 980g, not sure the actual weight until I actually get the copy. Update: My two copies of Tair-3 PhS weight much more than 980g as stated in mflenses review for Tair-3S. I think it is likely a mistake in mflens review. My Tair-3 PhS 300mm f/4.5 weights about 3.5lb/1.6kg Originally posted by georgweb Hello Hin, that lens looks cool in white color! Here's some recent conversation about the Tair with 2x Tcons. Lucky shot: Tair 300/4.5 + M42_MC_Mir_2x_Tcon on K100D http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1177/1443921786_8e2543ffc2_o.jpg Have fun with it! Georg (the other) Thank you for showing me the shots. I actually get influenced by you and that of Voe in showing what the Russian Tair 300mm is capable. I wonder if the lens is hand-holdable, a big unknown until I get my lens. The focal ring is actually underneath the lens and I am hoping that the lens can work hand-held as well as on tripod. Do your copy have the focusing ring underneath the lens. The stock rifle looks intriguing, with SR in our pentax bodies, I am hoping to work well with the stock rifle. It will require some work to get the gun trigger to with either a wired setup or the remote assistance. Not sure at this point. Thanks, Hin Last edited by hinman; 04-17-2009 at 03:35 AM.

04-06-2009, 11:18 AM	#6
ryan s Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Madison, WI Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,383	If I hold this as steady as I hold a real gun...might as well pass me a tripod! Is this the Tair version with like 22 blades? And which version is newer, this or black? Which version is mulitcoated?

04-06-2009, 11:19 AM	#7
hinman Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,473 Original Poster	Originally posted by Igilligan I think Gary (Damn Brit) mentioned to me that he had that sniper set up.... Thanks Gus and I hope Gary can jump in with some information to share Originally posted by ryan s If I hold this as steady as I hold a real gun...might as well pass me a tripod! Is this the Tair version with like 22 blades? And which version is newer, this or black? Which version is mulitcoated? Based on the information that I gathered, I don't think the gun stock is that useful. I have this link on some information on the Zenit FS-12, likely a later version than mine, where the author mentions about better luck with tripod than the gun stock, but I am hoping some better luck with combination of SR and practice with the gun stock http://cameras.alfredklomp.com/fs12/ Thanks, Hin Last edited by hinman; 04-06-2009 at 11:25 AM.

04-06-2009, 12:54 PM	#8
Damn Brit Guest	Hi Hin, Gus just told me about this thread. I can't really give you any info as I haven't had an opportunity to use it yet, I bought the kit more for novelty and collectible reasons. We live quite close to each other, I'd be happy to let you borrow it if you were interested, PM me if you are.

04-06-2009, 01:04 PM	#9
hinman Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,473 Original Poster	Originally posted by Damn Brit Hi Hin, Gus just told me about this thread. I can't really give you any info as I haven't had an opportunity to use it yet, I bought the kit more for novelty and collectible reasons. We live quite close to each other, I'd be happy to let you borrow it if you were interested, PM me if you are. Thank you Gary, I had my copies coming this week. I will report back later on how useful the gun stock is or whether the lens alone works for hand-held as well as on tripod. I think the lens alone may weight about 980g and based on my casual search, the lens has decent pictures on sharpness. My copy is in M42 mount but I am not sure if it is in complete manual diaphragm or if it has A/M switch for auto and manual diapgragm. I am hoping to use it in Av mode like my other M42 lens.

04-06-2009, 02:36 PM	#12
hinman Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,473 Original Poster	Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden Novoflex and Zeiss had similar gun-like lenses. I have a "fun" story from my military service (photographer on an air force base...that is the Swedish air force). During my serving time the base had an anniversary, something like 50 years old or so. So they had a flight exhibition/show open for the public with loads of present and antique air fighters flying a whole weekend. While most people enjoyed themself that weekend of course the guards, officers as well as private soldiers, were most likely a bit on the edge. Understandable. All those civilians everywhere... Now all of a suddenly they got what appeared to be a real alarm: someone had climbed up on the roof of a small building near one of the starting run-ways and was laying down on the flat roof with what looked like an automatic gun, but unusually thick... a rocket gun? Nightmare of all air base security! This person soon found himself surrounded by men, guns and dogs! So was it a terrorist? No...just a stupid news paper photographer who had braught his Novoflex follow-focus lens! Those things do focus surprisingly fast and have a fantastic center sharpness! The built in bellows also allow you to reduce the close focus distance so they are supposedly an interresting alernative for chasing butterflies and other shy bugs. Hinman, is this lens of yours a Russian answer to the German Novoflex? I have to admit that the sholder support and the handle looks even more like an automatic gun on this Russian lens. Based on my limited research, the Novoflex is a much more capable lens but I don't recall seeing it adapted to Pentax mount. I thought the Novoflex only have Canon, Nikon and perhaps some other 4/3rd mount with extra adapter. Do you own the Novoflex lens? I am planning to go low profile with the Tair-3 as in using it on a tripod in the beginning. Thanks, Hin

04-06-2009, 02:54 PM	#13
georgweb Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Berlin, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,386	Hi Hin, about your question regarding the focus mechanism, mine has the little wheel on the bottom, and I find this easier to focus - some say the opposite, though. I did not try to use it without a tripod, but why not. Tom Tiger has used this lens a lot, Tigers Lair (scroll on the left to part 2 of his stories) The aperture mechanism was new to me and it is not the easy kind, I can tell you .-) It has got some real recoil if you release it! BTW I have the rubber hood like on your pics, and the metal cap from a 'Burlington socks' tin can is the perfect match to put on the hood (could be from a tea tin can also). Best, Georg (the other)

04-06-2009, 03:09 PM	#14
Ben_Edict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: SouthWest "Regio" Photos: Albums Posts: 3,309	Originally posted by hinman Based on my limited research, the Novoflex is a much more capable lens but I don't recall seeing it adapted to Pentax mount. I thought the Novoflex only have Canon, Nikon and perhaps some other 4/3rd mount with extra adapter. Do you own the Novoflex lens? I am planning to go low profile with the Tair-3 as in using it on a tripod in the beginning. Thanks, Hin Hin, I have the last version (still in production, currently) of the Novoflex 400mm lens and the 600mm front element (these are interchangeable). The Novoflexes sport an interchangeable camera mount and you can easily swap any Nikon or Canon mount, which comes with a used lens, against the Pentax K mount. I have tried the Novoflex 400 on the K10 and could handhold down to 1/40s sometimes. Something like 1/200s is a better bet. In the image posted here, you see an older version, which uses a bellows for extension. The current version (in production for the last 20 years or so) uses a fully closed sliding tube mechanism, which is more rigid. On top it's got two handgrips, the one near the camera for focusing via the grip and a second one near the lens, which immensely helps to stabilize the lens. The grip at the front also has an intergrated electronic trigger switch, though without the intermediate contact for switching the camera on and AF adjustment etc. I called Novoflex to inquire, whether they could provide a two-step trigger, but they can't. I tried to get this trigger as a replacment part from Bushawk, to adapt it to the Novoflex and the Bushawk people in the US were very nice, but their European distriobutor ignored me. Now I taped a simple Chinese cable shutter release to the front grip of the lens... If you buy a Novoflex try to get a later modell and be careful about the lens: the old 400mm lenses have only 2 lens-elements. Only later the T-Noflexar with 3 lenses came onto the market and it is much better. The 600mm has always only two elements, but I have never really used that. Focusing, by the way, is in many situations much faster than AF. Birds are a good example, as there are often twiggs and leaves near or just in front of the birds, which irritate the AF (not only on Pentax cameras....) Manual focusing is much better and with the rapid focus lens, also really much faster. -- The more I write, the more I think, I should use it more often. Ben

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04-06-2009, 06:12 PM	#15
Douglas_of_Sweden Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,374	Originally posted by hinman Based on my limited research, the Novoflex is a much more capable lens but I don't recall seeing it adapted to Pentax mount. I thought the Novoflex only have Canon, Nikon and perhaps some other 4/3rd mount with extra adapter. Do you own the Novoflex lens? I am planning to go low profile with the Tair-3 as in using it on a tripod in the beginning. Thanks, Hin There is (or at least were) certainly K mount's for Novoflex, though it is some 20 years since I tried one myself. No I don't own one, unfortunately. Was bidding on one a while ago, but it went to far up for my taste. If you are reasonable good at shooting (with a riffle), steady hands, sharp eyes, you can do very well with the Novoflex hand held. That was the whole idea with it. Putting it on a tripod would limit your actions very much. This was a very popular lens with both sport photographers and wild life photographers before AF. And I have no trouble believing Ben when he says that it still beats AF in many situations. Most human brains out runs all DSLR processors on this point. Will be interresting to see what you can do with this Russion monster.