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Mirrored birds · 07:41 AM

Corny title, but no creative juices flowing at the moment... doing the night shift.
Put these on the Mirror lens club - taken by the Tamron 500/8 mirror, a decently sharp lens and very good in good light - hard to get focus right (even with trap focus) particularly with closer distances than 5m (as with most mirrors).

Uncropped, minimal PP.
Not the most stunning captures - just to share what a mirror lens can do.

Darren M · 09-01-2009, 08:26 AM

All are nice shots, though the first two do seem to have the lower contrast and odd bokeh of a mirror lens. Numbers 3 & 4 are really nice, no matter what lens was used.

scott-devon · 09-01-2009, 09:04 AM

Very nice! Especially the third one.

**Ash** · 09-01-2009, 09:52 AM

Thanks guys.
All were taken with the mirror lens.
Yeah, not the most contrasty, but reasonably sharp I think... for a mirror.

deadwolfbones · 09-01-2009, 09:57 AM

#4 is frankly amazing for a mirror lens. Great work!

**Ash** · 09-01-2009, 10:03 AM

Thanks mate.
I'm quite impressed how it does perform, but do choose not to include much of the halo bokeh in much of my shots...

imtheguy · 09-01-2009, 10:27 AM

Really nice detail for a mirror. I should know as I have wasted many hours trying to pull white feather detail out of a mass of blur. Sometimes the light just clicks right and you get a shot that works well although your "minimal PP" is not something I typically have the luxery of enjoying. Especially the Egrets you shot speak highly for your skill with the lens regardless of PP. Thanks for reminding me that it CAN be done.

**Ash** · 09-01-2009, 10:34 AM

Appreciate your kind comment Lee.
Trap focus really does help in these circumstances.
Granted the light was working in my favour that day.
Thanks again.

JMR · 09-01-2009, 01:09 PM

Good images, but the third strikes me as outstanding. Well done.

JMR

**Ash** · 09-01-2009, 02:21 PM

Thanks JMR.
Much appreciated.

flippedgazelle · 09-01-2009, 07:24 PM

Excellent work all around, Ash, and especially on the last 2. In fact, only the curious bokeh gives away the lens's mirrored-ness, IMO. Just fantastic work you've done!

**Ash** · 09-01-2009, 07:28 PM

Thank you.
It's quite a decent lens to shoot with too. Easy to handle and focus as well as robust.

photolady95 · 09-01-2009, 07:31 PM

Quite nicely done Ash. I don't have a favorite among your shots, all are great!!

Btw, I heard a long time ago when I first started shooting that mirror lenses were crap. Wish I could remember who told me that, I'd show them your photos and prove them wrong.

**Heinrich Lohmann** · 09-01-2009, 07:42 PM

Ash, that are truly amazing images for a mirror lens. I'm not going to pick a favourite, they are all good.

**Ash** · 09-01-2009, 07:49 PM

Thank you both.
I think the Tamron mirror is quite a find - I'll be using it more often... when I can find suitable subjects to shoot...

Ash
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09-01-2009, 08:26 AM	#2
Darren M Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Posts: 130	All are nice shots, though the first two do seem to have the lower contrast and odd bokeh of a mirror lens. Numbers 3 & 4 are really nice, no matter what lens was used.

09-01-2009, 09:04 AM	#3
scott-devon Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Alberta Posts: 2,140	Very nice! Especially the third one.

09-01-2009, 09:52 AM	#4
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920 Original Poster	Thanks guys. All were taken with the mirror lens. Yeah, not the most contrasty, but reasonably sharp I think... for a mirror.

09-01-2009, 09:57 AM	#5
deadwolfbones Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Santa Fe, NM Posts: 7,451	#4 is frankly amazing for a mirror lens. Great work!

09-01-2009, 10:03 AM	#6
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920 Original Poster	Thanks mate. I'm quite impressed how it does perform, but do choose not to include much of the halo bokeh in much of my shots...

09-01-2009, 10:27 AM	#7
imtheguy Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,950	Really nice detail for a mirror. I should know as I have wasted many hours trying to pull white feather detail out of a mass of blur. Sometimes the light just clicks right and you get a shot that works well although your "minimal PP" is not something I typically have the luxery of enjoying. Especially the Egrets you shot speak highly for your skill with the lens regardless of PP. Thanks for reminding me that it CAN be done.

09-01-2009, 10:34 AM	#8
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920 Original Poster	Appreciate your kind comment Lee. Trap focus really does help in these circumstances. Granted the light was working in my favour that day. Thanks again.

09-01-2009, 01:09 PM	#9
JMR Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 3,332	Good images, but the third strikes me as outstanding. Well done. JMR

09-01-2009, 02:21 PM	#10
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920 Original Poster	Thanks JMR. Much appreciated.

09-01-2009, 07:24 PM	#11
flippedgazelle Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: NJ, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,270	Excellent work all around, Ash, and especially on the last 2. In fact, only the curious bokeh gives away the lens's mirrored-ness, IMO. Just fantastic work you've done!

09-01-2009, 07:28 PM	#12
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920 Original Poster	Thank you. It's quite a decent lens to shoot with too. Easy to handle and focus as well as robust.

09-01-2009, 07:31 PM	#13
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Quite nicely done Ash. I don't have a favorite among your shots, all are great!! Btw, I heard a long time ago when I first started shooting that mirror lenses were crap. Wish I could remember who told me that, I'd show them your photos and prove them wrong.

09-01-2009, 07:42 PM	#14
Heinrich Lohmann Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Airdrie, Alberta Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,097	Ash, that are truly amazing images for a mirror lens. I'm not going to pick a favourite, they are all good.

09-01-2009, 07:49 PM	#15
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920 Original Poster	Thank you both. I think the Tamron mirror is quite a find - I'll be using it more often... when I can find suitable subjects to shoot...

Mirrored birds

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