[nater]

If anyone here in the forum bought that Sigma XQ 500mm f4 K-mount mirror lens that was on ebay, I'd love to see some pictures from it!

[alfa75ts]

Well, at last a few from me.

First to set the stage, one from a Pentax F 100-300 @ 100



Next the big fella with my Sigma 600/f8



Now the lioness over the back (Sigma 600/f8)



The first three shots were through a window so here's one without glass in the way (Sigma 600/f8)



Larger images here. Note: All handheld.

[jogiba]

If anyone here in the forum bought that Sigma XQ 500mm f4 K-mount mirror lens that was on ebay, I'd love to see some pictures from it!

I had a 500mm F4 Sigma mirror about 20 years ago and it had very low contrast.

[Banjo]

Well, at last a few from me.

First to set the stage, one from a Pentax F 100-300 @ 100



Next the big fella with my Sigma 600/f8



.

This is why they're called lions: 'cause they're "lyin'" around all day.

[alfa75ts]

This is why they're called lions: 'cause they're "lyin'" around all day.

Yep, after you pay they tell you that lions sleep 22 hours a day.

[WheresWaldo]

I dusted off my Sigma 600mm f8 mirror that I have owned since new, it had a lot of dust on it! Shot this outside my front door. Must play with this lens some more.

Shot handheld with K20D in RAW DNG contrast and sharpness boosted with no other post processing.

[imtheguy]

Fine quality mirror shot, complete with mini donuts, for all the mailbox freaks out there.

[WheresWaldo]

Fine quality mirror shot, complete with mini donuts, for all the mailbox freaks out there.

I had recently rained and while the sun was shining (don't know how you can shoot a mirror if the sun isn't shining) there was still some water on the road.

[Trig]

I'll join in:


1000mm (approx. 1500mm in 35mm)
1/15s
f/6.3
ISO100

I am loving the mirror lens. Lots of fun.

[GerryL]

Here's some from my recently acquired 500mm mirror lens.
With a bit of PP some of the photos I took in one session are acceptable.
These were shot without any filters.
I will do some tests and take some shots with filters. I bet those will turn out better.

[ivoire]

a couple from the russian 3M-5A-MC 500mm f8 mirror lens

[thoughton]

Ooh ooh can I join in

Got my first mirror lens last week, the Tamron 500mm. All I've done is moon shots, this is my best so far:

[Optical Illusion]

Hey - I got one too! (I blame Marc Sabatella - I don't even have my camera yet! ) It's a Quantaray 500 f8 - is it a good one? Supposedly it is a Sigma clone? It came with a Canon FD T-mount so I was able to view through it with my dad's old Canon FTb (what I learned on). Seemed OK, but I did notice that if focuses "past" infinity. So I have to back up on the focus ring by a milimiter or so, maybe a degree of rotation...

Can that be adjusted?

Looking forward to trying some shots on a SR camera! My total cost was $39 for the lens and another $8 for the K-mount T-mount, so $47 total! Not bad!

[barondla]

The lens focuses past infinity for a reason. Depending on the temperature of the lens, the infinity point is at different focus settings! All long focal length lenses do this. With large telescopes you can see the optics settle down when taking them from the house to outdoors.

Enjoy the lens. It will be an eye opener. 500mm allows many photos that one can't normally pull off.
thanks
barondla

Check out POINT & SHOOT CONTEST #25 in the compact camera forums. Enter #26 (2nd anniversary of contest). Any brand camera. Any subject. Enter now!

[Marc Sabatella]

Hey - I got one too! (I blame Marc Sabatella - I don't even have my camera yet! ) It's a Quantaray 500 f8 - is it a good one? Supposedly it is a Sigma clone?

Hey, don't blame me. Well, hmm, I guess I've blamed others for my purchases too, so OK I accept :-)

Anyhow, assuming it's a relatively new Quantaray, it's not a Sigma, but a Samyang - same as the Phoenix, Opteka, and Vivitar (ie, same one I have). It's average, but being one of the only ones currently available, and being very cheap and especially small & light, worth owning.

If your Quantaray is more than a few years old, then it probably isn't the Samyang, but I don't think there was ever a Sigma 500/8 for it to be a clone of.

Here is a reasonably completely list of mirror lenses, most including pictures, so you can see for yourself if it looks like one of the others or has similar specs:

mirror lenses.co.uk - your complete guide to mirror lens photography - lenses

Seemed OK, but I did notice that if focuses "past" infinity. So I have to back up on the focus ring by a milimiter or so, maybe a degree of rotation...

That's normal. No, it can't be adjusted - although FWIW, the T-mount can, if you are finding the lens doesn't appear to physically line up properly on the camera.