The Mirror Lens Club!

cooltouch · 10-02-2019, 09:07 PM

Originally posted by Piotrek K

Can a telescope qualify here? The above photo was made with my Sky-Watcher BK 1145 (500 mm f4.4) and Pentax Q. Few frames stacked in Registax.

If your Sky-Watcher is a mirror, sure it'll work here.

edri · 10-02-2019, 11:16 PM - **1 Like**

Alfo 300/5.6

Piotrek K · 10-03-2019, 01:02 AM

Originally posted by cooltouch

If your Sky-Watcher is a mirror, sure it'll work here.

Yes, of course - it is "small" with 114 mm mirror.

Thagomizer · 10-03-2019, 07:49 AM

Originally posted by edri

Alfo 300/5.6

That looks like a very small deer! Maybe this should be in the macro section...

rmcnelly · 10-04-2019, 02:55 PM - **1 Like**

Pentax Q-S1 w/Tamron 55B SP 500mm/8, no crop.

**marcusBMG** · 10-04-2019, 03:02 PM

Another good one there rmcnelly. Do you have any particular techniques or tricks for these shots?

rmcnelly · 10-04-2019, 06:28 PM

Originally posted by marcusBMG

Another good one there rmcnelly. Do you have any particular techniques or tricks for these shots?

If bringing the camera outside from an air conditioned or heated room, the lens needs to settle down to the outside temp. It’s a relatively small lens compared to telescopes, but it helps to let them settle to the outside temp.

This one was shot in the late afternoon and the sky was blue. Less contrast to deal with. Sometimes the atmosphere has too much temperature variations at different altitudes, and under those “seeing conditions” it’s much harder to get a good shot. Think of looking down a long asphalt highway on a really hot day, and how the image shimmers above it due to the heat. I suspect the atmosphere is more stable well after nightfall or during the day, less so at sunset or sunrise.

You’ll also get a better image when the moon is high up in the sky, when it’s low on the horizon you are looking through much more of the atmosphere, with more temperature fluctuations. Having the fixed display on the back of the Q makes it really tough to shoot straight overhead.

I have a magnifier attached to the back of the Q-S1 to help focus on the rear display, and use the camera’s zoom in on focus mode and have the focus highlight turned off. I just focus by what looks sharpest to my eye. Set the camera to the lowest iso, this was iso 100, 1/250 sec exposure using 2 sec shutter delay. I took about 10 shots and refocused every 2-3, and chose the best one to edit.

I used Lr to edit with a B&W Profile. I just play with all the sliders to get a black sky and brighten up the light areas. You can also adjust the color temperature and tint sliders as it will alter the brightness/contrast of the B&W image. I ended up not using much sharpening, whatever I tried looked bad. You can also adjust clarity and dehaze to get more detail, but it’s easy to go over board.

I’m certainly no expert at this, but hope it helps.

**marcusBMG** · 10-05-2019, 06:24 AM - **1 Like**

Thanks for that, very informative, pretty similar to how I set about things when I try moon shots. I generally use a remote cable too.

I had a couple of lessons when I tried to shoot the lunar elipse back in the spring with just acquired at the time 150-450mm. Moon when well into the eclipse was too dim to focus on accurately! And I realised belatedly I had astro capability with my K3-ii but hadn't got it figured out...

rmcnelly · 10-05-2019, 05:45 PM - **3 Likes**

Moon tonight. Left this in color.
Q-S1 w/Tamron 55B SP 500mm/8 Mirror

Thagomizer · 10-05-2019, 06:57 PM

Originally posted by rmcnelly

Moon tonight. Left this in color.
Q-S1 w/Tamron 55B SP 500mm/8 Mirror

Good detail along the terminator. I'll have shoot the moon with my 55BB. After all, it's obligatory for a mirror lens!

StarTroop · 10-06-2019, 06:15 AM - **4 Likes**

Nice moon shots! I also tried to shoot the last lunar eclipse with my Sigma 600mm f/8, though they didn't turn out anywhere near that sharp. I think perhaps the moon was too dim to really focus on, and the shutter speed probably was a little too slow (and ISO too high). It was also freezing cold and windy so it wasn't really the best time to be standing still taking technical shots for an hour. I still wonder if I should have gone for the 55B instead of the Sigma, but I have enough great results with the Sigma that I'm not disappointed.

Here's a portrait of one of my cats, shot from probably 10-ish metres away. I think it's just sharp enough in the right spots, and pleasingly soft everywhere else to make a nice portrait. Just goes to show what a little editing can do to bring out the full potential of these mirror lenses on a digital camera.

jack002 · 10-07-2019, 09:12 AM

Originally posted by rmcnelly

Moon tonight. Left this in color.
Q-S1 w/Tamron 55B SP 500mm/8 Mirror

Love this image! I plan to get a Tamron 500mm too. This is too good not to get.

Thagomizer · 10-07-2019, 09:58 AM

Originally posted by jack002

Love this image! I plan to get a Tamron 500mm too. This is too good not to get.

As there's no aperture to control, you can get by without the A contacts and get a cheaper Tamron adapter.

**Reality_Check** · 10-07-2019, 10:11 AM

There are some great photos in this thread! I bought an old Russian (Red "U") MTO 1000mm/F10 lens awhile back (much to my wife's chagrin.) Ended up sending it to a friend for him to play with while the wife settles down, but now I'm anxious to get my hands back on it again and take it out for a test drive!

jack002 · 10-07-2019, 12:30 PM

Originally posted by Thagomizer

As there's no aperture to control, you can get by without the A contacts and get a cheaper Tamron adapter.

Yes, the adaptall 2, as I understand. I now have a 500mm lens that is also f8, so I expect this to work the same, just better focus

10-06-2019, 06:15 AM - 4 Likes	#1076
StarTroop Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 175	Nice moon shots! I also tried to shoot the last lunar eclipse with my Sigma 600mm f/8, though they didn't turn out anywhere near that sharp. I think perhaps the moon was too dim to really focus on, and the shutter speed probably was a little too slow (and ISO too high). It was also freezing cold and windy so it wasn't really the best time to be standing still taking technical shots for an hour. I still wonder if I should have gone for the 55B instead of the Sigma, but I have enough great results with the Sigma that I'm not disappointed. Here's a portrait of one of my cats, shot from probably 10-ish metres away. I think it's just sharp enough in the right spots, and pleasingly soft everywhere else to make a nice portrait. Just goes to show what a little editing can do to bring out the full potential of these mirror lenses on a digital camera. Last edited by StarTroop; 10-06-2019 at 06:20 AM.

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10-02-2019, 09:07 PM	#1066
cooltouch Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Houston, Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 982	Originally posted by Piotrek K Can a telescope qualify here? The above photo was made with my Sky-Watcher BK 1145 (500 mm f4.4) and Pentax Q. Few frames stacked in Registax. If your Sky-Watcher is a mirror, sure it'll work here.

10-02-2019, 11:16 PM - 1 Like	#1067
edri Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: walking in the air Posts: 1,315	Alfo 300/5.6

10-03-2019, 01:02 AM	#1068
Piotrek K Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,384	Originally posted by cooltouch If your Sky-Watcher is a mirror, sure it'll work here. Yes, of course - it is "small" with 114 mm mirror.

10-03-2019, 07:49 AM	#1069
Thagomizer Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: London Ontario Posts: 2,068	Originally posted by edri Alfo 300/5.6 That looks like a very small deer! Maybe this should be in the macro section...

10-04-2019, 02:55 PM - 1 Like	#1070
rmcnelly Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Portsmouth, VA Posts: 94	Pentax Q-S1 w/Tamron 55B SP 500mm/8, no crop.

10-04-2019, 03:02 PM	#1071
marcusBMG Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: North Wales Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,869	Another good one there rmcnelly. Do you have any particular techniques or tricks for these shots?

10-04-2019, 06:28 PM	#1072
rmcnelly Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Portsmouth, VA Posts: 94	Originally posted by marcusBMG Another good one there rmcnelly. Do you have any particular techniques or tricks for these shots? If bringing the camera outside from an air conditioned or heated room, the lens needs to settle down to the outside temp. It’s a relatively small lens compared to telescopes, but it helps to let them settle to the outside temp. This one was shot in the late afternoon and the sky was blue. Less contrast to deal with. Sometimes the atmosphere has too much temperature variations at different altitudes, and under those “seeing conditions” it’s much harder to get a good shot. Think of looking down a long asphalt highway on a really hot day, and how the image shimmers above it due to the heat. I suspect the atmosphere is more stable well after nightfall or during the day, less so at sunset or sunrise. You’ll also get a better image when the moon is high up in the sky, when it’s low on the horizon you are looking through much more of the atmosphere, with more temperature fluctuations. Having the fixed display on the back of the Q makes it really tough to shoot straight overhead. I have a magnifier attached to the back of the Q-S1 to help focus on the rear display, and use the camera’s zoom in on focus mode and have the focus highlight turned off. I just focus by what looks sharpest to my eye. Set the camera to the lowest iso, this was iso 100, 1/250 sec exposure using 2 sec shutter delay. I took about 10 shots and refocused every 2-3, and chose the best one to edit. I used Lr to edit with a B&W Profile. I just play with all the sliders to get a black sky and brighten up the light areas. You can also adjust the color temperature and tint sliders as it will alter the brightness/contrast of the B&W image. I ended up not using much sharpening, whatever I tried looked bad. You can also adjust clarity and dehaze to get more detail, but it’s easy to go over board. I’m certainly no expert at this, but hope it helps.

10-05-2019, 06:24 AM - 1 Like	#1073
marcusBMG Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: North Wales Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,869	Thanks for that, very informative, pretty similar to how I set about things when I try moon shots. I generally use a remote cable too. I had a couple of lessons when I tried to shoot the lunar elipse back in the spring with just acquired at the time 150-450mm. Moon when well into the eclipse was too dim to focus on accurately! And I realised belatedly I had astro capability with my K3-ii but hadn't got it figured out...

10-05-2019, 05:45 PM - 3 Likes	#1074
rmcnelly Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Portsmouth, VA Posts: 94	Moon tonight. Left this in color. Q-S1 w/Tamron 55B SP 500mm/8 Mirror

10-05-2019, 06:57 PM	#1075
Thagomizer Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: London Ontario Posts: 2,068	Originally posted by rmcnelly Moon tonight. Left this in color. Q-S1 w/Tamron 55B SP 500mm/8 Mirror Good detail along the terminator. I'll have shoot the moon with my 55BB. After all, it's obligatory for a mirror lens!

10-07-2019, 09:12 AM	#1077
jack002 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Missouri Photos: Albums Posts: 727	Originally posted by rmcnelly Moon tonight. Left this in color. Q-S1 w/Tamron 55B SP 500mm/8 Mirror Love this image! I plan to get a Tamron 500mm too. This is too good not to get.

10-07-2019, 09:58 AM	#1078
Thagomizer Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: London Ontario Posts: 2,068	Originally posted by jack002 Love this image! I plan to get a Tamron 500mm too. This is too good not to get. As there's no aperture to control, you can get by without the A contacts and get a cheaper Tamron adapter.

10-07-2019, 10:11 AM	#1079
Reality_Check Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Nashville Photos: Albums Posts: 394	There are some great photos in this thread! I bought an old Russian (Red "U") MTO 1000mm/F10 lens awhile back (much to my wife's chagrin.) Ended up sending it to a friend for him to play with while the wife settles down, but now I'm anxious to get my hands back on it again and take it out for a test drive!

10-07-2019, 12:30 PM	#1080
jack002 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Missouri Photos: Albums Posts: 727	Originally posted by Thagomizer As there's no aperture to control, you can get by without the A contacts and get a cheaper Tamron adapter. Yes, the adaptall 2, as I understand. I now have a 500mm lens that is also f8, so I expect this to work the same, just better focus