[Canada_Rockies]

Wow! I think acquiring and using these huge long lenses is a specialized area of photography.

My longest combination is the M 400/5.6 with AFA 1.7x on the back (680 mm). Completely unusable without my Manfrotto 055B tripod and a solid head. If an observer sneezes within 30 meters, the thing shakes.

[ivanvernon]

My longest combination is the M 400/5.6 with AFA 1.7x on the back (680 mm). Completely unusable without my Manfrotto 055B tripod and a solid head. If an observer sneezes within 30 meters, the thing shakes.

Amazing!

[tim60]

Wow! I think acquiring and using these huge long lenses is a specialized area of photography.

Sure is. They are quite an effort to learn to use.

[Canada_Rockies]

Sure is. They are quite an effort to learn to use.

But when it all comes together, the effort pays off big time.

[WPRESTO]

The longest setup I use is an old Nikon 600mm with an MFT body on the back (either an Oly 10 mkII or a Pany GX8). It's like having 1200mm on FF. Mounted on a sturdy tripod, I swear it bounces in rhythm with my heartbeat. Very difficult system to use, starting with trying to find the subject through the viewfinder. When everything goes right, the results are quite good.

[Canada_Rockies]

The longest setup I use is an old Nikon 600mm with an MFT body on the back (either an Oly 10 mkII or a Pany GX8). It's like having 1200mm on FF. Mounted on a sturdy tripod, I swear it bounces in rhythm with my heartbeat. Very difficult system to use, starting with trying to find the subject through the viewfinder. When everything goes right, the results are quite good.

Asahi had a great idea when they made the little knob that holds the hood in place on the M 400 into a shotgun front sight. Gets in the neighborhood quite nicely when trying to find a subject. Even at 680 mm. Especially at 680 mm. A bit wider field of view (1,020) than Walter's setup.

[Marcus Rowland]

Another interesting day:

A Photax 500mm f8 in very good condition for £10
A Prazisa rangefinder, Hanimex 105 f2.8, and two 72mm closeup lenses for £10
And a Ricoh KR-5superII body with Rikenon 50mm f2 and case for a fiver!

The Hanimex has jammed focusing which can probably be fixed, otherwise everything is working well and should turn a useful profit - in fact the 500mm looks better than the one I've got, I may end up swapping.

[ChrisPlatt]

Tamron Adaptall 35-70mm f/3.5 lens, model 17A

I had one of these years ago, and liked it.
Though it's not an SP lens it is excellent.

Chris

[monochrome]

Tamron Adaptall 35-70mm f/3.5 lens, model 17A

I had one of these years ago, and liked it.
Though it's not an SP lens it is excellent.

Chris

I have that lens!

.:

[cyberjunkie]

Wow! I think acquiring and using these huge long lenses is a specialized area of photography.

Yes, it is.
The gun-like aim thingie that has being mentioned (regarding a 400mm M) is of some help finding the subject, both on tripod and handheld.
It can be found in other lenses, like the Takumar/Pentax 4.5/500mm and the Soligor 800mm i showed in my previous post.
I own both, plus the Prakticar chimney.
The two enemies are atmospheric haze and hand shake. A solid tripod, or at leas a bean bag, is highly recommended.

The best non-AF solution is the Novoflex follow-focus system.
With some subjects it works much better than AF. Aquatic birds, for example. The AF often locks in the wrong place, and sometimes even using the central sensor and reframing is not going to work, cause the subject moves.
There is a learning curve, but after a while it's even possible to follow birds in flight...
The 400mm triplet is quite good,and the longer focals are more than decent, taking care of fringing in PP. Reportedly quite close to Leitz's achromatic doublets, and way better than cheap japanese ones.
I have all the heads, up to 640mm (second generation), and 600mm (third generation). The last one, PIGRIFF IV, has lens heads with iris, and it can't use the optics of the three previous versions.

I used all these cannons for birding, not so often, but with much fun.
Now I live abroad, and I have no wetlands in a range of a least 1000Km, so all of them are in indefinite standby.
I even left home the Sigma 120-400mm AF HSM, cause modern lenses are a nest for fungus, in a hot, humid environment.
Maybe next time I will bring a little cousin of the cannons mentioned above: the Enna 4.5/400mm. I have a rare MC version. It's a beautiful lens, very well built (unlike many other Enna), and hopefully it won't attract fungi. It's also a very decent performer.
Here is its single coated twin, in T mount, that sooner or later will go on sale (I have to trick myself into thinking that's a duplicate... I promised to sell at least the duplicates, cause the lenses are starting to eat up the space in the house that should be reserved to humans! )

[ivanvernon]

Yes, it is.
The gun-like aim thingie that has being mentioned (regarding a 400mm M) is of some help finding the subject, both on tripod and handheld.
It can be found in other lenses, like the Takumar/Pentax 4.5/500mm and the Soligor 800mm i showed in my previous post.
I own both, plus the Prakticar chimney.
The two enemies are atmospheric haze and hand shake. A solid tripod, or at leas a bean bag, is highly recommended.

The best non-AF solution is the Novoflex follow-focus system.
With some subjects it works much better than AF. Aquatic birds, for example. The AF often locks in the wrong place, and sometimes even using the central sensor and reframing is not going to work, cause the subject moves.
There is a learning curve, but after a while it's even possible to follow birds in flight...
The 400mm triplet is quite good,and the longer focals are more than decent, taking care of fringing in PP. Reportedly quite close to Leitz's achromatic doublets, and way better than cheap japanese ones.
I have all the heads, up to 640mm (second generation), and 600mm (third generation). The last one, PIGRIFF IV, has lens heads with iris, and it can't use the optics of the three previous versions.

I used all these cannons for birding, not so often, but with much fun.
Now I live abroad, and I have no wetlands in a range of a least 1000Km, so all of them are in indefinite standby.
I even left home the Sigma 120-400mm AF HSM, cause modern lenses are a nest for fungus, in a hot, humid environment.
Maybe next time I will bring a little cousin of the cannons mentioned above: the Enna 4.5/400mm. I have a rare MC version. It's a beautiful lens, very well built (unlike many other Enna), and hopefully it won't attract fungi. It's also a very decent performer.
Here is its single coated twin, in T mount, that sooner or later will go on sale (I have to trick myself into thinking that's a duplicate... I promised to sell at least the duplicates, cause the lenses are starting to eat up the space in the house that should be reserved to humans! )

Thanks for this great information. I need to get started by securing a proper tripod, but have been delaying.

[ChrisPlatt]

Sigma 24mm f/2.8 KAF lens
SMC Pentax-F 50/1.7 lens

Both lenses are from PF members.

Chris

[Arjay Bee]

The best non-AF solution is the Novoflex follow-focus system.

Check the reviews here: Novoflex Noflexar modular PIGRIFF system 240mm, 280mm, 300mm, 400mm, 600mm, 64cm Lens Reviews - Miscellaneous Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

Still need powerlifter arms to be able to use this rig without a support of some kind. Very eye catching as a fashion accessory when moving around in built up areas.

[cyberjunkie]

Check the reviews here: Novoflex Noflexar modular PIGRIFF system 240mm, 280mm, 300mm, 400mm, 600mm, 64cm Lens Reviews - Miscellaneous Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

Still need powerlifter arms to be able to use this rig without a support of some kind. Very eye catching as a fashion accessory when moving around in built up areas.

I used it handheld AND on tripod in a wetland bird reserve not far from where I was born.
Nice birdwatching sheds a short walk from a parking lot.
Good long focus achromats like the Noflexar and the Leitz Telyt have huge coverage. Using the center of the image circle allows to keep most of the aberration out of the frame.

The weight of the PIGRIFF rig is not as vexing as you might think. Both hands can be used to keep the mount steady (especially using the accessory shoulder rest, with a nice strap), and balance the weight on two or three points.
The main problem of long focals is the minimum focusing distance. The PIGRIFF has either in-body extension (version 3 and 4), or the BAL-U accessory bellows (version 1 and 2).
This is a nice way to reduce MFD, or allow to use a lens head with a shorter focal (like the 240mm) for "macro hunting". The longest macro head (200mm) should be adaptable, too.
The optics used by Novoflex (long focals and macros) were designed by Staeble, a respected german lens maker that made top class repro objectives.
The mount was so good to be used by Tamron for a long zoom, and by Leitz for their Telyt lens heads.
All Novoflex products had, and still have, first class german build. IMHO the scarce diffusion of their products in english-speaking countries affects the perception of the brand.
I wrote a short review of the 35mm macro, used on crop format. The mechanical design is a bit extreme, and doesn't hold up so well after years of rough use, but the optic is still very good, surprisingly so.
I have in mind to write a review of the PIGRIFF lens heads. First I need to try them on FF, though.

One important clarification.
The third and fourth versions of the PIGRIFF have a mini-jack socket, so any Pentax DSLR can be triggered with a standard Canon cable with two male mini-jacks.
This means that the only time you need to move one hand from the "machine gun" is when you have to set the diaphragm. The focusing is adjusted depressing the "trigger" with your right first finger.

Any AF camera/lens combo can be used the same way using one of those video camera rigs with shoulder rest.
I own have a nice one that I used long time ago with a Canon Hi8 video camera.
It's a highly recommended solution, but I see that's not very popular...

@ivanvernon writes he's considering the acquisition of a sturdy tripod.
Fortunately not so long ago many photographers used big film cameras, so there are plenty of used solid tripods on eBay (or any other source).
Those living in the EU can find bomb-proof wooden Berlebach tripods, either with geared column, or with a ball-head tilting one.
North american citiziens can find used Ries tripods, or aluminium movie tripods made by smaller brands.
Wood absorbs vibrations much better than metal, but in this field weights matters!
Of course all these tripods are "car trunk" gear.
There is no easy shorttcut, a very solid carbon fiber solution involves some serious bulk, and plenty of money
I often see huge cameras with giant objectives on expensive (but child-sized) carbon tripods. No surprise so many posts report poor image quality.
Lenses with no tripod ring, or very unbalanced, need a solid tripod set on solid ground. On top of this, shutter and mirror shake need to be absorbed, not resonate with the stand structure...

[jtkratzer]

Prism arrived from an eBay purchase.