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[OM] Re: [OM]Now my question 500mmreflex or 300mm tele

Subject: [OM] Re: [OM]Now my question 500mmreflex or 300mm tele
From: "Jeff Keller" <jrk_om@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 09:42:05 -0800
You might want to take a look at

<http://brashear.phys.appstate.edu/lhawkins/photo/mp-cat-tests.txt>.

I haven't tried astrophotography. When taking pictures of birds my limited
experience is
1.) the Celestron 750mm f6 mirror lens seems to work at least as well or
better than any mirror lens I've tried. The Zuiko might have slightly better
contrast though. The Celestron is big but fairly light. It's a breeze to
focus compared to the other slower mirror lenses.
2.) the Zuiko 500mm f8 is a very nice lens but difficult to focus. I have
never noticed contrast problems with it. If it were easier to focus it would
be a very sweet lens. I generally carry a 400mm instead of it.
3.) the Vivitar series 1 lenses are small, have a very nice feel, but are
heavy. The 800mm f11 is incredibly hard to focus. Taking pictures near water
at that focal length can be problematic because of heat waves. The Vivitar
probably doesn't control extraneous light very well. I've taken pictures
that showed a definite loss of contrast while others are fine. I plan on
keeping the lens because the size / focal length can't be matched.
Eventually I'll find a combination of focusing screen (and possibly
varimagni finder) that works well for the lens. So far the 1-8 seems to be
about the best, with the 2-4 nearly as good. I had an unexpected lack of
success with the 1-7. The 1-8 is useless with wide angle lenses so you have
to be prepared to swap screens or carry two bodies. I seem to be headed
towards carrying two bodies anyway.

I've never noticed vignetting with any of the lenses but bird photos
wouldn't normally show it.

The only way I could imagine catching a bike rider with any of the mirror
lenses would be to pre focus on where you think the bike will be and snap
the picture when he gets there. With the narrow angle of view you would have
to be pretty far away to make this worthwhile. Catching a close up would be
pretty difficult. If you can get close enough, the 300mm would be much
easier.

-jeff

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Cochran" <cochran@xxxxxxxx>
To: <olympus@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 5:23 AM
Subject: [OM] Re: [OM]Now my question 500mmreflex or 300mm tele


> Hi again and thanks again:
>
> It is a downhill competition so I guess that I can position myself quite
> strategicaly. I also have my other set of lenses for other coverage.
>
> On the 500mm. If anyone knows, How good for piggiback astronomical
pictures
> of the sky. I tend to think that it may be a good cheap alternative to
> buying a much more heavier Celestron telescope.(also f8)
>
> peace
>
> David
> >
> > Dave,
> >
> > One other artifact of mirror lenses that I don't believe was mentioned
is that
> > they usually produce a bit of vignetting around the edges of the film...
not
> > sure though if the Zuiko 500 exhibits this or not.
> >
> > Richard
> >


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