Hiking with Tamron SP 500mm f/8.0 adaptall-2 55BB Mirror Lens

2010-10-18
I am finding my mono-pod having an important role in my hiking with heavy and long lens. Our family went to hiking in the same park on both Sunday and Monday. The Monday's hike had a purpose as my wife's lost one of the glass in the hiking trail and my younger boy vividly recall a piece of circular glass on the hiking trail. All pictures taken with Pentax K20D and Tamron SP 500mm f/8.0 adaptall-2 55BB on a mono-pod.

Hiking with Tamron 500mm f/8.0 adaptall-2 55BB Mirror Lens
It is easier for me to catch up with my faster family who ran ahead of me searching for the missing glass.

Hiking with Tamron 500mm f/8.0 adaptall-2 55BB Mirror Lens
And my older boy has a tendency in avoiding and running away from my camera.

Hiking with Tamron 500mm f/8.0 adaptall-2 55BB Mirror Lens

The lens allow me to see farther objects in a good distance as in 50 feet and it allow me to see a view with detail on interesting crop on unnoticed objects in a distance
Hiking with Tamron 500mm f/8.0 adaptall-2 55BB Mirror Lens
Hiking with Tamron 500mm f/8.0 adaptall-2 55BB Mirror Lens
The doughnut bokeh can be annoying to some and I find it distracting at times but there are few exceptions that I ran into recent shooting. You can see all the donuts bokeh rings about sunset timing and I quite like the doughnut bokeh in the sunset lighting -- very unique.
Hiking with Tamron 500mm f/8.0 adaptall-2 55BB Mirror Lens

The off focus rendering can be artistic and I really love my inability to focus on MF on this shot
Hiking with Tamron 500mm f/8.0 adaptall-2 55BB Mirror Lens
And I love these two shots of my older boy though they are not perfectly in focus, the off focus rendering is soft and blend in well without the distraction
Hiking with Tamron 500mm f/8.0 adaptall-2 55BB Mirror Lens
Hiking with Tamron 500mm f/8.0 adaptall-2 55BB Mirror Lens
And I can make a still shot of animals such as a goose in a distance

Hiking with Tamron 500mm f/8.0 adaptall-2 55BB Mirror Lens
And close up with this mirror lens quite usable as long as the background is farther away from the subject. When background is too close, I do see harsh bokeh and sometime the doughnut bokeh do happen especially if you look for them.

Hiking with Tamron 500mm f/8.0 adaptall-2 55BB Mirror Lens


Hiking with Tamron 500mm f/8.0 adaptall-2 55BB Mirror Lens



Impressions & Notes

For readers who have an interest in mirror lens, I will try to sum up the experience and a caution to set the expectation correct
  • It is important to find the brand that is recommended by trusted sources. I will concentrate on Tamron 55B, 55BB adaptall-2, Sigma cat 400mm f/5.6 and 600mm f/8.0 and Tokina 500mm f/8.0 and perhaps few others
  • Doughnut bokeh are there. Some can be distracting especially when the background object is at a close distance.
  • MF is the key thing in getting the shots. The beauty in the mirror lens lies in small size and compact form factor. This misleads me to use it hand-held. However, the best pictures and better keeper ratio does come from the use with mono-pod. With the extra investment, you will enjoy the mirror lens UP a notch or two.
  • The speed at f/8.0 is not meant for fast moving objects. You will be disappointed when you compare the mirror lens to a good f/5.6 in 400mm in shooting objects in a distance with fast movement.
  • Lower contrast and flat color on pictures are some of the factors that turn people off from mirror lens. I will have some bragging rights on the Tamron 55BB as the color and contrast are at a different camp when compared to the Vivitar 500mm f/8.0 that I previously owned. Don't cheap out in getting a $80 mirror lens as it is not even worth $8.0 for the shipping fee.
  • There is no fringing in mirror lens as far as I know
  • Tamron 55BB is a later version after the 55B. And 55BB doesn't have a tripod mount. I find it alright to use the tripod mount on camera and it is an non-issue when I use my 55BB.
  • Perhaps more to come when I remember them

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Welcome to Hin's Photo Corner, this is my learning blog on photography, blogging and advertising. And I hope you enjoy your visit. For contact, please comment in blog post or email me directly hintheman at gmail.com.

 

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