Mirror lenses!

The Vectis 400 was an August 2020 purchase. I spent some of the next couple of months scheming how I might make it work, then, fortunately, I was able to buy a new MonsterAdapter before I did any damage. It has quickly become my most used mirror.

I should also mention that the lens was designed for APS but does fill most of the full-frame with the exception of some vignetting in the corners.

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Edited by woodrim - 06 November 2021 at 15:21

Snegren wrote: Any advice on a mounting system for Vectis on Sony FE that is not totally Frankenstein?

I think Howard_S has got an adapter for that and used it with good result.

Here's a thread about it

I LOVE mirror lenses.
Thanks for starting this Leo. Gave me reason to dive in the archive.

I've used the 500 F/8 and owned the Samyang 300mm Reflex, an APS-C lens.
I sold it with all ASP-C stuff I had. With some regrets.
The lens is flexible, sharp (enough), MF
So, to show some proof

#1 At a Dyxym meet in London


#2 another deer


#3 short MFD, made it macro-like


#4 painterly like


#5 Leo's A7R


#6 and Leo himself of course

Same Londen meeting. Here visiting The Prospect of Whitby, one of London's oldest inns, for some stabilizers after a long walk.

#7 macro pizza


#8 I see you

with donuts

#9 discrete street


Hope I didn't overdo it
Maybe I should get myself a new copy.

Edited by Dopol - 06 November 2021 at 13:45

sybersitizen wrote: darosa wrote: ... High time these special lenses get a dedicated thread here on Dyxum, the more so as Minolta, and now Sony is famous for their unique AF mirror lens, the Reflex 8/500. I gently remind people that the lens - nice though it is - is not really unique as an AF mirror lens. Minolta also produced a 400mm AF mirror lens for the Vectis system. Carry on.

You're right, thanks!

woodrim wrote: addy landzaat wrote: Well, maybe I am missing something - but only Jump is typically mirror, the rest could've been taken with any long lens. Next an APO lens thread The beauty of a mirror lens in good hands is that the donuts can be controlled and the rendering can be quite nice. This isn't a thread to show donuts but what can be accomplished with a good mirror.

That is why I proposed an APO thread, to show the rendering of those lenses

I see you guys enjoy your mirrors!

sybersitizen wrote: darosa wrote: ... High time these special lenses get a dedicated thread here on Dyxum, the more so as Minolta, and now Sony is famous for their unique AF mirror lens, the Reflex 8/500. I gently remind people that the lens - nice though it is - is not really unique as an AF mirror lens. Minolta also produced a 400mm AF mirror lens for the Vectis system. Carry on.

Yes, and a wonderful lens it is.

Thank you for starting this thread, Leo.

Mike Idleidolidyll: That tree pops nicely. Great job on the bike pictures; I know how difficult it is to capture anything moving.

Basil: Those are some of the better images I've seen from the 800mm.

And Fred: You're missing some fun. Mirrors take some time to get used to and to develop technique.

I've been using mirrors since 2017 after giving them a second try. My first cats were not very good, which is an important lesson to understand when purchasing. After trying again and having bought a good one, I got hooked. I actually like the unique rendering provided by a mirror, I put up with the donuts, and have found the lenses that provide more than acceptable sharpness.

My mirror accumulation (not exactly a collection) is more than a dozen and has duplication of focal lengths. Some are better at close, some distance, and some just superior. Size and weight vary as well.

Technique is very important. Most if not all of the mirrors require precise focusing, more so than refractor lenses. And the depth of field is typically very narrow. Rules that we understand about normal optics don't seem to apply the same to cats. In addition to technique, I find it essential to use a mirrorless camera with focus magnification in order to obtain precise focus. This, of course, applies more to the manual focus lenses.

I consider this thread to be for mirror lenses of all types, not just the Minolta and Sony brands.

Dyxum is a collection of very good photographers. I look forward to seeing what others are accomplishing with mirrors.