Yes - the alternative to hand-holding with

1/500th or faster shutter speed and "sharpness

bracketing" with about 4-5 frames is the use

of a very sturdy and well-damped tripod and

good technique. Oddly, good results at slower

speeds can be had with one of the big EDIF

lenses on a much worse tripod than the one you

use (and need for the short/light mirror),

due to the much greater physical length and

weight. And, as long lenses go, the older-style

Nikkor 500mm f8 mirror is a "bargain" lens...

 

On Thu, 2 Jan 2003 16:44:34 +0100, "Max Perl" <max_perl@post11.tele.dk> wrote:

 

>The older Nikkor 500/8 can be bourght very cheap. I was

>recommented to buy the latest version (maybe a bad

>recommendation). But anyway.....with the right technique it

>delivers sharp pictures. I bourght one the bigger Gitzo

>studio tripods to have a tripod which is very stable. A good

>test is to point the lens at the moon. If the moon does not vibrate

>even with a little wind the setup should be OK.

>I far as I remember the older Nikkor 500/8 can be bought for

>less than $200.

>

>Max

 

>"Neuman - Ruether" <d_ruether@hotmail.com> skrev i en meddelelse

>news:3e1852f6.4578449@newsstand.cit.cornell.edu...

>>

>> The newer, more compact Nikkor mirror is quite good as

>> mirrors go, but, surprisingly, the bigger old-style

>> f8 is even better, and is about as sharp (at its

>> effective f8 1/2...) as the big, fast EDIF lenses are

>> wide-open (purdy gud!) - and it is good enough to be

>> still sharp (at 700mm f11) used on the TC14/14B (not

>> TC14A or C). BTW, a secret: I get better results

>> hand-holding the 500mm f8 mirror! Shutter speed must

>> be 1/500th or faster, and it takes four frames to

>> get at least one sharp one, but the damping with

>> hand-holding is better than with most tripods...

>> (though the slower-speed oscillations aren't...;-).

>> (More at: www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/slemn.html.)

 

>> On Thu, 2 Jan 2003 13:23:55 +0100, "Max Perl"

>> <max_perl@post11.tele.dk> wrote:

>>

>> >I have the latest Nikkor 500/8. It take a little practise to make quality

>> >pictures with such a lens. It requires more than careful focusing because

>> >the viewfinder is dark and the focus has to be 100%. Then it also

>requires

>> >a very study tripod. I think it is up to the photographer how much you

>can

>> >get out of the lens. It is possible to get very high quality pictures

>from

>> >such

>> >a lens. And a nice feature witht the latest model is that it can focus

>down

>> >to 1.5m. This is close to 1:1 macro.

>> >

>> >Max

 

>> >"Jerry L." <ski2photo@netscape.net> skrev i en meddelelse

>> >news:dc01ac7.0301012029.134c8c2@posting.google.com...

>> >> If you can find an old Nikkor 500mm f8 mirror lens (circa. 1984-1990)

>> >> then you might have satisfactory results.  With the Lenco, you are

>> >> wasting film.

>> >> The engineering expertise needed to make a good mirror lens seems to

>> >> be limited to a few companies:  the cheaper the lens, the more likely

>> >> it will produce poor negatives or slides.

>> >> = = =

 

>> David Ruether

>>  d_ruether@hotmail.com

>>  http://www.David-Ruether-Photography.com

>> Hey, check out www.visitithaca.com too...!