DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register) 
 

DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> The Vivitar Solid Cat Lens
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 20 of 20, (reverse)
AuthorThread
 02/27/2006 11:57:26 PM · #1
I just received in the mail today a new lens, well, actually an old lens that looks like new:



This is a 600mm f/8 (fixed aperture) catadioptric (mirror) lens made by Vivitar in the '70s. The left photo shows the lens mounted on my 10D body. Now back in the those days, Vivitar's "Series 1" lenses were highly respected. This lens sold for what would be the equivalent of over $2,000 USD today. Still, I would not compare it optically with a Canon 600mm telephoto. It's admittedly a bit of a collector's item, but I mounted it to the 5D this evening and shot a couple pics around the house (tripod mounted of course!). I was actually pleasantly surprised that it's pretty darn sharp. Contrast is not that high, something common to pretty much all mirror lenses, but this is far and away better than any mirror lens I've previously tried.
BTW, what makes this lens unique is that, from the front glass back to the primary mirror it is solid glass! Yep, that's right, a chunk of glass over 75mm in diameter and about the same thickness. The optics were manufactured by Perkin Elmer, the same folks who made the optics for the Hubble telescope... and no, they didn't make the same mistake on this lens ;-)
Overall, I'm very happy with this find; I've wanted one for years, and here was one with an EOS mount. The lens is actually a T-mount lens, which means that it will mount to almost any 35mm SLR with the proper T-adapter. The EOS T-adapter was certainly added later, since I believe the lens pre-dates the introduction of the EOS mount.
 02/28/2006 12:06:41 AM · #2
Very cool. That's neat that it's so compact (bet it's heavy though, if its solid glass).
 02/28/2006 12:08:02 AM · #3
Originally posted by MadMan2k:
Very cool. That's neat that it's so compact (bet it's heavy though, if its solid glass).


It's a brick, LOL. I think it weighs more than the 5D body!
 02/28/2006 01:44:06 AM · #4
I can be a sucker for weird lenses with odd fitments. An early attempt at macro had me fitting a 135mm f2.8 Vivitar M42 (pentax/praktika screw) mount to my rebel, and to some adapter tubes. works well, but manually focusing without a prism screen sucks. and for speed, well, AF beats me very time LOL.
 02/28/2006 04:08:55 AM · #5
I actually owned one of those puppies, back in the day. I loved it. Used it for shooting the Chargers from the sidelines. What did it set you back?

R.
 02/28/2006 04:42:23 AM · #6
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
What did it set you back?

I'd imagine it came from the treasure trove that is eBay :o)
 02/28/2006 03:38:06 PM · #7
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
I actually owned one of those puppies, back in the day. I loved it. Used it for shooting the Chargers from the sidelines. What did it set you back?

R.


Heh heh... more than I really wanted to pay, actually. About what it cost new, but since it looks like it just came out of its original box, I'm very happy. Seriously looks brand new.
I did snag it on ebay; the one Manic linked to is an older auction and it's not in nearly as great shape as the copy I got hold of.
 02/28/2006 03:56:12 PM · #8
You get a very different bokeh with mirror lenses. The out of focus crowds at sports events make interesting shapes.
02/28/2006 04:05:16 PM · #9
Originally posted by hotpasta:
You get a very different bokeh with mirror lenses. The out of focus crowds at sports events make interesting shapes.


Indeed. It's not usually considered a good thing, and it is certainly different. It will be fun to experiment with this beast. It'll require a monopod at very least, the very short barrel and very long focal length takes shake to a new level!
 02/28/2006 04:18:00 PM · #10
got to see that first moon shot ;)
 02/28/2006 04:32:57 PM · #11
got any shots with it you'de care to share?

-Dan
 02/28/2006 05:21:18 PM · #12
Originally posted by ralphnev:
got to see that first moon shot ;)


A moon shot is defintiely in the works. I just received it yesterday, and I did not get home until 9:00 PM, so no outdoor opportunities as yet. It will be a couple days until there is a good opportunity for a moon shot for me.
 02/28/2006 05:33:30 PM · #13
Could have tried one of these...

//www.rugift.com/photocameras/rubinar_1000_lens.htm

But I haven't heard great things about the quality...
 02/28/2006 05:52:49 PM · #14
I always heard great things about the older Vivitar Cats, but I never seen one on the used market, espeically in as good a shape as yours. Ansel Adams shows an 800mm on page 61 of his book "The Camera", so it must be great, right?
 02/28/2006 06:00:22 PM · #15
I just got an adaptor for my Meade ETX-90 telescope, its equivalent to a 1250mm f/13.8 lens! I've only had a quick play with and I am quite surprised, only a bit of vignetting and its really sharp. I cant wait to see kirbics moon shots from that beast!
 02/28/2006 06:28:06 PM · #16
I just love this type 'old glass'. I have an ancient Wollensak 'Mirrotel' f/5.6, 420mm, of the Maksutov design. It is also very heavy weighing over 5 pounds. I know you will enjoy using this new Vivitar lens! I like the old 'series 1' lenses, quite good and considered 'professioanl quality' at the time of manufacture. I have only one, the 135mm, f/2.3. It is by far the sharpest telephoto I have and has great contrast, manual focus though.
 02/28/2006 06:33:21 PM · #17
Originally posted by cheekymunky:
I just got an adaptor for my Meade ETX-90 telescope, its equivalent to a 1250mm f/13.8 lens! I've only had a quick play with and I am quite surprised, only a bit of vignetting and its really sharp. I cant wait to see kirbics moon shots from that beast!

Where would you recommend getting that adaptor? Or is it two adaptors, one from Meade to T-mount, and another from T-mount to EOS? Any store sell both? I have a Meade telescope too, and it's not getting enough usage...

As for that great Vivitar beast of Kirbic's, any idea why they made it solid? What little I've heard about cat lenses is that you get the best quality using no glass, just front-surface-silvered mirrors.
 02/28/2006 06:42:52 PM · #18
Originally posted by magnus:


As for that great Vivitar beast of Kirbic's, any idea why they made it solid? What little I've heard about cat lenses is that you get the best quality using no glass, just front-surface-silvered mirrors.


The glass is thick in order to achieve achromatic performance with a single element and still be able to correct the spherical aberration of the primary mirror. This similar to the Maksutov design which uses a negative meniscus that is very deep for the same purpose. Light passes through that single element three times before arriving at the image plane; 1) subject through lens to primary 2) primary through lens to secondary mirror 3)secondary mirror through lens to image plane. A very elegant design!

Message edited by author 2006-02-28 19:04:10.
 02/28/2006 07:57:32 PM · #19
Hmmm,
I once had dreams of getting a Mirror lens. Then I just ended up getting a Bigma instead. Ironically, B&H has Sigma 600mm mirror lenses for sale, new.

Congrats by the way

Message edited by author 2006-02-28 19:57:52.
 02/28/2006 10:50:42 PM · #20
My cheapy mirror lens has always shown nothing short of appalling quality... awful contrast, always soft... but i'd love to play with a solid glass one, i bet it's a different world!
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 04/27/2024 03:02:47 PM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Prints! - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/27/2024 03:02:47 PM EDT.