ProOptic 500mm f/6.3 Manual Focus, T-Mount Mirror Lens

2014-06-08T21:00:00

Great lens for the money.

instantaccess

2013-05-14T21:00:00

Not bad, for the money. Sure, a huge Canon zoom is much better. However, if you just want to have fun and get some crazy nature shots, this is the impulse purchase for you.

Keith C.

2013-05-14T21:00:00

could not use it

Karl

2013-04-08T21:00:00

I am pleased to use the Pro Optic as a long distance lens for wildlife shots. The pictures retain all the color and details I require.

Professor B.

2013-04-08T21:00:00

Has worked well in the short time I have used it, so far no problems.

dalcon

2013-04-02T21:00:00

If your T-mount "breaks in two pieces" check the screws that hold the two parts together: they do come loose. If you loose one (or more...) of these you'll just have to get a new T-mount... Keep a jeweler's screwdriver of the appropriate size in your camera bag so you can tighten these screws as needed.

THE G.

2013-02-04T19:00:00

Excellent choice for long lens, somewhat soft but works well with A setting on Nikon. Some sharping needed but great quality for super long lens, suggest tripod or monopod. Suggest adjustable T mount adapter.

DAVID M.

2012-12-10T19:00:00

Back in the olden days when we we used analog capture, we used a trick for determining exposure on the fly called the sunny 16 rule. On a sunny day at F16 you would use the ASA/ISO index as the shutter speed. So if using 200 ASA/ISO then you would be shooting at 1/200 of a second. Open up 2 stops for the shadows. Of course you would need to shift your shutter speed accordingly if you wanted to use a different f stop. Hope this helps.

shooter1959

2012-09-23T21:00:00

Tested this one against the Phoenix brand I had and this one was sharper, but not as sharp as a more expensive model. Works great with APO DSLR to get an effective range of 800MM to shoot the moon.

MICHAEL L.

2012-09-09T21:00:00

The 500mm F6.3 Catadioptric manual lens performed as I expected. I wish the focus ring had a "stop" at infinity. My Nikon D3200 DSLR will not operate in any mode other than manual - it refuses to meter and adjust shutter speed. This is not the lens' fault though. As expected the focus is very touchy, but it is smooth and stable.

jonathan d.

2012-08-20T21:00:00

I had read that this had some slop in the t-ring making it feel like a loose mount - I have not experienced that with mine - goes on and locks in and goes to work. I have shot some long-distance wildlife and some stills. Also used it mounted on my Meade 8" telescope (with a camera mount - for tracking) and made some pretty good astronomy pics. It's a little slow for that, but when you're shooting bulb, that matters very little.

BRAD R.

2012-05-27T21:00:00

I have used it in handheld applications. I always use high shutter speeds even in low light. Once in focus, great results. Low light images can be easily brightened up using free camera software (I used Olympus Master and Olympus Viewer) or less expensive photo software (I have Photoshop Elements)

Matt

2012-05-26T21:00:00

This lens has exceeded my expectations. I am very pleased with it. For 'bang for the buck' I rate it with the Canon 50mm f1.8. Where else can you get quality images and 500mm reach for such a low price? I had read that the images were no better than a 200 mm or 300 mm shot from a conventional lens cropped and enlarged. Not true! The best shots from this lens are quite good. Of course, there is no IS and autofocus. It is indeed a challenge to use, but that's half the fun. I have some very good captures that were hand held at ISO 1600.

Backyaerd S.

2012-05-23T21:00:00

Mirror lenses are a breed all there own. They are usually heavier, any blured shadows will be like little doghnuts, no big deal with all of the various editing programs I kind of like it. This was big in the 60's before Canon/Nikon made smooth backgrounds a thing of the now and made it afordable. I have to admit I am spoiled now with auto everything and my Canon T2i has that great manuel setting . I feel guilty now if I use an auto setting. I have a Celestron C5- 5" dia.Mirror by 1250mm long f/10 schmidt casagrain mirror scope. Big and bulky. But I can see people in there yards from 5 miles away from the mountian top. on an average day most people would freek out with thses scops probabably not the best lenses to make money on unless you really understand why your getting wierd double vision(optics out of alignment), ripples in your pictures on hot sunny days (tube currents), you can see heat curents in atmosphere unlike regular refractor lenses (all glass)the mirrors and lens combinations with rock the world of all but the absolute best large spotting scopes This C5 could stand up to a Canon super lens with ease ok I would take the cannon. At 12000 for thre canon and ,my 5 ich glass at [$] we had a chuckle I think hw was thinking yea i blew him away but he could hold the candle up for sure. Ok i had a chance to use this little mirror scope it is awesome but you have to love mirror lenses there positives and negatives. Happy hunting have fun.

Michael R.

2012-05-13T21:00:00

Strictly manual. You can either use a light meter or experiment to get the right exposure. Photos are somewhat fuzzy but can be sharpened in post-processing. Best used with a tripod unless the light is quite bright and you can use a shutter speed that is fast enough to overcome any camera movement. I didn't keep mine for long before I sold it.

John H.

2012-04-29T21:00:00

Good for distance but veeerrry slow. Must use a tripod.

PHILIP O.

2012-03-25T21:00:00

I wanted a 500mm lens for occasional use, but didn't want to pay the big bucks for an all-glass lens. I read the pros and cons of mirror lenses, and decided to give the Pro-Optic 500/6.3 a try. I've used it on APS-C and full-frame DSLRs. Its colors and contrast are acceptable, especially considering that it is a mirror lens. Sharpness is another story, because of the difficulty in obtaining sharp focus. I think this is in part owed to the shallow depth of field. Using a viewfinder magnifier helps, but you still have to rack the focus back and forth, make several exposures, and choose the best one. And, you must have the camera and lens on a massive tripod, use a remote release and mirror-up (if your camera has those features).) If you do everything carefully, you can obtain acceptable images of static subjects. Of course this all takes time, so the lens is not really suitable for photographing wildlife.

Ancient P.

2012-03-11T21:00:00

You can't beat the price of this lens. Unfortunately, it is only usable in strong light and on a tripod. I use this on a DX format Nikon which requires the use of a tripod. It should also be noted that the lens is not properly aligned when mounted on the camera.

PHILIP O.

2012-03-04T19:00:00

use a tripod or monopod of course but if not available, use a Pentax or Olympus digital body that has built in motion suppression in the camera body...Some used OM digital bodies are so cheap now that you could just dedicate that camera with this lens....the amazing photos close up you can do of things as simple as a bush or a flower bed are amazing as you change the focus point without having to move yourself........seems more fun to use it on things close up rather than things far away..... Mirror type lenses have been around a long time but this iteration is pretty darn neat. T-mounts are cheap and available everywhere still as new. Finish and look of this lens is terric...Everybody should own one of these...

RY25L

2012-01-17T19:00:00

An exellent lens for the job in hand and worked well for us and the client.(boating shots).Very well made,but very fragile (to be expected with a lens of this kind).Handle with care!

Michael G.

2012-01-15T19:00:00

I take a lot of pictures of wildlife and landscapes it great for birds in the trees

DEBBIE S.

2011-12-13T19:00:00

If you don't want to invest time in this, don't do it. It's its own little niche of photography and not handy for any of the above uses except wildlife photography if you need reliable results. That said, these are a lot of fun to master. Note that there's a blog for mirror lens tips at mirrorlenses at wordpress

pro s.

2011-11-27T19:00:00

not bad for a person getting into wildlife photography with a limited budget but limited by low light i was happy with the results obtained until I could afford a tamron 200-500 zoom

HALTINER T.

2011-09-26T21:00:00

This Pro-Optic/Rokinon/Samyang/ Bower f/6.3 reflex lens is sold under the Kenko/Tokina brand name here in Japan, and what's more, it has a very important accessory. A LENS HOOD! Why this is not available to US buyers is beyond me, as reflex lenses are renowned for their poor contrast, and not having a lens hood only adds to this problem. The lens hood is available for around $50 on-line from Japan, so I'd advise any owner (or prospective buyer) to take the Japanese up on this offer. I have found this to be a very handy accessory to my Olympus E-5, as it gives me an effective focal length of 1000mm @ f/6.3, (although those in the know realize that the DOF doesn't actually change one iota). Great for bird work in particular, as it gives quite impressive feather detail. Of course, no-one can expect it to match the $ behemoths from Canon & Nikon, but it does one heck of a job for under $. Very impressive piece of work for the price.

Yukihyo

2011-09-14T21:00:00

I use the lens mostly for landscape photograhy. There are additional filters that can be purchased that will help control light and contrast. I plan to get a few accessories in the future.

JOHN C.

2011-08-12T21:00:00

Do not expect a 100% keeper rate or ease of use here. This lense takes practice and a fair amount of involvement to use, especially when handheld. You can expect great shots out of it though. 500mm and donut bokeh opens many doors!!!

Ron

2011-03-05T19:00:00

Used for "long distance" wildlife. Fixed aperture limits use to daylight with support. For its purpose it is a great lens. Lightweight.

Blair B.

2011-02-19T19:00:00

very usefull for moon photography, but only in manual in my NIKON d80 because the fix aperture

dasadari

2010-10-13T21:00:00

I bought this lens under speculation because of some reviews that deemed the lens somewhat substandard. I feel if you set your dioptic on your camera with a quality auto-focus lens while pointing it at a calender let's say, then attach this lens along with proper shutter speed, ISO, and a steady hand or tripod you will achieve all that you desire from this manual unit. It's like a mini cassegrain telescope attached to your camera. It is an excellent quality and precision achievement. I find no fault with it. It is the same size as my Canon, it is heavy but the unit itself aids the hand in steadying the shot. I have several lenses to compare this one to, and when I bring up the details with the magnifier, I find the focus level is quite good. Comparable to my other lenses. In short--You just have to know how to take pictures and you will have no gripes!

Jeanric

2010-09-04T21:00:00

Much larger and heavier than I was expecting, but, overall it does the job and the output is very nice.

Phil M.