What do I have?

[hoffy]

Howdy all,

I have had a big Gear acquisition week. I have in my possession 3 additional cameras. As seen elsewhere, I managed to get my hands on a Koni-Omega rapid rangefinder(my first MF camera). I was also given a Finetta 88.

But, the kit that I want to ask about is the Minolta. I have gotten my hands on a XE-1 and 4 lenses.

The lens that I want to ask about is the Tamron 500mm F8 that came with this kit. Its one that I haven't seen before. It is about 600mm long, is F8 to F22, but the aperture is not coupled to the camera.

Does anyone know anything about this lens? I am very curious.

Cheers

 

[John Koehrer]

It's a preset lens, You will need to stop it down before you make an exposure, assuming you don't want to shoot wide open.
If it's like most of these presets it has a "T" mount and can be used with different brand cameras.
There should be two rings, one aperture ring with clicks and one that's free. The free one is the stop down ring.

 

[hoffy]

Thanks,

I am very keen to give this one a try, but it has quite a bit of fogging internally. Means a strip down and clean. At least there is no funny linkages to deal with

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Is that a catadioptric (or mirror) lens?
Just curious. From 1985 I owned a Tamron mirror lens but cannot remember if it was this one (might have been 300mm): damned heavy, very dark to focus (f8) with a front element looking like a UFO about to touch down. Didn't exactly endear itself to my Australia-wide bicycle touring travels...

 

[hoffy]

Is that a catadioptric (or mirror) lens?
Just curious. From 1985 I owned a Tamron mirror lens but cannot remember if it was this one (might have been 300mm): damned heavy, very dark to focus (f8) with a front element looking like a UFO about to touch down. Didn't exactly endear itself to my Australia-wide bicycle touring travels...

No (and this is the confusing thing for me), its not a mirror lens. The only Tamrons I had seen in the past were the Mirror version.

 

[EdColorado]

No (and this is the confusing thing for me), its not a mirror lens. The only Tamrons I had seen in the past were the Mirror version.

Me too, didn't know Tamron did a non mirror 500. I'll be interested to hear how it works. I do have a Tamron SP 500 f8 mirror which as mirror lenses go is quite nice...better than the Canon FD version by a long shot. Don't use it much though, just not much call for it I guess.

 

[photoncatcher]

I don't know much about the Tamron lens, but have a blast with the Koni-Omega. I love mine. Specialy with the 58mm lens.

 

[John Koehrer]

I don't think there's much to clean in there, pretty much just the front group.