650-1300mm F8 - F16

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08-23-2012, 02:42 AM
DSLR_Newbie

650-1300mm F8 - F16

Before anyone says anything, I know its not a canon lens (As per the Forum Category) but i couldn't resist.

Recently going through the online photography forums and news I cam across the Samyang 650-1300mm F8 - F16 Lens and immediately became fascinated with the range it provides... 650 - 1300mm

has anyone seen this in the wild? or what is your immediate reaction to this?

KICKER : It costs around $450 (NO, I am not missing any zeros) http://www.dwidigitalcameras.com.au/...idProduct=4528

http://www.opteka.fr/contents/media/opteka_2705.jpg
08-23-2012, 02:47 AM
Dr Croubie

I've seen a few of these on ebay, going for around $50-$100, in various brands.
I don't have the cash to drop to play around with it, although i'd be interested in knowing how well they perform too.

Just take into account, if it only costs $100, don't expect it to deliver the quality of a $2000 supertele, if it did then everyone would be raving about them (like how the $400 Samyang 35/1.4 delivers IQ almost as good as the $2000 Zeiss 35/1.4, everyone *is* raving about that as good value. noone's raving over these teles so i suppose that's your answer).

Still, if you get/have one and don't like it, i'd probably drop $30 inc shipping just to play around with it for a few hours and forget about it, much like the price of a case of beer that lasts a few hours...
08-23-2012, 03:04 AM
DSLR_Newbie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Croubie

I've seen a few of these on ebay, going for around $50-$100, in various brands.
I don't have the cash to drop to play around with it, although i'd be interested in knowing how well they perform too.

Just take into account, if it only costs $100, don't expect it to deliver the quality of a $2000 supertele, if it did then everyone would be raving about them (like how the $400 Samyang 35/1.4 delivers IQ almost as good as the $2000 Zeiss 35/1.4, everyone *is* raving about that as good value. noone's raving over these teles so i suppose that's your answer).

Still, if you get/have one and don't like it, i'd probably drop $30 inc shipping just to play around with it for a few hours and forget about it, much like the price of a case of beer that lasts a few hours...

I agree with every single thing you said... I mean no one in their right mind will think that this lens would be any where near the expensive, better quality ones but what about the philosophy that "An Average shot is better than No shot at all".

I would gladly spent 100$, If i can find one in Australia for $100 (which i doubt highly because of the The Great Australian Tax) just to play around with it but that is just my opinion.
08-23-2012, 04:00 AM
FastGass

I have seen 100% crops of it before and it's IQ is very related to it's price, very low. But if you don't have a long lens it might be better than what you are using now. Crop, compare, decide.

John.
08-23-2012, 04:17 AM
Dr Croubie

Hmmm, i just had a look for this on fleaBay, seems the Buy It Now price is up around the $2-300 mark, that's probably way too much for the quality you'd get. If you can get one for $50-60, that might be the limit of what i'd pay.

Still, for that price (even $150 or so) you can get a Jupiter 250mm f/3.5, two 2x teleconverters, and a PentaconSix to EF adapter for 1000mm f/14. It's obviously not the best, but I've taken shots of the moon using it (fills an aps-c frame), and the IQ was better than i'd imagine these Samyang things to be (of course, that combo ends up maybe 4-5kg and doesn't have a native tripod mount, but i hacked one together).
08-23-2012, 12:40 PM
DSLR_Newbie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Croubie

Hmmm, i just had a look for this on fleaBay

fleBay..Ha Ha Ha..that's hilarious...i am gonna remember this one.
08-23-2012, 01:17 PM
HDNitehawk

Thing is, there isn't any other lens out that is going to give you decent IQ at 1350mm. You could spend over 12K for the new 600mm and put a 2x on it and the IQ would be marginal. To me a bad picture compared to a picture that is just a little bit worse is about equal. I think it would be worth the value if the IQ doesn't matter, which it wouldn't to me at 1350mm because nothings acceptable at that length.

At 650mm I wonder if you couldn't find an old super telephoto lens and adapt it somehow and be better off. I see a few pop up every once in a while on craigslist that are very cheap.

But there would be one good use for this lens, if you already own one of the long supertele's and one of your buddies asks you to lend him one of your long lenses. If you owned this one it would be the good loaner.
08-23-2012, 02:25 PM
Joel Eade

This one plus a 1.4 extender would probably have pretty good IQ above 1300mm..... but you have to sell your house to get one:)

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...ns-Review.aspx
08-23-2012, 02:53 PM
HDNitehawk

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joel Eade

This one plus a 1.4 extender would probably have pretty good IQ above 1300mm..... but you have to sell your house to get one:)

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...ns-Review.aspx

I was having trouble finding the ISO charts for that one...:rolleyes:

and if I sold my house where would I live. I guess I could push this lens around in my grocery cart.
08-23-2012, 03:02 PM
Joel Eade

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

I was having trouble finding the ISO charts for that one...:rolleyes:

and if I sold my house where would I live. I guess I could push this lens around in my grocery cart.

You could get a plastic tarp and use the lens as a tent pole:p
08-23-2012, 03:14 PM
HDNitehawk

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joel Eade

You could get a plastic tarp and use the lens as a tent pole:p

That cracks me up, I started to say I could use the tripod and make a teepee. :D

If I could justify in my mind buying that lens, I would be homeless anyway, I think it would push the wife past the point of my no return.
08-23-2012, 03:17 PM
Joel Eade

Yeah, no room for the wife anyway in such a small enclosure!!!!!!!!
08-24-2012, 12:14 AM
Dr Croubie

Well, tripod at one end, 1200L at the other end standing on its lens-hood, I reckon you could get a nice 2-person sized tent out of that...

Meanwhile, there's also the Pentax Takumar 6x7 300mm f/4 lens, I got one off ebay for $60 or something, IQ isn't so bad, even wide open in a very quick test it's not too dissimilar to my 70-300L. Add a pentax 67 or Canon-mount 2x t/c and a 67-ef adapter (with tripod mount), and you're up at $150 maybe.

Also I've got a Zeiss MC Sonnar 300mm f/4.0, again about as good IQ as the 70-300L (probably better than the Takumar because it's Multicoated), but it cost me about $300, the soviet teleconverters for pentacon six are very nice and cost maybe $40... (i might try taking a shot with this combo on the weekend)
08-24-2012, 03:02 AM
FastGass

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

Thing is, there isn't any other lens out that is going to give you decent IQ at 1350mm. You could spend over 12K for the new 600mm and put a 2x on it and the IQ would be marginal. To me a bad picture compared to a picture that is just a little bit worse is about equal. I think it would be worth the value if the IQ doesn't matter, which it wouldn't to me at 1350mm because nothings acceptable at that length.

At 650mm I wonder if you couldn't find an old super telephoto lens and adapt it somehow and be better off. I see a few pop up every once in a while on craigslist that are very cheap.

But there would be one good use for this lens, if you already own one of the long supertele's and one of your buddies asks you to lend him one of your long lenses. If you owned this one it would be the good loaner.

I would almost agree with you but I think you under estimate the IQ difference between these two, it's like comparing a boxer to a sumo wrestler. There is no comparison, besides having other features as well. Now there is also a very big value gap as well, I think if you want the best value the old manual focus FD line or other brand name super telephotos would be your best bet. I hear Minolta made a nice lightweight 600mm lens:rolleyes:

Cheers,
John.
08-24-2012, 10:03 PM
Raid

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joel Eade

This one plus a 1.4 extender would probably have pretty good IQ above 1300mm..... but you have to sell your house to get one:)

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...ns-Review.aspx

Now seriously guys, who would buy this lens, its doesn't even have IS!
08-25-2012, 02:14 AM
Scott Stephen

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raid

Now seriously guys, who would buy this lens, its doesn't even have IS!

Either you were joking, or you have Hulk Hogan's 27-inch biceps to handhold such a mammoth lens so you'd need IS.