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on Jun 9, 2021 13:50:25 GMT
Posted: Jun 9, 2021 13:50:25 GMT
Hello from Peterborough UK ... My first forum post with a Q&D photo of a recently 'ebay acquired' Yashica 1000/11 mirror lens ... together with a smaller Yashica 500/8 reflex to show the size difference. The 1000mm front lens plate and the turret filters looked very soiled in the ebay description ... much of which was caused by foam dust from disintegrating foam in the aged Yashica case. The UV filter and the front corrector plate cleaned up OK ... the revolving filters' rear glass surfaces are accessible through the rear lens mount. The other filters were / are soiled on both surfaces - so the whole filter turret needs removing for a thorough optical clean ... no hurry to do this as the coloured filters will not be used. I was hoping the filter turret wheel would pull out after removing the turret wheel exterior plate but no luck .. looks as if the actual lens mount needs removing to access the filter turret wheel's internal mount. Unfortunately the lens' primary mirror (i.e. the rear mirror) shows some silvering degradation on part of the perimeter ... thus looks ominous ... but the surface area affected is so small it has no effect at all on imaging. The photo shows a Telescope Services accessory lens hood / dew shield which wraps around the lens and is secured with Velcro tabs. Most mirror lenses have inadequate hoods; adding an accessory hood improves image contrast. I use several mirror lenses; they're so useful in cramped situations where there is little room to set up a long telephoto lens e.g. in town centres with busy pedestrian traffic. The Yashica 1000mm was acquired to specifically photograph Peregrine Falcons in residence on a local church steeple and tower. I’ve already tried an 800mm telephoto lens but its not quite long enough and it's physically too long to use on the relatively narrow pavement / sidewalk. As with all mirror lenses, the optics need to acclimate to ambient air temperature before imaging is optimised; this can take between 30 minutes to one hour depending on the primary mirror thickness/diameter. Many mirror lens reviews / lens tests make no mention of mirror lenses' "primary mirror" acclimation and their inadequate (too short) lens hoods … they're not on many reviewers’ radars. Hence otherwise quite good or excellent mirror lenses can receive poor reviews. Astronomers never expect their reflector telescopes to image optimally immediately after setting up ... especially if the 'scope has been stored indoors 'in the warm' before being set up outside on a cool or cold evening. Whilst 'in the warm', the primary mirror absorbs and stores heat'; when the used outside, the previously absorbed heat 'radiates' from the primary mirror ... creating 'thermals' ... which degrade the image. When temperature equilibrium is reached i.e. equal to the ambient air temperature, ’thermals’ cease and imaging is optimised. I'll post some actual 1000mm test images in due course. BW dunk
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on Jun 9, 2021 16:46:49 GMT
Posted: Jun 9, 2021 16:46:49 GMT
Dunk,
Welcome to the Forum. There's always lots of good discussion going on here.
While there were at least four versions of the Yashica 800mm CAT (I have the Spiratone version), there were only two versions of the 1,000mm CAT.
Are yours C/Y or M42?
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on Jun 9, 2021 19:42:31 GMT
Posted: Jun 9, 2021 19:42:31 GMT
Welcome,
If that’s the 1000mm that was on eBay UK with a BIN option a couple of weeks ago I was seriously close to going for it.
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on Jun 9, 2021 19:42:58 GMT
Posted: Jun 9, 2021 19:42:58 GMT
Welcome to the Forum!
I noticed a C/Y Yashica 1000mm cat for sale on Ebay here in the UK about 10 days ago; is that the one? Your advice on acclimatising the mirrors is well made; in the middle of a Welsh winter, my trusty old Meade telescope can take up to an hour to match temperatures; it seems to take longer with the dew-shield attached...
As the turret-wheel forms part of the optical configuration for the lens (which is why you have to have a filter in situ when shooting) I doubt that removing its internal mount will be straightforward; you may even need to re-collimate the lens to ensure perfect focus.
Using your Lumix, are you able to shoot with the 500mm hand-held? I don't have any experience with the Lumix range - does your camera have in-built image stabilisation?
I look forward to seeing some piccies taken with your 1000mm.
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on Jun 9, 2021 20:13:00 GMT
Last Edit: Jun 9, 2021 20:49:26 GMT by dunksargent
Thanks for your 'welcomes' and comments/questions: Camera is a full frame Panasonic S1R (47MP) with built-in IBIS. The Yashica 1000mm is the lens listed by a Ballymena ebay seller last week as a BIN / Best Offer item and it's C/Y mount not 42mm ... On arrival the lens looked as soiled as it did in the description photos. Description made no mention of the primary mirror's edge silvering degradation. Despite all its shortcomings the lens was a bargain ... focusing is ultra smooth and helicoid gearing is just right for fine focus. The Yashica 500/8 lens is just about usable handheld with the Panasonic S1R - but I prefer to use a Novoflex fork mount on a monopod or tripod. Initial but boring 1000mm test images were OK, e.g. ... ... taken using the camera/lens combination on a tripod with a 'fork mount' and using the camera's in body image stabilisation (IBIS). Image is not cropped ... pigeon on my neighbour's TV aerial approx 30 feet distant. In subsequent tests the camera/lens combination was mounted on a gimbal which is a more rigid / firm support ... but I forgot to turn off the camera's IBIS ... so resultant images were OOF and lacked sharpness. IBIS should not be used if the camera/lens is supported firmly ... but it's OK on a fork mount which is not so rigid and allows more 'wiggle room'. I'll post some better 1000mm test images in due course. BTW ... my first SLR film camera was a Yashica TL Electro bought s/h in 1977. BW dunk
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on Jun 10, 2021 1:31:39 GMT
Posted: Jun 10, 2021 1:31:39 GMT
Welcome to the forum dunksargent .. I've gotta say, that it's never occurred to me that mirror lens hoods would have been insufficient for proper coverage, but after looking back on a few shots I've taken with a couple different 500's, it makes perfect sense on why they're a little light on contrast. I guess I assumed that if any OEM lens hood would be correct, it would be one on a 500mm mirror. I've got some experimenting to do, and hopefully enough black craft paper to make some trial runs. Old dog with old lens - new tricks.
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on Jul 6, 2021 16:38:35 GMT
Posted: Jul 6, 2021 16:38:35 GMT
Another Yashica 1000mm is listed on ebay but it's the screw thread model ...
dunk
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on Jul 8, 2021 11:27:20 GMT
Posted: Jul 8, 2021 11:27:20 GMT
Another Yashica 1000mm is listed on ebay but it's the screw thread model ... dunk Interesting to see that it's the Yashinon-DX version which was, I believe, the final iteration of the M42 Reflex 1000mm f11. What I don't know (perhaps someone here can help?) is from where the C/Y mount version managed to shave 150g (5.3oz) to get down to an overall weight of 2,330g (82.2oz). I can't find dimensions for the Yashinon or Yashinon-DX versions - only their optical formulae, angles of view and minimum focus distances, which are all identical to those of the C/Y Reflex 1000mm. I'm assuming that the only practical difference between the Yashinon and Yashinon-DX versions was in the coating for the latter's glass. As the Reflex 1000mm was never produced in a ML version, did it use the Yashinon-DX coating or was it improved by using the Yashinon DS-M finish? The rare Reflex Yashinon-DX 500mm f5 shows little visible evidence of a coating; the photos of the Yashinon-DX 1000mm being sold on Ebay don't give us a clue as to the nature of its coatings. I have read that the Yashinon 1000mm had issues with a lack of contrast but I have not seen a review of the DX version.
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on Jul 8, 2021 14:42:31 GMT
Posted: Jul 8, 2021 14:42:31 GMT
I did ask a question of the seller about any included filters and/or a case or hood, but after 2 days, I still haven't received a response. I'd consider making an offer, but I'm not sure about pricing if the filter(s) are missing. Is the reflex 1000mm set up to use the same filters as the other 500mm's, and if it is, does that mean it uses the drop-ins, or the external slide-in type... or does it use none at all?
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on Jul 8, 2021 16:55:39 GMT
Posted: Jul 8, 2021 16:55:39 GMT
A little searching turned up an answer on how the filters work from the details posted at KEH. They don't have one in stock to help on pricing guidance, but their stock photos clearly show there's a built-in filter wheel. It sticks out from the barrel a bit and doesn't look quite as sleek as the 500's do, and might be a little quirky to use.
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on Jul 8, 2021 21:14:45 GMT
Posted: Jul 8, 2021 21:14:45 GMT
A lot of LONG CATS from various manufacturers used built-in, dial-in filters. That may be convenient, just like a lot of fish-eye lenses had built-in filters, but what if you want to use a different filter? How about an IR filter on a fish-eye? Sounds perfect to me!!! Maybe some CATS with built-in filters would also allow additional filters to be attached. MAYBE!!! A lot of CATS allowed small filters to be attached to the rear 22.5mm - 39mm. These are normally pretty cheap.
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on Jul 11, 2021 12:14:21 GMT
Last Edit: Jul 11, 2021 12:59:31 GMT by dunksargent: additional info.
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on Jul 11, 2021 13:18:24 GMT
Posted: Jul 11, 2021 13:18:24 GMT
Thank you for sharing those images. That's a pretty decent lens!
I wonder how it compares with the Yashinon-DX version that just sold on Ebay?
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on Jul 11, 2021 13:59:16 GMT
Last Edit: Jul 11, 2021 15:58:56 GMT by dunksargent: typo
Yes it is a decent lens ... and if fully serviced to thoroughly clean all the optics it might image even better. I've just tried the 1000mm with the Mutar 2x ... not a practical lens combination because focusing is too difficult ... lens helicoid gearing not suitable for 2000mm ... I have some 2000mm images to process but with 'shake' and poor light levels no high hopes of them being sharp ... and with 10 second self timer camera was overheating after a series of exposures. IBIS would not work with 2000mm so did not try with IBIS switched 'ON' . Today's Yashica 1000mm ebay sale was a bargain buy ... thought it would sell for a lot more ... I wonder if it sold to a forum member? dunk EDIT: Result using 1000mm with Mutar 2x ... 2000mm, ISO 3200, 1/125sec, effective aperture f22, 10 second self timer ... Maybe OK for static subjects only ... not practical for birds or other wildlife Subject is a house wall approx 70m distant. If I tried it again I'd use an additional lens support ie additional to the camera tripod and head ... head used was an Arca Swiss CUBE which enables very fine XYZ movements ... fitted to heavy duty Gitzo tripod. Burglar alarm lettering not quite in focus ... brickwork seems to be OK
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on Jul 11, 2021 15:39:47 GMT
Posted: Jul 11, 2021 15:39:47 GMT
I am impressed with your lens. Yashica seems to make some very nice cats, and the ML 500 f8 remains in a league of its own. I still yearn to find the Yashinon-DX 500 f5 as I have heard that it's very impressive...and another lens that could use a Manfrotto 525MVB tripod with a top quality fluid head...
My understanding is that the optics for the Reflex Yashinon-DX and your Yashica Reflex are identical though the coatings may be different. I placed a bid of £81 on the Ebay lens earlier and was ready to bid higher until a telephone call intervened - by the time I got back to the PC the auction was over; of course, one never knows just how high the winning bidder was prepared to go. The lack of good images of the mirror may have put off some potential bidders but if the mirrors and glass are OK, as you said, someone definitely has a bargain to enjoy! I hope it is a Forum member who bought it as that way we have a chance of seeing some photos taken with it...
Today seems a good day to be buying, though not selling, on the UK Ebay site as fewer bids than normal are being logged - maybe it has something to do with the distraction of a modest football match later today.
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