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photo:vivitar600mmf8

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Vivitar Series 1 600mm f/8 Solid Cat mirror lens

introduction

  • this super telephoto lens introduced in mid-1970's is a catadioptric mirror lens, and as with all such mirror lenses, share the following characteristics:
    • manual focus
    • fixed aperture (in this case f/8)
    • virtual elimination of chromatic aberration as uses mirror rather than lenses
      • also means focus position for infrared photography is the same as for light photography
    • central mirror:
      • allows much more compact lens length as the optic path is reflected internally twice
      • by necessity, blocks some of the light and thus causes:
        • decrease in image contrast
        • characteristic “doughnut” shaped bokeh imagery in out of focus areas
  • designed by OPCON Associates, a company founded by Ellis Betensky, who used to be a senior optical designer at Perkin-Elmer.
  • their ruggedness is partially due to their solid, one-piece construction, unlike most production mirror lenses

specs

  • 600mm focal length and field of view (4.2°) at infinity focus
  • fixed f/8 aperture
  • 9 lens elements, 7 groups
  • closest focus 9.3m
  • 35.5mm rear filter thread
  • T2 lens mount thread
  • mm diameter, 95mm long and 1.5kg
  • price ~$US630 in 1975

reviews

photo/vivitar600mmf8.txt · Last modified: 2014/05/18 19:11 by gary1

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