Bronica telephoto lenses (250mm)

Kev M

Kev M

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Has anyone here used a telepohoto lens on a medium format camera before? I'd like to try some wildlife photography soon after seeing the pics by Nick Brandt but I think my 150mm lens isn't going to give me enough rach at my local zoo.

Having had a little look and discounting TCs my options are a 250mm 5.6 or a 500mm F8. Is 250mm even going to be long enough? How hard is it focussing with these low aperture lenses compared to the 2.8s and 4s that I've got?

How likely are they to hold their value if things don't work out and I decide to move them on?

Anything else I should consider (other than stamp collecting)?

Cheers(y)
Kev
 
Have you thought about the tele adapters that screw on the front of the lens? Dunno what your filter size is though or whether you can get the full illumination for MF.

arthur
 
I've seen two 250's for less than £200 today Matt, although looking at the tamon website that only equates to around 135mm on 35mm which isn't really that long. Guess it depends how close I can get.
 
Incase nobody can be arsed to google him, here are a few of Nick Brandt's pictures. (Just a quick few from his site)

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They have to be the best nature pictures I have ever seen. Are they MF Kev?

Sorry I couldn't be of any help, the pictures were just so awesome.
 
a trip to africa might help too

I know nothing about MF tele stuff, though I did work out I'd need 500 to go to the loop and get anything
 
Sam_G said:
Incase nobody can be arsed to google him, here are a few of Nick Brandt's pictures. (Just a quick few from his site)

They have to be the best nature pictures I have ever seen. Are they MF Kev?

Sorry I couldn't be of any help, the pictures were just so awesome.
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Captivating aren't they. He shoots them on a Pentax 6x7 and unscrews the lens slightly to shift the focal plane giving that tilt-shift type effect. He then scans them and does the processing in photoshop.

ruvor said:
there's always the zeiss 1700 f/4...
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Even if I could afford it I doubt it comes in a Bronica mount;)

david1701 said:
a trip to africa might help too
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Unfortunately it'll be a trip to Twycross Zoo:(
 
Think you may struggle with the Bronica set up Kev.
AS far as I know the longest lens Bronica do is the 500mm (weighs in at 3.5kg) and if you can find one they did do a x2 converter, mind you I think it would be tricky to focus suing the waist level finder, probable better off with a Prism Finder.

I have and use a 200mm alot and it is very easy focus as it is bright.

The good thing about the Pentax system is they do 600mm, 800mm and 1000mm lens but I hate to think how heavy a system like that would be.

Other than that would be the Hasselblad system Frans Lanting has used them in the past for many of his jungle work, but then again they do cost a little more.
 
3.5kg!:eek::LOL:Best I get a gym membership too then!

If only someone did Bronica lens hire eh. Might pick up a 250mm F5.6 and see how I get on. Should hold its value I'd have thought if I don't get on with it.
 
Stop it, stop it:bang:
 
Don’t forget about the negative crop factor, your 150mm MF lens will appear something like a 90mm lens in 35mm terms or 60mm lens on a cropped sensor body, err if that makes sense.
 
Ok it's time to hit the button. I can get a 250mm S with pouch, UV filter and hood for £160 or a 250mm PS for £200 with nothing. Is the PS really worth the 25% premium for someone who shoots predominantly B&W (it's my understanding that the lens coatings only really make a difference to colour photos:shrug:).
 
ah5168 said:
Don’t forget about the negative crop factor, your 150mm MF lens will appear something like a 90mm lens in 35mm terms or 60mm lens on a cropped sensor body, err if that makes sense.
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Us medium format users don't need to think in 35mm terms!

cherryrig said:
Yea don't worry it's all good :) us MF users know all
about crop to 35mm sizes :LOL:
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Well, perhaps some of us do!


Steve.
 
cherryrig said:
So did you give in then Kev?! Nice little Xmas pressie!! :LOL:
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Does this answer your question?

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Tried it out yesterday photographing some deer but it wasn't quite long enough, think I need to get the 500mm;)

Will process the film tomorrow to see how it performed when I'm not hung over.
 
250s are cheap enough, just need a 2x.

Dave.
 
Any more light loss and I WILL have to get a Beattie screen!
 
FFS.

I went to the zoo and the local national trust property (which has deer) the other day and the 250 was okay, but still isn't that long really. I've now found a 500mm at a "reasonable" price.

Please tell me I don't need it, it won't help me take better photos, it won't help me get the shots I want, it'll be a pig to use and will have the optical performance of an ashtray. Otherwise I fear I may end up buying it:(
 
I was thinking of a 2x TC because they're like £95 or something but then I'd have either a 300mm F8 or a 500mm F11. Trying to focus a 500mm F11 would be like manual focussing inside a cave.

Impulse is telling me to buy it because it's a bargain. I was trying to do some research (and there's nothing I can find in the way of reviews) and came across an old Calumet price list. The 500mm F8 was £2.2k worth of lens when new and now I can get it for 1/5 of that.

But then I stumbled across this article and it made me think. I need the 500mm for its reach, but it's not going to make me a better photographer. In the last 18months since I was loaned the Lubitel I've been under the impression I can buy my way to being a better photographer. The list in the last 18months includes:

Bronica SQA including;
Speed grip
Metered prism
80mm 2.8

then:

50mm 3.5
150mm 4
250mm 5.6
2x 120 back
120J back
Polaroid back

Formatt B&W and ND grad filter sets
a sturdier tripod
skyports
Epson4490

A complete ****ing darkroom, but the lenses that it came with were **** and there was no 6x6 insert so I bought them as well.

Then I decided I wasn't going to become a better film photographer or improve my lighting unless I had a better digital camera than my old KM 5D to provide me with instant feedback. So:

Sony A700
Vertical grip

Now the kit lens on the Sony is pretty bad (specifically the CA is really bad) so I think I need a Tamron 28-75 2.8.

The fact remains I don't feel any better about my photography than I did 18months ago. I'm never going to be Nick Brandt, I'm never going on safari, I'm never going to get as close to the animals as he does, I'm never going to have a creative streak or vision so what do I do? I keep buying gear.

Looking back at that list which is the first time of written it all down is actually making me a little bit sick.

And then the question remains. Is 500mm going to be long enough?
 
I would probably buy the 500 and sell the 250.

The 500 might just give you the reach for beasties but you'll have to practise your focusing and the hit rate might make a decent dent in the wallet. ;)
 
Kev, like you I'd love to try some long focal length medium format shots, but is the cost v/s what you get (ie. F/8 - F/11) worth it? IMO Bronica SQA system is fantastic up to 150mm, however the other day I noticed Pentax's 67 system has a 600mm Takumar F4 lens for around £800. If I was determined enough to go down this route, Pentax is where I'd be looking...
 
dazzajl said:
I would probably buy the 500 and sell the 250.

The 500 might just give you the reach for beasties but you'll have to practise your focusing and the hit rate might make a decent dent in the wallet. ;)
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Weren't you telling me just the other day that I was trying to push water up hill with a fork? Now you're encouraging me to make it harder:nono:

and where's these wolf pics?:D

ekimeno said:
Kev, like you I'd love to try some long focal length medium format shots, but is the cost v/s what you get (ie. F/8 - F/11) worth it? IMO Bronica SQA system is fantastic up to 150mm, however the other day I noticed Pentax's 67 system has a 600mm Takumar F4 lens for around £800. If I was determined enough to go down this route, Pentax is where I'd be looking...
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I think you're probably right Mike. Having the right tools for the job is probably the most important thing and maybe the Bronica system isn't the right tool for wildlife:shrug: Fact is as much as I'm enjoying my brief venture into wildlife I'm not sure it will ever be a passion enough for me to invest in a completely new system. I had a quick play on the dof calculator and although a 600F4 would probably make focussing easier the dof at F4 on a medium format system would be pretty slim requiring some very sccurate focussing.

Part of me thinks the money is better off in the bank if things are going to be as bad in this country as the doom mongers are predicting for 2010 but it's a very good deal and if I don't buy it I'll never know what might have been.

Either way I think it might be a good idea to start rationalising my kit and getting rid of the bits I use the least.
 
>Weren't you telling me just the other day that I was trying to push water up hill with a fork?
yup

>Now you're encouraging me to make it harder
Ummmm, yup. :D

>and where's these wolf pics?
I am looking, honest guv. Mind you, I don't have a scanner so I might ut have to hold them up to the puter for you to see. :LOL:
 
:whistle::whistle::whistle:
 
Well the thing is, Sir, I do have some frames but no way to scan them.

I guess I'm going to have to do some old school style copying. Actually, it was really nice to go through some of the boxes of 6*6 that I've not looked at for years and years. I do miss my SQ.
 
That wasn't why I was whistling but I'm glad you've found them. If you wanted them scanning I don't mind doing it for you.
 
erm Horses for courses, for long shots use a £20-35mm camera with a SP Tamron 300mm.....problem solved.
 
What? I'm talking about using my existing system, not buying into another one.
 
I believe the saying is "my bad" :LOL:

Sooooooooooo, would you be whistling the arrival of big new glass per chance?????
 
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