Paragon 500mm f8 lens review

Just for the records / google searches in the future, just wanted to post a little review of the Paragon 500mm T2 mount lens which I'm selling (it's probably sold so don't get too excited).

The Good:
- Cost
- It's got a variable aperture on it which I've never seen on any other lens before. There are two aperture rings, one has stops at 8,11,16,22 and the other is just free adjustable which controls the actual aperture. When you are at F8 the second ring doesn't move. At F11 the second ring allows you to selectively choose between f8 and f11 at any interval - kind of like analogue versus digital. Go to F22 and the second ring goes from F8-F22 at any value you want (f19.5 for instance though there is no way of recording that). I've never seen a lens that has that before.
- Cost/IQ ratio is quite good
- It's very light
- Comes with a tripod mount
- No bokeh donuts AKA mirror lenses

The Bad:
- It's really really long. Not sure if other 500mm's are this long but it's probably about 2 feet.
- Because it's long, it NEEDS a monopod/tripod.
- Bokeh isn't quite up to par with more expensive lenses
- The IQ isn't up to par with more expensive lenses
- It's fully manual so you have to use the green button for metering


So the proof is in the pictures. Here are two shots with the lens to show resolving ability, and bokeh. They're shot with a K10d using a T2 to PK adapter in RAW. They were processed in LightRoom 3 with Auto WB and Auto Tone. Export sharpening was disabled. The camera was heavily braced to ensure no motion and the 2s shot timer was used to avoid mirror slap. While not an award winning lens, I'm impressed (just wish I framed the bloody aerial better). It took a bit of preparation / patience to get a good shot out of it, but with careful use it's not that bad of a lens.

Bokeh Test
Resolving test - a no smoking sign which is 150 feet away

Anyways, back to work!

Hello, this is the kind of lens I'm after . Can I ask how much you sold it for. I'm new to the game and unsure what I should be paying. Regards Rich

Whelmed, what you are describing is a 'pre-set aperture', used in the 1960s and 70s and pre-dates automatic irises. It allows you to focus at maximum aperture with one ring set to the desired aperture. When you are ready to take the picture you turn the second ring which stops the lens down.

Applemac, Samyang Optical make lenses like this. Although I can't imagine why, in this day and age, you would want such a thing.

The aperture system you describe is common on "preset" aperture lenses such as my Jupiter-9. The idea was that you set aperture ring to the value required then used the second ring to open the lens right up for focussing, and shut it down for taking the picture. An unintended consequence of this is that you can use the lens with the camera set in Av mode.

K.

Why, I want a long lens and I'm on a budget.

I'm sure you'll find something with an automatic iris.

My lens is in the classified section right now and it's going for £50 with shipping. Eastridge has first dibs on it though so I'll let you know if it falls through or not.

We got this today and sadly it's drizzly so can't really take anything exciting but were actually suprised at how useable it is to get an adequate shot.

Being used to film & manual lenses and all the 'pre-setting' stuff isn't an issue and even hand held we got some perfectly acceptable shots of the houses across the river and some leaves at the end of the garden.

For what we wanted, a low cost way of testing out the usablity for us of a 500mm lens, it is ideal. We may in due course decide to sell it on and splash out for a Bigma (for the zoom ability more than anything) but initial indications have us wondering if we can justify spending so much money.