MTO-11CA 1000mm Russian lens

[tracyrose]

I've liked this lens a great deal more than I thought I would. Anyone know of anything comparable in the price and magnification range? 😎


My 1000mm mostly terrestrial shots :

http://www.tracyleerose.com/Txt/Tutorials/Tutorial_Lens/MTO.html

-- Tracy

 

[rxmd]

Ah, the MTO-11 1000/f10. In Germany it's lovingly called the Barrel from Russia ("Russentonne").

I've liked this lens a great deal more than I thought I would. Anyone know of anything comparable in the price and magnification range?

Nothing comparable in the 1000mm range to the best of my knowledge. In 500mm there's the Beroflex 500/f8, lovingly dubbed "Wundertüte" (I think that would translate as "Bag of Tricks"), which isn't a mirror lens so you can actually stop it down.

Optically both lenses aren't really great, but you don't get much more value in those focal lengths unless you get lucky. The MTO is actually pretty good, it's more the fundamental limitations of a mirror lens. It's extremely popular with hobbyastronomers.

Another option is looking for a Novoflex rapid focus tele lens assembly with a Noflexar lens head, for example the 600/f5.6. You have to get a bit lucky to get a cheap one, but they are quite good, too. The advantage here is that there exists a bellows unit so you can actually focus quite close for such a lens. (I think on the MTO close focus is something like 60 feet.)

Philipp