Tamron SP 500mm f/8 Reviews

There are apparently two versions of this lens. The one I had came in the box with rear filter set and had a large focussing ring.

Unless you desperately need the extra focal length, you're probablly better off cropping exiting negatives or digital files -- optically, you'd probably still be better off. You need a good tripod, bang-on focussing, and plenty of patience to use this lens -- it's useless, otherwise.

That said, I've got some great photos with this lens, especially if I chose to use the donut highlights creatively. Used with a good teleconverter, you can also get results that are not possible otherwise, so there is a use for this kind of lens.

This is an excellent lens with Pentax ist*DL when using ISO800 sensitivity. Not autofocus, but manual is smooth and easy to use. That will ensure about 1/500 - 1/4000 timing giving sharp images even with long focus. Easy to focus, however manual. Recommended, good price per quality ratio. From eBay about 120€ - 350€ .