Soligor 400mm - How far does it reach? | Vintage tele lens test (sample footage)

In this video I test the vintage Soligor 400mm f6.3 lens on a full-frame Sony A7 III. How far in the distance can you see with a lens like this and how is the image quality? All footage is straight out of cam, no colorgrading, lut's whatsoever.
Filming location: Hoek van Holland pier/beach, The Netherlands.
Camera: Sony A7 iii
Tripod: Velbon
Keywords: Rotterdam, waterweg, Stena Line, DFD seaways, Ship, cargo, port of Rotterdam, Maeslantkering

[@macarelli2097]

Scooter speed at those clicks and the particular wind speed of the turbines.. .. he travelled mach 2

[@GrumpyTim]

Awesome video ohjajohh - I could sit and watch that opening footage all day long, SOOOO relaxing. I remember being very disappointed with relatively affordable second hand long lenses like this back in the film days - the shots were always misty and lacking contrast and usually a bit blurry. Now, with more knowledge I know things like: shooting over a great distance, through the haze, will always give you a hazy image, and long lenses with slow shutter speeds will often result in shake (I'd probably have stuck this lens on the camera with a standard 100 ISO film and maybe managed to get 1/250 shutter speed - recipe for disaster). BUT, stick the lens on a modern mirrorless camera and shoot video, and all of a sudden you've got bags of atmosphere. I guess you need the right location to shoot with it, but you definitely got that right.

[@ohjajohh]

Hi Tim, I've never used lenses like this back in the days with film, but I sure like to use it on a modern camera. Image quality may not be the greatest, but it's a fun lens to experiment with and that's what matters. Also I feel like the KZbin compression doesn't really do it justice.

[@GrumpyTim]

@@ohjajohh Yeah, you're right about the KZbin compression, it can render lens comparison videos a bit pointless at times. I'm so impressed with that lens of yours I'll keep an eye out for one in good condition (and at the right price).

[@samsen3965]

Interesting glass. Interesting place.

[@8827180]

This lens is far far far better than USA NY brand Spiratone 1980s made 400mm f6.3 MC lens .

[@mikefilm0952]

Wow... Great!!! Awesome 400mm although looks old.

[@sallyfischer1204]

6:10 I can spend 20 bucks for this glas, but I can also spend 2000 for an Original Sony. Is than the image quality 100 times better ? No, in my eyes the Soligor is in some situations equal.

[@ohjajohh]

Indeed, for me personally it's not worth it to spend 100 times more money on a modern lens, if this one can almost do the same. The only thing that this old lens can not do is auto-focus though. You need to do everything by hand, but that makes it more rewarding if you get your shot perfectly in focus.

[@samsen3965]

I am with you on this too. But you don't have AF or IS or ED glass or computer-designed aspherical optics or so on. Newer optics do come with a lot of features. Does it cost a casual user? Obviously Not. Does it cost for a pro or someone who actually makes an income out of it, Sure indeed. btw Tameron 150-600 or Sigma same FL, do come at less than X50 times, with a variety of zoom range of focal length, much closer near field focusing distance, . . . and they definitely are the winner compared to what you had in mind. Nevertheless, I do have many vintage lenses and this is one of them that I like.

[@lloydy53]

The Soligor is a decent lens, I first used it on my A6000 APSC, and more recently on my A7II Full frame and I get decent still pictures from it. I do rate my Vivitar 400 / 5.6 as being better at the same apertures though.

[@ohjajohh]

Thnx for your comment. I agree that it's a decent lens indeed. Not great, but also not bad considering the age and pricetag

[@Tuvzii]

did you have to crop to use this? or is it full frame compatible without crop?

[@samsen3965]

Could you more specifically elaborate on why you rate Vivitar higher?

[@lloydy53]

@@samsen3965 It's just a better all round performer, it is slower, it is bigger; but the Vivitar is a better performing lens. And that's what counts.

[@ThisIsCalistro]

Hi what adapter did you use with this lens

[@nissesphotography]

I just got this lens. very sharp wide open but performs best at f/8 and f/11. I paid around 60€ and use it on my Canon 5D MkIII. Now I just gotta find something cool to film/photograph.

[@busangogogo-motorbikevlog8112]

Nice information 😉🙂🙂

[@FlashMediaStudiosTV]

Looks just like my bushnell . Amazing amounts of fun right .

[@ohjajohh]

This is my first ever 400mm lens and it sure is fun indeed!

[@hkhenry0221]

WOW!! it make me want to but Sony!!