Lens 800 mm Bausch & Lomb

My enjoyment of various telephoto lens comes from one basic thing, it enables me to make images from places and under circumstances that I could not normally accomplish.

Now being the poor " old photographer  " it precludes me from running out and purchasing the latest 300 mm Olympus f -2.8 , with a $ 6000 price tag :-(

Olympus AF 300 (600mm) 4/3 lens $ 6000 !  

If by some chance life decides to drop the winning lottery numbers in my lap, well you may find this lens bolted to my E-5 ! But until then it is possible for me to collect and enjoy using some great manual focus fixed aperture telephotos.


Added to my collection recently is a cool Bausch & Lomb 800 mm, spotted locally on Craigslist. In its original box as new the previous owners father was given this as a gift in the 90's and it became a shelf space taker.

B&L 800 mm

The seller was asking $60 , but settled for $ 40 and a new home was established for this fine lens.

It does double duty as a cool star gazing  / field scope, but came equipped with a " T " mount camera adapter. 

This lens was built at a time when 35 mm film cameras were still top of the pecking order, in its day the B&L 800 mm retailed in the $ 450 range as configured. Given that it uses a T mount my 2x adapter just screws right in place making this a cool 1600 mm lens !

Will this lens do everything its $6000 cousin does ?  No it will not, no auto focus, no aperture adjustment .... but it will get the job done 70 ~ 90 % of the time when the subject is far off, and cost about the same a dinner for two these days.

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