Opteka 500mm f/8 High Definition Telephoto Mirror Lens for Nikon D3, D3S, D3X, D40, D40x, D50, D60, D70, D80, D90, D100, D200, D300, D300S, D700, D3000, D3100, D5000, D7000 Digital SLR Cameras

by Opteka

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B000HCNFD0
• Item model number: Opt-500-Mirror-N-D200
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 2, 2006

Product Description

The Opteka manual focus mirror lens is incredibly compact and lightweight. Using an advanced reflex design, this is a mirror lens that is ideally suited for wildlife and sports photography. It has a fixed aperture of f8. It comes complete with a soft pouch and three (3) rear mounted, 30.5mm filters, (ND-2X, ND-4X & Skylight). Opteka mirror lenses incorporates advanced computer designed optics and the latest in multi-coating techniques.á The process of multi-coating assures virtually flare free photographs even under adverse lighting conditions resulting in crisp high contrast pictures with full color fidelity.

Specifications
Filter Size: 72mm front, 30.5mm rear
f/Stop Range: f/8.0 (fixed)
Minimum Focus Distance: 5.6' (1.7 m)
Magnification: 1:3
Angle of View: 5°
Groups/Elements: 6/7
Length: 3.4" (8.6 cm)
Maximum Diameter: 3.0" (7.6 cm)
Weight: 0.79 lb (360 g)

Included Items
~ Opteka 500mm f/8 Telephoto Mirror Lens
~ 3 Filters (Skylight, Nd 2x, Nd 4x)
~ T-Mount Lens Adapter
~ Lens Caps
~ Lens Pouch
~ 10 Year Warranty

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why 5 Stars? Read on..., May 17, 2007

By 

James Hatsis "AHR" (Greensboro, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Opteka 500mm f/8 High Definition Telephoto Mirror Lens for Nikon D3, D3S, D3X, D40, D40x, D50, D60, D70, D80, D90, D100, D200, D300, D300S, D700, D3000, D3100, D5000, D7000 Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

Yes I know this is not an award winning lens that will pass all those technical tests you see in the photo magazines with flying colors but what do you want for $75? I've paid more than that for a filter. At this price you can feel free to experiment with a long telephoto (this lens should be 750mm equiv on most DSLR cameras)

I say try this lens and if you find that your creative skills start to exceed its' quality and features then by all means invest in a lens costing 10 to 20 times as much... If you are like most photographers out there (me included) I think you will find this lens perfect for the few times you need a long reach telephoto.

38 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I use canon, but it is the same., August 16, 2008

By 

J. zhu "Tomorrow a better day" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Opteka 500mm f/8 High Definition Telephoto Mirror Lens for Nikon D3, D3S, D3X, D40, D40x, D50, D60, D70, D80, D90, D100, D200, D300, D300S, D700, D3000, D3100, D5000, D7000 Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

I used this lens long enough to maximize its potential. I shot handhold with ISO 800 at 1/800s when the subject is in sunny day and ISO 1600 at 1/800S when subject is in cloudy day with my 40D, and I just uploaded some here. My subjects are mostly moving people, but focus is no problem with me. I have to say that the deep of field of this lens is very very shallow, and if you don't focus right or if you don't know how to focus a lens which is by turning the focus ring to the right or left, then your picture will be very very soft to a point that is out of focus.

THIS LENS IS OUTDOOR ONLY LENS. Even if you use tripod indoor, focus is nearly impossible because of this lens's maximum aperture is F/8, since you need light to be able to focus.

Lens flare is a big problem. you need to use front or size lighting when using this lens, or you will get very very low contrast pictures.

Post-Process is not an opinion. you have to increase the contrast and the color saturation of every pictures. Sharpness is no way comparable to my other canon L lenses, but when the focus is acceptable and with some Photoshop sharpening, the result is comparable to most consumer-level lens.

I used quite a number of lens before this lens. I own three Canon professional L lens and have sigma's EX line lens. This is the cheapest lens I bought. I learned one thing that a good lens can produce bad picture if you don't know how to use it in an appropriate way. For real, the time I bought my L lens, I am totally count on it, but it disappointed me after I got bad results.

That is to say: buy it if you want to learn to use it. It is good deal for real, for less than 100 dollar.

Pro
500mm
Cheap in tag

Con
manual focus maybe hard for most of the people (but not me)
Low contrast (you can increase contrast in Photoshop)
Slow Lens (you have to use at least ISO 800 with handhold)

About sharpness: YOU HAVE TO FOCUS PRECISELY. Since it is hard, most people will comment that this lens is not sharp. THEY ARE WRONG.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great lens for the price., August 12, 2008

By 

B. Muller - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Opteka 500mm f/8 High Definition Telephoto Mirror Lens for Nikon D3, D3S, D3X, D40, D40x, D50, D60, D70, D80, D90, D100, D200, D300, D300S, D700, D3000, D3100, D5000, D7000 Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

For $75 on special I found this to be a good bargain.

It works strictly in manual mode, so you have to know how to actually work your camera! Don't expect anything automatic: if you are a point and shoot photographer in full-auto mode, then this is not the lens for you!

Images are of reasonable quality. I have not detected any distortion. The lens is wonderfully compact for a 500mm telephoto, so I can add it to my collection of lenses in a fairly small camera bag - Otherwise I would not be carrying a telephoto of this magnitude around, and would miss those occasional moments that this can capture.

It also does a great job with macro - So I don't have to carry a separate macro lens around.

Only negative - At a fixed F8 you have to have very good lighting conditions for the lens to be useful at faster shutter speeds - With lower lighting you have to slow the shutter, which can add a lot of shake.