Opteka 500mm f/8 High Definition Telephoto Mirror Lens for Sony Alpha A900, A850, A700, A100, A200, A300, A350, A230, A330, A380, A450, A500, A550, A290, A390, A560, A580, A33, A55, A55V Digital SLR Cameras

by Opteka

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B000XQMLTE
• Item model number: Opt-500-Mirror-SonyAlpha
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 23, 2007

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

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the skinny on the opteka 500mm, April 7, 2008

By 

Raymond Harmacinski "notqytryt" (toledo oh) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Opteka 500mm f/8 High Definition Telephoto Mirror Lens for Sony Alpha A900, A850, A700, A100, A200, A300, A350, A230, A330, A380, A450, A500, A550, A290, A390, A560, A580, A33, A55, A55V Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

I have this lens and use it on my a100. since its a fixed mirror lens you have to set the camera so it doesnt lens detect. Its an f8 lens if its more than just a few feet away it will be in focus. (focus is adjustable) Also mirror lenses, just like telescopes give you very flat images..No depth of field. But even very expensive lenses aren't much better. So this really isn't the lens for a professional or serious nature photographer but if you need a 500mm lens ocassionally this isn't as bad as all that. This lens is not blurry if you use a tripod or, a monopod in good lighting situations. I doubt anyone can handhold an 500mm f8 lens without any motion blur. If anyone thinks they are going to get the quality from a $75.00 lens as you would a $3500 Prime lens then you're delusional Even a $400 500mm lens will only give at best just acceptable results not much better if at all to this cheap opteka. I have used this lens about 5x in the last 2 years and have gotten very good results. If you have the Sony A-series set to VIVID it will give you good color, If not you can always boost it with any photo editing program. Ive been a professional photographer for 22 years and I know a thing or two about cameras and lenses. If you use this lens properly it will handle your Basic needs adequately. Also the best thing about the lens is that its compact and cheap. If you drop it your not actually going to loose your mind if it breaks.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Blurry, March 2, 2008

By 

Golden Boar - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Opteka 500mm f/8 High Definition Telephoto Mirror Lens for Sony Alpha A900, A850, A700, A100, A200, A300, A350, A230, A330, A380, A450, A500, A550, A290, A390, A560, A580, A33, A55, A55V Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

I have the 18-250 mm Sony lens that I bought with the Sony Alpha 700. I was hoping to get sharper pictures of birds. After trying every option that I could think of with this Opteka lens, ISO, tripod, multiple light levels, etc., I have come to the conclusion that this Opteka lens just has optics that are of poor quality compared to what is useful for this camera. I compared several pictures taken with the Sony zoom lens at 250 mm and the 500mm Opteka, and then digitally zoomed in so that the images were comparable. Those with the Opteka were noticeably poorer, even though the digital zoom level was only half as much.
To get the lens to work at all on the Sony Alpha 700 required changing the camera settings to allow the shutter to release without a lens attached since it did not recognize the lens. The depth of field with this lens is extremely tight and it is difficult to get the focus right. But even after ensuring that the focus was as perfect as possible, I could not get any better than about the last 6 pixels (ie a 36 pixel square) being about as resolved as this lens would get. Pictures looked fine at 640x480 resolution, but anything more showed the lack of optical quality.
Is this what I should have expected with a lens of this price? Maybe, but I was hopeful that it might have some utility even though it would be limited and difficult to use, but even with those limited expectations I was disappointed.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great with a little practice., February 16, 2011

By 

Harry "Arabuk" (FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Opteka 500mm f/8 High Definition Telephoto Mirror Lens for Sony Alpha A900, A850, A700, A100, A200, A300, A350, A230, A330, A380, A450, A500, A550, A290, A390, A560, A580, A33, A55, A55V Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

The 500mm is on Amazon for a bunch of different cameras, I think they are the same lens with a different ring mount. This lens is great for shooting shots across the waterways and at the zoo. With an f/8.0, it works best on a bright sunny day. Use of a tripod helps get sharp pictures. Simply put... I use it more for wildlife & that hard to get close shot when someone or something is in your way, very inexpensive easy to use once ya get used to it, can't complain.