Inexpensive 500mm F8 mirror lenses...

Screamin Scott

I just won a Kalimar 500mm F8 mirror lens with custom case & 3 filters on eBay a few days ago for < $25 shipping included...Judging from the pictures & the description, it appears that this is a re-branded Samyang as it looks identical other than the name....I am familiar with the shortcomings of the cheap mirror lenses (tripod for best results, doughnut shaped OOF highlights, etc.)....I am curious to know others experiences with these uber cheap mirror lenses & sample photos if you have any.....Would have been nice to pick up a Nikon mirror, but I couldn't resist the price. I just hope I've gotten a good copy as I know there was a lot of sample variation & that the optics are prone to being knocked out of calibration if mishandled...

Anu · Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Posts: 879

I have Soviet MC 3M-5CA 500/8 which is very nice lens to have - light as a feather and gives good enough image quality - judging from the samples of the modern cheap mirror lenses, I'd say that this lens blows them away in IQ. There is a caveat though: one may need to open the lens up to make sure the elements are in proper order (2 elements in the back), and that the main mirror is not attached too tightly. But it just has to be the easiest and simplest lens to open up and rebuild, so it's not a big deal.

I spent 70 or so euros on this lens and it was a money well spent - I carry this lens far more often with me than I do the CZJ Sonnar 300/4, even though the latter of course has superior IQ - the light weight and small size make a big difference (and image stabilizer in body).

aoleg · Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 1389 Location: Berlin, DE

I have a Samyang mirror, the modern Macro version. It produces images that are low on contrast and micro-contrast, and are generally not sharp enough for practical use. I got it cheaply though.