Product Description

The Opteka 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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5159 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Opteka
• Model: Opt-500-Mirror-N-D200
• Dimensions: 3.40" h x 3.00" w x 3.00" l, 3.00 pounds

Features

• Will mount to All Nikon Manual Focus or AutoFocus Film or Digital SLR Camera
• High definition optics produce sharper, more intense pictures
• Incredibly compact and lightweight
• Fully Multi-coated

Customer Reviews

You get what you pay for
Of course I didn't expect the same kind of performance as a $$$$ Nikkor lens would give me. So I wasn't disappointed.
But I had hoped for better results -- I put it on a tripod to avoid vibration focusssed as exactly as possible onto a high-contrast banner at a race track. But still I never could a sharp edge from that banner.
Using the same setup & procedure with a different lens, sharpness jumped a lot. Price of that lens also jumped a lot.

I cannot recommend it on D80 and lower as this is a non-CPU lens and metering will not work so it is 100% manual and try & error. The D200 can meter in "M" mode.

Why 5 Stars? Read on...
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.

I use canon, but it is the same.
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.