Canon new FD 8/500mm Reflex Mirror Lens [#1656] Camera lens

The Canon New FD 8/500mm Reflex Mirror Lens is a distinctive telephoto lens designed for cameras using the FD mount system prevalent in Canon's manual focus era. The 500mm focal length positions it as a super-telephoto lens, ideal for capturing distant subjects such as wildlife, sports, or astrophotography.

Being a reflex mirror lens, it uses a catadioptric optical design combining mirrors and lenses, resulting in a compact and lightweight alternative to traditional long glass lenses. This design produces a characteristic doughnut-shaped bokeh due to the secondary mirror in the optical path, which some photographers find artistically appealing.

With an 8mm aperture value (equivalent to around f/8 in light-gathering terms for mirror lenses), this lens has fixed aperture offering advantages in simplicity and compactness but demands good lighting conditions. The Canon FD system and its lenses are prized by collectors and manual focus aficionados appreciating craftsmanship and the unique rendering of mirror lenses.