500 mirror lens

[AgX]

A mirror is not neccessarily thikker than a lens, and to my understanding the mass of the element would be decisive.
(By the way: in a catadioptric lens a mirror and a lens can be formed by one single element.)

 

[pentaxpete]

Russian 500mm f8 MTO mirror lens

can I add something ? Many years ago now I got a RUSSIAN MTO 500 f8 mirror lens to use for Sport photos, mainly Cricket, for my local newspaper ( which went BROKE in 1980) and it was all B&W film work - I got some good results, many published photos -- it fitted my Screw-thread PENTAXes , ZENITHS, PRAKTICAS, and with a 'P' adaptor my CANON FTBn .
A ZENITH 'E' showing the wooden box it came with also one of the filters -- it cost me £69-00 from 'Brocks Cameras' ( now gone BROKE!)

Mirror Lens by pentaxpete, on Flickr
'Walking on Water' taken with it , PRAKTICA MTL3, expired 'Activa' ( KONICA) 200 film rated 100 ASA

Walking on Water ! by pentaxpete, on Flickr
'Doughnut' Rings -- rear car light out of focus, PRAKTICA LB, expired Fuji Press 800 film

Test 02: Russian MTO 500mm by pentaxpete, on Flickr

 

[Greg Kriss]

When driving around, I always took a Nikon D700 with a 24-120mm VR Nikkor and a 500mm Nikkor Mirror lens inside a very padded Pelican case. The 500mm I used less than 5% of the time, but got some great shots with it. Last year came across a 600mm f/8 Vivitar Series 1 SOLID CATADIOPTRIC lens and an 800mm f/11 Vivitar Series 1 SOLID CATADIOPTRIC lens in NOS condition for a price that was too tempting to pass over on. To my surprise both optics are amazingly sharp. Coupled with a Nikon Z6 with its in camera VR and its Focus Peaking option (Custom Setting D10) the combination is amazingly easy to use. Also machined a bracket that allowed both the lens and the camera body to be attached to it, and intern the bracket to be either placed on a beanbag or mounted on a tripod head, and problems with vibrations from using slower speeds disappeared. The 800mm SOLID CAT is just as sharp as my 800mm f/5.6 MF ED-Nikkor at f/11. Yes the out of focus background differs but not all the time. Now always carry around a Nikon Z6 with a 24-200mm Z f/4-6.3 VR Nikkor and the 800mm Vivitar SOLID CAT in that Pelican case. I have been using the 800mm CAT many times over the 500mm Mirror lens.

 

[Sirius Glass]

The donuts or circles distract too much and that is the reason I have never bought one.

 

[Arthurwg]

I think the problem that some people experience with this type lens is caused by the fact that they are easy to hand hold. There is a specific technique involved to assure sharpness when handholding any long lens.

Very interesting. What are those techniques?