Minolta AF Reflex 500mm f/8

Minolta Reflex 500mm f/8

Maker	Minolta, Sony
Technical data
Type	Special Prime
Focal length	500 mm
Aperture (max/min)	f/8 fixed
Close focus distance	4 m
Max. magnification	1/7.7
Diaphragm blades	No blades, circular
Construction	7 elements in 5 groups
Features
Ultrasonic motor	No
Macro capable	No
Unique features	AF capable Mirror Lens
Application	Telephoto
Physical
Max. length	118 mm
Weight	665 g
Filter diameter	Front 82mm & Rear drop-in (Clear and NDx4)
Accessories
Lens hood	Front threaded
Angle of view
Horizontal	4.9°
History
Introduction	1989
Discontinuation	2010
Successor	Minolta version succeeded by Sony version in 2006
Retail info
MSRP	699 USD (as of 2006)

Originally produced by Minolta, then by Sony, the AF Reflex 500mm f/8 was a catadioptric photographic lens compatible with cameras using the Minolta A-mount and Sony A-mount lens mounts.

The Minolta/Sony Reflex 500mm lens still (2024) is the only production mirror lens designed to auto focus with an SLR camera. There are other mirror lenses that can mount onto current mounts such as Canon EF or RF and Nikon F or Z, but all other mirror lenses are manual focus only. Only this lens can have its focus controlled by the camera's autofocus motor in conjunction with TTL autofocus sensing. In terms of the Minolta AF and subsequent Sony α SLR systems, this lens is an anomaly, being the only lens guaranteed to autofocus at f/8.

Minolta also produced a V-mount 400 mm f/8 Reflex lens that can autofocus at f/8, but only fits the APS Minolta Vectis S-1, Minolta Vectis S-100 and Minolta Dimâge RD 3000 cameras.

The mirror design does not utilize aperture blades, and thus the aperture of the lens is fixed at f/8. Exposure may only be controlled by shutter speed, film or sensor sensitivity, or a slot-in neutral density filter. The lens possesses a filter holder to that avail.

By using a mirror design similar to that of a telescope, this lens uses very little glass compared to traditional telephoto lenses and is thus much smaller, lighter, and far less expensive than traditional lenses in the same focal length. However, like all mirror lenses, it can produce donut-shaped bokeh in images, due to the secondary mirror partially obstructing the front element.

Adapters for Sony E-Mount[edit]

Using this lens on a Sony E-mount camera requires an adapter such as one of the Sony LA-EA series, not all of which are compatible with all E-mount cameras^[1] or A-mount lenses.^[2] The LA-EA2, LA-EA4 and LA-EA5 adapters have the screw drive required to enable autofocus, which is however limited to select cameras for each adapter.^[3] Otherwise, the lens will be manual focus only. The latter proves a very viable solution, even despite the shallow depth of field of the long focal length.

RF ROKKOR-X manual focus version[edit]

Since 1977, i.e. before the introduction of its autofocus system, Minolta also made manual focus, SR-mount 500mm f/8 catadioptric lenses, designated RF, RF ROKKOR, and RF ROKKOR-X successively. Their optical schemes of 6 lens elements in 5 groups differ slightly between each other, and are not the same as this autofocus lens,^[4][5] using 7 elements. Still, it can of course be used (fully manually) on modern cameras such as Sony E-mount, but requires a different adapter type.

• Minolta 500mm f/8 AF Reflex Lens
• 
  Minolta Reflex 500mm Hood off
• 
  Minolta Reflex 500mm Front design
• 
  Minolta Reflex 500mm Rear filter out

• 
  Minolta Reflex 500mm Hood on, cap on
• 
  Minolta Reflex 500mm Mirror assembly
• 
  Minolta Reflex 500mm Kit

See also[edit]

• List of Minolta A-mount lenses

References[edit]

• Technical data and user reviews (Minolta Version) on dyxum.com
• Technical data and user reviews (Sony Version) on dyxum.com

Sources[edit]

• Dyxum lens data