Compact Canon FD mirror lens delivering 500mm reach in a tiny, lightweight package with distinctive doughnut bokeh.
The Canon FD 500mm f/8 Reflex is a mirror lens (catadioptric) telephoto for the Canon FD mount that uses mirrors to fold the optical path, achieving 500mm reach in a remarkably compact and lightweight package. The mirror design is roughly one-third the length of an equivalent conventional 500mm lens.
The fixed f/8 aperture is a fundamental characteristic of mirror lenses — the aperture cannot be adjusted, meaning exposure is controlled entirely through shutter speed and ISO. The distinctive doughnut-shaped bokeh in out-of-focus areas is the mirror lens signature, loved by some photographers and disliked by others for its unusual rendering.
Build quality is solid Canon FD with a compact metal barrel that handles well on FD bodies despite the 500mm focal length. The lens focuses down to approximately 4 metres and uses rear-mounted drop-in filters rather than front-thread filters, as the annular mirror design on the front element prevents conventional filter attachment.
The Canon FD 500mm f/8 Reflex offers an affordable and portable super-telephoto option on the used market. Its compact size makes it uniquely practical for travel and hiking where a conventional 500mm lens would be impossible to carry. Image quality is acceptable for documentary purposes, though it cannot match conventional telephoto lenses for critical work.