
Provenance & certification
Nikon 500mm f8
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Condition assessed 20/1/2026
How we gradeInspector’s condition notes
Lens in good condition. The Optical elements are pristine, with no scratch. Focus and aperture operate as smoothly as on a new lens. Internal components are tight, with no audible movement of the elements inside. The exterior body shows normal use, with visible scratch and paint loss easily noticeable across the lens body.
How this lens renders
Compared to the 500mm with the same specs, the standout of this Reflex-NIKKOR-C is its catadioptric (mirror) design, which packs a 500mm telephoto into a compact, lightweight body. The build quality is rock-solid—true to the Nikon name. The lens delivers high center sharpness with crisp focus points, but it comes with low contrast as a signature trait of mirror lenses, giving the image a softer feel than reality. The tones lean toward a filmic quality, leaving plenty of flexibility for further tonal adjustments in post. Because of its catadioptric design, the aperture is fixed at f/8. The highlight is the ring bokeh (doughnut bokeh) produced by the central mirror inside the body—a signature look you simply can't get from regular lenses. That distinctive circular doughnut bokeh in the background is a polarizing charm—those who love it, really love it. The 'C' version's multi-coating helps keep the image cleaner, and the mild vignetting (with a slightly brighter center) is easy to correct in post. Perfect for anyone seeking long telephoto reach in a portable package, and who's drawn to the unique appeal of ring bokeh. Well worth adding to a collection.
In the box
มีฟิวเตอร์ 39mm ท้ายเลนส์ ไม่มีฝาหน้า ไม่มีฝาหลัง
Honest disclosure
Nikon 500mm f8
The Nikon 500mm f/8 Reflex-NIKKOR-C is a compact catadioptric (mirror) telephoto based on the Maksutov astronomical telescope principle, offering extreme reach in a lightweight package but demanding fast shutter speeds and post-processing to overcome low contrast and doughnut bokeh.

What this lens can do
Example photos of this lens model, gathered from around the web — not shots of this exact copy.

