A cheap alternative to long lenses over 500mm are mirror lenses. Cost effective, light, and extremely portable, mirror lenses have become popular with amature photographers who operate on a tight budget. One drawback of mirror lenses are the unusual bokeh or blurry circles.
Telephoto Zoom Lenses[]
| Lens | Price | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 | $26,000 |  |
| Tamron 200-500mm f/5-6.3 | $1000 |  |
Mirror Lenses[]
| Lens | Price | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Vivitar 650-1300mm f/8 | $230 |  |
| Pro Optic 500mm f/6.3 | $160 |   |
Bokeh[]
A typical lens provides a smooth bokeh, usually a solid round circle. Bokeh from mirror lenses provide a hollow circle, almost like a doughnut. Compare the two images below. Notice the top image has smooth colored circles while the botom image has a large group of "doughnuts."
18-55mm lens bokeh
Mirror Lens Bokeh.
