Specifications#
- Brand
- Sony
- Model
- AF 500mm F8 Reflex
- Lens type
- Super-telephoto prime
- Focal length
- 500 mm
- Maximum aperture
- f/8
- Image circle
- Full frame (36×24 mm)
- Mount(s)
- Sony / Minolta A-mount
- Projection
- Rectilinear
- Lensfun correction profile
- Yes — distortion/vignetting/TCA
Equivalent focal length on different cameras#
Field of view and depth-of-field equivalence when this lens is used on bodies with different sensor sizes (natively or via an adapter).
| Camera format | At 500 mm | Equiv. aperture (DoF) |
|---|---|---|
| Full frame | 500 mm · 5° | f/8.0 |
| APS-C | 750 mm · 3° | f/12.0 |
| APS-C (Canon) | 800 mm · 3° | f/12.8 |
| Micro Four Thirds | 1000 mm · 2° | f/16.0 |
Depth of field & background blur#
Computed on its native Full frame format (CoC 30 µm). “Blur @2 m” is the size of an out-of-focus point at infinity, as a percentage of frame width, with the subject at 2 m — a simple bokeh index.
| Focal | Aperture | at 1 m | at 2 m | at 5 m | at 10 m | Hyperfocal | Blur @2 m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 mm | f/8 | — | 0.6 cm | 4.3 cm | 18.2 cm | 1.0 km | 57.9% |
Handheld & night-sky limits#
NPF assumes typical 20–24 MP sensors (≈6 µm pixels on full frame, ≈3.9 µm on APS-C, ≈3.3 µm on Micro Four Thirds).
| Body | Min. handheld shutter (longest focal) | 500 rule at 500 mm | NPF at 500 mm, f/8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full frame | 1/500 s | 1 s | 1 s |
| APS-C | 1/800 s | 1 s | 1 s |
| APS-C (Canon) | 1/800 s | 1 s | 1 s |
| Micro Four Thirds | 1/1000 s | 0 s | 1 s |
Compatible cameras#
Bodies in our database with a native Sony / Minolta A-mount mount.
- Sony Alpha 77 II 2014
- Sony Alpha 58 2013
- Sony Alpha 37 2012
- Sony Alpha 57 2012
- Sony Alpha 65 2011
- Sony Alpha 35 2011
- Sony Alpha 290 2010
- Sony Alpha 33 2010
- Sony Alpha 55 2010
- Sony Alpha 580 2010
- Sony Alpha 390 2010
- Sony Alpha 450 2010
- Sony Alpha 560 2010
- Sony Alpha 230 2009
- Sony Alpha 500 2009
- Sony Alpha 550 2009
- Sony Alpha 850 2009
- Sony Alpha 330 2009
- Sony Alpha 380 2009
- Sony Alpha 900 2008
- Sony Alpha 200 2008
- Sony Alpha 350 2008
- Sony Alpha 300 2008
- Sony Alpha 700 2007
- Sony Alpha 100 2006
- Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D 2005
- Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D 2004
- Minolta Maxxum 7000 1985
- Sony Alpha 77
- Sony Alpha 99
- Sony α99 II
- Sony Alpha 68
- Pentax 645
Adapt it to other systems#
Frequently asked questions#
Is the Sony AF 500mm F8 Reflex full frame?
Yes — it covers the full 36 × 24 mm frame.
What is the Sony AF 500mm F8 Reflex equivalent to on APS-C?
On a 1.5× APS-C body it frames like 750 mm, and like 800 mm on Canon APS-C.
What is the Sony AF 500mm F8 Reflex good for?
As a super-telephoto prime it suits birds, wildlife and field sports from a distance.
Sources & licences#
- Lensfun lens database — CC BY-SA 3.0
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources