Mirror lenses have split opinions for decades with most people falling either for or against, and the design is certainly not ideal for every genre of photography. Despite the contrasting market opinion, Kase has decided to launch its first camera lens, you guessed it, it's a mirror lens!
Kase manufactures some of the best filters and filter holders on the market, and it has made a name for itself in this particular area of interest. Therefore it was a surprise to most when it announced it was releasing the Kase 200mm f/5.6 MC reflex mirror lens for Canon RF, Canon EF, Nikon Z, Sony E, Fujifilm GF, and Fujifilm X mounts.
A mirror lens is essentially a compact reflecting telescope. It contains a series of angled circular mirrors that gather the light and refract it back and forth between the ends of the lens before passing through the camera sensor. The construction creates characteristic donut-shaped bokeh, which is most visible in bright out-of-focus highlights.
Mirror lenses are always telephoto or super-telephoto in focal length, but due to their construction, they are more compact than conventional telephoto lenses. The new Kase lens however has a very modest 200mm focal length, packed into a lens body measuring 98 x 69 x 69mm, and weighing around 425g (exact weight depends on the mount).
Mirror lenses have a fixed aperture, and the Kase 200mm has a set aperture of f/5.6. Although f/5.6, this lens produces a shallow depth of field and the unique mirror-lens donut effect, which transforms the bokeh balls into spherical torus-like rings.
The manual-focus lens is constructed of 6 elements in 5 groups which play a part in ensuring edge-to-edge neutral color, and that the edges of the main subject are soft and not blurred. The minimum focus is 2m, and it can be used with a front-mounted 67mm filter.
Kase states that this lens is ideal for shooting flowers, landscapes, and portraits, providing a painterly effect to the out-of-focus areas of the image.
The Kase 200mm f/5.6 MC reflex mirror lens is available now for $749 - $800 / £790 - £850 / AU$1495-1595 (depending on the mount).
