[Jim P]

I just saw the announcement of the new Tokina 400mm Reflex lens, Tokina - SZX SUPER TELE 400mm F8 Reflex MF.

While the lens is not overly exciting, what is curious is that they are releasing it in a T-Mount (and also the current standard mounts). I am assuming that since it is a fixed aperture, manual focus lens, that they probably thought they might as well release it as a T-Mount. My summary of their marketing highlights that because many of the downsides to what was considered outdated design have been solved by the mirrorless camera bodies, a new reflex, manual focus, fixed aperture lens has a place in the market. If that is true, are there other outdated lens designs that could be given new life as T-mount lenses, e.g., were there many specialty fixed aperture lenses that were useful and could be reintroduced? Just curious.

[Ontarian50]

Back when 500mm f8 reflex lenses were very popular it was typical for the aftermarket companies to make them in T-mount, as there was no need for any couplings for metering or aperture on most cameras. If your camera was manual or aperture priority a t-mount lens was pretty easy to use. Some autofocus Minoltas needed some tricks to get them to operate in stop down mode (you usually needed to hold down a couple of buttons while switching it on).

The OEM's made their mirror lenses with fixed mounts for their own cameras, of course, but it was easier and cheaper for the aftermarket makers to go T-mount. Easier for the retailer too. Keeping only a few lenses in stock, but with a drawer full of inexpensive T-mounts made it easy to make owners of less popular cameras happy.

Tamron, of course, had their 500mm mirror in their adaptall mount for years, long after AF cameras took over.

So, yes, it makes perfect sense for Tokina to go T-mount with their new reflex. One lens and a box of T-mounts and you can fit it to every DSLR and mirrorless model on the current market.

You could certainly go that route for the cinema lens crowd, who don't need AF, or any aperture couplings, but for most of us a T-mount lens without modern conveniences is going to be a bit less useful.

[PJ1]

It is tiny (74x77mm) and light (355gm) so it could find a place in a backpack if you need to travel light but just might need a long lens. My Tokina 400/5.6 weighs nearly three times as much. The bokeh produced by a mirror lens is a problem for some but it is fine for astro work. There is no bokeh is space!

[35mmfilmfan]

Many years ago I had a 350mm f5.6 mirror lens, with variable aperture. Can't recall ever using it much (back in film days) - anyone else recall this ?

[angerdan]

There's already an thread about this lens:
Tokina launches new T-mount mirrorlens - PentaxForums.com