Overview

The Pentacon 500mm f/5.6 is a massive, all-metal manual lens weighing 9.8 lbs, requiring a sturdy tripod. It offers sharp, distinct image quality with low depth of field, but chromatic aberration is present, though rarely obvious at normal enlargement. The manual pre-set diaphragm is less convenient than automatic apertures. It suits photographers seeking a vintage telephoto look on modern digital cameras, especially those comfortable with heavy, fully manual operation.