A pentamirror is an optical device used in the

viewfinder In photography, a viewfinder is a device on a camera that a photographer uses to determine exactly where the camera is pointed, and approximately how much of that view will be photographed. A viewfinder can be mechanical (indicating only direct ...

systems of various single-lens reflex

camera A camera is an instrument used to capture and store images and videos, either digitally via an electronic image sensor, or chemically via a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. As a pivotal technology in the fields of photograp ...

s instead of the

pentaprism A pentaprism is a five-sided reflecting prism (optics), prism used to deviate a beam of light by a constant 90°, even if the entry beam is not at 90° to the prism. The beam reflects inside the prism ''twice'', allowing the transmission of an i ...

. It is used to reverse again the laterally reversed image coming from the reflex mirror. Instead of the solid block of glass of the prism in pentaprism system, here 3 mirrors are used to perform the same task. This is cheaper and lighter, but generally produces a viewfinder image of lower quality and brightness. This optical device is often (more precisely) referred to as ''roof pentamirror'' because of the roof-like ridge.Paul R. Yoder. ''Opto-Mechanical Systems Design'', 2005
page 435

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External links

Understanding ViewfindersPhoto of a Canon 400d pentamirror
{{optics-stub Mirrors Photography equipment