A Dove prism is used to rotate, invert, or retroreflect an image, depending upon the prism's rotation angle and the surface through which the light enters the prism. Wloptical' Dove Prisms are fabricated from N-BK7 glass or other optical materials for high transmission from the visible to the near-infrared spectral range and available uncoated with 12.7 mm, 25.4 mm and so on square cross sections.

Dove prisms can be thought of as right-angle prisms with the triangular apex removed, which reduces the weight of the prism and stray internal reflections. They introduce astigmatism when used with converging light, so we recommend using them with collimated light. Additionally, these prisms affect the polarization state of light transmitted through them.