Possible new lens: Hey guys, I'm in the market for a longer lens. The one listed below has some good reviews, and since money is short I started looking at cheaper as well. What do you...

PhotoNoob Loc: Innisfail, Canada

Hey guys, I'm in the market for a longer lens. The one listed below has some good reviews, and since money is short I started looking at cheaper as well. What do you think of the lens in the picture below. It's a 420 - 800 with an extender and T-Ring

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000GTV9RI/ref=pe_2802800_237383430_em_1p_0_ti

(Download)

melismus Loc: Chesapeake Bay Country

This lens is manual focus and manual aperture. Difficult to use on still subjects, and near impossible for moving subjects. A tripod will be essential.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

You get what you pay for. I would not buy it.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

PhotoNoob wrote:

Hey guys, I'm in the market for a longer lens. The one listed below has some good reviews, and since money is short I started looking at cheaper as well. What do you think of the lens in the picture below. It's a 420 - 800 with an extender and T-Ring

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000GTV9RI/ref=pe_2802800_237383430_em_1p_0_ti

If you like beating your head against the wall and you are flush with money, this one is for you. Frustrating to use, poor quality results, mediocre construction, very dark viewfinder, and fi you are using it on digital, you don't have a good enough screen to judge focus with - all you have is plain groundglass - no split prism, no microprism.

A word of advice - read opinions from better sources. Many of the reviews on Amazon for this product are either from people that don't know any better and this is their first experience with a long lens (remember your excitement when you got your first car), or more importantly, describe their actual experience - it fell apart after a few months, horrible quality, too dark to be useful, etc.

Save your money and apply it to a better lens and tripod.

Plieku69 Loc: The Gopher State, south end

The reviews are bad, run, don't walk away from that thing.
Ken

whitewolfowner

I own an older version of this lens and it went from 420mm - 700mm. It's widest aperture is f8.3 at 420 and even slower as you zoom out. It actually is not bad at 420mm but quickly deteriorates as you zoom out. If you had any other lens in those ranges you would bother with it but if it's this or nothing, you will put up with it. As you zoom, the focus changes rapidly and you'd swear you're going to get carpel tunnel trying to find the new focus spot as you will be turning that focus ring for ever.

cthahn

You wont be happy with it.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

I stumbled on seeing an ad on this lens yesterday. I was just browsing. It was an Opteka Brand. They also make a 650-1300mm lens too, that I was familiar with, and was also made by Rokinon. Now discontinued. Both lenses sell for under $200. Naturally it isn't a quality lens. But it is better than no lens at all.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

Save up until you can afford something useful. Best of luck.

Math78 Loc: Scottsdale, AZ

A better, much cheaper option is to get a "Soligor" 400mm f/6.3 lens from the 1970's and 80's. This Japanese lens was sold under several different brand names. You can find them on eBay for about $40. A good copy is actually quite sharp (especially on a APS-C camera), and just as sharp wide open as at f/8 or f/11. T-mount design, so you can easily modify to fit most cameras for a few dollars. The one I have came with a Nikon F-mount. A tripod helps, especially if you are trying to focus on something close by, but I have used it hand-held in sunlight.
Check out some photos here:
http://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/soligor-400mm-f6-3.html

Soligor 400mm using Sony A6000

(Download)

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

cjc2 wrote:

Save up until you can afford something useful. Best of luck.

One could use the lens as a door jam.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

PhotoNoob wrote:

Hey guys, I'm in the market for a longer lens. The one listed below has some good reviews, and since money is short I started looking at cheaper as well. What do you think of the lens in the picture below. It's a 420 - 800 with an extender and T-Ring.

The negative comments come from those who have never used one, or wouldn’t know how if they had it. Obviously it cannot compete with an ED or L prime, but if handled properly, it’s capable of decent images. Forget the teleconverter, though.
Check what a little post processing can do:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-206902-1.html

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

This lens "works" ......but in this price range I would much prefer the Tamron SP 500mm f8 mirror and crop as needed on a good sensor and shot from a decent tripod.

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

PhotoNoob wrote:

Hey guys, I'm in the market for a longer lens. The one listed below has some good reviews, and since money is short I started looking at cheaper as well. What do you think of the lens in the picture below. It's a 420 - 800 with an extender and T-Ring

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000GTV9RI/ref=pe_2802800_237383430_em_1p_0_ti

I don't recommend it. Have had a similar lens, mounted it once and never again.

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

a group of probably 100 people were shooting eagles last fall/ The guy down a bit had one of those optika lenses.
He didnt get any good shots all day. Shutters were going off like machine guns all around us.
He was fiddling with the thing, not taking a shot by the time he was ready, the bird was gone.

Save your money.