500mm - 1000mm Zoom Lens for Sony A100 A200 A350 Question

[onikami]

Can I gather opinion on this from members?

I am interested in 500mm lens for my Sony a300.

The sony ones cost about £400 and I cant afford that. However, I found on ebay the following auction:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220359401335&**=http://search.ebay.co.uk:80/220359401335_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQfromZR40QQfviZ1

The price looks great. I emailed the seller to ask him what lens manufacturer this was from and got the following reply:

Dear Sir,

Thanks for your email.

These lenses are manufactured in the same factory in Japan and Korea as
brands such as Phoenix, Kenko, Tokina, etc. They are the same specifications
and quality but without the markup for a brand name. Because we purchase in bulk, these big factories take our orders and we can supply at much lower
prices than the brands above.

Please feel free to contact us for any further
information that you may
need.

Regards,
Anu

Would you be happy to order based on this reply?

[Jayst84]

Hehe, I'm no help, but I love how he took an example photo without a lens.

Also, it's not a zoom as said, it looks like a 500mm prime (mirror lens at a guess without reading the whole thing) with a 2x convertor.

[Jayst84]

Ok, just looked at the picture, clearly it's made of glass, not mirrors. :D

[onikami]

Hehe, I'm no help, but I love how he took an example photo without a lens.

Also, it's not a zoom as said, it looks like a 500mm prime (mirror lens at a guess without reading the whole thing) with a 2x convertor.

His auction claims its:

Package Includes

500mm Zoom Lens

2x Teleconverter

Soft Pouch

Front and Rear Caps

Instruction Booklet

Warranty Card

T-Adapter for Mount compatible with models listed on Auction title

I have never heard of any of the lens brands he mentions on his email?

[heidfirst]

it's f8 so no AF (the Minolta/ Sony reflex gets around this due to it's design) but that would be moot anyway as since it uses a T-mount it's a manual lens. the 2x would just make the situation worse. You would also have a very dark viewfinder.

You get what you pay for & you aren't paying much - honestly save up some & buy something better as the results from this won't be very good.

[foodpoison]

I say do it :D

if it's rubbish, sell it on for £65. I'd buy it just for the fun of it. Who knows, you might learn something :shrug:

[ogbyte]

won't the 2x converter make it an F16 (2stops of light lost i think for a 2x, usually 1x for a 1.4x converter)), so from f8 -> f11 -> f16

Rubbish I'd say - save you money, esp if you can get a sony 500mm for £400 :eek:

[onikami]

OK. I'll give this a pass. Will look around and see if I can get it elsewhere.

[Col_M]

Honestly, you get what you pay for. If you have a few quid spare then get it as a novelty item and have some fun, just don't expect to much of it e.g. photos of moving subjects in anything other that bright sunlight.

[fabs]

Ebay is always awash with these cheap long focal length lenses and they are just that, cheap! I would avoid with a 1,000 foot bargepole! :gag:

[Zebedee101]

OK. I'll give this a pass. Will look around and see if I can get it elsewhere.

Save the money and sellotape an empty coke bottle to the camera body - you will get better results. I don't have the link to hand but see if you can find images taken by the opteka 500/1000mm lens. You would need so much light and such a slow shutter speed that it would negate the purposes of having a long lens.

[andy_fozzy]

Can I gather opinion on this from members?

I am interested in 500mm lens for my Sony a300.

The sony ones cost about £400 and I cant afford that. However, I found on ebay the following auction:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220359401335&**=http://search.ebay.co.uk:80/220359401335_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQfromZR40QQfviZ1

The price looks great. I emailed the seller to ask him what lens manufacturer this was from and got the following reply:

Dear Sir,

Thanks for your email.

These lenses are manufactured in the same factory in Japan and Korea as
brands such as Phoenix, Kenko, Tokina, etc. They are the same specifications
and quality but without the markup for a brand name. Because we purchase in bulk, these big factories take our orders and we can supply at much lower
prices than the brands above.

Please feel free to contact us for any further
information that you may
need.

Regards,
Anu

Would you be happy to order based on this reply?

DON'T DO IT.
What a load of bo lax.

You will waste your money.
Save up a bit more money and go for a Sigma 170-500mm.
I got one from a member here for a stonking £230!