Phoenix 500 mm F/8.0 MF Lens

I think this is the best lens for amateur photograpers for bird, wild life and ,maybe, sport photograhy. It is very light for a focal length of 500mm (750 mm effective digital), and the aperture of f8 is adequate under bright light for the careful manual focusing required. Camera shake is a major concern of course, and a shutter speed of 1/500 sec is needed if a tripod is not used (1/200 sec even with antishake cameras).For use with SLR digital cameras, the shutter lock setting must be set to off, because the camera does not know that a lens is attached. At a price of around $100 new (Mine was bought on ebay for $60), it improves your chance of getting a good picture of a nervous or remote subject. It is made as a screw mount lens, and a t-mount adapter (about $15) is needed for each specific camera. If you have two different model cameras, the lens can be shared for the cost of an additional t-mount.

I don't know about any of the other cameras listed as compatable for this lens but the 500mm mirror lens is NOT what I had expected. If you are looking for a lens which functions for your Nikon DX AF camera do not waist your money on this. If you want an OK lens that will take a picture in some 'ideal' conditions you may want to buy this lens but If I were to do it again I would not waist my money on this one. The lens apature does not match the camera and requires a screw mount attachment. The doubleing lens requires you to unmount unscrew recrew on the other lens and and then screw on the doubler. This is a five minute process and not easy to do. The lens mount is VERY much smaller than the camera mount opening and is the reason for the poor F stop I think the diamater of this mount is 22mm as apposed to your normal 50mm lens mount. The filters which come for this lens are also a pain in that they too are only 22mm and requuire you to unscrew these as well when you want to mount the lens or the doubler. All in all a complete waist of time and money. I was tricked by the title stating this lens is 'for' this camera. I would warn anyone else thinking of buying this lens to look elsewhere.

In the past, I have bought and used inexpensive lenses for my cameras and the results have not been great. However, this lens is fantastic for the price I paid! Even the teleconverter was great! Granted, you have to set the aperture and focus manually, but when set properly, the resulting images are awesome! I would strongly recomend this lens to anyone who has used an older, manual 35mm camera, and I would even recomend it for those who have only used automatic cameras. For the price, you can afford to learn how to use it! Overall, I am very please with this Rokinon lens and teleconverter! (By the way, I would suggest you use a tripod when using the teleconverter.)

Well built and rugged. Heavy, which is a good thing for this type of lens. However, the focus is EXTREMELY sensitive and the contrast is so poor that the lens is more or less unusable. Focusing on a pinpoint light source (a star) produces a box-shaped (i.e. "square") bright spot rather than a sharp point. I am not planning to keep this lens and will sell it as soon as possible.

I have always wanted a long telephoto lense but the expense kept my away. When I saw the auction Cameta Camera had for a Phoenix Gold 500mm lense for under $100.00 I had to buy it. I basicly got a hell of a lot more for my $100.00.
I mounted this baby on my tri-pod and started terrorizing the neighborhood. The clarity is unbelievable the nature shots were what I have always wanted and with this lense it is really happening. Shooting with a higher than normal ISO had much better results than expected. I guess my D60 didn't mind. I could not say enough for the service I receice again from Cameta Camera and this product. Arthur Parent