Steve'sDigicams

bigdawg · Jan 8, 2008, 9:44 PM

Trojansoc wrote:

Quote:

penolta wrote:

Quote:

The Phoenix/Vivitar/Cosina/ Promaster/etc. 100-400mm lens has been the subject of some discussion since Herbert Keppler mentioned his Phoenix example favorablyinone of hisrecent Pop Photo columns. I suspect this lens is on its way out, since the only mounts that seem to be available now new are Pentax and Minolta, listing from dealers from $186 - 209. A dealer now haslisted threeof these in Pentax mount at $149 new. Not the greatest lens, but at this price, it might be worth a try (he has a money-back satisfaction guarantee) for someone looking for a really long lens. Hestocks quite a few Promaster lenses (all of which look like the Phoenix, etc lenses), and although prevailing opinion has been that this (and the other)lenses are made by Cosina, this dealer claims them to be Sigma made. Regardless of who makes them, Promaster lenses carry a lifetime warranty!

Hmmmm.....walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck (right down to the little red band around the end of the lens.....

Considering I've seen the exact same lens with the Phoenix, Vivitar, and Cosina badges on it, I'm assumig we're looking at the Cosina-made lens. I've bought two of them and had excellent performance from both. I suspect you may be right about it being on the way out. Adorama is listing it as "out of stock."

A couple of recent shots with the lens:

It's not a top of the line lens. Build quality is relatively cheap (particularly the hood), but it's a relatively inexpensive way to get 400mm and AF with decent quality.

May be a Korean made Samyang too. The phoenix brand was a rebadge of the Samyang lenses at one time. I've owned two AND THEY WERE RELATIVELY WELL MADE AND WOULD SHOOT DECENT PHOTOS. tHE ONLY COMPLAINT i HAD WAS AT MOST OF THE ZOOM RANGES i COULD NOT GET A REALLY SHARP PHOTO. jUST WOULDN'T SHOOT SHARP!

dAWG @ WORK

jgredline · Jan 9, 2008, 2:15 PM

Hmmm, I bought one of these as the the price was simply to tempting not to. I bought it from B&H while I was going through LBA and it was the most disapointing lens I have ever bought...It was only sharp at 100-150mm range and the rest was pretty much not usuable. In low light, it was the really bad...Perhaps I got a bad one...I now have the 135-400 Sigma APO and the 50-500Bigma and those two lenses are miles ahead of the Phoenix..

Eddie OM35 · Jan 9, 2008, 3:26 PM

Let's please hope that isn't the case with mine!

Eddie

bigdawg · Jan 9, 2008, 5:21 PM

I hope you get a good one Eddie!

Dawg

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Jan 9, 2008, 2:15 PM	#12
jgredline Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Los Angeles... Posts: 1,175	Hmmm, I bought one of these as the the price was simply to tempting not to. I bought it from B&H while I was going through LBA and it was the most disapointing lens I have ever bought...It was only sharp at 100-150mm range and the rest was pretty much not usuable. In low light, it was the really bad...Perhaps I got a bad one...I now have the 135-400 Sigma APO and the 50-500Bigma and those two lenses are miles ahead of the Phoenix..

Jan 9, 2008, 3:26 PM	#13
Eddie OM35 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Ft Walton Beach, FL Posts: 198	Let's please hope that isn't the case with mine! Eddie

Jan 9, 2008, 5:21 PM	#14
bigdawg Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Thach Alabama Posts: 14,981	I hope you get a good one Eddie! Dawg