It's either the greatest super-tele bargain in history...

It's either the greatest super-tele bargain in history... · 05:36 AM

...or proof of the adage about a fool and his money. Opteka 420-800mm f/8.3 zoom for Pentax, $129.99 with free shipping on Amazon.ca

Look at that minimum aperture... no, wait, look at that discount (was $499.99)!!

Heck, it's almost worth buying just to see how good/bad it is.

And in the also-viewed bar below, there are even more extreme variants on the same thing. I have the feeling that most of these are amateur refractor telescopes with K-mounts fused to the back end, but maybe someone has shot with them and can share?

Quicksand · 04-08-2016, 01:38 PM

LOL, I posted about something very similar back in 2009: Vivitar Series 1 650-1300mm (!)

People had more or less the same conclusions. BUT it's still available on Amazon, has dropped nearly 50% in price, and it has a five-star review average!

aremmes · 04-08-2016, 03:48 PM

Originally posted by UncleVanya

I have a friend who tells this story. A sister of a photographic wiz once asked what kind of flash she needed for moon pictures - he told her the only way he could see it working would be a very large flashbulb... large enough to burn off the atmosphere of the earth in the process!

He wasn't far off the mark, or probably read the same article.

**robtcorl** · 04-08-2016, 05:33 PM

Originally posted by UncleVanya

A sister of a photographic wiz once asked what kind of flash she needed for moon pictures

K David · 04-08-2016, 05:49 PM

The best review I've read of a similar Opteka lens concluded something to the effect of 'the only thing that sets this lens apart is that it's hard to get optics this bad any more.'

**pathdoc** · 04-08-2016, 06:15 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by K David

The best review I've read of a similar Opteka lens concluded something to the effect of 'the only thing that sets this lens apart is that it's hard to get optics this bad any more.'

Grimly reminiscent of the test pilot who on flying a new type of aircraft on its first flight, began his report with "Entry into this aircraft is difficult. It should be made impossible."

**boriscleto** · 04-08-2016, 06:29 PM

I'd rather invest in a lot like this one...

shopgoodwill.com - #28919305 - Huge Lot of Camera Lenses - 4/11/2016 4:00:00 PM

But shipping alone would be $30.

**pathdoc** · 04-09-2016, 12:26 AM

Originally posted by boriscleto

I'd rather invest in a lot like this one...

shopgoodwill.com - #28919305 - Huge Lot of Camera Lenses - 4/11/2016 4:00:00 PM

But shipping alone would be $30.

But worth it if you were an LBA victim who can CLA.

aremmes · 04-09-2016, 06:15 AM

Originally posted by pathdoc

... an LBA victim who can CLA.

I'd call that an LBA artist.

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04-08-2016, 01:38 PM	#16
Quicksand Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Ohio (formerly SF Bay Area) Posts: 1,505	LOL, I posted about something very similar back in 2009: Vivitar Series 1 650-1300mm (!) People had more or less the same conclusions. BUT it's still available on Amazon, has dropped nearly 50% in price, and it has a five-star review average!

04-08-2016, 03:48 PM	#17
aremmes Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Philadelphia Photos: Albums Posts: 215	Originally posted by UncleVanya I have a friend who tells this story. A sister of a photographic wiz once asked what kind of flash she needed for moon pictures - he told her the only way he could see it working would be a very large flashbulb... large enough to burn off the atmosphere of the earth in the process! He wasn't far off the mark, or probably read the same article.

04-08-2016, 05:33 PM	#18
robtcorl Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: St Louis, MO Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,609	Originally posted by UncleVanya A sister of a photographic wiz once asked what kind of flash she needed for moon pictures

04-08-2016, 05:49 PM	#19
K David Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Colorado Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,364	The best review I've read of a similar Opteka lens concluded something to the effect of 'the only thing that sets this lens apart is that it's hard to get optics this bad any more.'

04-08-2016, 06:15 PM - 1 Like	#20
pathdoc Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,259 Original Poster	Originally posted by K David The best review I've read of a similar Opteka lens concluded something to the effect of 'the only thing that sets this lens apart is that it's hard to get optics this bad any more.' Grimly reminiscent of the test pilot who on flying a new type of aircraft on its first flight, began his report with "Entry into this aircraft is difficult. It should be made impossible."

04-08-2016, 06:29 PM	#21
boriscleto Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 13,814	I'd rather invest in a lot like this one... shopgoodwill.com - #28919305 - Huge Lot of Camera Lenses - 4/11/2016 4:00:00 PM But shipping alone would be $30.

04-09-2016, 12:26 AM	#22
pathdoc Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,259 Original Poster	Originally posted by boriscleto I'd rather invest in a lot like this one... shopgoodwill.com - #28919305 - Huge Lot of Camera Lenses - 4/11/2016 4:00:00 PM But shipping alone would be $30. But worth it if you were an LBA victim who can CLA.

04-09-2016, 06:15 AM	#23
aremmes Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Philadelphia Photos: Albums Posts: 215	Originally posted by pathdoc ... an LBA victim who can CLA. I'd call that an LBA artist.