Sharp (after f3.5), good C/A correction overall. Compact size and not overly heavy. Metal mount. Identifies in the exim file as a Tokina 100 f3.5

A bit loud. Expected a bit more resolution wide open but not really complaining except that I might have splurged for an f2.8 macro if I had know this and hoped for a slighter sharper image at f3.5 on THAT lens as shooting at 5.6 and beyond limits S/S and forces an up-shift in ISO.

No real complaints here. I cannot find a match in the DXO data base which is disappointing but I can do manual corrections. C/A is handled very well, even on very reflective areas whereas my Sigma 50mm f2.8 macro (which DXO identifies as Sony 50mm f2.8 and loads correction automatically... which is a huge advantage as the Sigma is C/A bound).

Was thinking of selling this off but at a PP of $100 cdn, probably better to keep it.

Will be testing against my Yashica 100 medical and dental versions (converted to NEX and stop-down metering) and may sell if the Yashica is notably sharper (the 55 converted definitely is) as stop down is not a real issue with me and I don't really need 3 100mm sitting on my shelf.

Will update when done.

Similar Products Used:

Sigma 50mm f2.8 (not DT but older, hefty version), Yashica 55 Dental converted to stop down and to NEX and 100mm dental and Medical versions of same.

Metal mount. Great for photographs without the "macro adaptor". Great glass. Fit's on nikon bodies nice and tight.

Loud autofocus. Plastic material. feels like it might break in your hands.

Same lens as the vivitar 100mm macro, but for less $$$. Okay....when i took the lens out of the box... i was scared to handle it because it felt so fragile "which it is". I put it on my F100 and took some macro pics. I couldn't believe the way they turned out. This little lens will equal or preform just as good as any OEM lens. I was amazed. Great colors, razor sharpness. I can't believe this lens produced such sharp, in focus pics. Forget the autofocus. It sounds like it is coming apart, but hey! it has a 6 year warranty. It is well worth the price. God, i can't believe this little bugger. Buy it. You will love this lens. HA! I'm still amazed.

Customer Service

Never used it yet.

Similar Products Used:

Tamron 90mm macro. Nikkor 100mm

Quite sharp. Haven''t used it for tripod macro work, but imagine it is adequate. Have gotten some lovely results with outdoor dance/performance photography. It is featherweight! You''ll never regret having brought it along. It''s compact, because the glass is so far recessed into the body of the lens that I don''t need a lens shade. Nice and cheap: a poor-man''s sonnar. Highly recommended for dollar value.

Plastic construction is very cheap indeed, and does not inspire confidence. Not good for low light work.

A tie with the Yashica T4 Super for my best bargain ever in new photo equipment. Really nice for carring around for casual shooting.

Customer Service

if it breaks, just buy another.

Similar Products Used:

zeiss, leitz and pentax short telephotos

Sharp. I imagine it is more than adequate for macro work with a tripod, but I''ve only used it for hand-held work; dance and performance, mainly, and candids. Auto-focussing speed is adequate for all but the most frenzied action. Featherweight! One of the nice features of this lens is the way the glass is recessed, providing what amounts to a built-in shade. Makes it very discrete and compact for a telephoto.

Cheap materials and construction which haven''t been a problem for me. f 3.5 is fine for outdoor photography with medium-speed film. Dry, loose and plasticky feel to the mechanism does not inspire confidence. Certainly won''t stand any abuse.

A tie with the yashica t4 super for the best value of any piece of photo equipment I''ve ever purchased new. Highly recommended in spite of cheap construction, because of the almost unbelievable light weight. Great for a casual lightweight plastic SLR outfit to take with you anywhere.

Customer Service

At the first sign of trouble, I''d just buy another one.

Similar Products Used:

pentax M 100mm f2.8; zeiss sonnar 85mm f2.8; sonnar 90 contax G; leitz 90 f4, etc.

Sharp, flat-field, and cheap. Contrast and resolution are excellent.

Works well with TCs, including the Vivitar 2x Macro Teleconverter.

The focusing ring turns in the same direction as Nikkor glass - sometimes a problem with third-party lenses.

It feels cheaply constructed; yet, I still haven't heard anyone say theirs had failed. Mine is one of the more-used lenses in my bag, and it keeps chugging along.

The aperture blades visibly shift position as you rotate the lens; with TTL metering this presents no problem with exposure, but bokeh can suffer depending on camera orientation.

AF is slow and noisy.

This lens (like the Vivitar 100/3.5, also reviewed in these pages) is built by Cosina. Mine carries the Promaster Spectrum 7 brand name.

Handling-wise, the focusing ring is loose and rough - not "gritty" rough, but unsmooth like two pieces of unlubricated hard plastic rubbing together. Manual focusing is adequate, though, despite poor "feel."

Optically, this is a very sharp lens, with a matched diopter that enables it to go to 1:1 (life-size). Field curvature is present, but not bad - it offers a flatter-field than any "macro zoom" I've used, and is very nearly as flat as the Nikkor 55 Micros. Stop down to f/8 for the best results at 1:2 and beyond.

Compared to the Nikkor 105/2.5, it offers vastly superior macro capabilities (the 105/2.5 is pretty bad with tubes or diopters), but not nearly as nice for portraiture or general shooting.

Customer Service

Not needed.

Similar Products Used:

55/3.5 Micro Nikkor
55/2.8 Micro Nikkor
105/2.5 AI

Price, sharp close up and macro lens, flat field. Well built.

Separate diopeter lens for 1:1. No AF limiter.

This is the same lens as the Vivitar, Solinger, and Phoenix lens. Mine was made under the Pro Master Spectrum 7 name. Unlike some other reviewers, I did not find any faults with the apeture, the focus ring, barrel wobbling or any other problem. My camera body displays the apeture setting in the viewfinder and it doesn't shift at all when changing focal lengths from 1:1 macro to infinity. The lens does have a slow AF, but I never use AF for macro or close up work prefering to set the focal length to the size I want the subject by viewing it in the viewfinder and moving the camera back and forth to focus. I do agree with the other reviewers that this lens produces very sharp images. They are as sharp or sharper than the Sigma at 1/3 the price and the Nikon at 1/4 the price. This lens is a bargain. With all the money I saved, I can use faster film, bounce fill flash, use a reflector and other techniques to make up for 1 F stop slower than the 2.8 Sigma or Nikon. I also tested the lens shooting portraits of our minpin dog--about as cooperative as shooting flowers on a breezy day--with excellent results. This lens certainly beats using close up filters, extension tubes, etc on "macro" zooms or my Nikon F1.8 55 mm lens. I get better photos with less hassel since I purchased this 100 mm macro lens. The screw on diopeter lens really is not a big deal. The lens will focus to 1:2 without it. And again, for the cost difference, I can screw on a lot of filters. This is a sleeper lens that offers those of us with limited budgets a great lens at a comparatively bargain price.

Customer Service

Unknown

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 105 macro, Sigma 105 macro.