Annnnd we’re back with another affordable telephoto lens option! The Opteka 420-800mm lens is smaller, cheaper, and more travel-friendly than its big brother, the Opteka 650-1300mm lens. If you’re looking to get into telephotography but don’t have the funds to splurge on a pricey telephoto lens (which can easily run into the THOUSANDS of dollars) the Opteka line is a great way to get some experience without the need to sell your car.
This review of the Opteka 420-800mm lens will cover the basics of the lens, my experience using it, a few photo examples, and a quick comparison to the bigger Opteka telephoto lens.
Opteka 420-800mm vs Opteka 650-1300mm
Click here to see the lens
Click here to see the lens
You might want to check out the full review of the Opteka 650-1300mm lens (aka the 650-2600mm) if you’re looking for another affordable alternative to the pricey telephoto lens options.
I used my Canon 70D camera to test out the lens.
There’s a list of all the things you need at the end of the post.
See the video review here.
Just FYI there are affiliate links in this post, if you buy something through them I might get kickback. It doesn’t cost you anything extra and I really appreciate the support, thanks!
If you’re also interested in macro photography (super-close-up photos) check out this review of this 2-in-1 fisheye-macro lens. The price is ridiculous and it’s a really fun lense option to have. I’m still learning about photography but here are the photos that really got me started on my interest in macro photography.
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The specs
Focal length: 420-800mm – however this doubles if you get the opteka x2 converter!
Zoom type: push/pull
Focus type: manual
Aperture: f/8.3-16
Minimum focus distance: 5.25 feet
Length: 8.75-11.85 inches (depending on zoom)
Filter size: 62mm
Weight: a little over 1lb
Price: ~$100
My Experience
I was pleasantly surprised by this lens. Its size makes it easier to use than the bigger Opteka lens, and it’s ideal for playing around with telephoto photography without shelling out too much cash.
If you’re an amateur photographer and want a telephoto lens that’s relatively easy to pack around, this is definitely a lens to consider.
Like any cheaper lens, there’s some compromise on quality and ease of use. The Opteka 420-800 is a full manual lens. No auto focus here, bruh.
It’s a “learner’s lens” or a “I enjoy being able to afford food” lens. It’s not fancy, but it’s fun.
I took it out on a very windy night to take some moon photos, and with a few ISO and shutter speed adjustments, the lens did a decent job.
Need-to-Know
Get a tripod. Get a remote. Make life easier on yourself.
It’s maybe, kinda, sorta, possible, in some universe, with some sort of Harry Potter level magic and surgical-steady hands that you miiiight be able to take decent photos with this lens sans tripod.
But I highly suggest you save yourself the headache and always use a tripod and a remote.
*I tested this theory. No tripod = not a lot of fun.
Bigger lenses mean camera shake. Tripods and remotes mean less camera shake.
Here are 10 features I look for in tripods.
Not for fast-moving subjects
A big thing to keep in mind when you’re checking out these all-manual lenses is that they aren’t usually the best choice for fast-moving subject matter, like certain animals or sports.
It takes time to adjust the focus and the zoom so taking photos of birds flying or dogs running would be very challenging.
However, one really nice thing about telephoto lenses is that, because you can be so far away, you may find you have more opportunities to take photos of animals that would run if you tried to get closer.
Manual Focus
If you’re not use to manual focus, it’ll take minute to adjust ( haha, adjust… because you AND the lens have to “adjust”…) When you’re working with manual telephoto lenses, there’s even more of a learning curve and patience needed.
This is because the camera will be shaking – since you’re touching it – while you’re trying to adjust the focus. So you’re going to have to get your image as sharp as possible, and wait for the camera to steady to double check.
Manual Zoom
The Opteka 420-800mm is push/pull zoom. This means instead of turning a ring on the lens to zoom in and out, you actually have to push or pull the lens to zoom in and out.
This is gonna be weird if you’ve never done it before, but it’s not particularly difficult. After having used the big-brother Opteka lens (650-1300mm) the 420-800mm zoom is actually pretty easy.
x2 Converter
The bigger Opteka lens is commonly referred to as the 650-2600mm lens. It gets that name because of a small attachment – the x2 converter – that’s often included when you purchase that lens.
Out of curiosity I tried attaching that same x2 converter part to this smaller 420-800mm lens.
And, it worked!
This means you can effectively change the Opteka 420-800mm lens into a 420-1600mm lens, which definitely increases it’s usefulness.
This little trick also makes it more competitive when compared to the Opteka 650-2600mm lens, depending on how much zoom you really need.
It needs an adapter
This lens will not just fit straight onto your camera. You need to purchase a T-mount adapter (please make sure the adapter is made for your type of camera!) or make sure the adapter is included in your lens purchase.
Photo Examples for Opteka 420-800mm
The photos haven’t been edited unless otherwise stated
So one of the big reasons people like telephoto lenses is for taking photos of the moon, and if you’ve checked out the Opteka 650-1300mm review, you’ve seen some of the moon photos that lens can take.
For comparison, I wanted to be sure to take some moon photos with the Opteka 420-800mm lens – and chose the worst possible night to do it. SO much wind.
Amazingly, they still turned out pretty well.
I’ve also taken a couple screenshots of the moon photos, zoomed to 400% so you can really see the details. Just keep in mind you’ll never see that level of detail on your normal photos, unless for some reason you actually choose to crop your photos that closely when post-editing.
I don’t suggest doing that of course, just because the more you crop/zoom the more image quality you’ll lose.
Basically, I spied on a pigeon for a good 15 minutes.
I also took some test shots with the x2 converter attached to the Opteka 420-800mm lens.
Do as I say, not as I do…
These photos were also taken WITHOUT a tripod. I make bad life choices sometimes, and trying this stuff without a tripod is always one of them. Still, at least we can see that even without a tripod it’s possible to take some OK photos, and your luck WITH a tripod will no doubt be even better.
I was driving through Sedona, Arizona with this lens in my bag and stopped to take some photos there.
I took a couple with my standard Canon 18-55mm lens (the one that’s commonly included when you purchase a camera) to give some perspective on the Opteka’s zoom ability.
I’ve circled the areas seen in the Opteka photos in red.
***I also included a very minimally edited version of the photo taken @ 420mm, just to illustrate what could possibly be done to make the Opteka photos a little nicer through editing.
PROS: Size, weight, price, versatility
CONS: Manual focus, manual zoom, not as sharp as more expensive lenses.
Conclusion
Not a bad buy at all. The Opteka 420-800mm lens is good for travel, practice, and those on a budget. If you are handy with some editing tools – even just the basic editing tools in something like Apple Photos, you can improve the image appearance even further.
If you want to get the most out of a lens, try to get the shot you need, so you don’t have to crop much during editing.
- Try shooting in RAW.
- Always double check to make sure your focus is as accurate as possible, especially when using a manual lens like this.
The Opteka 420-800mm VS the Opteka 650-1300mm lens
The overall size of the Opteka 420-800mm is a BIG plus for me. The 1300mm lens is fun to use, and it’s hard to beat that 2600mm option, but it’s also not a lens that can travel easily.
Wanna take a telephoto lens on a hike? The 420-800mm is much more practical based purely on its size.
Want as much focal range as possible? The 650-1300mm (aka the 650-2600mm) is going to be your everything.
The image quality might be slightly better on the Opteka 650-1300mm lens. Maybe. Please keep in mind my moon shots with the Opteka 420-800mm lens were taken on an incredibly windy night and it still did a pretty good job.
The smaller Opteka telephoto lens is also a bit cheaper.
Right now I’d choose which lens to buy based on what you need from them.
What’s more important: How easy the lens is to take with you? Or being sure you have as much focal range as possible?
Everything you need:
Please double check to make sure the equipment you get is compatible with your camera!
