# Is Phoenix a good lens company?



## anubis404 (Aug 19, 2008)

Are Phoenix lenses any good? As good as tamron or sigma?


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## tirediron (Aug 19, 2008)

Never heard of them; can you post a link? If I had to guess, I'd think not.


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## Mitica100 (Aug 19, 2008)

anubis404 said:


> Are Phoenix lenses any good? As good as tamron or sigma?



Simply put, no! Stay with Tamron or Sigma if you can.


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## Early (Aug 19, 2008)

I never handled a Phoenix, so I can't say if they're good or bad.  They are more than likely made by Cosina, a very reputable company, who, from what I had long ago heard, made even some of our OEM lenses.


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## tirediron (Aug 19, 2008)

Early said:


> I never handled a Phoenix, so I can't say if they're good or bad. They are more than likely made by Cosina, a very reputable company, who, from what I had long ago heard, made even some of our OEM lenses.


 Is Cosina even still in business?


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## Battou (Aug 19, 2008)

I've heard mixed reviews, no not as goot as Sigma or Tamron but not entirely crap, stay away from them if you are on auto focusing cameras. 

If you are using older manual cameras, they are really not worth it as superior glass can be found cheaper.

They would be acceptable for a young beginner on a manual film body, the price would tolerable in the event something unfortunate where to happen requiring replacement, but once out of the beginner stage it's just short of useless and holds absolutely no resale value. 

If I wanted to take my nine year old neice out to take pictures of birds with with me, it would be a long phoenix tele on my AE-1 with a tripod. That can fall over and I won't be bankrupted.

Over all, steer clear unless you have a need to protect some more valuable glass that you alredy have. 


That is my two cents at least.


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## Battou (Aug 19, 2008)

Early said:


> I never handled a Phoenix, so I can't say if they're good or bad.  They are more than likely made by Cosina, a very reputable company, who, from what I had long ago heard, made even some of our OEM lenses.




I could be wrong but I think Phoenix Optical is an optics company in CA specializing in eye glasses, Seems odd that they would just jump to camera lenses but not out of the relm of possibility, But like I said I could be wrong on that.


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## Steph (Aug 19, 2008)

tirediron said:


> Is Cosina even still in business?


 
Very much so. They are the manufacturer of Voigtlander cameras and lenses and also make lenses for Zeiss.


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## tirediron (Aug 19, 2008)

Steph said:


> Very much so. They are the manufacturer of Voigtlander cameras and lenses and also make lenses for Zeiss.


 
Huh... I did not know that.  Thanks.


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## usayit (Aug 19, 2008)

Cosina is one of the largest manufacturers of optics.  The name itself isn't well known in the photographic world but there is a lot of their work in other brands... it is rumored that some of the glass in Canon and Nikkors are manufactured by Cosina.


My experience with Phoenix is crap BUT it could be the one or two lenses I had a look at.  Much of their line is rebranded from other manufacturers.  The same is true for "Promaster" branded lenses.


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## tomhooper (Aug 19, 2008)

I had a Phoenix 100mm Macro that I bought @ 12 years ago.  It was an ok lens.  Not as good as my Canon 100mm Macro but decent.  That is the only experience I have with them.


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## Mystwalker (Aug 20, 2008)

Are you thinking about the 1200mm or 1600mm from Amazon?

There is something "different" about the technology used for those lens - something about mirrors I think.  Tech explanation went over me head 

You get what you pay ... I believe the above lens are in the under $250 range.


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