Lenses

[rtatum06]

New to the site, just wondering if anybody has any comments about Bower lenses? I can't seem to find any helpful reviews! Thanks

Rtatum

 

[Josh66]

Well, they're pretty cheap (or so I thought...). I'm pretty sure they're all manual, which I'm sure would contribute to their low cost. "Aperture is neither communicated to nor controlled by the camera body."

Bower full manual 85mm f/1.4
Bower | 85mm f/1.4 Manual Focus Telephoto Lens | SLY85C | B&H
$350

Canon 85mm f/1.8
Canon | 85mm f/1.8 USM Autofocus Lens | 2519A003 | B&H Photo
$380

It really is no contest for me... You would be crazy not to spend the extra $30.

If the bower was half that price, it might be worth it.

If it's like that for other mounts and other focal lengths, I don't think they would even be worth considering...

 

[djacobox372]

Well, they're pretty cheap (or so I thought...). I'm pretty sure they're all manual, which I'm sure would contribute to their low cost. "Aperture is neither communicated to nor controlled by the camera body."

Bower full manual 85mm f/1.4
Bower | 85mm f/1.4 Manual Focus Telephoto Lens | SLY85C | B&H
$350

Canon 85mm f/1.8
Canon | 85mm f/1.8 USM Autofocus Lens | 2519A003 | B&H Photo
$380

It really is no contest for me... You would be crazy not to spend the extra $30.

If the bower was half that price, it might be worth it.

If it's like that for other mounts and other focal lengths, I don't think they would even be worth considering...

in fairness if u shopped around you could likely find a bower for half the price of the canon.

 

[Overread19]

Manual aperture setting by turning a ring on the lens is one thing and not too hard to work with in all honesty since that was how cameras worked in the past; but read a little further:

B&H website description

As such, you can use the lens in "M" manual exposure mode or "A" aperture-priority mode, and in both cases you will physically move the aperture ring to the aperture of your choice and it will stay at that aperture even before the exposure

The part in red though is the warning and main problem. It means the aperture blades are always in a closed state (unless you shoot at f1.4) and that means focusing is going to be harder since stopping the lens down will darken the viewfinder image and thus mean that you have less light to acquire a manual focus with. It does mean that metering will work on the camera (since it can set shutter speed and/or ISO (if auto ISO is enabled) but it will make shooting with the lens harder.

Considering the price of a new lens between the Bowers and the Canon it really is no contest for me either and the Canon would be my choice. Cheaper priced Bowers are likley to be in the second hand market - which I suspect is where most of these lenses will end up when people upgrade to the other options on the market (Canon/Nikon/Sigma/Tamron etc...)