Canon BM High-Power 420-800mm HD Manual Telephoto Zoom Review

This is a weird one. It's a manual focus telephoto zoom that goes from 420mm to 800mm for about a hundred bucks. That's a crazy amount of reach for the price, and it even has image stabilization. But you have to know what you're getting into. It's a fully manual lens, so no autofocus. The build quality feels cheap, and it's not weather-sealed at all. This is a very specific tool.

The main story here is the reach. At 800mm, you can get shots you'd normally need a $2000+ lens for. The stabilization is surprisingly decent, landing in the 89th percentile, which helps a lot at those long focal lengths. But the optics are just okay, scoring in the 34th percentile. Expect soft edges and some chromatic aberration. The fixed f/8.3 aperture is a major limitation, forcing you to use high ISOs or very bright light.

For $105, it's hard to complain about the value on paper. You get a stabilized super-telephoto for less than a nice dinner. But the value is only there if you have a very specific, patient use case, like stationary wildlife or moon photography. If you need autofocus or sharp corners, this isn't it.

Don't compare this to the Viltrox or Meike primes listed. Those are fast, autofocus lenses for completely different jobs. A real competitor would be something like an old, used telephoto from Tamron or Sigma. Those might have autofocus and better optics, but they'll cost more and might not have stabilization. This lens is in its own oddball category. It's cheaper and longer than anything else new, but you trade away everything else for that reach.

Buy this only if you're on an extreme budget and absolutely need 800mm for static subjects, and you're cool with manual focus. It's a fun experiment or a gateway drug to super-telephoto shooting. For anyone wanting to shoot sports, birds in flight, or anything that moves, save up for a used autofocus lens instead.