Vivitar 100mm f/3.5 Macro Lens for Minolta Maxxum and Sony Alpha

Includes 1:1 filter, front and rear caps.

For sale: a nice example of the Vivitar 100mm f/3.5 prime macro lens. It exhibits all the strengths of a dedicated prime macro lens: close focusing and incredible image quality. The build quality is not the quite top of the line; the lens is light and uses a lot of plastic. But the optical glass is top notch, and with this lens you have an excellent macro at much less than any new macro currently for sale. Macro's for the Sony Alpha in this focal range sell new for between $300 and $800. Here you can get one for a significant discount.

This lens will work on any Minolta Maxxum film camera, as well as any Minolta or Sony dSLR, including the Minolta Maxxum 7D and 5D, and the Sony A100, A200, A230, A290, A300, A330, A350, A380, A390, A450, A500, A550, A560, A580, A700, A850 and A900. This lens is fully compatible with Sony SLT dSLRs - the Sony A33, A35, A37, A55, A57, A58, A65, A77 and A99. It is a full frame lens, which means that it is compatible all Sony full frame dSLR cameras (including the A900, A850, and A99). This is a Sony A-mount lens. It is only usable on a Sony NEX camera with an adapter (the NEX system has a different mount, the Sony E-mount). You wil also need an adapter to use this lens on the Alpha 7 (all variants), the A3000, A5000, and A5100; these are all E-mount cameras. Thank Sony for marketing"Alpha" brand digital cameras with two incompatible lens mounts.

Buying a lens on eBay can be a bit of hit or miss. Most listings do not show you enough detail in the pictures for you to determine the condition of the lens, and many sellers do not know cameras very well. I inspect every lenses I sell more carefully than almost any buyer will, and describe the condition and all flaws fully. Every lens I sell is fully tested. I even post a test shot taken with the actual lens you are buying, so you can inspect the lens' image quality. And all the images below link to the full sized original photo (6 to 16 megapixel, depending on the camera I'm using that day) so you can inspect the lens up close. All this adds up to my "no surprises" guarantee. If you buy a lens from me, you will know in advance exactly what you are getting. Beware of one-word condition descriptions. "Minty" is a flavor and "excellent" can mean a wide range of things to different people. But with good, high-resolution pictures you will know before you buy what kind of lens you are getting. Check my feedback and buy with confidence. And check out my eBay Guides and lens reviews for Sony Alpha recommendations.

The outer glass is clean. The lens is protected by a Hoya skylight filter (included). I removed the filter and checked the lens very closely with a flashlight and found no flaws on the outer elements. The barrel shows minor signs of use. Focus is smooth, but has a cheap feel. There is some dust and other minor imperfections inside the lens that will not affect image quality. The aperture is snappy and free of oil. In all this is a lightly used lens that takes excellent pictures. In the maximum close-up shots below you can see the grain of the paper and the rough edge on the toner that printed a test chart at 10 lines per centimeter, or the hairs of an ostritch feather.

Below: Closer magnification

Below: Closer magnification

Below: Closer magnification

Below: Closer magnification

Below: Closer magnification

Below: Closer magnification

Below: Closer magnification

Below: Closer magnification

Below: Closer magnification

This Lens is USED. It has been tested and is guaranteed to function properly. You have three days from when you receive it to notify me if it is not functioning properly, and you may return it for a full refund. Shipping charges are not refundable. Check my feedback and buy with confidence.