100mm Macro - Pentax v Samsung.
When I look at the coatings side by side they reflect the same to my eyes, so maybe they are the same.
I'd be happy with either, but because of resale values later on the Samsung one would have to cost significantly less IMHO.
Other than the badging, the colour of the trim ring and the profile of the rubber grip I could find absolutely no difference betwen the Pentax and Samsung branded versions - they are very much the same lens in every other way including performance.
Only difference is that Samsung don't re-badge the limiteds and DA* ranges (shame really as they would be so much cheaper ). They only rebadge the standard range, namely
10-17mm fisheye (which is a tokina too for CaNikon users)
18-55mm
12-24mm (ditto tokina)
16-45mm
50-200mm
35mm F2
50mm macro
100mm macro (tokina make a 100mm macro, not sure if it based on this lens, but would not be surprised)
They don't have any other lenses in their portfolio.
Interesting though, on WEX, they state the 50-200mm is a Schneider designed lens. What a load of poppycock! LOL
The Samsung is 4-56 and looking at the lens list in ExifTool suggests that the Pentax is 4-52. (I only have the Samsung version to try )
The Pentax digital camera utility that came with the K-7 does not recognise the Samsung lens-id. The version of PhotoMe that I'm using (0.8B2) does not recognise it either but at least gives the tag value.
The only area of doubt I have is whether the Samsung version is recognised for the lens correction function in the K-7 and MTF program mode in the K-7, K10D & K20D. Neither of which I've tried with this lens.
Glyn
I can't say that's a huge reason to buy one over the other though...
... I can't say that's a huge reason to buy one over the other though...
Agreed. I have the Samsung versions of the 100mm macro and the 35mm f2 and am very happy with both.
I have just done a quick, and not very exhaustive, test with the Samsung 100mm and I think it works fine in both the hyper program MTF mode and lens correction mode on the K-7.
In the rather poor lighting this afternoon setting the hyper program to MTF from normal mode changed the aperture from f2.8 to f4.0 which I think sounds reasonable.
The camera also let me turn on lens correction, which the manual indicates you can only do with DA, DA L or D FA lenses. The camera also took longer to display each shot so was doing something although I can't see any difference in the results and, to be honest, would not expect to in a good quality prime lens.
So my conclusion is that having a different lens-id makes no practical impact on the use of the lens.
As an aside I'm also using the Samsung equivalent to the Pentax AF-360 flashgun and I'm very happy with that as well.
Glyn
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2406 posts
15 years
Worthing
I have heard rumours that the coating on Samsung lenses is not as good as the Pentax equivalent.
Does anyone know if the material quality etc. Is similar?