2nd hand Macro Lens for K100d
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Posted 24/07/2008 - 16:41
I started off on macro with extension tubes and then bought a cheap Vivitar 55mm F2.8 Macro which goes to 1:1 and is surprisingly sharp. The only downside was that it's manual focus (although that's not a big deal with macro) and it didn't have a "A" position so it didn't work quite as well on my K10D as it did on my DS.
For that reason I bought another cheap macro lens, the AF 100mm Cosina, and I've found that to also be a decent performer. It's noisy on AF (but reasonably fast), needs an adaptor to go to 1:1 and is perhaps not quite as sharp as the 55mm lens - however it's very, very cheap for a proper AF macro lens and is a good choice if you're not doing a huge amount of macro. It's also small and light so easy to find a corner for in the camera bag.
For that reason I bought another cheap macro lens, the AF 100mm Cosina, and I've found that to also be a decent performer. It's noisy on AF (but reasonably fast), needs an adaptor to go to 1:1 and is perhaps not quite as sharp as the 55mm lens - however it's very, very cheap for a proper AF macro lens and is a good choice if you're not doing a huge amount of macro. It's also small and light so easy to find a corner for in the camera bag.
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Posted 25/07/2008 - 01:34
the great thing about true macro lenses (read prime lenses which focus to at least 1:2 without any extra adapters) is that I've never heard of a bad one. Some are better than others, but even the cheapest of the cheap like niblue's Cosina are optically very good.
you don't have to be mad to post here
but it does help
you don't have to be mad to post here
but it does help
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Posted 25/07/2008 - 15:43
i've had a go at using extension tubes and a 50mm 1.7 and it's been interesting! mainly as it was a howling wind and i was trying to snap flowers!
got some nice results though... i need to remember to reset the camera setting afterwards though. it was all a bit trail and error, but was good fun. it certainly adds a new perspective.
cheers for all the help on this thread and from chris via ebay and email!
Pentax k100d, k30d 18-55, Tamron 70-300, Tamron 500 mirror, pentax 10-17, 50 1:4, a manual 28, some extension tubes and a bagful of memory cards. That's all i need... and a load of film cameras too... that's it, honest.
got some nice results though... i need to remember to reset the camera setting afterwards though. it was all a bit trail and error, but was good fun. it certainly adds a new perspective.
cheers for all the help on this thread and from chris via ebay and email!
Pentax k100d, k30d 18-55, Tamron 70-300, Tamron 500 mirror, pentax 10-17, 50 1:4, a manual 28, some extension tubes and a bagful of memory cards. That's all i need... and a load of film cameras too... that's it, honest.
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Posted 31/07/2008 - 16:51
George Lazarette wrote:
Here are some pointers:
Here are some pointers:
Excellent points from George, but just one comment:
Quote:
Apart from the Pentax 50mm and 100mm macro lenses (any variety - M, A, F, FA, D-FA) you will also see third party macro lenses of which the most famous (and deservedly so) is the Tamron 90mm, which also comes in various flavours - all good.
Apart from the Pentax 50mm and 100mm macro lenses (any variety - M, A, F, FA, D-FA) you will also see third party macro lenses of which the most famous (and deservedly so) is the Tamron 90mm, which also comes in various flavours - all good.
If you get a lens without an aperture ring your life is made more difficult when reversing the lens. You'll most likely want to use the lens at a small aperture anyway (the default state of a DA lens) for the DoF. However, if you don't have an aperture ring it means that you are constrained to the smallest aperture always and this means that the viewfinder will be dark, and so focusing is difficult, if not impossible. Forget moving the aperture coupler to open the diaphragm because you'll not be able to see what you are pushing (you're looking through the viewfinder) and so you could finger the lens, or worse, since you are close to the subject you're likely to move it (or squah it) with your finger.
So get a 50mm lens with an aperture ring.
Richard
Pentax K100D
DA 18-55 kit lens
A50/1.7 A28/2.8 M50/1.4 M135/3.5 A70-210/4
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laurencea
Member
SW London
the only other tubes i saw were a lot more than yours... so i was happy. the lens was good value too, so it's cheaper than buying a specific lens by a long way.
i used to have tele-converters back in the film days, but that was to boost my zoom lens, i wasn't into close quarter snapping then. must admit, i didn't like the TC due to the image degradation.
thanks for all your help, most appreciated.
Pentax k100d, k30d 18-55, Tamron 70-300, Tamron 500 mirror, pentax 10-17, 50 1:4, a manual 28, some extension tubes and a bagful of memory cards. That's all i need... and a load of film cameras too... that's it, honest.