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K50 or ks2 macro?

naldopr
Posted 03/08/2015 - 15:02 Link
Good morning
I M almost ready to buy my first DSLR for macro(insects,flora!etc) and I need your advise expertise suggestion in this 2 body also best lens for the money? I know the Pentax 100mm 2.8 is a great lend base on reviews but came across this 2 manual lens the Venus 60mm 2:1 and the samyang 100mm.

Your help is appreciated
Arnaldo
johnriley
Posted 03/08/2015 - 17:23 Link
There are some fantastic offers around on the K-50, so that might sway the balance.

However, the articulated screen of the K-S2 might be advantageous for macro shooting.

Whichever body you choose the lens of choice for me would be the Pentax WR 100mm f/2.8. My experience has been that over the years I've wasted a lot of money learning that the marque lenses and accessories (whatever the marque) fit together better and offer more satisfaction in the long run.

Hope that helps!
Best regards, John
geordie01
Posted 04/08/2015 - 11:08 Link
Either the K50 OR THE ks2 will be a great choice, as far as a lens is concerned for macro a manual focus will be okay as AF for macro is virtually useless and both the camera bodies do focus peaking in live view which is a great help.Having had the Pentax DFA100mm the image quality is superb but no better than my Tamron 90mm AD2 72B but the build quality of the Pentax left a lot to be desired. The earlier Pentax macro's are just as good with better build quality the M100 f4 is great and can be had for not a lot of dosh,The DFA WR 100MM Iis supposed to be great but the lack of an aperture ring puts me off.
Posted 04/08/2015 - 12:48 Link
I won't comment on the camera other than either would be an excellent choice, lens wise I really really liked the Tamron, it gave a quality to the shot that the pentax doesn't can't quite put my finger on exactly what but you forgo the weather sealing and build quality of the DFA 100mm WR which can be had for £299 here link which is a proper steal.
Pint o' rough & a game o' darts anyone
jules
Posted 04/08/2015 - 22:23 Link
johnriley wrote:
There are some fantastic offers around on the K-50, so that might sway the balance.

However, the articulated screen of the K-S2 might be advantageous for macro shooting.

Whichever body you choose the lens of choice for me would be the Pentax WR 100mm f/2.8. My experience has been that over the years I've wasted a lot of money learning that the marque lenses and accessories (whatever the marque) fit together better and offer more satisfaction in the long run.

Hope that helps!

I'd go with the K-S2 Having had a go with one fairly recently, it's a lovely camera and if you've got my knees, then the screen is a must, paired with the WR macro, it's a tough act to beat but as InFESTation points out the Tammy is lovely too. I'd also concur with John above that you rarely get any troubles if you stick to the brand, they are after all just designed to work right...
Hard to go wrong really...
Cheers Jules...

My viewfinder is 576,000,000 pixels.
My other viewfinder is 5.76,000,000.

www.exaggeratedperspectives.com
Edited by jules: 04/08/2015 - 22:25
50mpCMOS
Posted 04/08/2015 - 22:36 Link
Lenses such as the FA macro's are only really good for two items, (typically very limited to) macro work, and the WR of some of the FA macros.

But for most anything outside of macro, the FA macro typically feature screw drive focusing, which is incredibly slow - the slowest of any autofocusing lenses currently on the market. What gets really interesting is when items such as the FA50 macro miss the focus on the first try (which is not at all unusual) and then have to rack the entire focusing range (from infinity to the closest point) typically in three attempts - taking many seconds.

The FA macros are not at all god for any type of live subject.
davidwozhere
Posted 04/08/2015 - 23:41 Link
I have and use these vintage macro lenses - ALL are manual - auto focus is next to useless on macro lenses

SMC Pentax M f4 100mm. Not the best IQ at "normal" distances, but as a macro - WOW! - (goes to 1:2)
SMC Pentax A f 2.8 50mm. Brilliant at ANY focussing distance and a very good walk around lens. (goes to 1:2)
Macro Takumar (preset) M42 f4 50mm. Even better than the 'A' series AND it goes to 1:1
Industar 61L/Z (preset) M42 f2.8. It's bit difficult to focus but when you get it right ... ! (goes to just short of 1:2)

NONE of these (bar the TAK) should cost more than £100, with tatty examples much less. Don't let poor cosmetic appearance put you off. These are all built like tanks. You will struggle to find the preset Tak but its SMC cousin - also an f4 and with an apperture ring - is fairly common but it only does 1:2.

If you really WANT to pay mega 100s of pounds and dollars then by all means do so. Just check the reviews on these four first.
Another unexpected contender is the Takumar f1.4 50mm classic. It ain't 'macro' but with resolution like that, you simply crop it to size!
Finally, you can have great fun with the Pentax bellows and a tripod with a 135mm or 150mm on the end
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This one cost me £40 complete with a near mint Jupiter 11A 135
Both the *istDS and the K5 are incurably addicted to old glass

My page on Photocrowd
50mpCMOS
Posted 05/08/2015 - 20:35 Link
I sincerely wish that Pentax still made bellows. The only single currently for (new) sale item for PK bellows is a blue Novoflex, retailing in at over 2k. Add to that something even more depressing; on the "official" Pentax/Ricoh site are extension tubes - but only available in Japan
naldopr
Posted 20/10/2015 - 03:51 Link
naldopr wrote:
Good morning
I M almost ready to buy my first DSLR for macro(insects,flora!etc) and I need your advise expertise suggestion in this 2 body also best lens for the money? I know the Pentax 100mm 2.8 is a great lend base on reviews but came across this 2 manual lens the Venus 60mm 2:1 and the samyang 100mm.

Your help is appreciated
Arnaldo

Hello is been long since My last post
Recently I bought my new camera and lens. I went with the k3 and I love the camera and lens 100mm 2.8. Slowly learning and having fun thanks for all your advices and suggestion now my journey in macro and photography in general starts
50mm
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100mm first try
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SteveLedger
Posted 27/10/2015 - 06:33 Link
This is an English speaking forum, please post in English. I shouldn't have to go to Google Translate to know what you posted...

Thanks
BruceStrachan
Posted 06/11/2015 - 10:57 Link
For me KS-2 is better in every way than K-50.
The Macro lens mentioned 100 DA is fantastic, but costly..you get what you pay for...
Cheers,

Bruce
SteveLedger
Posted 06/11/2015 - 11:02 Link
BruceStrachan wrote:
For me KS-2 is better in every way than K-50.

...except for price
BruceStrachan
Posted 06/11/2015 - 12:09 Link
SteveLedger wrote:
BruceStrachan wrote:
For me KS-2 is better in every way than K-50.

...except for price

True, but I´d be worried buying a newer improved product for the same money or less, would be wondering what was wrong with it...
Cheers,

Bruce
SteveLedger
Posted 06/11/2015 - 20:15 Link
Well, it's only due to RICOH dropping the price of the K-50 that makes the K-S2 look expensive.
I'd prefer the vari-angle screen than the fixed of the K-50 I have, but I don't need WiFi/NFC/20Mp/AA-filterless/Smaller body.
The video hasn't improved and neither has SR (jn video mode). So for me, there's next to nothing about the K-S2 which is better.
BruceStrachan
Posted 08/11/2015 - 21:36 Link
And to be honest I've never used the variio screen@!!
But shutter even sounds like the K3..whereas k50 was like grinding...
Picture quality is way better.
I paid 850 euro for me k50 with a 18-135
650 for ks2 without a lens.
Cheers,

Bruce

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