Sorry, I posted a reply on the other thread! Do you have any plastic plumbing waste pipe sections? These come in different diameters and depending on the diameter of your lens, you can use one of these to remove the name ring from the lens. Get a rubber glove, stretch it over the front element and then use a plastic plumbing waste pipe section pushed down hard over the rubber glove and twist it to remove the lens ring. Works every time assuming the ring is removable and you have the correct diameter pipe so that it presses on the metal ring, not the front element. Because you're using plastic and rubber, you will not damage the lens.

Hope this helps.

Regards
David

It depends whether or not you can easily dismantle it. I have succesfully cleaned a Takumar 135mm f3.5 that was riddled with it and it is now spotless. As for whether or not it will grow back or contaminate your other lenses, the answer is 'no' as long is it and your other lenses are not stored in conditions which favour fungal growth. Fungal spores are everywhere and will already be in your other equipment; if they have not grown into fungus so far, chances are they won't.

Good luck!

PS forgot to say, I use Isopropyl alcohol. Anything that won't damage the lens coating will do as long as the fungus has not etched into the coating.

Very interesting and informative thread! For what it's worth, I never use a tripod for macro - it is so restrictive as to be more trouble than it is worth (unless all the subjects are static, which sort of defeats the object if shooting wild things). I also prefer to shoot without flash, simply because I think the results are far more natural. This can be problematic with DOF, freezing action etc., but after much experimentation I would rather increase the ISO to 1600 or so. With the K-x, K-r and K-5 the results are still vibrant even at this or higher ISO settings and you can get decent shutter speeds at f8 or f11.

I also find that often the results with non-macro lenses and tubes are better than a dedicated macro lens. I seem to get sharper pics this way.

Regards
David

I love both of them. I remember commenting on the first one in the Gallery and it inspired me to take some 'puddle' shots, but I didn't manage anything that was even close to yours.

Regards
David

Matt, I think you have hit the nail on the head - you can't buy new lenses like the M 135mm f3.5 or the Takumar 135mm f3.5. I know they are manual only, but to me they are incomparable and their image quality is streets ahead of all but the most expensive modern lenses. We'll be OK as long as not too many others cotton onto this. if they do, the prices will start to rocket!

Regards
David

The circular ones do allow you to see the effect when rotated. However, beware using a circular one on the DA 55-300 lens as it upsets the optical configuration of this lens and causes shots to be very out of focus.

Regards
David

Welcome David, I have a K-x and one of my work colleagues has the K-r. both fantastic cameras, I'm sure you will get hooked very quickly! Beware the lens buying bug that most of us catch!

Regards
David

[quote:3496ace15f="sterretje[/quote]One post I found in http://www.flickr.com/groups/closer_and_closer/discuss/72157604389806550/ clearly states that focal length does not change with extension tubes. You might want to do some more research to get this confirmed by a second source (I don't have the knowledge about this).

I do think that the point is not really relevant because you more than likely use a tripod and have SR switched of in that case [/quote]I almost never use a tripod with the tubes attached as I find it very restrictive. OK, if it's a static subject then the tripod may be used, but almost always the subject is moving if only becuase the wind is blowing. Therefore, the SR setting is fairly important to me.

Regards
David

Algi, I think Chris is referring to usability rather than compatibility. If the more modern bodies meter more accurately with M lenses (which it seems they do), then these old lenses are more usable. As stated previously, I agree with all of Chris's comments in this thread based on my own experience with manual lenses and the K-x.

Regards
David

How does this change when you add Extension Tubes or a Teleconverter? I was using a 135mm SMC Takumar (M42 with adaptor) coupled to 68mm of Extension Tubes. What focal length should be input for this? It's still a 135mm lens, but is now 68mm further from the sensor. This must surely affect the calculation?

Regards
David