If your search is limited to UK auctiions, you won't find it. It's in Spain.

I've been doing this for a while and thanks for the info but I know a bit about searching

If I simply type Pentax 50mm (which is what most people would probably start with), mine appears OK on my system and the 20 odd others that are watching it. They're just not bidding.

Anyway, this is way off topic so back to Macro stuff . . .

I'm not sure you'd really want me to as it hasn't attracted any bids as yet

Try here

Neither, try mannesty
Eyesight failing, wearing glasses, can't trust manual focus anymore. The camera does a better job at focussing than me so I'm changing from my manual focus lenses to AF ones. The 1:1.2 is not available in AF as far as I know, so I'm keeping that one.

Each has different qualities. The 1:1.7 is pin sharp andmakes a great macro lens when mounted in reverse on the camera body (yes, an adapter is available to do that too), the 1:1.4 is pin sharp when stopped down a little but has greater scope in poor lighting, the 1:1.2 . . . well, it's a 1:1.2, ideal if used wide open for indoor shots without flash. Having the 1:1.4 and 1:1.7 means that the 1:1.2 mostly gets used wide open for that extra stop. Otherwise there's not a lot of point having one.

I totally agree, nicely put. I liked my dragonfly pic for many reasons. OK, it's slightly soft, either due to camera shake because it was hand held, or I got the focussing wrong, but . . . the pose is a classic and the background is subtle. It's all perfectly natural too, no retouching in Photoshop at all.

Good luck with your lens buying. Shameless advert now. I have a SMC Pentax 50mm 1:1.7 on ebay right now and it'd make an excellent lens to stack onto your 50-200mm. I've just bought a SMCP-FA 50mm 1:1.4 lens, I already have a SMCP-F 50mm 1:1.7 and an SMCP 50mm 1:1.2 so I don't need my SMCP-A 50mm lenses any more. I'm selling a 1:1.4 and a 1:1.7, the latter would probably suit your needs.

Happy macro'ing.

You're impressed then?

Re-read his posts, he lists the lenses he uses. His first post of the ants in close up used a Pentax 28-70mm and a 50mm mounted in reverse on the front. He doesn't say which model lenses. You could always send him a private message, or just add a post to one of his threads and ask the question. He uses a home made flash diffuser too.

BTW, when choosing language to use in your post to him, please remember he is 14, and his dad watches here too.

Regards,

Search the forum for posts by TomNitti. He's 14 and has produced some amazing images using stacked lenses. Near microscopic, let alone macroscopic. You can't fail to be impressed/inspired.

Regards,

The original dragonfly pic was not as sharp as I would have liked. It was taken hand held with no flash. The spider and fly pic has suffered somewhat in the conversion to JPG and size reduction. The original is pin sharp.

The last shot is a perfect illustration of the need for flash. This was taken well after the sun had gone down and it was getting dark. There were a number of these flies on a particular shrub in my garden in UK last summer. Resting up for the night I guess.

I don't profess to be an expert macro-photographer but it is the most sastisfying aspect of photography for me. You'll get used to taking lots of rubbish shots, but occasionally you'll get a gem worthy of display.

I took the pic below with the Sigma 70-300mm APO Macro. All pics taken with the Pentax *istD DSLR.




And this one with the SMCP-FA 100mm Macro 1:2.8 and ringflash




This next one was taken with the older SMCP-F 100mm Macro which I no longer have.

In a previous post you said you wanted to take macro pics of insects. They tend not to pose too long and if it's a winged insect in flight . . . long shutter speeds may not cut the mustard.

Outside, the same rule applies really. It certainly does if you want decent DOF anyway. Wherever you take your pics, you'll need good strong lighting (usually, not always). Sunlight is OK but you might find you or the camera or its lens casts a shadow on your subject, which is not really desirable.

I just remembered that there is a Sigma zoom, the 70-300mm APO Macro Super (or whatever it's called nowadays). That lens has macro-focussing at the 300mm end. You might consider that as an option. I have one, and use it a lot. The advantage is you can stand well back from your subject. You'll appreciate that benefit when you've tried to get close to a damsel fly or hover fly.