Peter, thanks for putting the spotlight on using a bellows for macro work. I own a dedicated macro lens, but prefer my Pentax Bellows-K with a Pentax-M 50/1.7 on the front for fine work. When people ask me about the less expensive route to true macro, I always suggest bellows or extension tubes as the cheapest option.
A few suggestions while shopping for bellows:
- Make sure the bellows material is in good shape and without excessive wear or pinholes
- Be sure that the unit includes both the front and rear mounts. The rear mount is generally removable and often missing.
- There are many Pentax-branded bellows models with multiple features. Be sure you know what you are getting before you bid/buy.
- K-mount units exist and are probably worth seeking out.
- The auto-bellows feature is probably not that useful.
- The two stage design (a rail for extension and another below for focusing) is highly desirable.
Here is my favorite bellows shot. The magnification is about 2:1 and the subject is the leaf petiole of a small Japanese maple leaf.
