Loyal Site Supportaxian Registered: September, 2013 Location: Texas Posts: 503 | | Review Date: November 23, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $20.00
| Rating: 6 |
| Pros: | No Light Loss, Inexpensive, small. | | Cons: | Average performer. | |
This review is for the original 49mm version.
It doesn't have modern coatings. Seems to produce the best results with with the Takumar 55 1.8/2.0 lenses.
If your lens is auto-focus, you can still use AF. It's reasonably good (but nothing to write home about) on the DA 35/2.4.
The main reason to use this is if you have little room in your gear bag and want a little more close-up ability. For more serious macro shooting you'll want to use extension tubes or dedicated macro lenses.
| |
Site Supporter Registered: October, 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,091
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 8, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $25.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Cheap, small and easy to use with decent image quality. No EF or light loss. | | Cons: | Low magnification and not Macro lens sharpness. | |
With the release of the K Series in 1975 Pentax introduced a new set of close-up lenses.
Six were available in two filter thread sizes and all had SMC coatings:
S25 (52mm: K50/1.4 & K55/1.8)
S40 (52mm: K50/1.4 & K55/1.8)
T80 (52mm: K85/1.8, K105/2.8, K120/2.8, K135/3.5 & K150/4)
T95 (58mm: K135/2.5 & K200/4)
T160 (52mm: K105/2.8, K120/2.8, K135/3.5 & K150/4)
T183 (58mm: K135/2.5 & K200/4)
“S” indicates the close-up lens is for “standard” lenses and “T” is for “telephoto” lenses. The “number” indicates the focal length of the close-up lens in cm. (The distance from film to subject, the shorter the focal length the bigger the magnification.) Usable/recommended K Series lenses are in brackets.
These are great close-up accessories that look & work exactly like a Pentax SMC fitter. They take up little space in your camera bag and are perfect for close-ups if you don’t own a macro lens or extension tubes. Unlike a macro lens or extension tubes there is no exposure factor or light loss.
The highest magnification you can get with a K Series close-up lens is 0.42x with a S25 and a K55/1.8 lens. That’s close to a K50/4 or K100/4 Macro lens, which both have 0.5x magnification.
I have the S25, T80 and the T95. The image quality is very good with these close-up lenses, but they will not replace a macro lens or extension tubes. I use my close-up lenses only when I travel and don’t want to bring/carry a macro lens or extension tubes due to space issues.
| |
Senior Member Registered: January, 2009 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 180
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 18, 2010 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Fun factor, good quality | | Cons: | | |
I bought this item along with Tiffen +1 and +4 (in separate purchases).
My initial impression is this close up lens performed better than those Tiffen but I have not conduct full and formal tests. I'd say it could be a bias until proven 
Note that the SMC F 50mm 1.4 was used for this review (some said it is one of the sharpest / highest MTF lens but I wouldn't know since I'm quite new to photography  )
Without the close focus lens, the minimum focusing distance (MFD) is about 45mm (as stated in the lens review section ).
With the close up lens attached, the lens will focus to approximately 15 - 45 cm in front of the lens.
In my (un-scientific) test, I did not notice any drop in IQ / sharpness. Note that f/2.8 was used in the test.
Let the pictures below tell the story of the quality and magnification achieved.
These pics have been adjusted for exposure and contrast was increased slightly.
No other adjustment was done.
 | |
