[anb]

I'm looking for a macro with a very high magnification and preferably zoom. Canon has a lens mp e 65 which is a bit of a legend in macro photography since it gives you a 1:1 to 5:1 magnification with zoom. Is there anything like this for pentax?

Sincerely yours.

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Last edited by anb; 09-11-2011 at 12:30 PM.

[Adam]

All current Pentax macro lenses give you 1:1 (life-size) magnification:
Pentax-D FA 50mm F2.8 Macro Reviews - D FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database
Pentax-D FA 100mm F2.8 Macro WR Reviews - D FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database
Pentax-DA 35mm F2.8 Limited Macro Reviews - DA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

There are also some great third-party offerings:
Sigma 70mm F2.8 EX DG Macro Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM APO Macro Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
Tamron SP AF 90mm F2.8 Di Macro Lens Reviews - Tamron Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

You can attach a bellows or tubes if you want more.

[Phil1]

Buy a nice microscope and attach your camera. At 5x you need focusing rails/bellows etc. A microscope should be much handier. Just sayin and it is a relatively easy attachment.

[JinDesu]

He means 5:1 - 5x magnification from life size.

[anb]

I want to photograph insects and want 5-10 mm to take up the entire image.

Accidentally reversed the figures in my first post. My goal is 5x magnification.

[anb]

Buy a nice microscope...

Nice idea, but then I'll have to get so close I'll scare my target (insect).

[Nass]

Nothing like the mpe in the Pentax range. Closest you might get would be macro lens on tubes with tc. Plenty of excellent options using reversed lenses etc but that won't give you aperture contol.

[Adam]

He means 5:1 - 5x magnification from life size.

he edited his post afterwards

[newarts]

I'm looking for a macro with a very high magnification and preferably zoom. Canon has a lens mp e 65 which is a bit of a legend in macro photography since it gives you a 1:1 to 5:1 magnification with zoom. Is there anything like this for pentax?

Sincerely yours.

Pentax offers no such lens. However, a Raynox 250 on a 300mm lens will likely get about 4X

A short focal length lens on a bellows can also achieve high magnifications at much lower cost.

[Clinton]

I wonder how close you could get using a Raynox on a DFA 100 macro.

[Bob from Aus]

Get the 50mm pentax macro as I believe it is the only one left with an aperture ring. (I have the 35mm and 100mm and optics brilliant but no aperture ring)

I have an old takamar 100mm bellows macro lens and the quality is poor. My old 50mm f4 macro I can't get a focus on my light table and the quality is also poor. ie better to use my 100mm macro WR at 1:1 and crop.

You will need flash to get an insect still unless it is already dead. macro flash or rig a flash on the side of your camera. I prefer manual settings and manual focus

I have used a times 2 converter to get extra magnification.

[Clavius]

The last thing you need for micro work, is a dedicated macro lens. Much larger magnifications can be obtained with lenses you might already have.

Mount a 300mm lens to your camera, attach a 50mm to it in reverse with a macro coupler and you'll have 300 / 50 = 6x magnification.

[newarts]

I wonder how close you could get using a Raynox on a DFA 100 macro.

Not as close as one might think I'll bet. That lens is internal focus so at maximum magnification it is probably only about 50-60mm actual focal length - therefore the magnifying effect of the Raynox will be less than expected.

The rear element of the lens does not move; therefore when focused at infinity the raynox 250 would give a magnification about 100/125 ~ .8x while while at its closest focus the lens would be something like a 36mm lens about 100mm from the sensor for a mag of 100/36-1~ 1.8x.

[RioRico]

5:1 is micro range, not macro. Sure, it *can* be done without a 'scope, but with limitations.

* A short lens on long extension gives magnification; your working distance is that focal length.
* Longer lenses allow|force you to work further away, but you need LOTS of extension for magnification.
* Reverse-stacking primes gives you a working distance of ~45.5mm with a Pentax secondary.
* 5x / 5:1 magnification with any of these methods mean losing 6 stops of light. Use flash.
* A Raynox retains automation and doesn't eat light, but you need a LONG lens for great magnification.

My recommendations:

* If you want 5x and pTTL flash, a Lil'Bigma 170-500 with a Raynox DCR-250 is for you. (I'll even sell you the zoom!)
* If you want a short rig and can use non-pTTL flash, reverse-stack a 24mm MF prime onto a 135mm (AF or MF).
* Or for a little more room, reverse that 24mm prime on 150mm of extension (macro tubes and/or bellows).

For more ideas, see https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-lens-articles/152336-cheap-macro-b...lose-work.html

[goubejp]

May be with a wide angle mounted with a reverse adaptator ? Try using a 20 mm M lens , if I remember well withextension tubes I managed to get something close to 5x; it was in film days though