[UncleVanya]

Doh! I forgot about that!

LOL. That's ok the OP is leaning toward the DFA 100 so everything may have been negotiable. This despite originally wanting something between the 15-30, 70-200.

[redcat]

Op wants sth to shoot Product and Macro, no lens can compete with the DFA 100mm in that category

[Na Horuk]

LOL. That's ok the OP is leaning toward the DFA 100 so everything may have been negotiable. This despite originally wanting something between the 15-30, 70-200.

Well, the DFA 50mm macro is a great lens, as well. Some say its the sharpest 50mm Pentax ever made. Its centre sharpness is rivaled by the DA* 55mm f1.4, but this lens costs a little more. FA 50mm f1.4 might be a decent choice, lots of people love it, but it can be rare, especially in Europe (in my experience, at least). DA 50mm f1.8 is affordable and decent.
So OP might want to look into these, especially the 50mm macro f2.8 (DFA, or FA or even previous versions) and FA 50mm f1.4 and DA 50mm f1.8.
I mostly recommended the DFA 100mm because it is my first lens that really stunned me, it is very fairly priced, and it gives 1:1 macro (which is more comfortable, has a longer working distance at 100mm than at 50mm).
I doubt any of the lenses I just mentioned would disappoint horribly. Pretty much all primes between 35mm and 85mm are really good these days, and pretty much all macro primes are super sharp.

[ukspeedtraps]

As I said its mainly for taking pictures of products and some macro work, not really about sitting in the middle of the two lenses, I will talk a look at the recommendations when I can get down to SRS, the 100mm is at the top, reviews come up well, but I also like the idea of the 50mm, I can see whats going to happen here I will end up with two lenses and spend well over my £250 lol

[UncleVanya]

As I said its mainly for taking pictures of products and some macro work, not really about sitting in the middle of the two lenses, I will talk a look at the recommendations when I can get down to SRS, the 100mm is at the top, reviews come up well, but I also like the idea of the 50mm, I can see whats going to happen here I will end up with two lenses and spend well over my £250 lol

It really depends on working distance preferences. I find the 100 to be a bit tight for shots indoors of things I am selling but I don't have a dedicated space to do product shots. The 100 is more useful for longer range (bugs, creeppie crawlies) macro shots also. Adding a teleconverter to either lens gives higher magnification at the cost of some light. This results is longer working distances for the same results but the same working distance for the maximum magnification (which is larger than normal).

[pathdoc]

I recently bought a deglassed Kalimar-brand P-KA/R 2x teleconverter very cheaply on E-bay, and while it has the Ricoh Pin, it's the rounded, safe variant. Furthermore, the literature in the box informed me that a Pentax AF version exists. That, deglassed, would do for converting an FA50/1.4 to macro. Then OP would have a classic fast fifty with full functionality on the K-1 body when needed, with close focus capability and full aperture control. I don't know whether the AF variant would pass the focal length, MTF or distortion-correction data; I am certain from experience that the manual focus variant does not. The downside, of course, is that one is tied to ONE particular focus distance for every focal length you put on the camera (I have not yet tried it with zooms).

Aside from that, the D-FA 50/2.8 is the next best bet if OP can cope with the loss of two stops, and would give full macro and non-macro functionality from infinity down to the MFD of the lens, without the need to carry another component around and swap it in and out. It also sits slap bang right in the middle between the upper end of the 15-30 and the lower end of the 70-200!

(The advantage of that second component for me, and why I am prepared to carry it about, is that I have a large number of prime lenses which all benefit from the T/C's capability across the entire spectrum of K-mount use; it has the aperture reporting arm as well as the data contacts, and is metal-based so there is no issue with triggering stop-down even on old third-party lenses that have anodised bases. Not the OP's thing, it would seem, but I figured it worth mentioning for potential future reference.)

[UncleVanya]

As someone with multiple macro lenses over time and many many extension tube/bellows/reversed lens shots. I can tell you an extension tube is a great field accessory that is light and small to pop in the bag - but not a substitute for a macro in general. Macro lenses tend to have the ability to focus from infinity to 1:1 and everywhere in between - an extension tube is a fixed distance and image ratio point solution.

[pathdoc]

an extension tube is a great field accessory that is light and small to pop in the bag - but not a substitute for a macro in general

Of course not, and I admitted as much. When I really need high-quality macro or think I'm going to use close focus a lot I reach for my macro lenses at once, but the ability to adapt (at a pinch) any of my K-mount lenses to close focus on any of my K-mount bodies (and now with open aperture metering and full aperture control to boot) is not to be sneezed at.

I suspect a shorter teleconverter (e.g. 1.4x) would give me a slightly greater standoff distance and make the use of some of my sub-28-mm lenses a reasonable proposition, but I'm very happy right now with what I have.

[UncleVanya]

Of course not, and I admitted as much. When I really need high-quality macro or think I'm going to use close focus a lot I reach for my macro lenses at once, but the ability to adapt (at a pinch) any of my K-mount lenses to close focus on any of my K-mount bodies (and now with open aperture metering and full aperture control to boot) is not to be sneezed at.

I suspect a shorter teleconverter (e.g. 1.4x) would give me a slightly greater standoff distance and make the use of some of my sub-28-mm lenses a reasonable proposition, but I'm very happy right now with what I have.

I carry a 25mm tube (deglassed tc) myself for the unexpected opportunities. It is light and simple. I also sometimes carry a close focus lens to add to the front. I'm still on the fence about which works best in a pinch. The dedicated 100 is better by far but sometimes the other alternative is worth it when you spot something awesome.

[ukspeedtraps]

Hi

Just an update, i bought the DFA 100mm, Never made the £250 but in this game we all know we spend more that we expected.

In simple its a cracking lens and thanks for the recommendations. I looked at all the suggestions offered here and the 100mm fitted just what I needed it for.

Thanks guys...

[Edgar_in_Indy]

Hi

Just an update, i bought the DFA 100mm, Never made the £250 but in this game we all know we spend more that we expected.

In simple its a cracking lens and thanks for the recommendations. I looked at all the suggestions offered here and the 100mm fitted just what I needed it for.

With your 15-30 and 70-200 and now 100mm macro it sounds like you have a pretty good kit. Now you just need to add a fisheye!

[redcat]

Just an update, i bought the DFA 100mm

great lens, show us some photo you take with this lens soon, ok?

[pathdoc]

Now you just need to add a fisheye!

LOL isn't 15mm on full-frame wide enough?

Congratulations on your new lens, OP. Enjoy.

[clackers]

I have the D FA 50 and it's fantastic, but the 100 will mean you get more flexibility with light setups for product shots, can stay far away enough not to scare insects, etc ....