Originally posted by dtrego To PPPPPP42:
I appreciate your suggestion, and the others received here, but spending around 2K for a lens, however excellent, which costs more than the camera but would only get occasional use, does not seem like the best first alternative to explore, especially since there are other, much less expensive ways to get to a macro capable (around) 200mm.
Only if other methods fall short in some way, would I consider it seriously. I also understand that the A-200* f4 macro is not fully usable by itself on the K1 any way, due to the tripod mount fouling the prism housing when the camera is in vertical position. I've read somewhere that it requires addition of the 1.4x tele-extender to clear, but then we are beyond 200mm.
I'd obtained the A-200* f2.8 for more conventional uses, but had started to think about perhaps getting all that optical goodness to do extra duty for macros, when I posted my original question. Now I'm thinking it might be better to abandon that idea, and try some combinations of extension rings or tele-estenders with a good shorter focal length prime first, or look for one of the Sigma 180's.
---------- Post added 02-18-18 at 03:22 PM ----------
To Cyperjunkie:
Thanks for that suggestion. I'd forgotten about the Vivitar flat field zoom. Is it available in Pentax-A mount, or only in the earlier K-mount version? I happen to still have the similar Nikon AF 70-180mm f4.5-5.6 D, which I used for several years to photograph thousands of dogs at the local dog shelter, for use on their website. It was perfect for that job, with a fast focusing Nikon D2h and a couple of radio strobes. Four megapixels was plenty for that purpose.
Although there is only one user review here for the (MF) Sigma 180mm f5.6 APO macro UC, it is a positive one, although no price is shown. However I have found both Minolta and Canon mount versions on Ebay for $150 or less, so it looks like a prime candidate for me among the Sigma 180s. And I would prefer MF for macros any way.