[travelswsage]

A vote here for the Sigma 180mm if you can find one. It's light and sharp and easy to work with. I picked up one here a year or so ago from another forum member and it is one of my favorite lenses on the K-1.


Venus/Laowa is also going to release a 100mm macro that can do 2:1 in the next few months. It is supposed to be released in Pentax mount. If you don't mind manual focus this might be an option for you.

[torashi]

The Raynox DCR-250 at just $66.95 is another popular option.

[AstroDave]

The Raynox DCR-250 at just $66.95 is another popular option.

I think that would require getting quite up close to the bugs, while the OP is looking for farther away.

[pres589]

What about the F 1.7 tc, the one that provides AF with caveats, and that Irix 150mm Macro? Seems like the perfect combo for what the OP is asking for assuming the tc's optical quality are up for this challenge.

[MetteHHH]

the OP, and others, might want to look at the submissions to this thread:

Pollinators in action - Page 38 - PentaxForums.com

and look at what equipment was used by the photographers to help narrow down what lenses might be useful

warning: there are a lot photos to look at


__________

the OP said the lens was the DFA 100mm F2.8 macro

not the DFA 100mm F2.8 Macro WR

Thanks aslyfox - I'm subscribed to the pollinators in action thread and I have contributed a few (most of them taken with my DA* 300mm) It did occur to me to look through that thread (as well as Photolady's "show me your insects" and that thematic "bugs in flight" and a few more as well). You are right that this would be a good way to form a more informed opinion of the various alternatives. I will, I promise. But I guess I made this thread as a sort of short cut. As so far that has worked out great!

Also: My lens IS the DFA 100mm F2.8 Macro WR, as several people have guessed. I was just being sloppy with my lens nomenclature and also I didn't realise that there was a non-WR alternative as well. Sorry about that.

---------- Post added 03-27-19 at 12:53 PM ----------

The problem with the sticky aperture on the 100mm is actually not the blades but oil on the ring that moves them. It’s a pretty easy fix that I have done myself twice on my lens and it stopped being an issue since I stored it front down in my bag/shelf. Here’s the thread on how to fix it: Pentax DFA 100mm Macro WR sticky blades? - PentaxForums.com

alpheios, I am afraid I am NOT very brave when it comes to do-it-yourself fixes and photographic equipment. That, combined with the fact that I live in Denmark and have to send my gear abroad for service, are my reasons why I didn't just send it back or try to fix it myself. Also, it really DID improve after the warranty service - it definitely stops down MORE than before, and maybe (as I have been told here at the forum before) I just need to use it often and the problem might wear off entirely. That is my plan A for this summer now: Shoot lots of insects and see what happens.

Your tip about storing it front down makes me hopeful as well. That is definitely an easy thing to try, and I will - thanks!

[aslyfox]

Thanks aslyfox - I'm subscribed to the pollinators in action thread and I have contributed a few (most of them taken with my DA* 300mm) It did occur to me to look through that thread (as well as Photolady's "show me your insects" and that thematic "bugs in flight" and a few more as well). You are right that this would be a good way to form a more informed opinion of the various alternatives. I will, I promise. But I guess I made this thread as a sort of short cut. As so far that has worked out great! . . .

nothing wrong with short cuts

I hope you will forgive me in not realizing you have joined the others who have contributed to the pollinator thread

to be honest, I haven't reviewed all of those post

[MetteHHH]

nothing wrong with short cuts

I hope you will forgive me in not realizing you have joined the others who have contributed to the pollinator thread

to be honest, I haven't reviewed all of those post

Of course! No problem! My photos are not the most memorable in the thread, and in any case looking at the gear in that thread was excellent advice.

I did take my 100mm macro WR out today, and on my way home from work I managed to find some zebra jumping spiders out for a bit of spring sun. I decided to do a (sort of chaotic and unstructured) test of how far my lens would stop down. Here is a screenshot of four consecutive pictures, raw, with the settings at TAv, 1/320s, f18. In one of them (top left) the aperture seems to have behaved itself and stopped down for correct exposure. The next two are madly overexposed, and the lower right one just a little. Beyond f18, everything was badly overexposed.

This is better than I thought - before it went for service I definitely could not get the aperture as far down as f18. Maybe if I keep shooting and store the lens front down, the problem may eventually just go away. I am just not brave enough to take it apart myself, and I honestly can't be bothered shipping it to the UK, waiting for weeks and paying some unknown service fee plus shipping and handling for a procedure that didn't _exactly_ solve all problems last time...

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

[JensE]

and I honestly can't be bothered shipping it to the UK, waiting for weeks and paying some unknown service fee plus shipping and handling for a procedure that didn't _exactly_ solve all problems last time...

I wouldn't ship anything to the UK at the moment that I wish to see back in the EU in finite time ...

I read that one of the German service partner (Maerz) staff in Hamburg, who takes care of lenses, came along from the original Pentax team and is very good. My recent FA LTD repair was fine. I've also seen recommendations for an independent Pentax repair business, servicing lenses. So if you're out of the repair warranty period (6mo.), there would still be options "next door".

[bassek]

There is no DA 200 macro. You must be talking about the SMC Pentax-FA* 200mm F4 Macro ED [IF].It's expensive and hard to come by. A Canon 180/3.5 L macro and appropriate camera could end up costing the same and are readily available, plus it's a half stop faster.A 1.7x AF adapter combined with the DFA 100 macro lens after a thorough disassembly and CLA could be an intermediate, and way less expensive solution.

My April fools joke came early this year, by accident. I hope no one spilled their coffee reading my post.

Seb

[torashi]

My April fools joke came early this year, by accident. I hope no one spilled their coffee reading my post.

Seb

Lol. No coffee spilt. But some pillagers might've lit up their torches and taken out their pitchforks!