Originally posted by sinzen Anyways, fast forward to now and I am looking at getting myself a sharp and wonderful macro lens. I’d like to stick to a Pentax lens but am open to suggestions. Trying to stay within a $500-1000 budget.
I’ve read the reviews on that 100mm D-FA that’s all weather sealed an such. Anyone have any experience with it or with a favourite macro lens?
While thinking about bellows and such is sound advice, on the other hand these things can only be bought second-hand and this limits their availability. Plus while they are indeed nice tools, they are far from being required to do macro photography.
Having use the FA 50mm macro, DA 35mm macro Limited and DFA 100 macro WR, the latter is by far my favourite. Its build quality, small size, IQ are superb (mostly similar to the IQ of the FA 77mm, that's saying something). It can double as a short tele/portrait lens and is WR, something not to be dismissed.
35mm didn't work all that well for me as a macro, you're simply too close to your subjects. 50 was comfortable and maybe easier to master, and that lens was superbly sharp, but the 100 is the better all-around lens in my eyes.
Many brands do not even have the possibility of using bellows, so I wouldn't base my choice only on this. The 100 macro is perfectly within your budget.
The Irix 150mm macro seems like a nice lens, I haven't tested it, and it lacks AF (not required for macro, useful as a tele lens). It's another kind of lens entirely.