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06-05-2020, 06:50 AM - 1 Like   #16
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I shoot crop on a k3 and own the DFA 100 wr as my primary macro lens. It is fantastic - and it shares the optical formula with the older DFA, canF and FA 100 macro lenses.

Of these the DFA versions are smaller and lighter. This lens is worth every penny.

06-05-2020, 08:09 AM   #17
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QuoteOriginally posted by normhead Quote
have a Sigma 24 macro where the actual magnification is 1:4.
That is pretty loose with the macro definition. I have a Sigma 300 that calls itself a Macro does 1:3 and I always thought that was a stretch. At 1:4 it just seem like they are doing the tack words and letters on to a lens because no one says anything. I think my Vivitar Series 1 135mm f/2.3 does or gets close to 1:4 but it just says that it is close focusing and doesn't claim to be a macro. Then there is the macro function on the SMC A 70-210 f/4 that will get you that 1:4 magnification.
06-05-2020, 10:16 AM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by Kozlok Quote
A true macro lens will go to 1:1 and is not a zoom.
My SMC Pentax A 50mm f/2.8 macro only goes to 1:2, but at least it doesn't zoom.
06-05-2020, 12:18 PM - 2 Likes   #19
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Thank you everyone for the comments and images. As for the exif, the person that caught that is correct. I had changed out my Sigma macro for the 50-135 earlier in the day and had forgotten about. And, the Sigma is a 28-80mm not 18-80. Geez, I need to pay attention! I attached a shot I took with the Sigma, but I was using a K10D body at the time. I still think it's a softer shot. It was hand held.
I think the DFA 100 might be the lens to replace the Sigma. I didn't really expect a whole lot out of a 16 dollar lens, and it performed better than I expected. Budget isn't really an issue. I plan on picking up the new APS C flagship when it's released, and I have the new DA* 16-50 on my wish list for next year.

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PENTAX K10D  Photo 
06-05-2020, 12:27 PM - 1 Like   #20
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How about a Panagor 90mm f/2.8 Macro for $79? Please note that I have no affiliation to the seller or any actual experience with this lens.

Panagor 90mm f/2.8 Macro Manual Focus K-Mount Lens for Pentax {62} at KEH Camera

It looks good, from a distance. There are only two flavors listed on this site, but both gave get high marks.

Admiral/Panagor 90mm F2.8 Macro Lens Reviews - Miscellaneous Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

Panagor 90mm f2.8 Macro PMC Lens Reviews - Miscellaneous Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
06-05-2020, 12:59 PM - 1 Like   #21
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The DFA 100 is an amazing lens. AS other folks have said, a 50mm prime and extension tubes or a lens reverer can give pretty amazing results when shooting macro. I love my FA 50 2.8 Marco and the DFA 100 2.8 WR even more.
06-05-2020, 01:32 PM - 4 Likes   #22
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QuoteOriginally posted by Wasp Quote
How about a Panagor 90mm f/2.8 Macro for $79? Please note that I have no affiliation to the seller or any actual experience with this lens.

It looks good, from a distance. There are only two flavors listed on this site, but both gave get high marks.
I own a Panagor 90mm macro F/2.8, it is a good macro lens and its price is attractive.
Compared to a Tamron 90mm F/2.8 macro Di, the Panagor's working distance is longer, it is a plus in some cases. The largest flaw of the Panagor is CA, I see some chromatic aberration on my photos. The Tamron does not share this flaw.

Of course, a Pentax DFA 100mm macro is slightly better than the Tamron but I could never compare them.

I owned an old "adaptall" Tamron 90mm F/2.5 macro, built like a tank and rather sharp but it only reaches 1:2.

I currently own and use several macro lenses (mainly between 60mm and 180mm), and can say that 100mm is the best compromise in terms of focal length in macro if you aim to shoot living animals. Yet the bokeh is smoother using 100mm and above.

Here are some pics shot using the Panagor 90mm:








Last edited by tryphon4; 06-05-2020 at 01:42 PM.
06-05-2020, 07:00 PM - 1 Like   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by jwquinn68 Quote
I attached a shot I took with the Sigma, but I was using a K10D body at the time. I still think it's a softer shot. It was hand held. ... I didn't really expect a whole lot out of a 16 dollar lens, and it performed better than I expected.
I would not call this image soft. It has nisen bokeh (the parallel lines) that is typical of many cheap zooms, but if you look at the spikes that are in focus, the resolution is quite good.

It's just that in close focus images like this the depth of field is very shallow, so at the chosen aperture of f6.7, very little of the flower is in focus. Let's say the minimum focus distance is 50cm (ie. the specs for this lens: Sigma 28-80mm F3.5-5.6 Macro Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database). At f6.7, with a focal length of 80mm and a distance to subject of 50cm, with an APS-C sensor, the DOF will be 8.8mm (ie about one-third of an inch). (Calculate here: Online Depth of Field Calculator) That is why only a small part of the flower is in focus. When using a true 1:1 macro lens, DOF is even thinner.

So you have hit upon some of the issues with macro photography. Unless you are doing focus stacking, you often need to use very narrow apertures like f16. At these apertures, you need a lot of light (or slow shutter or high ISO or some combination). Also, with many lenses the resolution is affected by diffraction at f16. Fortunately with most of the dedicated macro lenses, the resolution is so high that even with a diffraction hit, the lens can deliver sharp images.

Last edited by Des; 06-05-2020 at 09:58 PM.
06-05-2020, 08:07 PM   #24
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I would probably go for the Pentax 100mm macro. I did get a Sigma 105 f/2.8 macro. I like it but I was never 100% satisfied with it.
06-05-2020, 08:32 PM   #25
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the Irix 150mm f2.8 Macro is also one to consider...

QuoteOriginally posted by Wasp Quote
How about a Panagor 90mm f/2.8 Macro for $79? Please note that I have no affiliation to the seller or any actual experience with this lens.

Panagor 90mm f/2.8 Macro Manual Focus K-Mount Lens for Pentax {62} at KEH Camera

It looks good, from a distance. There are only two flavors listed on this site, but both gave get high marks.

Admiral/Panagor 90mm F2.8 Macro Lens Reviews - Miscellaneous Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

Panagor 90mm f2.8 Macro PMC Lens Reviews - Miscellaneous Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database


I just bought a Soligor copy of this 90/2.8 Macro, but in the 'A' mount... it's a Komine-manufactured lens and if it's as good as the 55mm version I already own, it's a killer....
06-05-2020, 09:49 PM   #26
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QuoteOriginally posted by Zijspoor Quote
Hi,

I am a little bit confused too, like Clackers. Your exif information is stating a Pentax 18-135, as mentioned in your profile. And I am also not aware of a 16-80mm Sigma to exist.

For macro it is important to have your focus point spot on, and your lens AF fine adjust for your camera when using PDAF. Or make use of Live-view.
You can fine adjust AF yourself easily.

Kind regards, Ron
Yeah sorry about that Ron. I had the 18-135 on my K70, not the macro. The Sigma that I own is a 28-80MM Macro. Plastic fantastic for 16 bucks.....
06-06-2020, 04:32 AM - 2 Likes   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by jwquinn68 Quote
Yeah sorry about that Ron. I had the 18-135 on my K70, not the macro. The Sigma that I own is a 28-80MM Macro. Plastic fantastic for 16 bucks.....
Hi jwquinn68,

That is fine with me, do not worry

I had the K10D, and it was a fine camera. However finetuning AF is in the debug-mode, and that is not everybody's cup of tea, Your K-70 is miles ahead, and nowadays it is more or less a standard option in the DSLR menu.

I have a couple of macro lenses, and I can confirm that the D-FA 100mm F2.8 Macro WR is one of my favourites. Its sharpness and colour characteristics suits my application. The bokeh wide open is absolutely fine, but be aware that closing down the aperture will lead to more harsh out of focus areas. That is the reason why I am using my DA* 300mm F4.0 instead, in order to obtain more depth of field and a smoother background for small objects. Sorry, I like flower photography

Some examples of the D-FA 100mm F2.8 WR Macro:
Macro use with shallow depth of field 100mm macro


Normal use at F11 100mm macro (with use of polariser)


Macro use with larger depth of the 100mm macro:


Isolation of smaller subjects at F8 by using a telelens DA* 300mm:


And last but not least an example of tuning the D-FA 50mm F2.8 macro:


Be aware that the D-FA 100mm has no aperture control ring anymore. So if you are planning it to use on a old film camera or mirrorless camera, you have to deal with its limitations. The D-FA 50mm and the old D-FA 100mm do have an aperture ring. Like the older Sigma 50mm, 105mm and 180mm macro lenses.

Keep up the good work.

Kind regards,
Ron

Last edited by Zijspoor; 06-06-2020 at 04:40 AM.
06-06-2020, 05:26 AM - 2 Likes   #28
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You can't go wrong with the DFA 100 mm f/2.8 Macro lens, whether WR or not.

06-06-2020, 05:58 AM - 2 Likes   #29
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The op did not give us a price range and didn't give us what he'd like to photograph. Here are a few things to consider.
Autofocus is mostly irrelevant with macro work so often older lenses are a bargain.
For things that are nervous (some bugs, small animals) you need working distance. 90mm is a good starting point for this. The Irix 150mm would be ideal for this.
The least expensive way to get reasonable quality is probably extension tubes (although some people swear by closeup lenses)
The least expensive way to get really high magnification on things that aren't going to move a lot is probably extension tubes with a moderate wide angle lens like 35mm
Because most of any shot is out of focus (unless you do focus stacking) the bokeh rendition is often as important as central sharpness
As an example of what to do with a cheap kit here's a Mir 1B on extension tubes mounted on a K30 This bug was decidedly not nervous.

Last edited by kernos; 06-06-2020 at 06:06 AM.
06-06-2020, 06:01 AM   #30
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I'm not sure there are a lot of bad macro's out there. MY decision going out the door is size and weight. I'm usually taking something like the 18-135 and 55-300 and the macro is a tag a long just in case. Often the Sigma 70 won't even fit in my bag. And for weight the DFA 100 WR is even smaller than the 50 macro.
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