[Lord Lucan]

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Having been to the dentist this morning, it reminded me that I have heard of a Pentax 100mm dental macro lens made around the 1980s. I believe it was the same as the M-Series 100mm f4 macro lens but with a special focus scale. Does anyone know any more about it, or have a picture of one? Just interested, I don't want a second career as a dentist

[steephill]

M 100/4 Dental Macro | The K-Mount Page There is also an A series version.

http://kmp.pentaxians.eu/misc/macro/ has info on the dental close up lens set mentioned in the first link.

[Fogel70]

If you scroll down a little you can see the A-series version of it here.
SMC Pentax-A 100mm F4 Macro Reviews - A Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

It is a couple of extra magnification scales on the lens barrel, instead of only on the front of the focus ring.

[UncleVanya]

Lester Dine had an f2.8 100mm macro lens they sold across many camera systems including Pentax. This is the one I think of most often.

[Papa_Joe]

Pentax sold complete dental macro lens kits with the FA 100 as well. The FA kits included

- Pentax MZ-10 Quartz Date
- SMC Pentax-FA 100mm F2.8 Macro - without any modification like the M/A version
- SMC Pentax Close up lens T9-2x
- AF-140c Ring Flash (with adapter)
- Sturdy case for the set

I wonder if the A and M lenses were also sold in such kits.

[BigMackCam]

Pentax sold complete dental macro lens kits with the FA 100 as well. The FA kits included

- Pentax MZ-10 Quartz Date
- SMC Pentax-FA 100mm F2.8 Macro - without any modification like the M/A version
- SMC Pentax Close up lens T9-2x
- AF-140c Ring Flash (with adapter)
- Sturdy case for the set

I wonder if the A and M lenses were also sold in such kits.

There was also a dedicated dental version of the FA100 with magnification selection via a ring with detents. There's one on eBay right now (no affiliation with the seller):
Pentax-Fa Macro 100Mm/F2.8 Lens Click Dental With Ring Used Goods | eBay

[Lord Lucan]

Thanks for that guys. So it comes down to some engravings on the extending barrel to show magnifications, with and without certain supplementary magnifying lenses screwed into the filter threads. The picture in Fleugel's review (linked in Fogel70's post) shows the engravings well. The white engravings are for no supplementary extra lenses, so I wonder why they did not put at least those engravings on the non-dental version too.

[Not a Number]

I think the close-up lenses were only sold with the Dental Macro lens, thus no extra markings on the "standard" lens. The lenses had magnetic attachments to a ring you put on lens filter threads.

The Lester Dine was the Kiron 100/105mm f2.8. It was pretty much the standard Kiron lens, some without the built-in lens hood. The dental magnification scale was a label/sticker on the tube body. Lester Dine may have eliminated the sticker at some point.

[BigMackCam]

I think the close-up lenses were only sold with the Dental Macro lens, thus no extra markings on the "standard" lens. The lenses had magnetic attachments to a ring you put on lens filter threads.

The Lester Dine was the Kiron 100/105mm f2.8. It was pretty much the standard Kiron lens, some without the built-in lens hood. The dental magnification scale was a label/sticker on the tube body. Lester Dine may have eliminated the sticker at some point.

There was a Vivitar dental lens that was also adorned with a pair of stickers to show the magnification scale... Without the stickers, it was just the standard macro lens. Perhaps that was a Kiron too? I don't recall...

[Fogel70]

Thanks for that guys. So it comes down to some engravings on the extending barrel to show magnifications, with and without certain supplementary magnifying lenses screwed into the filter threads. The picture in Fleugel's review (linked in Fogel70's post) shows the engravings well. The white engravings are for no supplementary extra lenses, so I wonder why they did not put at least those engravings on the non-dental version too.

The standard version came first and has a white line engraved on the barrel and used the magnification scale on the focus ring.

See the extended barrel om the M-series version.
SMC Pentax-M 100mm F4 Macro Reviews - M Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

For the dental version they had to change it as it used several scales, but the dental version still has the scale on the focus ring, although it is not in use.

---------- Post added 20-05-22 at 10:11 ----------

Then there is also those old medical version of macro lenses that included a ring flash in the lens barrel.

Like Elicar Medical Macro 90/2.5. (I have the standard non medical version)
Elicar V-HQ Medical Macro MC 90mm f/2.5 Lens Reviews - Miscellaneous Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database