[jadem]

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I'm new in this forum. I'm so happy that i found this place because it will help me a lot as a new K200d owner. I bought my K200d a week ago and also bought a FA50mm f1.4 prime lens. This lens yields good pics. However, I want to know if is it possible to attach a macro lens to my 50mm? If it's possible will it affect the IQ? Or are there other ways to make this lens into a macro lens?

Thanks

[AndrewShirley]

Extension tubes come to mind. You will lose your ability to focus to infinity (while the tube(s) are on, no biggie) but you will be able to focus MUCH closer to the lens.

Tubes are WAY cheaper than buying a dedicated macro lens.

I have no experience with auto-focus tubes, mine are strictly manual which works fine since I use my tubes with M lenses (m50/1.7 mostly).


Here's a shot of my keyboard's START key using my wife's k-m/jpg, about 62mm of extension tubes and my m50/1.7.



The tubes have no glass, therefore no image degradation.

Some here would know if you lose stops and the affect on DOF.

- Andrew

[jadem]

How close can you get to the subject? I mean the distance of the subject from the lens. Can others please share their experience using macro lenses as add on the FA 50mm f1.4?

[gemini]

i used F 50mm f1.7 + macro lens.
it is easy: put the macro lens and go!

and about me you can have nice photos.
but use a good macro lens: try to find a "Hoya 49mm macro lens" for your 50mm

[AndrewShirley]

Another shot of my Extension Tube set-up:



This is my wife's k-m, shot taken with my K10D with Sigma 17-70@17mm. Typical wide-angle background expansion doesn't show this shot completely accurately. The 50mm lens is about 1.5 to 2 inches from the keyboard's START key.

- Andrew

[dsport]

You may consider to get a Vivitar 2x Macro Focusing Teleconverter.
I had one long time ago before.
IQ not bad at all but the focal length would become 100,, and aperture becomes f2.8

Vivitar 2x Macro Focusing Teleconverter MC - eBay (item 310116651423 end time Jan-25-09 11:30:37 PST)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Macro-1-1-2x-Converter-Vivitar-PENTAX-KA-K20-K200_W0QQit...QQcmdZViewItem

Or if you don't want a Teleconverter, then extension tube is the best way to go. However, it is hard to find one with electic points and AF for Pentax. Kenko had one before but already stop production for PKA mount. Luckily I bought one before the end production. Indeed, Kenko also had another set of extenson tubes with 3 different mm diameters tubes(with electric points for metering but without AF). However, that set was also stopped production.

http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Kenko%2025mm%20Extension%20Tube%20for%20Pentax%2...ens:1990815121

[gemini]

a very good Teleconverter x2 is Kenko MC7 Macro: there are 2 versions.
one with electic points and one without electic points

[dsport]

Yes, the Kenko version is actually the same as Vivitar. Kenko made them for Vivitar.
Kenko 2x Macro Teleplus MC7 Adapter - Hin's Tech Corner

[AndrewShirley]

One of my tubes is actually a Vivitar Teleconverter, 2X-22, which the previous owner knocked the glass out of. It works perfectly, including stop-down metering etc.

If you can get your hands on a teleconverter with scratched up glass, you SHOULD be able to get it for REAL cheap. Just take the glass out and voila! Instant tube.

- Andrew

[EricT]

I'm also interested in doing this. How would using extension tubes compare to a teleconverter in terms of IQ?

[skeuos]

Tubes are WAY cheaper than buying a dedicated macro lens.


Some here would know if you lose stops and the affect on DOF.

- Andrew

My understanding is you'll still lose a stop or so (similar to using a teleconverter). You're increasing the distance involved; therefore some light will be lost. However, having no glass involved will help maintain IQ.

Here's a decent link to explain how much light would be lost:
Extension tubes and teleconverters@Everything2.com

steve

[djayvo]

I see some great and beautiful close up pics on this forum. Always wondered though some of the close up gear gets extremely close to the subject. Wouldn’t the bugs take off if you get to close? I would think that you would have to stay some distance away especially from flying bugs.

[heatherslightbox]

What about one of the Raynox macro adapter lenses? They'll attach onto the front of the lens. Even though they're geared for 52-67mm filter sizes, I would imagine that you could add a 49-52mm step-up ring so that it would fit onto the 50. I don't have one of these myself, but I've seen some excellent images taken with it attached to different types of lenses. I want to eventually get one, so I can use it with my 55-300 for a longer "macro" when I need it.

DCR150 Raynox DCR-150, Macro-Scan 1.5x Super Macro Conversion Lens, with Snap-on Universal Mount for 52mm to 67mm Filter Diameters.
DCR250 Raynox DCR-250, Macro-Scan 2.5x Super Macro Conversion Lens, with Snap-on Universal Mount for 52mm to 67mm Filter Diameters.

HTH,
Heather

[Clem Nichols]

Popular Photography had an article in the February 2009 issue about the merits of 50mm f/1.4 lenses. One of the things they suggested was using a lens-reversing ring to mount the lens backwards into your camera's lensmount and using it for macro photography. According to the article you can magnify your subject to a 1:1, 2:1, or even 3:1 ratio. Obviously, using this setup everything would have to be set manually. Has anyone here tried that method?

CN

Moved to lens forum.