Short comparaison 100mm Macro D-FA vs NEW D-FA WR

J.Scott · 03-07-2010, 05:34 AM

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Now that I've quit crying over selling my Voigtlander 125mm Lanthar macro I needed another macro.

Jut kidding - no tears shed at all - it was my choice to sell it. It is a fantastic lens and I know the new owner will be tickled pink.

So I needed a macro lens in my bag and after quite a bit of reading and comparing I just purchased this lens (D-FA 100mm Macro WR) from Prodigital2000.

Damn LBA!

I'll definitely post some pics soon.

Next I'll need a K-7 to compliment the new lens!

**Clinton** · 03-07-2010, 09:06 AM

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the post.

This lens is on my schedule for purchase due to it's weather sealing, but I've been wondering for a while if the price difference would really be worth it.

The sample pics really prove that Pentax has taken this macro up a notch with the rounded blades in terms of the bokeh quality. I'm excited to buy this lens... now if I can just dig up the $850 for it.

farfisa · 03-07-2010, 09:20 AM

This is the second great post and comparison on this lens--Frank did one too, and this brings it all back!

I love the look--like a long 77 indeed! The rounded blades also make for great bokeh--probably the most under-rated feature of the DA*55, IMO!

Originally posted by cgoudie

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the post.

This lens is on my schedule for purchase due to it's weather sealing, but I've been wondering for a while if the price difference would really be worth it.

The sample pics really prove that Pentax has taken this macro up a notch with the rounded blades in terms of the bokeh quality. I'm excited to buy this lens... now if I can just dig up the $850 for it.

How about $600? -- an eBay listing from Prodigital, including an extended warranty.
NEW PENTAX D FA MACRO 100MM F2.8 WR f/K-7 K-x w/8YR WTY on eBay.ca (item 130364870650 end time 07-Mar-10 15:48:30 EST)

I'm tempted myself, but just picked up a Tamron 70-200...

You can do a search for prodigital here on the forums and find lots of happy customers (J. Scott above just ordered one from there). Criticisms are usually related to shipping times, shipping items overseas in envelopes, and listing items they don't have in stock, which results in long waits (not good for LBA). I've ordered 6 items from them and never had a problem (except paying the Visa bill later!).

J.Scott · 03-07-2010, 02:17 PM

This lens is the 4th item I've purchased from Prodigital2000 and only had issue with my K10D. It was back ordered and I had to wait 4 days for new stock to arrive. It was no big issue; I wasn't in a terrible hurry for it.

Yes, the new lens is $599 with free shipping.
My local camera store had a copy of the older model for the same price.
So I decided to go with the newer model and an 8 year warranty!

If you do have issues with them, for godsake don't expect a reply from your email.
You must call them directly! They will not respond to email ever!

Originally posted by farfisa

This is the second great post and comparison on this lens--Frank did one too, and this brings it all back!

I love the look--like a long 77 indeed! The rounded blades also make for great bokeh--probably the most under-rated feature of the DA*55, IMO!

How about $600? -- an eBay listing from Prodigital, including an extended warranty.
NEW PENTAX D FA MACRO 100MM F2.8 WR f/K-7 K-x w/8YR WTY on eBay.ca (item 130364870650 end time 07-Mar-10 15:48:30 EST)

I'm tempted myself, but just picked up a Tamron 70-200...

You can do a search for prodigital here on the forums and find lots of happy customers (J. Scott above just ordered one from there). Criticisms are usually related to shipping times, shipping items overseas in envelopes, and listing items they don't have in stock, which results in long waits (not good for LBA). I've ordered 6 items from them and never had a problem (except paying the Visa bill later!).

aerodave · 03-07-2010, 03:39 PM

Originally posted by LeDave

Nice comparison. At the f/2.8 comparison you can clearly see the hexagonal circles on the non-WR compared to the clean circles produced by the WR version.

I believe you mean the f/5.6 comparison. The f/2.8 shots both have round circles, because the lens is wide open in both cases and there are no aperture blades in the way to create the octagonal bokeh. The aperture numbers are *under* the pictures which they label, not above.

fourmiX · 03-08-2010, 03:50 AM

Originally posted by aerodave

I believe you mean the f/5.6 comparison. The f/2.8 shots both have round circles, because the lens is wide open in both cases and there are no aperture blades in the way to create the octagonal bokeh. The aperture numbers are *under* the pictures which they label, not above.

yep the aperture is under; sorry i think must be a better idea to put it above...

einstrigger · 03-08-2010, 03:26 PM

Originally posted by J.Scott

Yes, the new lens is $599 with free shipping.

I saw that on eBay and I'm hoping Bing cashback will increase to 15% in the near future.

I was originally planning on the Tamron 90mm to be my first macro, but the Pentax WR is soooo sleek.

Shashinki · 03-08-2010, 03:35 PM

I wonder how the Zeiss 100mm 2.0 macro compares... :P

braver · 03-08-2010, 07:06 PM

About Prodigital2000 not responding to email -- not true, you have to use eBay mail/Respond button, and they do respond.

The weird thing is that they don't pack at all. They place the lens box, the thin carton enclosing the precious egg, in an UPS envelope and send it off -- not requiring signature! One cold day, I looked outside my door and found a silver FA 77mm that way. I say, not using double boxes is simply irresponsible here. When I eBay-mailed about that, they kept mum. What can be said indeed?

dgaies · 03-08-2010, 07:29 PM

Originally posted by braver

About Prodigital2000 not responding to email -- not true, you have to use eBay mail/Respond button, and they do respond.

I also found they were very responsive replying to my messages through ebay messages. That being said, I "purchased" a DA70 from them in the end of January, only to find out a week later they didn't actually have any in stock. I ended up cancelling last week when they said they weren't expecting them back in stock until he end of March and I was concerned about receiving the lens 60+ days after I bought it in case there were any issues (probably not a valid concern, but I was also sick of waiting).

J.Scott · 03-09-2010, 04:31 PM

Originally posted by braver

About Prodigital2000 not responding to email -- not true, you have to use eBay mail/Respond button, and they do respond.

The weird thing is that they don't pack at all. They place the lens box, the thin carton enclosing the precious egg, in an UPS envelope and send it off -- not requiring signature! One cold day, I looked outside my door and found a silver FA 77mm that way. I say, not using double boxes is simply irresponsible here. When I eBay-mailed about that, they kept mum. What can be said indeed?

UPS tracking site says it should be here tomorrow.

I'll report back as to what condition my lens arrives.

aerodave · 03-09-2010, 05:51 PM

Ditto. I also ordered one over the weekend from Prodigital2000, and mine should be here tomorrow as well. Tonight I'll sleep the sleep of a man who knows a new lens is coming the next day. That is, not very soundly.

NeverSatisfied · 03-09-2010, 06:53 PM

I got mine a couple months ago from ProDigital2000, sadly the price has actually gone down since then! ( I paid $650.) But it did arrive nicely boxed with bubble wrap cushioning inside, just like the last few times I've ordered from them. Fear not!

J.Scott · 03-10-2010, 12:05 PM

It arrived during lunch.

I can happily report it was carefully wrapped and gently handed to me at the front door.

Here's what it looked like; outside and in.
No complaints!

And then I took a pic with it.
Nothing special, just a small decoration my wife has on the sideboard.
Not bad for hand-held at 400 ISO.

aerodave · 03-10-2010, 12:09 PM

Great news, J. Mine is out for delivery now, and should be waiting for me when I get home (I don't think it's signature-required.) Good to see that it was well packaged, and judging from the test shot, everything is well.

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03-07-2010, 05:34 AM	#16
J.Scott Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,675	Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. Now that I've quit crying over selling my Voigtlander 125mm Lanthar macro I needed another macro. Jut kidding - no tears shed at all - it was my choice to sell it. It is a fantastic lens and I know the new owner will be tickled pink. So I needed a macro lens in my bag and after quite a bit of reading and comparing I just purchased this lens (D-FA 100mm Macro WR) from Prodigital2000. Damn LBA! I'll definitely post some pics soon. Next I'll need a K-7 to compliment the new lens!

03-07-2010, 09:06 AM	#17
Clinton Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,910	Thank you, thank you, thank you for the post. This lens is on my schedule for purchase due to it's weather sealing, but I've been wondering for a while if the price difference would really be worth it. The sample pics really prove that Pentax has taken this macro up a notch with the rounded blades in terms of the bokeh quality. I'm excited to buy this lens... now if I can just dig up the $850 for it.

03-07-2010, 09:20 AM	#18
farfisa Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,274	This is the second great post and comparison on this lens--Frank did one too, and this brings it all back! I love the look--like a long 77 indeed! The rounded blades also make for great bokeh--probably the most under-rated feature of the DA*55, IMO! Originally posted by cgoudie Thank you, thank you, thank you for the post. This lens is on my schedule for purchase due to it's weather sealing, but I've been wondering for a while if the price difference would really be worth it. The sample pics really prove that Pentax has taken this macro up a notch with the rounded blades in terms of the bokeh quality. I'm excited to buy this lens... now if I can just dig up the $850 for it. How about $600? -- an eBay listing from Prodigital, including an extended warranty. NEW PENTAX D FA MACRO 100MM F2.8 WR f/K-7 K-x w/8YR WTY on eBay.ca (item 130364870650 end time 07-Mar-10 15:48:30 EST) I'm tempted myself, but just picked up a Tamron 70-200... You can do a search for prodigital here on the forums and find lots of happy customers (J. Scott above just ordered one from there). Criticisms are usually related to shipping times, shipping items overseas in envelopes, and listing items they don't have in stock, which results in long waits (not good for LBA). I've ordered 6 items from them and never had a problem (except paying the Visa bill later!).

03-07-2010, 02:17 PM	#19
J.Scott Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,675	This lens is the 4th item I've purchased from Prodigital2000 and only had issue with my K10D. It was back ordered and I had to wait 4 days for new stock to arrive. It was no big issue; I wasn't in a terrible hurry for it. Yes, the new lens is $599 with free shipping. My local camera store had a copy of the older model for the same price. So I decided to go with the newer model and an 8 year warranty! If you do have issues with them, for godsake don't expect a reply from your email. You must call them directly! They will not respond to email ever! Originally posted by farfisa This is the second great post and comparison on this lens--Frank did one too, and this brings it all back! I love the look--like a long 77 indeed! The rounded blades also make for great bokeh--probably the most under-rated feature of the DA*55, IMO! How about $600? -- an eBay listing from Prodigital, including an extended warranty. NEW PENTAX D FA MACRO 100MM F2.8 WR f/K-7 K-x w/8YR WTY on eBay.ca (item 130364870650 end time 07-Mar-10 15:48:30 EST) I'm tempted myself, but just picked up a Tamron 70-200... You can do a search for prodigital here on the forums and find lots of happy customers (J. Scott above just ordered one from there). Criticisms are usually related to shipping times, shipping items overseas in envelopes, and listing items they don't have in stock, which results in long waits (not good for LBA). I've ordered 6 items from them and never had a problem (except paying the Visa bill later!).

03-07-2010, 03:39 PM	#20
aerodave Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Dayton, OH Posts: 365	Originally posted by LeDave Nice comparison. At the f/2.8 comparison you can clearly see the hexagonal circles on the non-WR compared to the clean circles produced by the WR version. I believe you mean the f/5.6 comparison. The f/2.8 shots both have round circles, because the lens is wide open in both cases and there are no aperture blades in the way to create the octagonal bokeh. The aperture numbers are under the pictures which they label, not above.

03-08-2010, 03:50 AM	#21
fourmiX Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: France Photos: Gallery Posts: 140 Original Poster	Originally posted by aerodave I believe you mean the f/5.6 comparison. The f/2.8 shots both have round circles, because the lens is wide open in both cases and there are no aperture blades in the way to create the octagonal bokeh. The aperture numbers are under the pictures which they label, not above. yep the aperture is under; sorry i think must be a better idea to put it above...

03-08-2010, 03:26 PM	#22
einstrigger Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Sacramento, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 728	Originally posted by J.Scott Yes, the new lens is $599 with free shipping. I saw that on eBay and I'm hoping Bing cashback will increase to 15% in the near future. I was originally planning on the Tamron 90mm to be my first macro, but the Pentax WR is soooo sleek.

03-08-2010, 03:35 PM	#23
Shashinki Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Norway Posts: 355	I wonder how the Zeiss 100mm 2.0 macro compares... :P

03-08-2010, 07:06 PM	#24
braver Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Hanover, NH Posts: 157	About Prodigital2000 not responding to email -- not true, you have to use eBay mail/Respond button, and they do respond. The weird thing is that they don't pack at all. They place the lens box, the thin carton enclosing the precious egg, in an UPS envelope and send it off -- not requiring signature! One cold day, I looked outside my door and found a silver FA 77mm that way. I say, not using double boxes is simply irresponsible here. When I eBay-mailed about that, they kept mum. What can be said indeed?

03-08-2010, 07:29 PM	#25
dgaies Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Maryland / Washington DC Posts: 3,917	Originally posted by braver About Prodigital2000 not responding to email -- not true, you have to use eBay mail/Respond button, and they do respond. I also found they were very responsive replying to my messages through ebay messages. That being said, I "purchased" a DA70 from them in the end of January, only to find out a week later they didn't actually have any in stock. I ended up cancelling last week when they said they weren't expecting them back in stock until he end of March and I was concerned about receiving the lens 60+ days after I bought it in case there were any issues (probably not a valid concern, but I was also sick of waiting).

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03-09-2010, 04:31 PM	#26
J.Scott Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,675	Originally posted by braver About Prodigital2000 not responding to email -- not true, you have to use eBay mail/Respond button, and they do respond. The weird thing is that they don't pack at all. They place the lens box, the thin carton enclosing the precious egg, in an UPS envelope and send it off -- not requiring signature! One cold day, I looked outside my door and found a silver FA 77mm that way. I say, not using double boxes is simply irresponsible here. When I eBay-mailed about that, they kept mum. What can be said indeed? UPS tracking site says it should be here tomorrow. I'll report back as to what condition my lens arrives.

03-09-2010, 05:51 PM	#27
aerodave Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Dayton, OH Posts: 365	Ditto. I also ordered one over the weekend from Prodigital2000, and mine should be here tomorrow as well. Tonight I'll sleep the sleep of a man who knows a new lens is coming the next day. That is, not very soundly.

03-09-2010, 06:53 PM	#28
NeverSatisfied Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: S.E. Michigan Photos: Albums Posts: 688	I got mine a couple months ago from ProDigital2000, sadly the price has actually gone down since then! ( I paid $650.) But it did arrive nicely boxed with bubble wrap cushioning inside, just like the last few times I've ordered from them. Fear not!

03-10-2010, 12:09 PM	#30
aerodave Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Dayton, OH Posts: 365	Great news, J. Mine is out for delivery now, and should be waiting for me when I get home (I don't think it's signature-required.) Good to see that it was well packaged, and judging from the test shot, everything is well.