Kims New Bargain Macro (6 pics)

Kims New Bargain Macro (6 pics) · 10:40 PM

This last week I found myself a macro lens at an Estate Sale. It was only $25.00 bucks.. I couldn't pass it up.. Although it is knockoff and only a 3.8 but it is AF and has an adaptor. The lens is a Promaster 100MM f3.8 Macro lens with an 1:1 adaptor.

I was soo tickled when I found it hidden in a sea of Canon and Nikon lens... There were a few Pentax lens but they were overpriced (IMO) or out of my price range....

Here are the first pics with the new lens..... Most of these have just been loaded form the camera.. a couple have a bit of cropping and some curves work done to them but that is about it... Enjoy.. I know I have been.. But it is tricky to get the focus right.. for sure..

#1 is a snow crocus.. There has been no Processing on this one...

#2 and #3 some purple Hyacinth blossoms..

#4 and #5 have had some curve work and a bit of a crop.. and alittle touching up on #5 (dirt on flower)..

#6 is a shamrock plant blossom with no PP

I am already fond of this lens and it will be a good one to get me started... It has already made a home in my camera bag.. My bargain macro...

Hope you enjoy the pics..

Kim

Julie_B · 04-05-2008, 02:53 AM

What a beautiful series Kim, 1, 3 and 6 are my favorites. I really love the color in #1. You have picked up a real bargain, well done

davemdsn · 04-05-2008, 11:18 AM

Those were all very beautiful. I have used this lens a few times and it is a good performer. Great photos.

Peter Zack · 04-05-2008, 11:53 AM

Great series of shots with nice sharpness and good OOF areas. Well done and great bargin find!

Dave, I've had the Cosina f3.5 macro that was rebadged as a Vivitar and a Promaster and also was the FA100mm F3.5. Is this the same lens? Kim says it's f3.8. both had the macro (filter) adapters as well. I had the Promaster with the adapter and it was a pretty good lens optically. Build quality was not quite a pentax standard though.
Wouldn't mind seeing a shot of the lens Kim if you have the time, just out of curiousity.

gawan · 04-05-2008, 11:55 AM

Wonderful series, I really like the light and colours in the first three.

rmtagg · 04-05-2008, 02:59 PM

YAY Kim! I am so happy for you

What a great find and wonderful job you are doing with it already! Cant wait to see more pics soon!

daacon · 04-05-2008, 03:03 PM

Great series Kim , good find. Love the Shamrock but they are all good.

Techiechick · 04-05-2008, 04:47 PM

Kim, you certainly got a good bargin on this one. I love the first shot, the color and detail are excellent. It's great when you can stumble across items like this.

dermc · 04-05-2008, 06:05 PM

Really nice Kim.
derm

**NaClH2O** · 04-05-2008, 06:10 PM

Yea and hooray Kim! Welcome to the wonderful world of macro photography. Nice shots. I've found macro work a fustrating but rewarding branch of photograhpy. For me part of the fun is trying to figure out what to leave in focus and what to leave out.

NaCl(and moving the camera just a bit gives whole new vistas!)H2O

roentarre · 04-05-2008, 07:01 PM

You seem to have lots of fun with this macro lens. I think the worst thing one can do is to leave the lenses in the cabinet idle for years before it appears on ebay. (The fate of my many lenses

)

mtnbearhug · 04-05-2008, 10:32 PM

Originally posted by Peter Zack

Great series of shots with nice sharpness and good OOF areas. Well done and great bargin find!

Dave, I've had the Cosina f3.5 macro that was rebadged as a Vivitar and a Promaster and also was the FA100mm F3.5. Is this the same lens? Kim says it's f3.8. both had the macro (filter) adapters as well. I had the Promaster with the adapter and it was a pretty good lens optically. Build quality was not quite a pentax standard though.
Wouldn't mind seeing a shot of the lens Kim if you have the time, just out of curiousity.

Sorry Peter it is my typo.. The lens is actually a 3.5. I will get a pic of it soon for you if you still want to see it.... I have some shots that I took on wednesday that are (for me) GREAT shots.. I will probably post them tomorrow sometime.... I will let you decide if they are pentax quality of not..

Originally posted by NaClH2O

Yea and hooray Kim! Welcome to the wonderful world of macro photography. Nice shots. I've found macro work a fustrating but rewarding branch of photograhpy. For me part of the fun is trying to figure out what to leave in focus and what to leave out.

NaCl(and moving the camera just a bit gives whole new vistas!)H2O

I here you Salty.. That was the hardest part to get used to. a small tilt gives you a totally different picture... and trying to get more than one flower at a time to focus in... I dont think its possible..

esspecially if they are just a bit off from one another..

but Hey.. that is what practice is for!!!!

LOL

Originally posted by roentarre

You seem to have lots of fun with this macro lens. I think the worst thing one can do is to leave the lenses in the cabinet idle for years before it appears on ebay. (The fate of my many lenses

)

Well siad Roentarre!!! For me lenses just cost to much to be left on the shelf....

I figure that I am set for awhile now.. I have a wide angle (kit lens), my 80 -200, and now my Macro.... Hell... I am a happy woman!!!!!

Thank you everyone for your kind comments and congrats on my bargain lens!!! I am anxious to get out and play with it some more!!!!

Happy Pentax day everyone!!! Kim

Bud · 04-05-2008, 10:43 PM

Nice shots, Kim and great colors!

Macro has become my favorite obsession with photography... summertime, blooms and bugs... lots and lots of bugs...

Great find on your lens... have fun!

Bud

**Sailor** · 04-06-2008, 06:00 AM

Looks like you got a real bargain, Kim. Great shots with great color. Because of the shallow depth of field with my macro lens, I'm lousy at hand held shots with the thing and almost always use a tripod. Others on the forum, Salty included, seem to be able to hand hold macros with ease.

Jer

Tom M · 04-06-2008, 08:42 AM

The Promaster isn't really a knock-off - It IS another lens with the Promaster name on it, not a COPY of another lens in some attempt to fool you. Few things I know, it should have sold for the same price as the 'name brand' but however offers a lifetime warranty versus the name brand 1 year or 6 year, etc.

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04-05-2008, 10:32 PM	#12
mtnbearhug Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Emmett, Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,351 Original Poster	Thanks Everyone!!!! Originally posted by Peter Zack Great series of shots with nice sharpness and good OOF areas. Well done and great bargin find! Dave, I've had the Cosina f3.5 macro that was rebadged as a Vivitar and a Promaster and also was the FA100mm F3.5. Is this the same lens? Kim says it's f3.8. both had the macro (filter) adapters as well. I had the Promaster with the adapter and it was a pretty good lens optically. Build quality was not quite a pentax standard though. Wouldn't mind seeing a shot of the lens Kim if you have the time, just out of curiousity. Sorry Peter it is my typo.. The lens is actually a 3.5. I will get a pic of it soon for you if you still want to see it.... I have some shots that I took on wednesday that are (for me) GREAT shots.. I will probably post them tomorrow sometime.... I will let you decide if they are pentax quality of not.. Originally posted by NaClH2O Yea and hooray Kim! Welcome to the wonderful world of macro photography. Nice shots. I've found macro work a fustrating but rewarding branch of photograhpy. For me part of the fun is trying to figure out what to leave in focus and what to leave out. NaCl(and moving the camera just a bit gives whole new vistas!)H2O I here you Salty.. That was the hardest part to get used to. a small tilt gives you a totally different picture... and trying to get more than one flower at a time to focus in... I dont think its possible.. esspecially if they are just a bit off from one another.. but Hey.. that is what practice is for!!!! LOL Originally posted by roentarre You seem to have lots of fun with this macro lens. I think the worst thing one can do is to leave the lenses in the cabinet idle for years before it appears on ebay. (The fate of my many lenses ) Well siad Roentarre!!! For me lenses just cost to much to be left on the shelf.... I figure that I am set for awhile now.. I have a wide angle (kit lens), my 80 -200, and now my Macro.... Hell... I am a happy woman!!!!! Thank you everyone for your kind comments and congrats on my bargain lens!!! I am anxious to get out and play with it some more!!!! Happy Pentax day everyone!!! Kim

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04-05-2008, 02:53 AM	#2
Julie_B Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Mildura Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 56	What a beautiful series Kim, 1, 3 and 6 are my favorites. I really love the color in #1. You have picked up a real bargain, well done

04-05-2008, 11:18 AM	#3
davemdsn Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,413	Those were all very beautiful. I have used this lens a few times and it is a good performer. Great photos.

04-05-2008, 11:53 AM	#4
Peter Zack Pentaxian Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2007 Location: Edmonton Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,643	Great series of shots with nice sharpness and good OOF areas. Well done and great bargin find! Dave, I've had the Cosina f3.5 macro that was rebadged as a Vivitar and a Promaster and also was the FA100mm F3.5. Is this the same lens? Kim says it's f3.8. both had the macro (filter) adapters as well. I had the Promaster with the adapter and it was a pretty good lens optically. Build quality was not quite a pentax standard though. Wouldn't mind seeing a shot of the lens Kim if you have the time, just out of curiousity.

04-05-2008, 11:55 AM	#5
gawan Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Helsinki Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,400	Wonderful series, I really like the light and colours in the first three.

04-05-2008, 02:59 PM	#6
rmtagg Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Warrington, PA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,271	YAY Kim! I am so happy for you What a great find and wonderful job you are doing with it already! Cant wait to see more pics soon!

04-05-2008, 03:03 PM	#7
daacon Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 20,914	Great series Kim , good find. Love the Shamrock but they are all good.

04-05-2008, 04:47 PM	#8
Techiechick Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: High Springs, FL Photos: Gallery Posts: 571	Kim, you certainly got a good bargin on this one. I love the first shot, the color and detail are excellent. It's great when you can stumble across items like this.

04-05-2008, 06:05 PM	#9
dermc Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: St. Johns, NL, CAN Photos: Gallery Posts: 242	Really nice Kim. derm

04-05-2008, 06:10 PM	#10
NaClH2O Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bronx NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,631	Yea and hooray Kim! Welcome to the wonderful world of macro photography. Nice shots. I've found macro work a fustrating but rewarding branch of photograhpy. For me part of the fun is trying to figure out what to leave in focus and what to leave out. NaCl(and moving the camera just a bit gives whole new vistas!)H2O

04-05-2008, 07:01 PM	#11
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783	You seem to have lots of fun with this macro lens. I think the worst thing one can do is to leave the lenses in the cabinet idle for years before it appears on ebay. (The fate of my many lenses )

04-05-2008, 10:43 PM	#13
Bud Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ohio, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,699	Nice shots, Kim and great colors! Macro has become my favorite obsession with photography... summertime, blooms and bugs... lots and lots of bugs... Great find on your lens... have fun! Bud

04-06-2008, 06:00 AM	#14
Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Coastal Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 26,205	Looks like you got a real bargain, Kim. Great shots with great color. Because of the shallow depth of field with my macro lens, I'm lousy at hand held shots with the thing and almost always use a tripod. Others on the forum, Salty included, seem to be able to hand hold macros with ease. Jer

04-06-2008, 08:42 AM	#15
Tom M Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Lincoln Park, NJ Photos: Gallery Posts: 780	The Promaster isn't really a knock-off - It IS another lens with the Promaster name on it, not a COPY of another lens in some attempt to fool you. Few things I know, it should have sold for the same price as the 'name brand' but however offers a lifetime warranty versus the name brand 1 year or 6 year, etc.