Here are some shots using a recently acquired Tak 50 macro on my Canon 20D. Most are stopped down to f16 if I remember correctly. The spiders were taken outdoors at night using the built in flash, which probably acted like a fast shutter speed , eliminating the effects of camera shake. Focusing was a challenge; I used distant lights in the background to give a silhouette; when it was sharp I flipped the AUTO/MANUAL switch in the lens and pushed the shutter release. The small aperture really shows the dust on my sensor! These shots have been cleaned up, but not sharpened, so you can see the performance of the lens. Any flaws in the images are more likely to be through my technique than the lens.

Enjoy!

[HYS]

Very nice shots!

[Thagomizer]

Thanks! It's been a lot of fun playing with this lens, and a challenge. The 20D is not the easiest camera with which to manually focus. Hand-held without flash is hard; I really need to work on my technique! I've got the Takumar S-M-C100 f4 macro too; I'm going to have to take it out for a spin.

[bluestringer]

Nice shots. I have the Pentax-M 50 f4 macro and the M 100 f4 macro. They are all great lens.

[marcusyoung]

Thanks! It's been a lot of fun playing with this lens, and a challenge. The 20D is not the easiest camera with which to manually focus. Hand-held without flash is hard; I really need to work on my technique! I've got the Takumar S-M-C100 f4 macro too; I'm going to have to take it out for a spin.

I have the same lens which is 1:2 magnification. There is another one almost the same size and body but it goes 1:1 magnification.

Your shots are sharp, very sharp. You must have a steady hand.

Nice.

marcus

[Thagomizer]

I have the same lens which is 1:2 magnification. There is another one almost the same size and body but it goes 1:1 magnification.

Your shots are sharp, very sharp. You must have a steady hand.

Nice.

marcus

Thanks Marcus!

Alas, my hands aren't so steady. Believe me, I've taken plenty of shots without flash where camera movement was an issue. Not likely going to post those ones! All of these shots I've posted were taken with flash. Flash sync. speed on the 20D is 1/250 sec. on aperture priority, but the flash duration itself , especially with subjects so close to the camera, is only going to be in the thousands of a second. The spider shots were taken in very dark conditions (at night on a bridge, with faint streetlighting), so the ambient light is nonexistent as far as the exposures were concerned. So the short flash duration is, in effect, a very fast shutter speed.The flash also completely overpowered the much better lighting in the orchid shot, so again, hand movement wouldn't have been an issue.

[old4570]

Hmmm , yes ..

Pentax 50mm and 100mm F4 macro lenses are very nice .
I dont remember , does the F2.8 50mm Macro go 1:1 or 1:2 , for some reason I keep thinking its 1:2 .

[HYS]

Hmmm , yes ..

Pentax 50mm and 100mm F4 macro lenses are very nice .
I dont remember , does the F2.8 50mm Macro go 1:1 or 1:2 , for some reason I keep thinking its 1:2 .

SMC Pentax F 50/2.8 Macro is claimed to magnification 1x:

SMC Pentax-F 50mm F2.8 Macro Reviews - F Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

Lucky who has it!

I have the newer 50 and 100WR macros and I think they are excellent.
Only the AF is a little clumsy but I am not in a hurry.

[old4570]

Sorry , My bad :

Pentax A 50mm F2.8 Macro ..
I have the Pentax M 50mm F4 Macro , its 1:2

I seem to remember for some reason that the A 50mm F2.8 Macro is also 1:2

The later Auto focus lenses are 1:1 and ?? I may pick one up in the future , but no rush .

[HYS]

Sorry , My bad :

Pentax A 50mm F2.8 Macro ..
I have the Pentax M 50mm F4 Macro , its 1:2

I seem to remember for some reason that the A 50mm F2.8 Macro is also 1:2

The later Auto focus lenses are 1:1 and ?? I may pick one up in the future , but no rush .

Older Pentax macros are very, very fine lenses. Having acsses to some good pieces I'd spend some money.
The only limiting factor is the manual focus. But doing macro it is not so terrible.

[hjoseph7]

I just purchased a Takumar 50mm f4 (1:1) in very good condition. I had the option of buying the SMC version, but the (1:1) was in better condition. It took me a while to figure out what all those numbers are on the lens, but after doing some research I think I know what they all mean. I already own the 100mm f2.8 WR macro which is an excellent lens probably my sharpest lens, but sometimes I think it's a little bit too long which makes it hard to hand hold without a tripod. On my ASP-C K-5II it is the equivalent of a 150mm.


Nothing wrong with that, but I wanted a macro lens that would allow more background into my shots and I also wanted a macro lens for small product photography which I think the 50mm is better suited for. I have not used it yet for any macro photography, but as a normal lens already I can see that it is very sharp even at f4 and contrasty. Hopefully I'll be able to post some photos soon, if the weather cooperates.