Irix Dragonfly 150mm Macro

repaap · 09-20-2018, 11:40 PM

Originally posted by fsge

How does it help? Cheaper to design thus a priori cheaper to purchase?
Usage wise AF is not a must for macros but still very nice to have

sorry, I kind a referred to ’being smaller than 150/2,8 from Sigma’. with that AF thing..

cyberjunkie · 09-21-2018, 04:02 AM

I have read somewhere, maybe on this forum, that a user contacted them by email asking about PKA mount.
IIRC they answered saying that they are considering it for future releases. Maybe the 150mm could be the first.
The choice of long macros in PK mount is not great, and most of the possible options are available on the second-hand market at crazy prices.
Leaving alone dream lenses like the 200mm A* and FA*, the Sigma's are both rare and expensive (150mm and 180mm). Not to mention the Voigtlander/Cosina...

One of the few options, currently almost impossible to find, is the Sigma 5.6/180mm manual focus. I have one, and it's among my most loved lenses.
It got a touch of fungus, but it works so well that I am afraid to open it for cleaning.

fsge · 09-21-2018, 04:22 AM

Originally posted by cyberjunkie

I have read somewhere, maybe on this forum, that a user contacted them by email asking about PKA mount.
IIRC they answered saying that they are considering it for future releases. Maybe the 150mm could be the first.
The choice of long macros in PK mount is not great, and most of the possible options are available on the second-hand market at crazy prices.
Leaving alone dream lenses like the 200mm A* and FA*, the Sigma's are both rare and expensive (150mm and 180mm). Not to mention the Voigtlander/Cosina...

One of the few options, currently almost impossible to find, is the Sigma 5.6/180mm manual focus. I have one, and it's among my most loved lenses.
It got a touch of fungus, but it works so well that I am afraid to open it for cleaning.

Irix is already selling 11 and 15mm lenses in K mount.
Long macro are not easy to find, it took me 3 years to buy an FA*. Sigma never released 150mm in K mount, only available for us was 180 mm f3.5 (not so easy to find), whereas current version is f2.8 and not available in K mount either
I am not aware of this 180mm f5.6!
For fungus try UV light, you wont need to open it and it should stop developing

If ratio is beyond 1:1 I will be very tempted by this 150mm Irix

cyberjunkie · 09-21-2018, 05:49 AM

Originally posted by fsge

Irix is already selling 11 and 15mm lenses in K mount.
Long macro are not easy to find, it took me 3 years to buy an FA*. Sigma never released 150mm in K mount, only available for us was 180 mm f3.5 (not so easy to find), whereas current version is f2.8 and not available in K mount either
I am not aware of this 180mm f5.6!
For fungus try UV light, you wont need to open it and it should stop developing

Irix lenses tend to be more expensive than Laowa Venus. However they look nicely made and the tests show impressive performance for the price.
Some Laowa Venus lenses are very aggressively priced, quite a bargain for what you get!
Even more so if you find a 'generic' Laowa on Ebay with no mark.
IIRC the 60mm macro can be found that way, but I'm not 100% sure, I haven't checked.
Same thing with the Sigma 150mm, I believe that there might have been a manual focus version in PKA mount, though I am not sure.
I am positively sure that before the AF version of the Sigma 180mm there were two MF versions.
I have the slower one: f/5.6 180mm.
I even wrote a review:
Sigma 180mm F5.6 APO Macro UC Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

EDIT:
checked about the 150mm Macro, and found out that you are right:
"The Sigma 150mm F2.8 Macro is a full-frame lens featuring in-lens stabilization and hypersonic focusing. This lens was never produced in the Pentax mount despite early hits that it would be."
Read more at: [URL="https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/sigma-150mm-f2-8-ex-dg-os-hsm-apo-macro.html#ixzz5RjwEThXX"[/URL]

I have just checked Ebay, the Laowa 60mm Macro 2:1 is available only with the proper Laowa brand. No dirty cheap options anymore!

Last edited by cyberjunkie; 09-21-2018 at 06:40 AM.

Mistral75 · 09-21-2018, 06:22 AM - **1 Like**

New teaser: this is indeed a 1:1 macro lens with a 34.5cm minimum focusing distance and a tripod collar.

Youtu.be

fsge · 09-21-2018, 06:44 AM

Originally posted by Mistral75

New teaser: this is indeed a 1:1 macro lens with a 34.5cm minimum focusing distance and a tripod collar.

Look closely at the new Irix Lens - YouTube

Pity it is only a 1:1

wkraus · 09-21-2018, 02:14 PM

Originally posted by cyberjunkie

... Even more so if you find a 'generic' Laowa on Ebay with no mark.
IIRC the 60mm macro can be found that way, but I'm not 100% sure, I haven't checked.
...
I have just checked Ebay, the Laowa 60mm Macro 2:1 is available only with the proper Laowa brand. No dirty cheap options anymore!

A little OT: I believe that the "generic" dirt cheap options you refer to are knock-offs of the Laowa lens but not the same product, see here:

60 mm 2x macro lenses

D1N0 · 09-21-2018, 02:22 PM

Originally posted by fsge

Pity it is only a 1:1

I have extension tubes

sculptor666 · 09-22-2018, 10:51 AM - **1 Like**

unfortunately extension tubes don't do much on 150mm... on a 50mm they do though.

repaap · 09-22-2018, 11:52 AM

1:1 is good. dont need to be moore than that IMO

H.Abendsen · 09-22-2018, 01:45 PM

Originally posted by repaap

1:1 is good. dont need to be moore than that IMO

the pentax DFA 100mm F:2.8 WR is also 1:1 according to what i believe i should know...

and the PENTAXs min. focusing distance is 30cm... and its so goddamn sharp, i wont go after that LAOWA lens...
even if the laowa would come up with some superfast and/or silent AF... because Autofocus on macro lenses most of the time is total crap...
whatever you do... which brand so ever you may pick... you are better of with manual focus when doin macro-photography...

try a Canon 100mm Macro... just try... its pumping like its disco time. So i really dont understand the hype around this lens.

on the other hand... if the manual focus handling(smoother and a not as direct<short movements> as on the DFA 100) is really stellar... it could be worth thinking about it.

D1N0 · 09-22-2018, 01:52 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by sculptor666

unfortunately extension tubes don't do much on 150mm... on a 50mm they do though.

When I stack them I wil get 1.4:1, when I get another set and stack those too 1.8:1

. I once stacked two sets of m42 rings, which gave me focus on the dust inside the lens

Klaus · 09-22-2018, 02:08 PM

Originally posted by repaap

1:1 is good. dont need to be moore than that IMO

Depends on what you want to photograph ;-)

Aphids a very small, and I love to see their eyes, and ants eating their drops of juice (they have a very special relation).

And the detail of the eyes of a dragonfly may be fascinating, too.

I would love to have something like the Canon MPE-65 macro lens with PK mount. It goes from 1:1 to 5:1, it seems with extraordinary IQ.

Cheers - Klaus

sculptor666 · 09-22-2018, 03:00 PM - **3 Likes**

Originally posted by D1N0

When I stack them I wil get 1.4:1, when I get another set and stack those too 1.8:1

. I once stacked two sets of m42 rings, which gave me focus on the dust inside the lens

on a 50mm that will go up to 3:1 (or whatever) as i'm sure you know the more wa the lens is, the more the rate of magnification increases on extension tubes. my favorite for anything bigger than a dime is my sigma 70mm on 40(ish)mm of extension tubes. anything smaller, and i use the dfa 50 macro on a bid stack tubes. dragonflies/butterflies or anything that's likely to fly/hop away, i use the 180mm sigma. if it's raining i use the dfa 100.

50mm

70mm

180mm

repaap · 09-23-2018, 11:54 AM

Originally posted by Klaus

Depends on what you want to photograph ;-)

Aphids a very small, and I love to see their eyes, and ants eating their drops of juice (they have a very special relation).

And the detail of the eyes of a dragonfly may be fascinating, too.

I would love to have something like the Canon MPE-65 macro lens with PK mount. It goes from 1:1 to 5:1, it seems with extraordinary IQ.

Cheers - Klaus

well, that is quite special lens that canon MPE-65 and really looks like that too. I suppose that you have to get that if you are so keen of 5:1 shooting, or use wider macro and bellows or similar to get there

2:1 is already quite near. with 150 mm you would have to stop it down significantly to have things in focus.

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09-20-2018, 11:40 PM	#31
repaap Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,242	Originally posted by fsge How does it help? Cheaper to design thus a priori cheaper to purchase? Usage wise AF is not a must for macros but still very nice to have sorry, I kind a referred to ’being smaller than 150/2,8 from Sigma’. with that AF thing..

09-21-2018, 04:02 AM	#32
cyberjunkie Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Chiang Mai, Bologna, Amsterdam Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,198	I have read somewhere, maybe on this forum, that a user contacted them by email asking about PKA mount. IIRC they answered saying that they are considering it for future releases. Maybe the 150mm could be the first. The choice of long macros in PK mount is not great, and most of the possible options are available on the second-hand market at crazy prices. Leaving alone dream lenses like the 200mm A* and FA*, the Sigma's are both rare and expensive (150mm and 180mm). Not to mention the Voigtlander/Cosina... One of the few options, currently almost impossible to find, is the Sigma 5.6/180mm manual focus. I have one, and it's among my most loved lenses. It got a touch of fungus, but it works so well that I am afraid to open it for cleaning.

09-21-2018, 04:22 AM	#33
fsge Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Genf Posts: 1,138	Originally posted by cyberjunkie I have read somewhere, maybe on this forum, that a user contacted them by email asking about PKA mount. IIRC they answered saying that they are considering it for future releases. Maybe the 150mm could be the first. The choice of long macros in PK mount is not great, and most of the possible options are available on the second-hand market at crazy prices. Leaving alone dream lenses like the 200mm A* and FA, the Sigma's are both rare and expensive (150mm and 180mm). Not to mention the Voigtlander/Cosina... One of the few options, currently almost impossible to find, is the Sigma 5.6/180mm manual focus. I have one, and it's among my most loved lenses. It got a touch of fungus, but it works so well that I am afraid to open it for cleaning. Irix is already selling 11 and 15mm lenses in K mount. Long macro are not easy to find, it took me 3 years to buy an FA. Sigma never released 150mm in K mount, only available for us was 180 mm f3.5 (not so easy to find), whereas current version is f2.8 and not available in K mount either I am not aware of this 180mm f5.6! For fungus try UV light, you wont need to open it and it should stop developing If ratio is beyond 1:1 I will be very tempted by this 150mm Irix

09-21-2018, 05:49 AM	#34
cyberjunkie Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Chiang Mai, Bologna, Amsterdam Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,198	Originally posted by fsge Irix is already selling 11 and 15mm lenses in K mount. Long macro are not easy to find, it took me 3 years to buy an FA. Sigma never released 150mm in K mount, only available for us was 180 mm f3.5 (not so easy to find), whereas current version is f2.8 and not available in K mount either I am not aware of this 180mm f5.6! For fungus try UV light, you wont need to open it and it should stop developing Irix lenses tend to be more expensive than Laowa Venus. However they look nicely made and the tests show impressive performance for the price. Some Laowa Venus lenses are very aggressively priced, quite a bargain for what you get! Even more so if you find a 'generic' Laowa on Ebay with no mark. IIRC the 60mm macro can be found that way, but I'm not 100% sure, I haven't checked. Same thing with the Sigma 150mm, I believe that there might have been a manual focus version in PKA mount, though I am not sure. I am positively sure that before the AF version of the Sigma 180mm there were two MF versions. I have the slower one: f/5.6 180mm. I even wrote a review: Sigma 180mm F5.6 APO Macro UC Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database EDIT: checked about the 150mm Macro, and found out that you are right: "The Sigma 150mm F2.8 Macro is a full-frame lens featuring in-lens stabilization and hypersonic focusing. This lens was never produced in the Pentax mount despite early hits that it would be." Read more at: [URL="https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/sigma-150mm-f2-8-ex-dg-os-hsm-apo-macro.html#ixzz5RjwEThXX"[/URL] I have just checked Ebay, the Laowa 60mm Macro 2:1 is available only with the proper Laowa brand. No dirty cheap options anymore! Last edited by cyberjunkie; 09-21-2018 at 06:40 AM.*

09-21-2018, 06:44 AM	#36
fsge Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Genf Posts: 1,138	Originally posted by Mistral75 New teaser: this is indeed a 1:1 macro lens with a 34.5cm minimum focusing distance and a tripod collar. Look closely at the new Irix Lens - YouTube Pity it is only a 1:1

09-21-2018, 02:14 PM	#37
wkraus Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Near Vienna, Austria Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,059	Originally posted by cyberjunkie ... Even more so if you find a 'generic' Laowa on Ebay with no mark. IIRC the 60mm macro can be found that way, but I'm not 100% sure, I haven't checked. ... I have just checked Ebay, the Laowa 60mm Macro 2:1 is available only with the proper Laowa brand. No dirty cheap options anymore! A little OT: I believe that the "generic" dirt cheap options you refer to are knock-offs of the Laowa lens but not the same product, see here: 60 mm 2x macro lenses

09-21-2018, 02:22 PM	#38
D1N0 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Location: --- Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,802	Originally posted by fsge Pity it is only a 1:1 I have extension tubes

09-22-2018, 10:51 AM - 1 Like	#39
sculptor666 Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: PA Photos: Gallery Posts: 675	unfortunately extension tubes don't do much on 150mm... on a 50mm they do though.

09-22-2018, 11:52 AM	#40
repaap Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,242	1:1 is good. dont need to be moore than that IMO

09-22-2018, 01:45 PM	#41
H.Abendsen Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 95	Originally posted by repaap 1:1 is good. dont need to be moore than that IMO the pentax DFA 100mm F:2.8 WR is also 1:1 according to what i believe i should know... and the PENTAXs min. focusing distance is 30cm... and its so goddamn sharp, i wont go after that LAOWA lens... even if the laowa would come up with some superfast and/or silent AF... because Autofocus on macro lenses most of the time is total crap... whatever you do... which brand so ever you may pick... you are better of with manual focus when doin macro-photography... try a Canon 100mm Macro... just try... its pumping like its disco time. So i really dont understand the hype around this lens. on the other hand... if the manual focus handling(smoother and a not as direct<short movements> as on the DFA 100) is really stellar... it could be worth thinking about it.

09-22-2018, 01:52 PM - 2 Likes	#42
D1N0 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Location: --- Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,802	Originally posted by sculptor666 unfortunately extension tubes don't do much on 150mm... on a 50mm they do though. When I stack them I wil get 1.4:1, when I get another set and stack those too 1.8:1 . I once stacked two sets of m42 rings, which gave me focus on the dust inside the lens

09-22-2018, 02:08 PM	#43
Klaus Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Murcia, Spain Photos: Gallery Posts: 100	Originally posted by repaap 1:1 is good. dont need to be moore than that IMO Depends on what you want to photograph ;-) Aphids a very small, and I love to see their eyes, and ants eating their drops of juice (they have a very special relation). And the detail of the eyes of a dragonfly may be fascinating, too. I would love to have something like the Canon MPE-65 macro lens with PK mount. It goes from 1:1 to 5:1, it seems with extraordinary IQ. Cheers - Klaus

09-22-2018, 03:00 PM - 3 Likes	#44
sculptor666 Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: PA Photos: Gallery Posts: 675	Originally posted by D1N0 When I stack them I wil get 1.4:1, when I get another set and stack those too 1.8:1 . I once stacked two sets of m42 rings, which gave me focus on the dust inside the lens on a 50mm that will go up to 3:1 (or whatever) as i'm sure you know the more wa the lens is, the more the rate of magnification increases on extension tubes. my favorite for anything bigger than a dime is my sigma 70mm on 40(ish)mm of extension tubes. anything smaller, and i use the dfa 50 macro on a bid stack tubes. dragonflies/butterflies or anything that's likely to fly/hop away, i use the 180mm sigma. if it's raining i use the dfa 100. 50mm 70mm 180mm

09-23-2018, 11:54 AM	#45
repaap Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,242	Originally posted by Klaus Depends on what you want to photograph ;-) Aphids a very small, and I love to see their eyes, and ants eating their drops of juice (they have a very special relation). And the detail of the eyes of a dragonfly may be fascinating, too. I would love to have something like the Canon MPE-65 macro lens with PK mount. It goes from 1:1 to 5:1, it seems with extraordinary IQ. Cheers - Klaus well, that is quite special lens that canon MPE-65 and really looks like that too. I suppose that you have to get that if you are so keen of 5:1 shooting, or use wider macro and bellows or similar to get there 2:1 is already quite near. with 150 mm you would have to stop it down significantly to have things in focus.