[Woodepic]

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First of all - What lens - lenses do you currently own ?
There are so many ways to Macro , I wont bore you with any advice as yet ..
Please let us know what lenses you have .. Then perhaps offer some advice ..


Your budget is $150 , lets try and spend it wisely ..





This is what $5 can do for you:

Thanks! I have the 50mm M 1.4, and the 135mm M 3.5. After looking at everyone's replies, I think I will try to find the 100mm manual focus macro mentioned above, but If I cannot find that, the 50mm f4 macro, and use extension tubes. Any suggestions?

---------- Post added 12-21-14 at 09:21 AM ----------

Do you have anything in the way of flashes? Tripods?

What sort of subjects are you interested in? Living, moving stuff? Static things?

Yes I have a tripod, and I do have a flash, but it's a super retro one from the 70's. I saw on photojojo the adapter that turns any flash into a ring flash. I do hope to be able to to dynamic objects; I really don't like to need to manually move the tripod forwards and backwards to focus, I want something versatile.

[BrianR]

Yes I have a tripod, and I do have a flash, but it's a super retro one from the 70's. I saw on photojojo the adapter that turns any flash into a ring flash. I do hope to be able to to dynamic objects; I really don't like to need to manually move the tripod forwards and backwards to focus, I want something versatile.

Before connecting your flash to the camera, you should measure the flash voltage if you haven't already, some of the old ones are potentially very high Checking trigger voltage | DPanswers and here are some user submitted tests: Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages. You can do reasonably well with even the built in flash and handmade diffusers, but an external flash gives you more options.

Focusing by moving forward and back is my preferred method, I find it much easier than using the focusing ring for macro stuff. You can get a macro rail to help when using a tripod, but if you have a suitable flash setup and you're chasing live things you should be able to go handheld, and many people actually prefer this approach.

[baro-nite]

Well, I do actually have the 18-135 WR, 55-300 WR, a Pentax-A 50mm f2, a Pentax-M 50mm f/1.4, and a Pentax-M 135mm f3.5

Another very versatile, simple, and (relatively speaking) user friendly option is to get a Raynox. This is a supplemental lens you attach to the front of an ordinary lens. Therefore you preserve all the camera's automatic exposure modes, something you won't get with tubes etc. The Raynox DCR-150 is known to work well with the DA55-300.

Cheapest way to get to 1:1 with the gear you already have is to buy a 49mm "macro coupler" to reverse one of your 50s onto the other.

[shooz]

In your price range, I would recommend finding one (2 if the price is right) of the Pentax F4 macros in M or A style. these were available in 50mm and 100mm.

Don't worry too much that they are not 1:1, they are both sharp enough to get you there in the crop.

I say this because these lenses are very high quality, very versatile, and can be had for a song compared to their F2.8 brethren.

You can add various filters, extension tubes and close up lenses later on, as these too are inexpensive.

The A lenses are easier to use, but the M lenses will help you learn the use and limitations of the "green button". A good skill to learn.

[alamo5000]

Focusing by moving forward and back is my preferred method, I find it much easier than using the focusing ring for macro stuff

+1

Ditto.

It might 'seem' easier to use a focus ring to twist and manually get things in focus but I have found that moving the camera around is easier, particularly if you are shooting pics of small moving things like bugs.

EDIT:

Based on what I am seeing here on the gear you have already... I would say invest in a $15 or $20 reverse ring and use the 50mm manual lens you have now. Save the rest of your money until you get some shots under your belt.

The lens (a 50mm) will be 1:1 when reversed... you will have to get close to your subjects so you have to be sneaky. The whole trick to this macro thing (to me) isn't the lens, it's the lighting. Getting that right and consistent is much more what to look into.

[GUB]

Thanks! I have the 50mm M 1.4, and the 135mm M 3.5. After looking at everyone's replies, I think I will try to find the 100mm manual focus macro mentioned above, but If I cannot find that, the 50mm f4 macro, and use extension tubes. Any suggestions?

If you havn't already sold your A50 f2 think twice about it.
It is not worth a lot and yet is technically up there with the other M& A 50s.
It is unlikely you will use it wider than f2.8 in macro situations so the 1.4 and the 1.7 pose no advantage.
I would use it in preference to the 1.4 because the 1.4 has so much more glass frontage for light to hit and disperse from even when it is stopped down lowering image contrast.
It will have a distinctly better bokeh (as in smoother) than the SMC50 f4macro.
Save your funds for a flash or say a set of bellows.

[old4570]

Ok , the Pentax M 50mm F1.4 is a very good lens :
Throw that in front of a Tele Macro converter , and you will be taking some great Macro images ..
From around $50 you can buy a good quality Macro Tele converter
I'll just pop onto Ebay for a moment :


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mint-Highest-Quality-VIVITAR-2X-MACRO-FOCUSING-TELEC...item5b00f06b98


Pop the M 1.4 on the end of this ...
Gives you a F2.8 100mm Macro set up ....
End off advice :

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Last edited by old4570; 12-21-2014 at 07:06 PM.

[bluestringer]

I also recommend the Pentax 100 f4 macro. Even though it's 1:2, as was stated it's sharp enough to allow heavy cropping. And it's an excellent lens at a bargain price. KEH has a few. Don't be afraid of the BGN grade. https://www.keh.com/241954/pentax-100mm-f-4-smc-m-macro-k-mount-manual-focus-lens-49

Here's a shot I took with mine after being cropped.

[Woodepic]

Ok , the Pentax M 50mm F1.4 is a very good lens :
Throw that in front of a Tele Macro converter , and you will be taking some great Macro images ..
From around $50 you can buy a good quality Macro Tele converter
I'll just pop onto Ebay for a moment :


Mint Highest Quality Vivitar 2X Macro Focusing Teleconverter for Pentax MT Japan | eBay


Pop the M 1.4 on the end of this ...
Gives you a F2.8 100mm Macro set up ....
End off advice :

Okay, first of all, let me say thanks SO much for everyone's help. It's really helped me a lot. After reviewing all the posts, I think I am going to go with the macro teleconverter option, but under a few conditions. I was just wondering a few things.

-When I use this converter, will this bring me to 1:1 macro? Is it sharp enough to crop?
-What light decrease is associated with this teleconverter. Can I shoot at 2.8?
-Will this keep my lens at 50mm, or does it turn it into 100?
-Most importantly, how close will I need to be to my subject using this option to get a decent magnification? I don't really want my lens to be 2mm away from my lens.

Once again, thanks everyone for your help.

[old4570]

Okay, first of all, let me say thanks SO much for everyone's help. It's really helped me a lot. After reviewing all the posts, I think I am going to go with the macro teleconverter option, but under a few conditions. I was just wondering a few things.

-When I use this converter, will this bring me to 1:1 macro? Is it sharp enough to crop?
-What light decrease is associated with this teleconverter. Can I shoot at 2.8?
-Will this keep my lens at 50mm, or does it turn it into 100?
-Most importantly, how close will I need to be to my subject using this option to get a decent magnification? I don't really want my lens to be 2mm away from my lens.

Once again, thanks everyone for your help.

50mm F1.4
With a 2x Tele Macro Converter
Becomes a 100mm F2.8 , and I do believe that the linked converter should go 1:1
I don't have that one , I have the Ricoh version and it goes 1:1 ..
You can buy a 3x Tele Macro converter if you like , there are a few currently on ebay ...


https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/177-macro-photography/282267-some-lenses-gear.html


Some examples :


As for shooting @ f2.8 ( 1.4 on lens ) Sure ..
But for ? It might be ok , I don't know .. For landscapes it might be fine , for Macro you want have any DOF , and I don't know what other funky stuff might happen ..
For Macro it should work really well , I know my set up works ( Ricoh ) , but no promises for anything else ..
You wanted a Macro solution !


The Pentax M 135mm should be a fine Landscape portrait lens ..

[GUB]

Okay, first of all, let me say thanks SO much for everyone's help. It's really helped me a lot. After reviewing all the posts, I think I am going to go with the macro teleconverter option, but under a few conditions. I was just wondering a few things.

-When I use this converter, will this bring me to 1:1 macro? Is it sharp enough to crop?
-What light decrease is associated with this teleconverter. Can I shoot at 2.8?
-Will this keep my lens at 50mm, or does it turn it into 100?
-Most importantly, how close will I need to be to my subject using this option to get a decent magnification? I don't really want my lens to be 2mm away from my lens.

Once again, thanks everyone for your help.

Wish I had enough sense when I was 14 to ask these sort of questions.
Might not be having to learn so much now at 58
A teleconverter is quite a valid path forward for you .
I don't use them so someone else may answer this better.
Re the telconverter linked to:
Your 50 will now be 100mm
A 1.4 will be 2.8. (edit -- had to check that!!)
You will be twice the distance from your subject than with the 50 alone .
And finally image quality -- well I am assured the quality stays there in macro situations but my personal call is to keep the minimum of glass surfaces between the sensor and the image. That is why I like tubes alone.

[old4570]

Between sensor and subject :
1.5x Tele Converter
Pentax M 100mm F4 Macro
Ricoh 50mm Reversed .
Thats 3 lots of glass ..



Sigma 50mm F2.8 1:1 Macro lens
Sigma 2x Tele Macro adapter

2 Lots of glass



That 2x Ricoh Tele Macro Converter again , with a Ricoh F1.7 50mm Up front ..




That Ricoh F1.7 again , this time in front of a Saitex 3x Tele Macro Converter ... ( Thats 150mm of Macro goodness )




That Saitex again , this time with a F2 lens in front ...

If you have a K3 , you have plenty of pixels to crop .. The K100D is 6.1MP , and the images are full frame , simply downsized ...
Can a 6.1MP camera take pictures this good ? ( Maybe )

A lot of people seem so fixated on equipment , it has to be this or that to take good pictures .
And Im not sure , but if some one tries something and it does not work , is it the fault of the equipment ?
I know macro can be challenging , but once you have the basics ..
It becomes so easy , and I am still amazed how many different ways there are to macro ..

Dont let anyone stop you from exploring different ways of doing things , there is no one way - there is over a thousand ways to macro ...
And its the end result that counts , the proof is in the picture ...
How you go about getting that picture is the adventure , the picture is only a reward !