[SointulArt]

Venus Optics have released what looks like an interesting macro lens, the Venus 60mm f2.8 2X macro lens in a K-mount. The sample gallery of images looks good, and the price is fairly reasonable at US$378, I just wondered if anyone has taken the plunge and could report on the lens? A native 2X macro lens would be fairly cool.

[starjedi]

Venus Optics have released what looks like an interesting macro lens, the Venus 60mm f2.8 2X macro lens in a K-mount. The sample gallery of images looks good, and the price is fairly reasonable at US$378, I just wondered if anyone has taken the plunge and could report on the lens? A native 2X macro lens would be fairly cool.

Just become available in U.S very recently... Will wait and see! Usually, There has no bad macro lens.

[max_pyne]

got it today, no pictures yet

[Sliver-Surfer]

Just become available in U.S very recently... Will wait and see! Usually, There has no bad macro lens.

I would not get this in a million years with all the great A Macro lenses out there. It has no Camera to Aperture Mechanisms which means you are going to miss out on all the timid subjects whilst fiddling with stop down. My advice get a A sigma,pentax,vivitar or tamron Macro and use A extension tubes for 2:1 macro. In my opinion this is a lens half done.

[baro-nite]

It has no Camera to Aperture Mechanisms which means you are going to miss out on all the timid subjects whilst fiddling with stop down.

One could stop down and use Live View. And for 2:1 one would need a lot of A-type tubes, and for that magnification one is generally better off reversing the lens, in which case it's no aperture control again.

A better point of comparison will be how this does next to a zoom with a supplemental lens, such as the 55-300 with a Raynox.

[max_pyne]

Quick comparison, sorry got late today no daylight so all what was around is the old flowers... used a flash & tripod and F11

---------- Post added 25-02-15 at 21:10 ----------

the venus is all manual, yes, but you get around it and I'm used to use my a28 F2.8 reversed so the handling is ok.
is it better / worse or worth the money, time will tell. First impression? It's a sharp lens, well made, has an interesting focus behavior as it seem that between 1.5:1 and 2:1 there is really no difference in working distance although the glass gets further to the filter...

[Sliver-Surfer]

One could stop down and use Live View. And for 2:1 one would need a lot of A-type tubes, and for that magnification one is generally better off reversing the lens, in which case it's no aperture control again.

A better point of comparison will be how this does next to a zoom with a supplemental lens, such as the 55-300 with a Raynox.

I get 1.8:1 with my kenko A set(3tubes68mm) and pentax-a 2.8/50mm macro and I can use my flash. The benefit of this Venus lens is that it does shoot to infinity and 2:1.

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Last edited by Sliver-Surfer; 02-25-2015 at 03:20 PM.

[Not a Number]

I would not get this in a million years with all the great A Macro lenses out there. It has no Camera to Aperture Mechanisms which means you are going to miss out on all the timid subjects whilst fiddling with stop down. My advice get a A sigma,pentax,vivitar or tamron Macro and use A extension tubes for 2:1 macro. In my opinion this is a lens half done.

NFMsNFA

Pentax bellows manuals recommend that lenses be reversed at greater than 1x. In one of Thomas Shahan videos one of his favorite setups is a Pentax 50mm f/1.7 prime lens reversed on tubes. No aperture lever. He uses a external flash.

[

Youtu.be

Youtu.be

His quick video review of the lens

Youtu.be

Youtu.be

Quote: "I'm in love with the lens. I'm amazed by the amount of detail I can pull out of this lens. I can focus on anything from a landscape to a portrait down to a detail to a portrait of a jumping spider"
Quote: "Now as iversatile and impressive the lens is it is not without it's limitations. To shoot through a stopped down aperture is rough. It is difficult. But any tool that can get me closer to the subjects I care about more easily is worth it."

Thomas Shanan photographs mostly insects and spiders.

[baro-nite]

I get 1.8:1 with my kenko A set(3tubes68mm) and pentax-a 2.8/50mm macro and I can use my flash.

That does sound like a nice rig. Pity those tubes are so hard to find.

[Sliver-Surfer]

That does sound like a nice rig. Pity those tubes are so hard to find.

I didn't realize how scarce they have become. Bought mine 2years ago and they were all over ebay. Cant seem to find any there now

[Hornet]

I have this lens and though I have only used it a few times I can report that it is very sharp, renders good colours and the bokeh is pleasing.

Does it have some limitations? Yes the lack of aperture coupling is a drawback but no worse than reversing a lens, using an m42 or using manual extension tubes. The advantage of being able to focus out to infinity from 2:1 is a big advantage over those other setups and the lens produces quality images at all focal distances I have tried. The lens seems very sharp even wide open.

Would I prefer aperture coupling? Of course. But that would likely also double the cost of this lens for a startup company to produce. Perhaps with enough sales the next iteration will have coupling. My only other wish would be a longer focal length.

[max_pyne]

i will add a review of the lens in the DB after some field testing
Venus 60mm F2.8 2:1 Macro Lens Lens Reviews - Miscellaneous Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

[old4570]

Its nice to see a new lens , it really is .. But for most people I would imagine this lens will be overly problematic when compared to the usual fare ..
I mean what's to stop some one from trying a M 50mm F4 Macro lens on top of some tubes with aperture levers ..
Far more user friendly ..
This lens for me , is way too 1950's ... This is 2015 and for the average individual , I would say this is one of the worst lenses to consider ..
If you are a studio macro photographer , sure , why not .. If you have 10 minutes or 20 minutes to set up and take the shot , fantastic ..


But if your out in the field , and you have 5 or 10 seconds to take a shot , then this is one seriously bad lens to have fitted to your camera ..
I have used Tubes without aperture levers , and bellows .. And both gather dust ATM simply because they are the biggest PITA to use in the field ..
Im sure this lens will be the bees knees for some one , that is a given . But for the majority . who find Macro the least bit challenging with the latest and greatest gear ( Modern ) .
This could be a lens to avoid .
I sincerely hope this lens evolves , and becomes more user friendly in the near future ...
Anyone wanting to get a taste of using this lens only has to attach a M42 lens to their camera ...
Im not saying this lens cant produce really good images , Im just saying it could be a serious PITA to use .
And as I read more about it , I wonder how many will end up on Ebay after people have gotten fed up with it ..

[Not a Number]

I mean what's to stop some one from trying a M 50mm F4 Macro lens on top of some tubes with aperture levers ..
Far more user friendly ..

As stated on the manufacturers website the intent was to design a macro lens with 2x that does not need the inconvenience of having to use tubes, bellows, diopter lenses or reverse rings.

Users could easily alter the magnification ratio without installing any extension tube or teleconverter, making it ideally suited for rapidly changing macro photography scenarios. This wide magnification range also makes it extremely useful for shooting macro objects (e.g. insects) with different sizes. Moreover, the lens is also designed for normal shooting purposes with a 60mm focal length, which provides an all-in-one solution for normal portrait shooting as well as ultra-macro photography.

Using tubes is great. But suppose you need something in-between 0.5x and 2x. You have to change tubes and even then with a ordinary prime lens you may not be able to get the in-between magnification you want for the best composition. Your magnification choices are limited in fixed steps And while you are juggling lens, canera bidy, and tubes the subject has flown away.

I can get infinity focus using my bellows and a 100mm bellows lens but the best magnification I can get is about 1.2x. If I add tubes I can get more magnification but I lose infinity focus. And to get 2x with a 100mm lens I'd need about 200mm of extension - very cumbersome and the loss of light is enormous. With bellows I lose the aperture control lever unless I have the auto bellows. Even then I have to stop-down manually with the button or cable release. And bellows are very bulky, cumbersome and fragile - not something I want to take in the field very often.

To quote Thomas Shahan once again: "Any tool that can get me closer to the subjects I care about - more easily - is worth it."

[max_pyne]

Using tubes is great. But suppose you need something in-between 0.5x and 2x. You have to change tubes and even then with a ordinary prime lens you may not be able to get the in-between magnification you want for the best composition. Your magnification choices are limited in fixed steps And while you are juggling lens, canera body, and tubes the subject has flown away. I can get infinity focus using my bellows and a 100mm bellows lens but the best magnification I can get is about 1.2x. If I add tubes I can get more magnification but I lose infinity focus. And to get 2x with a 100mm lens I'd need about 200mm of extension - very cumbersome and the loss of light is enormous. With bellows I lose the aperture control lever unless I have the auto bellows. Even then I have to stop-down manually with the button or cable release. And bellows are very bulky, cumbersome and fragile - not something I want to take in the field very often.

exactly this was my point too...
having one lens instead of a whole rack of stuff (tubes, belows, reverse rings, lenses )to get from infinity to 2:1 and all in between.
additional i have the DFA100 Macro WR that one does not have the Aperture ring so i bought the Kenko af&a tubes but i was always switching tubes... and its only 21&36mm & takes some time too...
and i usually work with the macro flash and one additional flash... so light is controlled.

this lens, i have no extensive experience as i got it yesterday, will lead me to leave my home with just it mounted on the camera (and flash + tripod & rail) instead of a whole backpack with all the needed stuff. for the cases i just do macro.. which is my passion but i have loads of lenses (severe LBA) to choose from...:-)