[jgirl57]

Hello folks I am in the process of getting my supplies for my new upgrade camera, I was going to go with the Pentax K-50 but instead I am going for the K-3

I am in love with it!!!

I am wanting to specialize in macro and then in wildlife....

Right now I am having issues trying to debate and how to tell which macro lens would be perfect for what I need...
If I can buy used I will...

Do you need extension tubes to work with the macro lenses or are they used separately or do they really work at all?? They are very cheap to come by but as I am finding out in the camera/electronic world its just .. you get what you pay for kinda of thing...

I am thinking about a Konica K lens but have no experience in pentax or how it works (Nikon User)

Are second brand lenses ok????

[dms]

if you become serious about macro you should get a macro lens w/ manual aperture control (aperture ring), and then you can use bellows, extension tubes, etc. Depending on the lens to go beyond mag.about 0.1, or mag.=0.5 or 1.0 if a macro lens, you will need them. Suggest getting Pentax auto extension tubes.

[lytrytyr]

Right now I am having issues trying to debate and how to tell which macro lens would be perfect for what I need...
If I can buy used I will...

https://www.keh.com/241954/pentax-100mm-f-4-smc-m-macro-k-mount-manual-focus-lens-49

Do you need extension tubes to work with the macro lenses or are they used separately or do they really work at all?? They are very cheap to come by but as I am finding out in the camera/electronic world its just .. you get what you pay for kinda of thing...

https://www.keh.com/242903/pentax-35-manual-focus-auto-extension-tube-set-1-2-3-30535

[Adam]

Do you need extension tubes to work with the macro lenses or are they used separately or do they really work at all?? They are very cheap to come by but as I am finding out in the camera/electronic world its just .. you get what you pay for kinda of thing...

Extension tubes are for when you want to go closer than 1:1 (or if your macro lens only does 1:2 natively).

How close to your subject do you want to be / what do you plan on shooting?

Adam
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[Volker76]

yes, extension tubes + normal lens work. They work fine.

I am using a 50mm M 1.7+tubes. Cheap tubes, because that lens from the K-mount stone ages is fully manual anyway.
But I spend almost a year using those tubes before saying 'well, I am doing it a lot, shelling out the money for a dedicated macro lens is excusable'.

So I am ALSO using a Pentax 100mm Macro - and in that case no tubes of course.

For trying out macro, get a used old manual lens, get some tubes and start rocking. If you find out that macro is your thing, you might think about more specialized gear. And if you realize that macro sucks, the 50mm or any other old prime you bought will still be very useful.

One thing: get a flash. Like the Yongnuo YN560 Mark II or III. Macro = f8-f11 or worse. You'll need the light.

[Na Horuk]

Hey, welcome to the forum! Good idea, getting the K-3!
With macro, here is the thing. Pretty much all macro primes these days have great IQ. Sigma 70mm, Sigma 105mm, Tamron 90mm, Pentax DA 35mm f2.8 ltd, Pentax DFA 50mm, Pentax DFA 100mm. Even older manual macro primes are quite good (The Pentax FA and F 100mm have the same optical layout as the latest DFA 100mm). All of the ones I listed already go to 1:1 magnification at minimum focus distance, which is usually more than enough for simple macro work. Only beware budget macro zoom lenses (which often don't actually go to macro magnification). Some older macro lenses only go to 1:2 and need extension tubes to go to 1:1.
Here is what to watch out for.
a) Focal length: DA 35mm f2.8 limited has 1:1 magnification, as does the DFA 100mm. But the difference is that the working distance (distance between lens and in focus subject) at that magnification will be very different. The DA 35mm ltd has to be very close to the subject to achieve 1:1, it comes so close you are almost touching the subject! So you can imagine it is not the best choice if you want to photograph snakes, skittish things, or even if you have a lightsetup (camera and lens can cause shadows, or reflect in the subject). This is why the DA 35mm ltd, even though it is an amazing lens, if only recommended to advanced macro photographers, who know what they are getting into (the rendering between 35mm macro and 100mm macro will be different, especially due to perspective, so there is a reason why 35mm macro exists). But the lens can still be used for everyday non-macro work, so its not a bad investment. Focal length around 100mm is much more comfortable and is usually recommended to macro beginners.
b) Features: All modern macro lenses are sharp, have a flat field of focus, etc. But not all macro lenses have the same features. Only the latest Pentax DFA 100mm is WR - which can be important in some cases, but is pointless in other cases. Then there is aperture ting - the latest DFA 100mm does not have one! This can be a problem if you want to use the lens on older film bodies or on macro bellows (these can be used to reach extreme macro magnification), since you cannot select the aperture you want. Then there is focus limiter - some older and third party lenses have this. Its great because it limits the AF, so the camera doesn't search for focus in the macro range, when you are doing non-macro work; or the other way around. Focus clamp is another feature - this just grabs the focus, so it doesn't get accidentally bumped. Can be useful in studio work. So think about which of these features you need. It is too bad that the latest DFA 100mm WR (there is an older DFA 100mm as well, not WR and slightly different construction - but same optics), has wonderful aluminium barrel, WR, QS, but doesn't have focus limiter and aperture ring. But its optics are amazing, and it comes for a very fair price.
c) other equipment. You will probably need a tripod and lights. This is not necessary, but if you want to go truly macro, you need to think about these things eventually. But take your time! You will figure out what you need as you go along.
This forum is a great resource, there are a couple extreme macro and macro at any cost threads out here. They can be very helpful with the setup and settings. Good luck

Edit: Oh yeah, about Pentax. Pentax uses the K-mount, also known as KAF, sometimes as KR (K-Ricoh) or ZK (for Zeiss lenses in K mount, but these are now discontinued). So if you buy a lens, make sure it is K-mount, for Pentax, or just a Pentax brand. m42 mount lenses are also popular, but they need a simple glassless adapter. No automation on m42 lenses, though. You can use some other mounts with adapters, but adapters with glass will degrade the image quality a little. And some lenses you cannot adapt at all. Please give us more details about the lens you are interested in. I don't know that specific lens

[PJ1]

I am thinking about a Konica K lens

Not sure what lens you have in mind. If the lens is marked K/AR it is not the same as Pentax K mount. I believe K/AR stands Konica Autoreflex. The registration distance for the K/AR is 40.5 mm while the Pentax K mount is 45.46 mm so the lens could not be adapted for K-mount either. I don't know whether it could be used for macro with a reversing ring.

[baro-nite]

Right now I am having issues trying to debate and how to tell which macro lens would be perfect for what I need...

The key is what you say here, "for what I need". Macro is a broad field. Some questions to consider:

What subject size(s) interest you particularly?

Can you manage with the lens very close to the subject, or do you need more working distance? This affects both lighting (if the working distance is small, the lens shadows many lighting angles) ability to get close without scaring away the subject (e.g., insects).

How do you intend to light the subject?

How important is using your camera's automatic exposure modes (vs. M mode)?

[UncleVanya]

Depending on what you decide you may want to look at this:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/24-photographic-equipment-sale/274478-sal...9-shipped.html

[Giklab]

Not sure what lens you have in mind. If the lens is marked K/AR it is not the same as Pentax K mount. I believe K/AR stands Konica Autoreflex. The registration distance for the K/AR is 40.5 mm while the Pentax K mount is 45.46 mm so the lens could not be adapted for K-mount either. I don't know whether it could be used for macro with a reversing ring.

While I agree this was to be pointed out to the OP, for macro you literally don't need to give a crap about what mount the lens has, since you won't be using it for faraway subjects.

[Na Horuk]

for macro you literally don't need to give a crap about what mount the lens has, since you won't be using it for faraway subjects.

You still need to find an adapter, extension tubes, or something that will let you connect the lens to the camera. Some combinations might be rare

[csa]

You still need to find an adapter, extension tubes, or something that will let you connect the lens to the camera. Some combinations might be rare

I also plan on a macro lens. I'm confused by what you said. Do you mean, say a FA 100 macro needs something to connect it to the camera? I thought it was a lens foremost, and connects directly to the camera.

[Giklab]

I also plan on a macro lens. I'm confused by what you said. Do you mean, say a FA 100 macro needs something to connect it to the camera? I thought it was a lens foremost, and connects directly to the camera.

He was talking about the Konica lens the OP mentioned. A PK mount lens will not need an adapter.

[jwd722]

I use a Tamron SP 90mm f2.5 that I have owned for over 30 years. With the adaptall mount it has seen use on both my Pentax's and Nikon's. I also have the extension tube to make it 1:1, it is 1:2 without. For macro, autofocus is not needed and may be a hindrance in most cases as far as I'm concerned.

The Adaptall2 mount comes in two flavors, P/K and P/KA, both work but the KA is more desirable and also more costly and seemingly rarer. For around $200 all can be had with a little shopping around.

A very sharp classic lens well worth checking out.

[old4570]

Hmmmm , One of the Pentax 100mm Flavours .. M or A or F or FA ... I own the 100mm M F4 and the 100mm A F4 ...
I also own the Tamron 90mm SP Di , the older Tamron 90mm BBAR , The old Sigma 90mm Manual focus and the 105 Auto focus macro lenses as well a few other ...
For around $100 you should be able to pick up a decent Pentax 100mm M F4 macro lens , just be aware you will be shooting full manual ..
Or you could hang out for A version , offering the comforts of Aperture operation VIA camera , expect to pay $200 and maybe some ..
Or just pick up a F or FA Pentax 100mm macro lens , prices vary from around $250 and up with quite a few hovering around $350 .. ( If you just want the one lens - in the long run it would be money well spent )


What lens to buy ? Oh dear , that's up to you .. But most folk shoot less Auto focus , so a manual focus A lens could be a good idea ...
You want a lens that can go 1:1 , this will take care of 90% of your macro ..
If at a latter date you want to go more extreme , there are cheap options that can blow your mind ... or is that open your mind ?
Anyhow , there are 1001 ways to macro , if your talking nature photography and macro ...
There are a number of lenses ( zoom ) that go to 500mm and allow a some what close focus ( Maybe a meter ) that would do double duty as a macro and nature lens ...
I have seen some amazing Macro shots from 500mm lenses ...
Do some research , you might find your a 500mm person rather than a 100mm person or one of the other options out there ...