Macro First Review of the Venus 60mm f/2.8, 2:1 Macro Lens

**geomez** · 02-03-2015, 02:23 AM

Youtu.be

The reviewer uses a K-30 for his test shots. It seems the only down side to this lens is the lack of auto aperture control, so you have to shoot TTL at whatever aperture is selected.

nowo1978 · 02-03-2015, 04:00 AM

Looks promising, thanks for linking the vid!

Na Horuk · 02-03-2015, 04:34 AM

Looks good, nice that Pentaxians now have a 2:1 macro lens available! Too bad it is fully manual K-mount. I wonder why, I mean even Samyang adds A-setting on aperture. Why not at least add an aperture lever? But still, its not too bad. With a fully manual K-mount, you can switch to Av and the camera will continuously meter as you adjust aperture by hand. But this would have been a big advantage against using our current macro lenses with bellows or extension tubes to achieve the same magnification.

ChristianRock · 02-03-2015, 08:50 AM

Originally posted by Na Horuk

Looks good, nice that Pentaxians now have a 2:1 macro lens available! Too bad it is fully manual K-mount. I wonder why, I mean even Samyang adds A-setting on aperture. Why not at least add an aperture lever? But still, its not too bad. With a fully manual K-mount, you can switch to Av and the camera will continuously meter as you adjust aperture by hand. But this would have been a big advantage against using our current macro lenses with bellows or extension tubes to achieve the same magnification.

Not really, unless newer Pentax cameras work differently. If I set a manual lens to Av on my K20D, it will always work wide open only. Which works well for some of my lenses depending on what I want to do, but on a super-macro will not be very useful.

Not a Number · 02-03-2015, 09:00 AM

Noted here

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/287672-thom...eo-review.html

and here along with discussion and links to other reviews and sample photos:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/16-pentax-news-rumors/284949-ultra-macro-pentax-mount.html

vonBaloney · 02-03-2015, 09:07 AM

Originally posted by ChristianRock

Not really, unless newer Pentax cameras work differently. If I set a manual lens to Av on my K20D, it will always work wide open only.

That's with a manual bayonet lens WITH an aperture lever. An m42 (in manual mode) or a K lens with no lever will stop down as you turn the ring always (because it isn't connected to anything), so you can use Av mode. (Some EV comp is needed often though as you stop down.) So this Venus with its 16 blades surely has no lever -- I'm sure they basically made it like a t-mount so they could easily attach the different mounts. I'd get in m42 if they had it to make it more easily portable, but K is good enough. If it didn't have all those blades, I'd say ok, I have enough macro lenses, but I'm a sucker for those always circular apertures. (I love old presets with many blades.) So I think I will have to have it...

Na Horuk · 02-03-2015, 09:44 AM

Originally posted by ChristianRock

Not really, unless newer Pentax cameras work differently. If I set a manual lens to Av on my K20D, it will always work wide open only. Which works well for some of my lenses depending on what I want to do, but on a super-macro will not be very useful.

Originally posted by vonBaloney

If it didn't have all those blades, I'd say ok, I have enough macro lenses, but I'm a sucker for those always circular apertures. (I love old presets with many blades.) So I think I will have to have it...

Yep, this lens is basically a preset lens. The aperture can never be stopped down by the camera, so Av mode is the best to use. Switch aperture wide open to focus, then close it until you get the shutter speed, ISO, or DoF that you want. Or you can use M mode and green button, I think, in case you don't want auto-metering. This lens is more manual than M series lenses.

What I find really exciting is that China is working on lenses now. We had it with Horus Bennu 50mm for K-mount, the Yongnuo lens for Canon (which I wouldn't mind seeing in K-mount. Shouldn't be too difficult, similar registration distance),.. (Mitakon as well?) But still, China is a powerhouse when it comes to production. So far it couldn't compete in the camera market very well because these are highly technological products. But now China is developing the technology, coupled with cheap labour, it could mean that traditional lens manufacturers, Canikon, Pentax, Zeiss, etc. will have a difficult new rival. the Korean Samyang's advantage might soon disappear, as well.

ChristianRock · 02-03-2015, 09:47 AM

Oh I thought it was K-mount. My bad.

Na Horuk · 02-03-2015, 11:22 AM

Originally posted by ChristianRock

Oh I thought it was K-mount. My bad.

It is, but no contacts, no aperture lever. Look at the review, you can see the back of the lens for a second. It fits straight onto K-mount bayonet, but it has no mechanical connection to the camera

Not a Number · 02-03-2015, 11:41 AM

I would treat the examples on the Venus website with suspicion based on the EXIF data in them.

This flikr album has 8 samples taken with the Venus. Only JPEGs are available but the full EXIF data is there. The rest of the photos appear to be taken with various Canon lenses. You can compare the results between the lenses.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/orionmystery/

**geomez** · 02-03-2015, 11:57 AM

Originally posted by Not a Number

Noted here Thomas Shahan Venus macro video review!

Thanks. I looked for it in the macro subforum before posting but couldn't find it.

Originally posted by ChristianRock

Oh I thought it was K-mount. My bad.

The easiest way to imagine it is like an m42 lens with a K mount adapter permanently affixed to it.

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02-03-2015, 04:00 AM	#2
nowo1978 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 25	Looks promising, thanks for linking the vid!

02-03-2015, 04:34 AM	#3
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Looks good, nice that Pentaxians now have a 2:1 macro lens available! Too bad it is fully manual K-mount. I wonder why, I mean even Samyang adds A-setting on aperture. Why not at least add an aperture lever? But still, its not too bad. With a fully manual K-mount, you can switch to Av and the camera will continuously meter as you adjust aperture by hand. But this would have been a big advantage against using our current macro lenses with bellows or extension tubes to achieve the same magnification.

02-03-2015, 08:50 AM	#4
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	Originally posted by Na Horuk Looks good, nice that Pentaxians now have a 2:1 macro lens available! Too bad it is fully manual K-mount. I wonder why, I mean even Samyang adds A-setting on aperture. Why not at least add an aperture lever? But still, its not too bad. With a fully manual K-mount, you can switch to Av and the camera will continuously meter as you adjust aperture by hand. But this would have been a big advantage against using our current macro lenses with bellows or extension tubes to achieve the same magnification. Not really, unless newer Pentax cameras work differently. If I set a manual lens to Av on my K20D, it will always work wide open only. Which works well for some of my lenses depending on what I want to do, but on a super-macro will not be very useful.

02-03-2015, 09:00 AM	#5
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	Noted here https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/287672-thom...eo-review.html and here along with discussion and links to other reviews and sample photos: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/16-pentax-news-rumors/284949-ultra-macro-pentax-mount.html

02-03-2015, 09:07 AM	#6
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	Originally posted by ChristianRock Not really, unless newer Pentax cameras work differently. If I set a manual lens to Av on my K20D, it will always work wide open only. That's with a manual bayonet lens WITH an aperture lever. An m42 (in manual mode) or a K lens with no lever will stop down as you turn the ring always (because it isn't connected to anything), so you can use Av mode. (Some EV comp is needed often though as you stop down.) So this Venus with its 16 blades surely has no lever -- I'm sure they basically made it like a t-mount so they could easily attach the different mounts. I'd get in m42 if they had it to make it more easily portable, but K is good enough. If it didn't have all those blades, I'd say ok, I have enough macro lenses, but I'm a sucker for those always circular apertures. (I love old presets with many blades.) So I think I will have to have it...

02-03-2015, 09:44 AM	#7
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Originally posted by ChristianRock Not really, unless newer Pentax cameras work differently. If I set a manual lens to Av on my K20D, it will always work wide open only. Which works well for some of my lenses depending on what I want to do, but on a super-macro will not be very useful. Originally posted by vonBaloney If it didn't have all those blades, I'd say ok, I have enough macro lenses, but I'm a sucker for those always circular apertures. (I love old presets with many blades.) So I think I will have to have it... Yep, this lens is basically a preset lens. The aperture can never be stopped down by the camera, so Av mode is the best to use. Switch aperture wide open to focus, then close it until you get the shutter speed, ISO, or DoF that you want. Or you can use M mode and green button, I think, in case you don't want auto-metering. This lens is more manual than M series lenses. What I find really exciting is that China is working on lenses now. We had it with Horus Bennu 50mm for K-mount, the Yongnuo lens for Canon (which I wouldn't mind seeing in K-mount. Shouldn't be too difficult, similar registration distance),.. (Mitakon as well?) But still, China is a powerhouse when it comes to production. So far it couldn't compete in the camera market very well because these are highly technological products. But now China is developing the technology, coupled with cheap labour, it could mean that traditional lens manufacturers, Canikon, Pentax, Zeiss, etc. will have a difficult new rival. the Korean Samyang's advantage might soon disappear, as well.

02-03-2015, 09:47 AM	#8
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	Oh I thought it was K-mount. My bad.

02-03-2015, 11:22 AM	#9
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Originally posted by ChristianRock Oh I thought it was K-mount. My bad. It is, but no contacts, no aperture lever. Look at the review, you can see the back of the lens for a second. It fits straight onto K-mount bayonet, but it has no mechanical connection to the camera

02-03-2015, 11:41 AM	#10
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	I would treat the examples on the Venus website with suspicion based on the EXIF data in them. This flikr album has 8 samples taken with the Venus. Only JPEGs are available but the full EXIF data is there. The rest of the photos appear to be taken with various Canon lenses. You can compare the results between the lenses. https://www.flickr.com/photos/orionmystery/

02-03-2015, 11:57 AM	#11
geomez Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Roanoke, Virginia, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,760 Original Poster	Originally posted by Not a Number Noted here Thomas Shahan Venus macro video review! Thanks. I looked for it in the macro subforum before posting but couldn't find it. Originally posted by ChristianRock Oh I thought it was K-mount. My bad. The easiest way to imagine it is like an m42 lens with a K mount adapter permanently affixed to it.