[Heather Iles]

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I am a Novice and would like to try and have a go at Macro. I have a Pentax K50 and wonder what information you can give with regards the Lens I use which are not expensive. Perhaps there are second hand ones that you could point me in the direction.


I wouldn't give anymore details as I am not even sure if I am in the right place on this site, so will await responses. Thanks in advance.

[UncleVanya]

A manual focus macro legacy lens like a 50mm macro or 100mm macro will be reasonably cheap and offer good image quality.

[Giklab]

You could get a macro filter for the lens(es) you already have. That would probably be the cheapest option, although there are many poor quality ones out there. The second option would be a manual lens on extension tubes (m42 50mm lenses go for 10-30€, tubes for around 5 and an adapter for an additional 5). Or you could go for a manual (or even AF) macro lens like @UncleVanya posted, but we'd need to know what you're looking to spend to recommend anything.

[UncleVanya]

I have all of the above, extension tubes, dedicated macro lenses, high quality macro add-on lenses, bellows, reversing rings, etc. Of these the dedicated macro lenses are the most versatile, easiest to use, and probably offer the best quality, but the other solutions are rational and can be fun.

M42 is fine, but brings the need for an adapter. If going this route I suggest a flanged mount adapter if the lens is only for macro work, otherwise a genuine Pentax or older high quality adapter. The real Pentax is pricey, which cuts the bargain aspect of m42 a bit if you are only going to use it for one lens.

---------- Post added 04-09-16 at 10:20 AM ----------

Here is an example of the kind of lens you can get for not too much money. Adding an A type extension tube gets you to 1:1 with full metering wide open.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/24-photographic-equipment-sale/317420-sal...acro-lens.html

I am not connected with this lens or Seller nor am I making any assertions about the price other than this is in the ballpark for manual focus macro lenses.

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Last edited by UncleVanya; 04-09-2016 at 07:22 AM.

[photolady95]

Since we do not know your budget, this link below should help:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/54-pentax-lens-articles/152336-cheap-macr...lose-work.html

[JohnX]

Heather, a recommendation depends to some extent on what it is that you want to take macro shots of.

If still life in a home studio type environment then a 35 or 50 macro would do; if insects, etc, outdoors then a 100 would be better.

What's your budget and what is it you want to shoot?

[UncleVanya]

Heather, a recommendation depends to some extent on what it is that you want to take macro shots of.

If still life in a home studio type environment then a 35 or 50 macro would do; if insects, etc, outdoors then a 100 would be better.

What's your budget and what is it you want to shoot?

True, true, true...

[Heather Iles]

Heather, a recommendation depends to some extent on what it is that you want to take macro shots of.

If still life in a home studio type environment then a 35 or 50 macro would do; if insects, etc, outdoors then a 100 would be better.

What's your budget and what is it you want to shoot?

SECOND E-MAIL
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Sorry, my e-mail went before I had finished.


What I really want is someone to suggest a Macro Lens that they use that is a reasonable price with a 1:1 magnification and not have to use too many extension tubes etc., to get good results.


I have seen the name Tokina mentioned and there is one in the USA 100mm F.2.8 1:1 Macro for £200 with postage, but that is no good for me in the UK, as I will have to pay Import Tax.


I have also seen the name Raynox mentioned.


I am opened to suggestions.
I want a lot for my well earned cash.

---------- Post added 04-09-16 at 08:28 AM ----------

It appears that my first e-mail wasn't sent as I can't see it is logged.


Anyhow, the answer to the question "what I want to photograph". I would like to photograph pretty butterflies in my garden and small flowers too.

[Giklab]

So, what's your budget?
These go to 1:2 "only", but that's still very close, and you can get an attachment filter that brings them down to 1:1.
Pentax Obiettivo (lens) 100 mm. F. 3.5 AF Macro Soligor | eBay

Cosina AF 100mm f/3.5 macro Pentax K-Bajonett | eBay

Otherwise, this is a more expensive (slightly better and natively 1:1) alternative:
Pentax K 2,8/100mm SMC Pentax-FA Macro | eBay

There are also the very well regarded Tamron lenses, such as this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Tamron-AF-90mm-f-2-8-Di-II-1-1-Macro-SP-Lens-f...8AAOSwGYVXAzjQ

or this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tamron-AF-Macro-1-1-SP-90mm-F2-8-f-Pentax-/3812041...AAAOSweW5VEa6-

[Bunch]

Just get the D-FA 100
It's worth it
Some of my best macros have been with a hodge podge of extension tubes and lens couplers put some legacy glass together, but the setup is so cumbersome I barely use it since getting the D FA 100. It is compact and makes things so easy.

[photolady95]

I use a Tamron 90mm SP all manual lens for my insect and flower macros. This lens cost me less than $200USD. And with macro you don't really need an AF lens because using AF changes the POV (point of view).

Like this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tamron-72B-90mm-f2-8-SP-Macro-1-1-Adaptall-Lens-240-...sAAOSwAvJXAA97

[Giklab]

And with macro you don't really need an AF lens because using AF changes the POV (point of view).

Sorry, what? o.O

[marcusBMG]

There's a lot to be said for the more modern AF lenses suggested. There is also a lot to be said for starting with a manual focus lens.
Macro photography rewards care and diligence, MF gets you into that straight off, and away from "point and shoot" habits.

The tamron 90mm 52B/52BB, - adaptall mount, - is easily acquired for around £50-100 because it is always available on ebay. This is one example:

Rare Tamron SP Tele Macro Lens, 1:2.5 90mm, Adaptall 2, 27 BBAR MC | eBay

Goes to 1:2 rather than the 1:1 of the later adaptall 90mm 72B mentioned above - that's much less common and tends to be ~ 50% pricier. You can get 1:1 by using the matching 01F (or any ) 2x teleconverter, or the matching 018F extension tube. A mount to fit your camera is needed also.

I did a quick browse on ebay, searching "90mm" auctions in photography, that also turned up several 90mm vivitars
these are also highly recommendable, for pentax get one in PK mount or M42 screw mount, the latter being easily adapted to pentax.

Searching 100mm pulls up a number of pentax 100mm macros like this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SMC-Pentax-M-Macro-f1-4-100mm-SLR-Camera-Lens-And-...8AAOSw6wRW~kp4

these typically go for a bit more than the tamron 52B's.

PS Watch out for lots of lenses esp old zoom lenses calling themselves macro when they're not - the manufacturers would include "macro" in the name mainly fr marketing reasons, justified (barely) by a certain close focus ability - to eg 1:4 or 1:3 magnification ie no better than your kit lens.

[photolady95]

Sorry, what? o.O

To explain further, AF changes the POV because it changes how the lens works. In macro photography, you usually put then lens at the infinity mark, if you use AF that moves the lens away from the infinity mark. For macro to work, you need the lens to stay at the infinity mark and move yourself and camera/lens in and out to get focus.

[marcusBMG]

you need the lens to stay at the infinity mark

Well actually most macro lenses are marked with a magnification scale (eg see here, mag scale in orange), so if you know what mag you want then you can set the lens to that by turning the focus. In practice it all depends on your subject doesn't it , what magnification you need to frame it, so you will adjust your mag accordingly by turning the focus and fine tuning the focus by, as you say, moving the whole camera+lens to-fro. (eg on a macro rail) is common and good technique.

Are you thinking of a lens with a dedicated macro mode, photolady? ie a switch or ring is manipulated to adjust the lens from normal focus to macro close focus. With those it is generally true to leave the normal focus on infinity.