| Author: | | Junior Member Registered: July, 2022 Posts: 33 | | Review Date: September 22, 2022 | Recommended | Price: $120.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Excellent IQ at any setting, focus range limiter, build quality | | Cons: | Bit on the heavy side, external focusing | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-1
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I have been very happy with the Pentax-FA 50mm f2.8 macro, and I'm even happier with this lens. In addition to giving my thoughts on this lens, I will also briefly compare it to the 50mm.
First of all, as far as macro photography goes, you cannot go wrong with this lens. If you're considering it, go for it and you will be happy. It's attractively priced, readily available, and produces gorgeous images.
I won't talk too much about image quality. It's excellent at all settings. Period. I'll just add that I love the colors.
In terms of build quality, it's a typical metal FA lens: solid, smooth, arguably ugly (although I personally love this look). It's a bit on the heavy side, but not prohibitively so. I can still shoot one-handed with my K-1. Due to weather conditions, I haven't been able to do longer shoots outdoors, but I'm convinced it will work just fine. The only thing that stands out is the limiter switch, which feels cheap compared to the rest of the lens' exterior.
AF is typical of Pentax screwdrive lenses I've used thus far: on the slow side, accurate, hunts a lot at close range, and loud. The presence of the limiter switch helps when doing macro. At normal distances, there is no need to use the limiter. Speaking of the limiter switch, it can be a bit stiff and it has empty slots between two positions which makes operating it by feel a bit weird. Otherwise, it's not a big problem as I usually don't have to change the setting more than once or twice during a shoot.
It has no lens hood mount and you don't need one because the front element is deeply recessed. The front of the lens extends considerably when focusing closely, but unlike the FA 50mm macro, it has a decent working distance so it is not much of a concern.
Compared to the FA 50mm macro, it's larger and heavier. The difference is not as dramatic as I thought, though. It has the limiter switch that the 50mm lacks, and the clamp function works better on the 100mm. 50mm can double as a normal lens for general purpose photography, while 100mm can be used as a portrait lens. To my eyes, the image quality appears to be about the same between the two, so it's down to the field of view and convenience of having a limiter.
| | | | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2016 Location: Kruishoutem Posts: 11
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 21, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp,fast, limitswitch,build,AF | | Cons: | Heavy | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K70
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The limit switch on this lens is very usefull , you can limit the focusrange in 2 very different ways : *1 Limited from 70 cm to infinite with a short run so the AFis pretty snappy for normal use as a telelens *2 Limited from 30cm to 70cm for macro use.
I really like the way this lens renders colours and it's very sharp , even wide open, and it only gets better stopped down .
If your looking for a excellent macrolens that's also very useable for other stuff this snap this one up.
As a bonus it's also very affordable. It is very heavy tough.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2017 Location: Lake Worth, Florida USA Posts: 3
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 9, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $255.76
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness - Built like a tank - Bokeh - Aperture Ring | | Cons: | None that I am aware of | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Pentax K1
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I plan on using bellows and this lens has a dedicated aperture ring which is a huge plus. The housing is also metal and is quite heavy which if anything is a bonus because it's easier to steady your shot if you are shooting with the aid of a tripod.
I was hoping it would make my K1 shine and it most certainly does. Photos look amazing both wide open and stopped down. It's evident this lens is perfectly suited for the 36MP sensor.
The focus is not the quickest, but they never are on a macro lens. Anyone who is a serious macro shooter doesn't use auto-focus anyways.
I am very happy I purchased this over the latest WR lens which would have been double the price and as far as I can tell does not take superior photos.
   | | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2016 Posts: 2 | | Review Date: January 26, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $140.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Focus limiter, 1:1, 2.8, METAL! | | Cons: | weight | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: k3II
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An amazing lens, sharp at 2.8 and super sharp at 3.2 where the bokeh is still totally round.
It is heavy but with the k3II it is pleasant to handle.
Macro, portrait eeven landscape with NO , nothing, cero, distorsion.
EDIT: There are some cromatic aberrations
The bridge between
the silly lenses of incredible construction
and
the smart ones of plastic and poor quality.
| | | | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2017 Posts: 2
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 27, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $220.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | very sharp, excellent build quality, fast focusing | | Cons: | heavy, front element 35mm inside, 35mm less from lighting subject | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 7
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Kp, K5, K-01
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It's a wonderfull piece of glass BUT...
- 600g are too many for free hand macrophoto.
- The recessed front element steals important space to illuminate well the subject with the flash.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: July, 2012 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 28
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 1, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Sharp, ideal macro, f2.8 | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 6
Handling: 7
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K5iis K3 K1
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I purchased a bundle of lenses and this is the pick of them.
Its a macro lens, so AF can hunt if your giving it confusing subjects to focus on and let's be real, its a macro lens therefore it's often going to be used as manual focus.
Solid, well built and although a film era lens it is pretty darn good.
Considering the cost, it's a no brainer and one iv'e been hoping to add for a long time.
Little bit of haze on the inner elements I think but doesnt affect quality.
In the world of new and expensive FF glass ....... it's an absolute peach.
| | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2017 Location: Kiev Posts: 12
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 11, 2017 | Not Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Beautiful bokeh, good sharpness of the lens. Beautifully takes pictures of the macro. Beautifully photographs portraits. Durable, iron casing. Deeply is the front lens (not so much soiled). | | Cons: | Heavy weight. Loud buzzes when auto focus. Narrow and uncomfortable ring on the lens housing, which is intended for manual focusing. This lens does not take pictures of objects that are far away, but it takes very good pictures of portraits and close-ups. | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: К-5
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This lens is very strong and sturdy, in an iron casing. But because of this he has a rather heavy weight. If you take pictures with this lens for a long time, then the weight is not particularly noticeable. Conversely, it helps to avoid camera shake when photographing. But, if you take pictures for a long time, then the weight of the lens begins to be felt in the form of discomfort.
This lens perfectly removes portraits, subject photos, macro photos.
But the landscape and objects are in the distance, he shoots badly. There is not enough contrast and detail. Although, it's possible that I just got such a copy ..
If you consider the low cost, then I consider the lens to be good and advise it to be acquired by those who intend to shoot beautiful portraits and subject photos and macro photos using the same lens.
P.S. I advise this lens to purchase! But when I save this message on the site, it automatically appears "no" instead of "yes." I do not know why this is happening. I just can't fix it.
 Untitled by Vitaliy Potapchikov, on Flickr
 IMGP7909 by Vitaliy Potapchikov, on Flickr
 Untitled by Vitaliy Potapchikov, on Flickr
 IMGP6744 by Vitaliy Potapchikov, on Flickr
 Untitled by Vitaliy Potapchikov, on Flickr
 IMGP9789 by Vitaliy Potapchikov, on Flickr
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: July, 2014 Location: Nagoya Posts: 577
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 5, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $120.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Solid, sharp, good focus limiter | | Cons: | Heavy, haze issue, CA | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-S2, MZ-6
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I got mine cheaply used with the common haze problem on the inner elements. This actually affects the image quality very little, with a little halo wide open that disappears by f4. Sharp enough at f4, excellent by f5.6 with a real 3D pop. Still very sharp for macro from f11-f22, and capable of great bokeh once you get close.
Focusing is noisy with the screwdrive, but pretty fast for a macro lens. The limiter is useful and the clamp on my copy doesn't work. AF is accurate on both the K-S2 and the film MZ-6.
This lens really suffers with fringing on high contrast edges, especially at wider apertures, but these are easy to remove in post-processing so it's not too bad.
What is worth pointing out is that this is a properly heavy and fairly long lens - it feels unbalanced on the K-S2. It is nearly twice the weight of the modern DFA100WR, so if you want to walk about with this lens or take it travelling you may want to consider that. But as long as you can get one for a good price, the FA still represents great value.
A quick non-macro sample to give you an idea of this lens' rendering (K-S2, f8, ISO100)
 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: February, 2007 Location: Prevost, Quebec, Canada Posts: 448 | | Review Date: November 24, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $330.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Build, sharpness, fast focus, very solid feel. | | Cons: | None so far | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K3 & K1 II
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Bought on EBay at a verry good price. This lens coupled to a Raynox 250 produces beautyfull macro photo in a range of 2.5:1, It is very sharp from F:2.8 with a sweet spot at F:5.6, for general photography and extremely sharp at F:11 to F:22 for macro work. The focus limiter is very practical in auto-focus mode and the clamp is very usefull. I had the Vivitar Serie 1 105mm macro but this lens is much better and versatile. Auto-focus a bit noisy while doing macro work in the field. In studio work I usually use the manual focus with a rail and a Raynox DCR 250 ( 2.5X).
  
 | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: March, 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 422
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 26, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $175.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, solid | | Cons: | AF isn't good enough to do justice to the thin DoF | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 6
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-3ii
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I bought this for using at work for forensic investigation work. It's extremely sharp and easy to use. Please note that the focus clamp doesn't work and isn't actually required anyway. The AF is pretty average, but the DoF is so thin you can hardly blame the lens. I use live view and manual focus and it gives excellent results. Some have criticized or noted that it is bulky and heavy, but I find it's an advantage as the length of the barrel helps maintain a steady grip.
When photographing bright objects there are some CA's to deal with but overall, nothing that bothers me.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: March, 2010 Location: Svealand Posts: 172
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 24, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $625.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, IQ, colour rendition, compact, bokeh, well built | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Pentax K-5
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Great macrolens but be aware that it's a rather heavy lens.
[IMG] Chevy Chase - SMC Pentax-FA 100mm F2.8 Macro by siamthai3, on Flickr[/IMG]
| | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2013 Posts: 3
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 23, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $500.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Excellent build quality, great bokeh | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K5
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Photos with this lens here.
| | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: December, 2009 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Posts: 2,419
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 9, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $330.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Very sharp, focus limiter, nice feel to it, good bokeh | | Cons: | Spoils the others lenses. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: k-x
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I was worried about the purchase at the time (you can never be sure of what you are going to get with online auctions) but now I realise I got a bit of a bargain.
The focus limiter is a very useful feature and I now would not like to be without it (pity DFA macros don't have one). Sharpness is impressive. Even at f2.8 it pretty sharp and at the other end f16 is very useful (and surprisingly sharp still) for macro work.
The only lens I have that comes even close in sharpness in my S.M.C 55 f1.8 (which is sharper than my A50f1.7 and Super Tak 50 f1.4) and even then the FA100 is sharper wide open than the 55 is wide open.
I find it quite hard to write negatives on this lens. Its a lovely piece of glass in a solid package and a useful feature set.
I don't mind the size / weight because, for me, its quite easy to steady it (I find weight can help) and not so heavy that you tire.
If I was going to fussy I would say that it would be nice if it was a bit faster for portrait work but given that it is a macro lens then f2.8 is respectable.
One thing for sure is that it spoils my other lenses because it makes their peformance look average in comparison!
This lens stays on my camera a lot
.
Samples:
Sunset over a damaged city - f11
Lone Tree - f5.6
Tim Beach - f9.5
Icicles - f3.5 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: February, 2011 Posts: 118
6 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 7, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $525.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | tact sharp, contrasty, bokeh, 1:1 macro, excellent build-quality | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
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Older pentax 100mm f2.8 macro lenses generally have better optical reputation than DFA versions.
This lens certainly didn't disappoint.
Tact sharp at f2.8, gets even sharper stopped down. Bokeh is amazingly good.
I like to use my 50/2.8 macro for product shots, and this for field shots when working distance is needed.
Best to be mounted on a mini-tripod, get down and dirty on the ground.
Compared to my F100/2.8, I don't see much difference between. They both have the same spec's, so it may have been sample variation that caused other owners to prefer one over the other. There should be more FA 100/2.8's in circulation than F100s, due to its popularity.
For the money and excellent performance, this lens can't be beat. At some point I had all four 100 macro's (F, FA, DFA, DFA WR), but I eventually sold both DFA lenses to keep the better optical F and FA.
Get DFA WR if you absolutely need the WR capability. I would not recommend DFA non-WR version because it is of a plastic barrell similar to DAL lenses, not exactly what you would want to use in the field but perhaps in a studio.
Both F and FA 100's are made of metal barrell , built like tanks , great for field work. Love the feel in my hands.
| | | | | New Member Registered: April, 2009 Location: Canary Islands Posts: 8 | | Review Date: October 10, 2011 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | IQ, Sharp, Focus limiter | | Cons: | ¿A little heavy? | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
| |
This is a great lens. It has a fast focus (K10D Tested) due to the focus limiter and the IQ is amazing. The weight is not a problem for me, I prefer a heavy one that remember me I'm handling a hole metal body lens. Sometimes it's a bit difficult to switch the focus limiter, but I suppose I will do it better in the future.
This is an example of mi first walkabout with this lens...
http://http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/7/imgp2900editar.jpg/ | | |
