| Author: | | Pentaxian Registered: November, 2017 Location: Garden City, NY Posts: 6,349 | | Review Date: December 18, 2019 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Built, Handling, Sharp, Everything | | Cons: | F4 | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-50
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Great piece of K-series glass. Superb handling, great for Macro and short tele.
Built is amazing!
Photos speak louder than words:
 | | | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: April, 2015 Posts: 3,520
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 1, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $220.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Zeiss Heliar Design: Dream Bokeh, sharp, sharper | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K3, K5IIs, K30
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This is one of the most remarkeable macrolenses next to the very early preset Takumar 50/4 1:1 macro.
This lens is a Zeiss Heliar Design, more complicated and even better than the Tessar Design of the K50/4 macro lens which I wrote about as well.
I got this lens in pristine as new condition together with the K50macro. The built quality is of course as much up to limited level as the K50 macro.
But what you get is this amazing bokeh, colours to die for and sharpness right wide open combined with zero purple fringing or CA's and no coma wide open.
This lens is stiff competition to all 85mm (or 70/77) portrait-lenses if 100mm is alright for you.
| | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2013 Posts: 14 | | Review Date: November 11, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $110.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | excellent macro lens | | Cons: | very very small CA's | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: k-s1, k-x k200d
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same optics as the bellow lens 4/100
I've got both. tis lens used with an achromatic focal reductor and macro ring and you'll get sharpest pictures 2,8/70 ever seen at a very low price . try it  | | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2015 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 24 | | Review Date: September 3, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, Great Contrast, Beautiful Colors, Smooth Bokeh | | Cons: | nothing | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-5II
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What a lens especially with the 50mm extension tube. WOW!!
 | | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: December, 2007 Location: In the most populated state... state of denial Posts: 1,851 | | Review Date: January 16, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharpness - Compatibility - Value | | Cons: | Hard to find - Heavy | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: KX, K-X, K-5iis, K-3iii
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I got my example with slight fungal infection
After cleaning the lens it has performed great.
Nice all around sharpness and contrast and can be used in the whole range.
It is also a very good portrait lens
PD 2022 - The k3-iii gives full support for this lens now, and the results in AV mode are great, it acts like a longer tele in DSLRs and still produces stunning results
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: March, 2008 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,192 | | Review Date: November 7, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $80.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Very Sharp, Contrast, Price | | Cons: | All Manual, No built in lens hood, Not F2.8 | |
This is a very good lens for macro shots. While it is only a 1:2 macro, it is sufficiently sharp enough to do significant cropping, if necessary, without loss of detail. Pics are sharp across the frame, and the bokeh is great (check out the link). I have not had a problem shooting hand held in bright sunlight. If you are looking for macro on a budget, this and I imagine the Pentax-M version would be a good place to look. Jumping from a F4.0 macro lens to F2.8 lens is a large jump in price, making this lens a real bargain.
I am giving this a 9 because of the combination of excellent build quality, glass and price. Here is a link to some pics taken with this lens.
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=100mm&w=7618311%40N04 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: October, 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,090 | | Review Date: August 15, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $175.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, build, longer film-to-subject distance. | | Cons: | Slow f4.0, size with hood & 50mm extension tube. | | Camera Used: K Series film bodies (K1000, KM, KX, K2, K2DMD)
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The K100/4 Macro released in 1975 is on the rare side and only lasted three years in production. It was replaced with the smaller M series version in 1977.
The K100/4 Macro has .5x magnification, but by adding the Pentax 50mm auto extension tube you can achieve 1.0x. You will also retain the lenses automatic diaphragm, using this extension tube.
The K100/4 Macro is very sharp and has a minimum aperture of f32, so you have numerous DOF options. However it is slow at f4.0, so low light conditions will require the use of a tripod and macro focus rail. With this focal length you have more distance to subject range than with the 50mm macro, so it is better for insects.
You should also get the 52mm diameter clip-on lens hood, shared with the K85/1.8, K100/4 Bellows and the K105/2.8. Adding the hood & extension tube creates a long lens making it harder to hand hold, especially when shooting wind blown flowers.
Overall the K100/4 is a very good macro lens; however for traveling I usually take the K50/4 as it’s much lighter and easier to use hand held. I use the K100/4 around town mostly with a tripod or at home on my copy stand.
Sample shots taken with the K100/4 Macro & 50mm Auto Extension Tube. Photos are medium resolution scans from original slides.
Camera: K2 Film: Fuji Velvia 100 ISO: 100
Camera: K2 Film: Fuji Provia 400 ISO: 400
 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: April, 2007 Location: North Palm Beach, Florida Posts: 728 | | Review Date: November 26, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Nice as macro, wonderful colors and great contrast | | Cons: | Kinda long on a DSLR, critical focus at infinity very short | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 9
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A fairly rare bird, this SMC "K" series 100mm macro does it job well. It takes excellent macro shots, but with the advantage you don't have to have your subject pressed up against the front optic to get your shot.
The "K" series seems to be the missing link between the heavier Takumar "tanks" and the lighter more compact M series. They are heavier than an what you expect from an M series, but they don't have that "cut from a solid piece of steel" weight of the Takumars. Action on the focus is very nice, lots of play when dealing with macro focusing. I noted, however, when the lens is used as a normal tele the focus near infinity is very touchy and it's easy to be a hair out of critical focus. At f4, you will be using this lens towards the wide open side as well, but the images even at f4 are sharp and usable.
The lens stops down to f32, which is wonderful on long tripod exposures... you can get much more of your macros shots into focus that way.
If you want to hunt down live bugs for macro shots, this lens is excellent for that use, as well as occasional regular lens use. If you find a bargain on one, buy it!
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