| Latest Review Posted | Super-Multi-Coated Macro-Takumar 100mm F4 Macro
This is for a "user" SMC version -- definitely rough external condition, but apparently flawless in operation. When I posted this, I had only played with it for an hour or so on 14MP APS-C. After a month, my feelings about it are the same only stronger; it would be the perfect photos-for-eBay lens (ideal for product photography).
This lens is tiny for a 100mm macro, and I get the feeling that f/4 was at least in part a compromise to make it so portable. A macro lens that isn't with you doesn't help much, so that's not a bad design decision. No macro is fast enough to compete with my Samyang 85mm f/1.4, and f/4 is still fine for portraits, etc.
Macros with this lens are simply excellent, even wide open:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/members/19780-profhankd/albums/782-images-posts/picture6788.jpg
Bokeh are quite smooth and sharpness is outstanding. Colors are a bit flat and large-scale contrast is low, but that is trivially fixed in PP (as I did for the above image) and it actually makes it a little less likely a color channel will saturate.
Up to head-and-shoulders portraits it seems to maintain the IQ, although by infinity it's less impressive (more like an 8 or 9). No flare has been seen, which makes sense given the recessing of the front element. Focus was consistently easier to get right with this lens than with most of my other manual lenses, I'm not sure why.
Overall, it was worth waiting for a $100 user to try this, but it competes well... |
