Junior Member Registered: August, 2019 Posts: 31 | Review Date: May 4, 2020 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | Incredible sharpness | Cons: | none | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K1-II and K70
| | Superb Vintage lens, changed the polarity of the flash cable as mentioned below (thanks Bob), works now with my digital cameras. Let Pictures speak: | |
New Member Registered: July, 2015 Posts: 7 | Review Date: August 16, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $160.00
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | Sharp, ring flash, good 1:1, build quality | Cons: | Flash unremovable, weight | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 8
Camera Used: K-50
| | It's my firt manual macro lens, i love this lens verry good 1:1 !
when my subject move, it's hard for me to focus quickly.
The focus ring is very nice, smooth and long.
Very sharp lens ! i love it !
En Francais :
Super objectif macro, fonctionne très bien en 1:1 cependant la mise au point manuel est assez difficile a réalisé rapidement, la bague de map est longue et très fluide.
La qualité optique est niquel rien a redire !
Le capuchon d'objectif se met très facilement en place.
Concernant le ring flash, je l'ai pas encore essayé mais ca ve va pas tarder, sinon il faut prendre en compte qu'il prend un peu de place dans un sac photo. Arméries maritimes by Arnaud Regnier, sur Flickr Geranium rouge by Arnaud Regnier, sur Flickr
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New Member Registered: November, 2011 Posts: 2 | Review Date: May 29, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $250.00
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | High quality 1:1 macro withouth diopters | Cons: | No infinity focus | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
| | My Elicar V-HQ Medical Macro 90mm f/2.5 gallery is here: https://bob-o-rama.smugmug.com/Elicar-MC-90-25-Medical-Macro/
This lens is similar to, but not identical to "white" Elicar 1:1.25 and similar Panagor . Specifically, the 1:1 version reviewed here does not provide for infinity focus, the coatings are somewhat different looking, and the optics assembly for the 1:1.25 appears to a somewhat different. The custom 2x diopter, which works very well, provides you with a very useful 2:1 macro, where on APS-C the field of view is about the size of a pencil eraser.
The lens' focus and aperture markings are designed for use with the Elicar MS-1 kit, which provides a similarly marked K-mount 35mm camera. The aperture is marked in ISO, but corresponds to a range of f/2.5-f/22. Its sharpest in the "100" or "200" ( f/11 or f/16 ) position. The aperture has a locking button, but lacks the "A" mode position. The lens can be used in Manual mode with the Green Button stop down metering.
The focuser scale is in reproduction ratios, and inclused a second blue scale when the diopter is used. The 3rd scale indicates the field of view in mm relative to 35mm film. You can divide by 1.5 to obtain the actual values for APS-C - still convenient.
The integrated flash unit senses aperture and ambient light and produces proper exposure. So to use the integrated flash you need only adjust the ISO of the camera to achieve decent exposure, and adjustments to aperture will take care of themselves. The polarity of the flash trigger is opposite what digital Pentax bodies want. Rather than modifying the trigger, which is to short anyway, I made a pigtail from $4 of Radio Shack parts which reverse the tip and ring of the trigger plug, and gives another 8" to play with. The flash includes a focus light as well. The flash unit and flash assembly are somewhat "plastic" and cheaper than I'd like. But it works well.
Lighting for this lens is somewhat critical to achieve good results. At 2:1 you are getting close to micro-photography.. Point sources located approximately at the focal distance away from the subject do much better than wide or diffuse light. When used properly, this lens can challenge the resolution of the K-5, even when used poorly, you can get decent results.
So considering that for $250, you get a workable ring flash, a very decent macro lens, and custom diopter, as well as a basic K-mount film camera, its an exceptional deal.
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