> It looks like I might finally be able to buy a macro lens soon. I > was wondering, what's your favorite Pentax (or other) macro lens > and why? It could be AF or MF.
I've used a fair number of Pentax and 3rd-party macro lenses over the last few years. For ~my~ purposes, I've settled on the A 100/2.8 Macro as ~my~ best all-around macro lens (again, that's for ~my~ purposes - your mileage may vary). I have tended to find that the 50mm macro lenses focus rather close (in working distance), which sometimes has been a little annoying. Despite that, however, I have to say that the F 50/2.8 Macro is one of the sharpest macro lenses available (and I assume the FA version is optically the same), but horrible to use (mechanical annoyances). The A 50/2.8 Macro, on the other hand, is just a wee tad less sharp, but is a true joy to use in comparison, otherwise. (I still have an A 50/2.8 Macro, just to pack when I may not have room for the A 100/2.8 Macro.) At the other end of the macro lens focal length range, I've used (but no longer own) an A* 200/4 Macro. It's an exquisite macro lens, but sometimes that 200mm focal length is just a little too long, i.e., it requires a fairly long working distance, which sometimes is useful - think critters here - but sometimes can be annoying (e.g., table-top macro work may require the photographer getting up on a chair or stool, in order to get far enough away from the subject - <g>). In between the "Mama Bear" (too short 50mm) and "Papa Bear" (too long 200mm) extremes (and I would think that the 200mm macro range would be the best to use on ~all~ bears - but I digress...), are the various "Goldilocks and Baby Bear" Pentax and 3rd-party 100-ish macro lenses. I have never used a macro lens between 90mm and 105mm that did not do an excellent job. My favorites are the A 100/2.8 (as I mentioned) and the optically identical (to each other) VS1 and AT-X 90/2.5 lenses (with their 1:1 adapters/extenders). A number of the other 3rd-party 100-ish lenses work very well, too. The A 100/4 Macro is quite a nice lightweight lens. I certainly haven't used all of the 100-ish macro lenses (but I do understand, and can easily believe, that the F and FA 100 lenses are quite good optically, too). There are other options, as well. I do absolutely love the superb VS1 90-180/4.5 Flat Field (macro) Zoom (which makes just above every other so-called "macro zoom" pale in comparison). Rob Studdert will likely jump in here and rave about his Voigtlander 135/2.5 Macro, and 135mm might just be a nice "sweet spot" for some of us, too... Fred
