I disagree, well let me qualify that. at least in the range I stated which is like f11 to f22 and this sample. its probably diffraction limited which about as good as it gets at those stops. Now under F11 or wide open, I dont have a clue, nor care, never enough depth of field in the macro range to shoot much under f11 with 3d objects. I have a bunch and bunches of macro lenses, lets see, I got a minota 80mm, schneider 105 and 150mm for my M42 bellows which works fine on dslr, a smc pentax 100mm for the K bellow also, and a real nice pair of K automatic bellows novoflex 60mm and 105mm for K autobelllows ( over $2400 setup there alone on the novoflex). Then I have a rare vivitar 135mm true macro F2.8 if i recall, a smc-k 100mm F4 macro, a smc-a 50mm f2.8 macro and that about does it. One I wanna get is the smc-a 100mm F2.8 but I never seem to have the scratch when they show up.
So I do have some references. At F11 to F22? this sample smc-m 50mm F4 is just about as good as the rest which isnt hard to do at those fstops. There is one I no longer have but I recall as the most incredible of them all, it was a 135mm el nikkor MC mounted on M42 for bellows. That sob was out of this world but I sold it for some dumb reason. Like I needed the money at the time and I already have too many macros. I can tell you with near certainty too, the slow bellows mount lenses on bellows optimized for near range or the slow old macro on camera lenses without floating elements do better at near range than anything else. Like I said the king of them all was an el nikkor which is optimized for macro mags and was long focus, not telephoto, which makes it a nearly perfect design for the applicaton, also its slow, F5.6. Fast lenses for macro like F2.8 or 2.5 are compromises to get the speed, the 135 f5.6 MC el nikkor was an all out no compromise deal. Damn it was a good one. I hate when I sell good stuff and later regret it. JC O'Connell hifis...@gate.net -----Original Message----- From: pdml-boun...@pdml.net [mailto:pdml-boun...@pdml.net] On Behalf Of PN Stenquist Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:34 AM To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List Subject: Re: Thanks for the gray card suggestions.. MACRO W FLASH tips I once owned that lens. Okay, but nothing special I have the Vivitar series 1 90/2.5 macro, first version, which is far superior to the Pentax M macro lens, so I never missed the Pentax lens. I think I sold it for $70 on ebay a year ago or so. Paul On Dec 23, 2008, at 12:20 AM, JC OConnell wrote: > oh yeah, I got he smc-m 50mm F4 lens for $60 on ebay mint but with > ding > rim which I fixed in about 10 minutes. Is this a good time for buying > quality used lenses or what. Its an excellent performer at macro > range. > $60 for a lens of that quality and usefulness is almost too good to be > true. > BTW, 50mm macro works nicely on the current pentax DSLR aps format. > Its > a little short but nothing like it was on FF 35mm. > > JC O'Connell > hifis...@gate.net > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: pdml-boun...@pdml.net [mailto:pdml-boun...@pdml.net] On Behalf > Of > JC OConnell > Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:11 AM > To: 'Pentax-Discuss Mail List' > Subject: RE: Thanks for the gray card suggestions.. MACRO W FLASH tips > > > I forgot to add : MUCHO THANKS to the engineers at Pentax for putting > the magnification ratio index on their macro lenses. This simple > technique would be impossible without them. THUMBS UP! > > JC O'Connell > hifis...@gate.net > > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above > and follow the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
