Does it have to be a Pentax lens? The Vivitar Series 1 105mm f2.5 focuses to 1:1 on it's own and is manual focus. It's highly regarded on this list too.
On the other hand I wasn't aware that the FA 200/4 focused to life size at 1.69 feet! Wow that's great working distance for skittish animals. Anyone have experience with this lens? Christian Skofteland [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bolo" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Pentax Discuss" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2002 9:15 PM Subject: Which have more utility ... 35mm MF or AF Macros lenses > I have manual focus Pentax gear. I've been using my A-series 50mm > F/2.0 with extension tubes and/or a reversing ring for the "macro" > photography that I do. I've been considering a dedicated macro lens, > and have a question about the MF versus AF variants. > > The MF macro lenses that I've looked at all go down to 1:2. After > that you need extension tubes for 1:1. That is well and fine. However, > I've noticed that almost all of the AF macro lenses that I've looked > at tend to go to 1:1 ... without extension tubes. Presumbably this > is because the rack&pinion and/or IF mechanisms allow a greater > a bit more freedom in lens design than the helicoid does. > > I've not settled upon a focal length for a macro lens; my first > guess is 100 mm, since I already have a 50mm, and I'd like some > additional stand-off than I have now. I've looked idly at macro > lenses. Comments on this list seem to indicate that the FA 200mm > macro is even a *better* lens than the awesomely rated A* 200mm > macro, so quality doesn't seem to be an issue with the AF macros. > > Naively it seems that the AF macro lenses with 1:1 are a win over > the MF 1:2 macro lenses. So, ... > > Since the AF lenses goto 1:1 without a extension tube, is there > something which you lose with a 1:1 AF macro lens compared to a > traditional MF Macro lens? Besides requring a lot of extension > tubes to get to 1:1 with the longer MF macro lenses? > > Thanks for any illumination. > Bolo - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
