Macro lenses for my Pentax Kx?

ericdan · Nov 12, 2019

I have a Pentax Kx which is basically a K1000 with a few extras. I’ve been shooting the 50mm f/1.7 and it’s been great. I’d like to try some macro photography on slide film. What options are there for the k mount? I’m a little confused with the Pentax-A and Pentax-M. Are there any good third party options?
1:2 macros are probably good enough but 1:1 would be awesome.
Thanks!

abruzzi · Nov 12, 2019

Pentax's pre AF macro lenses were generally 1:2, and require an extension to get to 1:1. I don't have any of the manual focus era macro lenses, but I do have a Pentax-F 100mm ƒ2.8 macro (1:1) lens that creates some amazing shots. It is an AF lens but works fine on manual focus cameras. It is a bit pretty pricy though. I'll probably end up with some K or M era lenses eventually. As far as the different generation lenses:

Pentax K - these were the first bayonet K mount lenses. They don't actually say Pentax-K on the lens. These are concurrent with the K1000, KX, KM, K2 cameras.
Pentax-M - Concurrent with the MX, ME, ME Super, and probably LX. Due to Pentax's move to smaller bodies, the M lenses are generally smaller lenses.
Pentax-A - these have an A selection on the Aperture dial, which is required for the camera to set aperture automatically. Concurrent with the SuperProgram Program Plus. These are the last generation of manual focus lenses from pentax.
Pentax-F - first generation of AF lenses. All have aperture rings, with A settings available.
Pentax-FA - second generation AF lenses, some are still made new. They have aperture rings with A settings.
Pentax-D FA - for full frame digital, don't usually have aperture rings, so the body has to set the aperture
Pentax-DA - for APS-C digital, no aperture ring, some actually will cover a full 35mm frame.

Chan Tran · Nov 12, 2019

A friend of mine had the KX and the 100mm K mount macro (the first in K mount). It works good as far as I remembered.

AgX · Nov 12, 2019

The only third party macro prime-lenses that come to my mind:
Sigma 55mm f2.5
Vivitar 90mm f2.5

Les Sarile · Nov 12, 2019

I have the Pentax M 50mm and 100mm f4 macro lenses and they are outstandingly sharp lenses usually found very reasonably priced. They are both 1:2 magnification so it you want more magnification you can use extensions, bellows, 2X bellows or a microscope . . . ;-)

This one shows two bellows joined by the 3 Pentax K extension set in the middle.

Ian Grant · Nov 13, 2019

One of the best Macro lenses on the market was the Tamron 90mm f2.5 SP Macro lens in Adaptall 2 mount, a modern version the lens is still made today as Autofocus versions for DSLR's and film cameras.

The advantage of Adaptall 2 lenses is the Adaptall mounts are interchangeable and available for a wide variety of cameras. You can find the lens in excellent condition for a reasonable price. I have two friends who are wild life photographers and use the lens extensively for insect and similar photography.

Ian

AgX · Nov 13, 2019

Yes, I forgot about the Tamron one.

Anyway, a bellows solution should be considered too. It is much more versatile. A helicoid macro-lens only makes senses if the the handling benefit of full-barrel design or the need to focus at infinty is needed.

Ian Grant · Nov 13, 2019

AgX said:
Yes, I forgot about the Tamron one.

Anyway, a bellows solution should be considered too. It is much more versatile. A helicoid macro-lens only makes senses if the the handling benefit of full-barrel design or the need to focus at infinty is needed.

If it's for casual work a set of extension tubes may be sufficient and you can retain lens coupling for full aperture metering with the right ones. With bellows you really need to reverse a standard lens or use a macro lens with them for the highest quality results.

The Tamro 90mm f2.5 Macro lens also has an optional dedicated 2x converter to extend the range.

Ian

GRHazelton · Nov 13, 2019

I can second the Tamron f2.5 macro. Another good choice is the 100mm f3.5 Vivitar/Cosina macro. It is AFIK discontinued, but may be found in both the MF and AF versions. I have one and it is very good, I used it extensively on my LX. The lens by its self will go to 1:2, with the dedicated achromatic plus lens 1:2 to 1:1 is achieved. While it is a "plastic fantastic" its build is good enough

tezzasmall · Nov 13, 2019

What about a reversal ring, to turn your lens around 180 degrees on your camera mount? Very cheap and will give you a time to think about your next step / purchase.

Terry S

Ces1um · Nov 13, 2019

ericdan said:
I have a Pentax Kx which is basically a K1000 with a few extras. I’ve been shooting the 50mm f/1.7 and it’s been great. I’d like to try some macro photography on slide film. What options are there for the k mount? I’m a little confused with the Pentax-A and Pentax-M. Are there any good third party options?
1:2 macros are probably good enough but 1:1 would be awesome.
Thanks!

I don't have a 1:2 or 1:1 but I have got an smc pentax m 100mm 1:4 and it produces beautifully rendered shots. It's probably one of my nicer lenses and you really can get quite a bit of magnification out of it.

Here's a review on it:
https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-smc-pentax-m-macro-14-100mm/

The great thing about old pentax glass is it's fairly inexpensive and offer good performance.

AgX · Nov 13, 2019

A burdon of choices...

But I think Terry's suggestion to start with ones standard lens, just reversed by means of reversing ring, maybe added by a tube, a very good one, to get a feeling whether that field is really attracting..

(Strange enough over many years I only came across 1 reversing ring locally, but countless triple-sets of tubes. Seemingly reversing rings were more a matter of textbooks than practice...)

reddesert · Nov 13, 2019

With a reversing ring only, you have no focus adjustment, and have to focus by moving the entire camera toward or away from the subject. You need to add either a set of tubes or a bellows to have focus and magnification options. The reversing ring is most useful for magnifications greater than 1:1 imo.

John Koehrer · Nov 13, 2019

Pentax f4/100 goes to 1:2 and rather than limiting you to the limited fl, fixed magnification of each tube and swapping
tubes the macro changes smoothly up to it's max magnification. Unlike extension tubes you can use it as a portrait length telephoto..
Some will say it's too sharp for portraits but that's a also a pretty subjective opinion.. If it's too sharp, nose grease on a filter works OK.
Consider that a US quarter is ~1" diameter and at 1:1 will fill the vertical section of the negative at 1:2 it's
1/2 of that height.

mrosenlof · Nov 13, 2019

I have the smc pentax-a 50mm f/2.8 macro. It's a good sharp lens. 1:2 without an extension tube.

Ian Grant · Nov 13, 2019

Having seen the price for excellent Tamron Adaptall 90mm f2.5 SP Macro lenses I'm sorely tempted, the issue is will I really return to using 35mm, I've bought the film but only time will tell. While I have a lot of K/M mount Pentax or Chinon cameras it's more likely to be with Spotmatics. That's one reason for liking Adaptall 2 mounts I have K/M bayonet and ES/F full aperture M42 screw mounts.

John Koehrer raises another issue about sharpness and portraits. In LF and MF I have experience of Tessar and Cooke Triplet type lenses compared to Plasmats. I't a very personal choice of whether you want a razor sharp lens at wider apertures or the softness of a Triplet, a Teassar or type is in between.

Ian

AgX · Nov 14, 2019

For unknown reasons Tamron Adaptall lenses are rare over here. So far I only got two lenses and two different adapters

Macro lenses for my Pentax Kx?

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