Pentax DA 35mm F2.8 Macro Limited

[DigitalAddict]

Just wondering, what are your thoughts on this new lens?

It seems to be the equivalent of the 50mm F2.8 macro on full-frame. This used to be quite popular back in the days as the normal lens with the extra macro capability. Very useful for landscapes etc

I know that there are many macro shooters on this forum: can you comment on the usefulness of this lens for macro/close-up work?

One thing I noticed is that it only goes up to F22. I shoot with D-FA 50mm F2.8 macro and when getting close to 1:1 I often go to F27 or even F32. I loose sharpness but I get what I want in focus. Do you go beyond F22 when shooting?

Thanks.

[bper]

I shoot a lot of wildflower pics and use the M50 macro a lot. The one problem I see is that with a 35mm, you will need to be pretty close to your subject. I like to use a tripod or monopod to compose and get sharp pictures. Moving in close on small flowers istricky with a tripod. I seldom shoot at F22, because often I don't want the background in focus. I like f8 and f11, but with a 1:1 macro up close, I can see F22 or beyond. The M50 is only.5:1.

I am leaning toward a DFA100 macro, which would be the same as 150 on film. This would give me more distance to work with my tripod and monopod. The DFA100 is priced quite a bitless than the 35mm macro, but it is not a limited. I have been using my 18-55mm for some flowers and it does well also and gets me to within about 8".

For those upgrading to the K20D, I would think you have a lot you can crop with having 14mp at your disposal. Maybe you wouldn't even need a macro with that camera. I guess it all depends what you shoot. If you shoot ants, you need a macro.

When the 35mm macro was introduced last year, I thought that would be a neat lens, but now that I look at what I do, I'm not so sure. I think you have to ask yourself, what am I going to do and how am I going to do it. Everyone is different. I wonder how the quality compares between the DFA50, DFA100 and the DA35. It would be interesting to see some comparison pictures- Bruce

[mtngal]

I prefer the 100mm range because I'm another that wants to stand off more. 35mm would be nice for someone who can get close to their subjects, and I would assume as a limited, it would be a really nice lens. I usually don't use much smaller apertures than f16, might go to f20 in some cases. With a 100mm lens I don't worry about getting the background in focus, unless I've had to stand too far away.

[robar]

i've been wondering the exact thing.. why would anyone want a 35mm macro?? i can see absolutely no advantage to this lens.. i use a 105mm and want a 150mm or 180mm.. my thoughts?? why put R&D into a lens that i see as something that's not goint to sell much.. of course with the crop factor this would be fairly close to a 50mm in 35mm terms..

roy
oh, bruce.. that's a1:5 ratio.. 5:1 is 5 times life size kind of like this

[snostorm]

robar wrote:

oh, bruce.. that's a 1:5 ratio.. 5:1 is 5 times life size kind of like this

Hi Roy,

He wrote .5:1 or more commonly 1:2 -- I know -- you just wanted to show off your drangonfly again. . . as well you should! :-)

Actually, I've been wondering about the 35 macro since they announced it -- I'd imagine that the best standard use for the lens would be copying documents or prints. It probably has an extremely flat field of focus and an appropriate working distance on a copy stand.

Scott

[bper]

Thanks Scott, I guess I wrote it wrong, but my heart was in the right place. Anyway Roy, how's this for a macro. Taken with the lowly DA18-55 at 45mm, F22. It's a partial crop taken with my DL. Don't count the 18-55mm out, it's not a bad lens and focuses fairly close. I can also use my Hoyo close-up lens set on it if I want to get closer.

If you use the DA18-55mm on the new K20D, thinkof the small crops you could dig out of it. I guess that's why they came out with a new lens with more resolution. I wonder if any of the other lenses will not have enough resolution for the new K20D?That may be one reason to stay with the lower mp's - Bruce