Macro - MF or AF?

chrism_scotland

chrism_scotland

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Hi guys, I'm looking to get a macro lens for my Pentax and coming across a huge number of options both AF (the newer Tamron 90mm, Sigma 105mm and Cosina 100mm) but also some older Manual Focus options like the Vivitar 105mm and Tamron SP Adaptall 2.5 lens.

Just wondering what people on here are using for macro, AF or MF?
 
Any actual macro stuff I use manual focus so if you're buying a dedicated macro lens I wouldn't let this bother you. Only thing, I would say though is that some these lenses might make rather pleasant portrait lenses and in that instance AF is a nice thing to have. So if you might use it for that, it's worth bearing in mind.
 
Manual focus is probably better for macro.

The best option might be an AF lens with USM/HSM which will allow the convenience of AF for general photography and the availability of full time manual override for occasions when a manual tweak might be needed.
 
woof woof said:
Manual focus is probably better for macro.

The best option might be an AF lens with USM/HSM which will allow the convenience of AF for general photography and the availability of full time manual override for occasions when a manual tweak might be needed.
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agree. the problem with AF on is the AF will be hurting around to find focus point. due to very shallow DOF, the focus is shifting to quickly to be caught by lens. hunting....hunting...annoying....,
 
Top Tip if you use AF on your macro lens :

Change your AF/AE-L button to Mode 2 - so Autofocus is performed with the AF button instead of the shutter release.


Voila - the best of both worlds - AutoFocus to find the focal point, then it Locks and you can recompose or wobble back/fowards to do a subtle adjustment as you are now Manually Focusing!

(There is also another setting - AE-L with AF Locked - I have this OFF but you may want to choose otherwise).


Some macro lenses also have a Focus Clamp at the side, which achieves the same thing but is more fiddly and prone to move the lens if you are hand-held.


I have the Samsung-branded version of the DFA-100mm f2.8, and it makes both a superb macro lens and a razor-sharp general purpose lens (so not recommended for flattering portraits...:lol:!)
 
Make sure it comes with the correct adapter for your camera, some are hard to find and make top money, you might find a cheap macro then have to spend as much again for the adaptall fitting

also check it'll meter, on Nikon's D200 and up you can set Non CPU lens settings so the camera knows what settings to use, don't know if Pentax cameras have something similar
 
You can meter any lens ever made on a Pentax (that physically fits, obviously).

They even put a magic Green Button on for totally manual lenses. And you get Image Stabilisation (SR) on a 50 year old M42 lens if you want...

Its one of the loverly things about Pentax...
 
ho.ho....a PKA adaptor ring is nearly the same cost as the lens. donot forget there is a 1：1 converter. it's better to get a set, rather than buying separately.
 
For macro work, I never use AF - focus manually to the magnification wanted and then move forward and backward to acheive focus, so I wouldn't worry at all about not having AF in a macro lens
 
Brightstone said:
agree. the problem with AF on is the AF will be hurting around to find focus point. due to very shallow DOF, the focus is shifting to quickly to be caught by lens. hunting....hunting...annoying....,
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Hunting can happen but some lenses (like my Siggy 150mm f2.8) have focus range limiters which can makes things a bit easier. Full time manual focus is very useful and if I had the choice I'd have it and IS on every lens.
 
if its a dedicated macro lens, and your saving a lot, manual might be the better option - but personally id want af, just in case
 
Thanks again folks, I am looking to save a bundle by picking up a MF lens rather than AF as most of the AF lenses are around £300, the Tammy 90mm probably the cheapest of them.

I just missed one of the Vivitar 100mm f3.5 lenses at a good price, I am still tempted by the MF Tamron, I've read that with the 1:1 adaptor the flare is much reduced, that said by the time I pay another £50odd for a PKA adaptor I'd be almost as well hunting out a second hand Tamron 90 f2.8 SP Lens
 
chrism_scotland said:
Thanks again folks, I am looking to save a bundle by picking up a MF lens rather than AF as most of the AF lenses are around £300, the Tammy 90mm probably the cheapest of them.
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I went through the exact same process as you - there's no such thing as a decent cheap macro lens even MF. I eventually managed to get my Samsung DFA-100 copy (branded as Schneider Kreuznach) for £200 of fleabay which I thought was pretty good and its a cracking lens - going to cost me a lot more to replace when I switch to Nikon... :thumbsdown:
 
Well I've picked up a Vivitar 55mm 1:1 M42 macro lens and M42 adaptor for my K20D fairly cheap so I'm going to give that a go, if I like it I'm going to invest in a full price new macro lens anyway either the Tammy 90mm or Pentax 100mm but thats a lot of cash to fork out before I even start!

I've sold off my Siggy 10-20 to use the cash for other lenses, its not getting used right now and I anticipate it being easy enough to get one in 4 months when I'll use it!
 
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