Just because a lens is marked MACRO doesnt mean its a true MACRO lens. Telephoto lenses are not going to be as good as non telephoto lenses at same optical and build quality.
I think there is some misunderstanding or disagreement on what a true macro lens is. IMHO, its a lens OPTIMIZED for higher magnications with minimum geometric distortion. Lenses that are just marked macro or can do high magnifications but are not optimized for those higher magnifications are NOT true macro lenses IMHO. Regarding working distances, the 50mm f.l. ON APS gives much better working distances than it did on on 35mm FF format for same subject framing. This is because you dont have to get as close (or need as high a magnification) to fill the frame on APS as you did on FF 35mm. I really like the 50mm F.L. MACRO on APS. I have longer macro lenses too, a 90mm Macro, and a 135mm Macro, but on APS I actually have wished for a 35mm macro instead recently which I don't have. jco -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Christian Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 3:52 PM To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List Subject: Re: Macro Lenses J. C. O'Connell wrote: > I thought we were talking Pentax/Pentax mount lenses. I never said that. My original recommendations were for K-mount lenses, however. The Sigma I owned was in K-mount and used very nicely on the *ist D. > Using regular (non high mag optimized) lenses for macro work is not > going to give you the same overall image quality > as true macro lenses, and TCs will only make > matters worse. The sigma IS a MACRO lens (it says so on the lens itself). The Canon doesn't say "macro" on it but at 1:3 is considered a macro lens. > > When I say general purpose, its NOT my specific purpose > or your specific purpose, its GENERAL PURPOSE > (all around MACRO usage) where a macro lens would > give better results than a NON MACRO > lens would. I don't agree than 90-105mm and longer > is a good general purpose macro lens focal length for APS. > > The original poster did not specify a specific > usage so that is why I recommended a good general > purpose MACRO focal length on APS , like the 50mm SMC-A MACRO lens. And for the same reasons I recommended a SMC-A 100/2.8 (or vivitar Series 1 105/2.5). I think the ability to go 1:1 without tubes and a longer working distance is a better choice. -- Christian http://photography.skofteland.net -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
