{"id":14913,"date":"2015-06-08T06:54:44","date_gmt":"2015-06-08T13:54:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wkoopmans.ca\/notebook\/?p=14913"},"modified":"2015-06-08T06:54:44","modified_gmt":"2015-06-08T13:54:44","slug":"pentax-lens-tests-macro-zooms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wkoopmans.ca\/notebook\/?p=14913","title":{"rendered":"Pentax Lens tests Macro Zooms"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"PentaxLenses-3917\"<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I happen to have three lenses that purport to have some sort of macro ability and fit my Pentax Super Program.\u00a0 From left to right are the SMC Pentax-M 1:2.8-4 40-80, Takumar-A 1:3.5-4.5 28-80 and the Vivitar 70-150 1:3.8 Macro Focusing Zoom.\u00a0 For convenience I am going to refer to them as the SMC,Takumar and Vivitar for the rest of the post. Obviously they bring different qualities to the comparison with the SMC being the fastest, the Takumar the widest and the Vivitar the longest but they all claim some close focusing ability.<\/p>\n

In the same order here are samples from each of the lenses set to their closest focus and f<\/em>5.6.
\n\"LensTest-029\"<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

SMC<\/p>\n

\"LensTest-030\"<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Takumar<\/p>\n

\"LensTest-031\"<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Vivitar<\/p>\n

The SMC Pentax-M wins this hands down with the best image quality and the least chromatic distortions.\u00a0\u00a0 When not at their closest focus and set to 70mm focal length it’s the Vivitar that comes out on top.\u00a0 The Takumar comes last in all the tests but it also has the most ambitious and useful\u00a0focal lengths.\u00a0 The Vivitar sports an awkward set of focal lengths which might be suited to portraits but it’s not particularly fast at f3.8 <\/em>It is compact though.\u00a0 The SMC Pentax-M also has a limit range of focal lengths but within them is the best of the bunch and the fastest too.\u00a0 The 28mm wide end makes the Takumar the most versatile but you give up some speed and image quality.\u00a0 So my verdict is that none of these replace each other and I should use them all…the end.
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