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Pentax 645 lenses w/ EOS adapter

benroy

Subscriber Member
Here's the superlative Pentax 120/4 macro lens w/EOS adapter...taken in soft, overcast light with the Canon 40D, making the lens a 180 macro.
Pic #1: Closeup of Christmas bow. Pic #2: air plant. Pic #3: Decaying leaf Pic #4: rusting, dented car bumper. Pic #5: broken tail light.
 
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Shashin

Well-known member
Is this the A or FA version? I have the A version and it is such a nice lens. You need a 645D to go with it. ;)
 

benroy

Subscriber Member
I am using the A version of the 120...FA versions would still have to be stopped down manually with the EOS adapters.
Am presently using the 55/2.8 A and the 150/3.5 A with very good results .

Roy Benson
 

bensonga

Well-known member
You're getting excellent results with the 40D Roy. It was always one of my favorite APS-C DSLRs.
 

D&A

Well-known member
I started testing some of the Pentax FA 645 lenses on a Nikon DSLR (the D800e when I had one). Of the ones I tested, I was astonished that they performed at such a high level. Even the FA 75mm f2.8, a small, relatively inexpensive kit type lens was amazing sharp across the frame at by f4.5 and I was taken by surprise at the high resolving power of most of them on 35mm digital. In time I hope to test and use others and they actually can be a viable alternative to some of the well know Zeiss manual focus lenses that are often used with Nikon DSLR's.

Dave (D&A)
 

benroy

Subscriber Member
Dave: very interesting: mating up the 645 lenses with the 800E...where are the pics?
What adapter did you use? Why did you get rid of the 800E?

Roy Benson
 

benroy

Subscriber Member
Pentax 645 55/2.8A with EOS adapter (5D MkII).I will not apologize for the limited range of display images...I am very limited in my travels...trying to show the capabilities of the lens, not my photographic talents.

BTW: still looking for Dave's 645>800E images.
 
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tsjanik

Well-known member
Roy, I really like the 2nd shot. BTW, I have both the A and FA versions of the 120mm. Optically idenical as near as I can tell, but the A version is much better for manual focus with its longer focus throw. I keep intending to sell one, but never quite get around to it. Have you compared the 645 lenses to any of the Canon equivalents?

Tom
 

benroy

Subscriber Member
Tom: The only Canon lens I can honestly compare with the Pentax 120 is the Canon 100/2.8 Macro...an excellent lens with the added feature of AF...and then there is the IS version of the 100 macro...also excellent. I'd say they (Canon vs Pentax) are about equal in sharpness, and the Canon getting the nod for punch (a bit more contrast). If I had to go out on a job, I'd take the Canon 100...smaller, lighter, sharp, very dependable.
Roy Benson
 

D&A

Well-known member
Dave: very interesting: mating up the 645 lenses with the 800E...where are the pics?
What adapter did you use? Why did you get rid of the 800E?

Roy Benson
Hi roy,

I apologize for the delay in responding. I had forgotten that I posted in this thread and haven't been back till now. I forgot the exact marketing name at the moment of the adpater but I believe it was similar to the one by Rainbow imaging. Worked fine under the light use and testing that I subjected it too.

As superb as the D800/e is, I was needing something that shoots both faster in extremely low light, slightly better higher ISO performance, with a file size of approx 24MP. The D4 comes close to that criteria but file size is still a bit small. Sort of an real update to the D700 with 24MP. The D600 gets a bit closer than the D800m but still missing some neded attributes. For higher resolution ststic shots, I use the 645D. The temp test files were on hard drives that I redid shortly thereafter and didn't think they were important enough to keep at the time.

Yesterday I did some brief test shots with a model specifically with the 645D and FA 120 f4 Macro as the closest match for comparing with the new Leica S and it's 120 f2.5 Macro, simply for some comparitive shots. I have't downloaded or worked with the images yet, but will try and post a pair on the medium format forum when a little time opens up. One thing for certain, the Pentax 120 645 macro never fails to impress.

Dave (D&A)
 
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