Disappointment with lens

[don_myers1]

<p>Hi all;<br>

Last week I got a D-FA 100mm Macro lens for my birthday present for myself: Usually the lens goes for $850, but I was able to get it used for $425. It came yesterday and is in very good shape physically speaking, but the noise it makes to focus can wake the dead! (When I got my DA* it was so silent I couldn't hear the motor.)<br>

For those who have this lens, what has your experience been with it, and if the optics are still good, should I keep it? Also, does anyone have a Tamron 90mm Macro and what has thier experience been? I very well may consider reterning this lens and springing for the Tamron if it is a better lens.<br>

Thanks for you input.</p>

<p>Don<br>

BTW: I am using the lens on my K-5, so is there a compatability issue?</p>

[anirbanbanerjee]

<p>I have been using the Tamron 90mm (model 272E) for the last few years and like the optics and the build. However, focussing is noisy and gets annoying with focus hunts in very low light. The focus limiter knob helps, IMO.</p>

[michael_elenko]

Don,

Do you use the lens in non-closeup contexts? I never use AF for closeup work as Liveview is more precise using a manual

touch.

 

ME

[JDMvW]

<p>Another Tamron 90mm (model 272E) user. There are slight differences in operation on different mounts, but not affecting the issues raised here, I think. My experience is pretty much the same as Anirban's.</p>

<p>I have no idea whether it is "better" than any given Pentax lens or not, but it is quite fine in its own right. Photozone.de has a review of the Pentax Macro<br>

at http://www.photozone.de/pentax/129-pentax-smc-d-fa-100mm-f28-macro-review--test-report<br>

which can be compared to their test of the Tamron at<br>

http://www.photozone.de/pentax/362-tamron-af-90mm-f28-di-sp-macro-pentax-<br>

The review concludes</p>

<blockquote>

<p>The Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 SP Di is an excellent lens without significant flaws and it is at least as good if not even slightly better than its more expensive native Pentax counterpart.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Whether it is worth switching is something you'd have to decide.</p>

[bobbuck19]

<p>Have had issues with interior fogging in cold wet weather with the tamron, other than that no complaints.</p>

[stemked]

<p>Is this the weather resistant version or the original version? I have the new (weather resistant) version and can test it in any way you ask. But I wouldn't say that it is particularly noisy. Obviously as a macro lens it has to travel quite a distance to focus beyond infinity (and usually requires be to manually focus first as it has no limiter like the old F/FA 100mm macro). Therefore it is noisier than a regular lens, but I don't find it terribly loud.</p>

[jemal.yarbrough]

<p>Don't be disappointed in the lens. It is a noisy screw drive lens. It does not have a limiter switch and will hunt like heck depending on the light/subject. You cannot compare it to a DA * lens. To whole different classes of lenses, and depending on the DA * that one may have a different drive mechanism which accounts for the lack of noise. That being said, it is tack sharp. I use it to shoot models, plants, everything. I have never had a problem with the lens (although I wish I had the lens hood). From what I have read so far, the 90mm (which I do not have) has similar problems in terms of noise. I'm not sure that I would give up the extra 10mm just because of it. I have also found that the hunting can be limited by prefocusing the lens and letting the autofocus snap it into sharp focus. For macro work, I would not use autofocus that much anyway. Rather than getting the 90mm I might think about getting the newer WR model as it may be quieter and has a focus limiter (I think).</p>

<p>Best of luck to you with that gem of a lens.</p>

[wayne_campbell]

<p>This is the one you should have bought<br>

http://www.photozone.de/pentax/130-pentax-smc-fa-100mm-f28-macro-review--lab-test-report</p>

[trw]

<p>The noise you are hearing is most likely coming from the body, not the lens. As they're both screw drive lenses with a long throw designed for very precise focusing, they're both likely to be louder than a SDM lens like the DA*s.<br>

I use the Tamron 272E and am happy with it but haven't used the D-FA 100 so I can't compare them.</p>

 

[henkc]

<p>I have the D-FA 100 and love it. It does have a lot of travel, hunts often and does make a lot of noise, but it is a screw drive macro lens. Optically I was never 100% sure of mine until I spent a bit of time calibrating it on my K20D. Since then I have been very happy with the results.<br>

I use it for telephoto landscapes and the occasional macro.<br>

<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7O9I1rxcJNk/URdhkathGzI/AAAAAAAADQQ/no1hPtOBUDE/s640/20120611-_IGP8373.jpg" alt="" width="426" height="640" /></p>

<p><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0-ySmkE_SPg/URdhkyaax8I/AAAAAAAADQY/qduykhSmBRw/s640/20120813-_IGP8837.jpg" alt="" width="426" height="640" /></p>

[rod_hilner]

<p>I couldn't afford the price of a new AF macro lens so I picked up a new Tamron adaptall 90mm 2.8 lens a couple years ago at KEH for $130. Focusing can be a challenge sometimes but when I am successful the shots are great</p>

<p>.<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/13870012-md.jpg" alt="" width="462" height="680" /></p>

[rod_hilner]

<p>I couldn't afford the price of a new AF macro lens so I picked up a new Tamron adaptall 90mm 2.8 lens a couple years ago at KEH for $130. Focusing can be a challenge sometimes but when I am successful the shots are great</p>

<p>.<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/13870012-md.jpg" alt="" width="462" height="680" /></p>

[rod_hilner]

<p>When I was looking for a macro lens a couple years ago I couldn't justify the cost of a new AF macro lens so I picked up a new Tamron adaptall version 90mm f2.8 for $130 (at KEH). Focusing can be a challenge at times but I think the shots are great when I'm successful.</p>

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/13870012-md.jpg" alt="" width="462" height="680" /></p>

<p> </p>

[MattB.Net]

<p>You can say that again! ;)</p>

<p>I have the Pentax-M 100mm f/4 macro and it's dead silent to focus. Of course it's manual too. </p>

 

[john_behrends]

<p>I have the DFA 100mm WR and love it. I use it mostly for landscape shots, not too much for macro.</p>

[rod_hilner]

<p>Sorry for the repetitive posts, didn't realize my PC was in burst mode. Apparently, unlike digital photography, you can't delete your mistakes.</p>

[don_myers1]

<p>Thanks everyone;<br>

I went out Sunday and took a few pics with it; the optics are very sharp and after playing around with it I got somewhat used to the noise. As I tend to shoot primarally telephotos, I suspect this will become my primary lens, with my 16-50 and 300 covering the lower and upper boundries. (With my doubler that gives me an extended range of 16mm- 600mm!)<br>

I don't have any pictures to post, but next weekend I may put up a few.<br>

Take care all, and Thanks!</p>

<p>Don</p>

[michael_kuhne]

<p>I'll try again.</p>

[michael_kuhne]

<p>The reason this has the old screw-drive system, as designated by the " D-FA" series of lenses, is this is still "full-frame" glass and can be used and will AF on 35mm film bodies, as well as being designed for digital use. Lenses having SDM silent focus with the lens having its own built-in motor will not AF on a film body, even if the glass is full-frame, unless having both screw and SDM capability.<br>

One thing to consider is battery power. I have discovered SDM tends to take more battery power from the camera body. With the longer wind-out for focus of a macro lens, this puts more stress on the AF system, as well as being more noisy. If it were SDM, the noise would be gone, but there would be yet more battery drain in a macro design.<br>

</p>