Pentax SMCP-A 645 120mm f/4 Macro Reviews

Rating
Reviewed by: Dermot
(Professional)

Review Date
November 25, 2003

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Review 1 of 8

Price Paid: $525.00 from Used

Summary:

I've been using this lens for over two years for everything from landscapes, macro and portraiture. It handles all these jobs very well, yes for portraits there's a long throw and I normally use it with older kids and adults. Produces 11x14 portrait's with ease and I'm very comfortable printing my macro images to 13x19.

Strengths:

Sharp focus'es to 1:1 you can add ext tubes and 1.4x to get even closer. Great all around multiple use lens, I've made back my investment many times over.

Weaknesses:

A bit on the heavy side, long throw to focus but hey it's 1:1.

Similar Products Used:

Hassey 120CF

Customer Service:

not needed

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Rating
Reviewed by: paulfox
(Expert)

Review Date
September 2, 2003

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Review 2 of 8

Price Paid: $800.00 from 2nd hand

Summary:

I've bought a Pentax 645 set as a test for medium format. This lens was by far the best one. I used it for portrait, theatre (they made posters out of them) but never as a true macro lens. Even wide open it's already really good (you cannot say that about all macro lenses.... most have very low contrast wide opened) - but it's becoming much better when stopped down. It's build-quality is very well ! (as you could expect from a pro medium format lens) The optical quality is very good as well - it's been my favourite lens and it's been the reason I stayed with this system so long (sold it now for going to digital). Handling is very good as well (you can shoot handhold quite long times). Nothing to complain, everything (!) is very good.

Strengths:

Everything is VERY good !

Weaknesses:

nothing to mention

Similar Products Used:

various 35-mm-macro lenses Pentax 645 lenses : 45 and 75 mm

Customer Service:

never needed

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Rating
Reviewed by: D. King
(Intermediate)

Review Date
May 21, 2001

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
4 of 5

Visitors rate this review
2.00 of 5,
1 votes

Review 3 of 8

Price Paid: $850.00 from Camera World of Oregon

Summary:

My experience in medium format photography is limited and I'm basically a 35mm shooter (Pentax and Nikon). Versus a 35mm 1:1, the larger, brighter, Keplerian viewfinder image in the 645n is great in terms of more clearly defining the image and sensing depth of field. Depth of field seems not quite a long at a given magnification and aperture vs the 35mm 1:1 lenses. This lens also seems to do best with a ring-flash (SunPak). I have not used the lens much for portrait but it seems to do well in that venue. (Unfortunately, the noise of the 645n focal plane shutter pretty much precludes its use for candid photography at this focal length.) I also use the 120/4 to meter my large format camera (4X5) with its 150mm lens when doing 1:4 - 1:1 macro. It works quite well for this since it compensates for the bellows adjustment factor to a great extent.

Strengths:

Fine optics
Well balanced on 645n
Excellent mechanical quality

Weaknesses:

Doesn't seem to work particularly well with the 2X extender
Doesn't seem to have quite the depth of field of the 35mm 1:1 macros

Similar Products Used:

Nikkor 60/2.8
Tamron 90/2.8
Sigma 300/4
Nikkor 300/4

Customer Service:

Not required

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Rating
Reviewed by: L Isackson
(Intermediate)

Review Date
May 4, 2001

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Review 4 of 8

Price Paid: $500.00

Summary:

Pentax has done a superb job on this one

Strengths:

Pin Sharp, Great 1 to 1 lense. Use it as an all round lense. The focus stays put at any angle. Nice and bright

Weaknesses:

None. Just a touch heavy, but it is medium format

Similar Products Used:

Tamron 90 2.5

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Rating
Reviewed by: Wilson Chow
(Casual)

Review Date
March 4, 2001

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Review 5 of 8

Summary:

The sharpness and colour reproduction are very good.
However, since the focus ring is almost cover the whole lens surface, sometimes feel difficult to put on or off from the body, anyway, minor mistake.

Strengths:

1:1 magnification and excellent optical quality. The price is only similar with that of 135mm format marco lens

Weaknesses:

There is no original hood provided except FA version.

Similar Products Used:

FA45/2.8, 75/2.8, 200/4, 400/5.6.
6008 EL 50/4, 80/2.8.
Mamiya 645MF, 45/2.8, 150/3.5, 80/1.9.
Pentax 67, 55/4, 105/2.4, 200/4.

Customer Service:

No experience

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