The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax D-FA 100mm F2.8 Macro and the Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 125mm. The Pentax D-FA 100mm F2.8 Macro with a length of 81mm, is 44mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro also has a larger diameter of 72mm compared to the Pentax D-FA 100mm F2.8 Macro's 68mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Pentax D-FA 100mm F2.8 Macro weighs 345g, which means it is 293g (45%) lighter than the Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro which has a weight of 638g.
Filter Threads
The Pentax D-FA 100mm F2.8 Macro has a filter size of 49mm whereas the Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 49mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Pentax D-FA 100mm F2.8 Macro:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro:
Lens Mounts
The Pentax D-FA 100mm F2.8 Macro has the Pentax KAF lens mount whereas the Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro has the Pentax KAF2 lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Pentax K-3 III Monochrome, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF Mount and Pentax K-3 III Monochrome, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF2 Mount.
Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (FX) and Sony E mounts.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
100mm and the fastest aperture of
F2.8.