The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro and the Pentax 35mm F2.8 Macro L 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 35mm F2.8 Macro L with a length of 47mm, is 78mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro also has a larger diameter of 72mm compared to the Pentax 35mm F2.8 Macro L's 63mm 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 35mm F2.8 Macro L weighs 214g, 66% (424g) lighter than the Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro's weight of 638g.
Filter Threads
The Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Pentax 35mm F2.8 Macro L has a 49mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro:
And these are the 49mm filters that we recommend for the Pentax 35mm F2.8 Macro L:
Lens Mounts
The Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro has the Pentax KAF2 lens mount whereas the Pentax 35mm F2.8 Macro L has the Pentax KAF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF2 Mount and Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF Mount.
Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro is also available in the Canon EF , Nikon F (FX) and Sony E mounts.
Pentax 35mm F2.8 Macro L is also available in Pentax KAF mount.
Focal Range
Venus 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 100mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
150mm.
On the other hand, the Pentax 35mm F2.8 Macro L is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 35mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 52.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
