Anyone shoot weddings with a Pentax?

[kenyee]

any samples? It'd be interesting to see just what was in focus...

You should have used your Tamron 28-75 or just avoid shooting the 50 wide open.

[innershell]

Originally Posted by kenyee

any samples? It'd be interesting to see just what was in focus...

You should have used your Tamron 28-75 or just avoid shooting the 50 wide open.

OH hey, I just noticed he had that fast Tamron. Why the heck weren't you using this lens instead? I would have died to have this lens at my last 2 weddings for the zoom.

[paulsoucy]

I did in fact use the Tamron for awhile at f4, which if and when the camera nails the focus is unbelievably sharp..

I'm not sure whether it is a good copy or not...

I find even in a sufficiently lit room ( medium lighting ) with a reasonable point of contrast to aim the camera at to autofocus... the tamron will hunt and hunt and hunt and by then the moment is over... or it or the lens will backfocus or front focus..

My main beef is that the hunting... by the time the camera finds focus the subjects have either shifted or moved closer or further away causing a need to refocus again.... I really find the K10 struggles when the there is more of a contiguous low tone in a scene, no specific point of contrast which is how I suppose these camera's find their focus...

I don't even really bother using the Tamron at f2.8 because at least in the copy I got I find it way to soft especially at 78... and if you are closer to a subject.. ( compared to say my 50 1.4 at f2.8... its a universe of difference ) so I am not sure or not whether I have a semi-bad version of ths lens... however at f4 or f5.6 when the camera or the lens hits the focus the lens is truly badass. I printed a 12 by 18 f4 shot with the Tamron the other day and Iwas just stunned at how sharp the print was... it looked better in print than it did on screen...

Regardng depth of field... I understand that focus is in a plane and that depth of field refers to what comes in sharp before or after that plane... but even at 1.4 if you are far back enough... everything in that plane of focus should be reasonably sharp... see my 50 f1.4 photo thread testing out that lens... My issue is that the camera just does not seem to be hitting the focus even when I am far back enough and aiming the camera at a point of contrast, it just hunts. and hunts and hunts and hunts...

In some of the shots I realize that what I really needed was to increase the shutter speed by a stop and add a stop with the ISO as well.... so I see the error there in my technique.. I should have opted for a quicker catch of the available light which of course if it is just room light coming in from a window not nearly as powerful as a flash. freezng the scene

I'll try to get some pictures processed and post them

[MRRiley]

First question....

Were you the only or official photographer?

If so you are about to experience a world of hurt and hopefully you won't lose a friend over it. There is nothing more dangerous than a bride who's wedding photos were messed up. You may want to consider fleeing to another country.

Second question...

Do you have this problem in other low-light situations?

If so then it is probably your technique although a faulty camera cannot be ruled out without objective testing. If not, possibly the high-stress environment affected you strongly. Weddings are nothing to shoot lightly as they are unrepeatable. More experience photographer have folded under the pressure.

Wedding photographers must be intimately familiar with their equipment, whether it be Canon, Nikon, Pentax or Kodak Brownie. It is also highly recommended to use a flash for everything but shots during the actual ceremony (and use one then if the minister allows).

[innershell]

Okay, it seems that you do understand your camera somewhats and your biggest scream seems to be it "hunts hunts hunts" for focus. If I could complain about one thing, it is that the autofocus is very slow and sometimes inaccurate. I am now resorting to manual focus which is quite nice, gets me focus quickly, and makes me quick on my fingers.

Want to sell that Tamron 28-75 F2.8?

[monochrome]

Originally Posted by paulsoucy

[...]

Regardng depth of field... I understand that focus is in a plane and that depth of field refers to what comes in sharp before or after that plane... but even at 1.4 if you are far back enough... everything in that plane of focus should be reasonably sharp... see my 50 f1.4 photo thread testing out that lens... My issue is that the camera just does not seem to be hitting the focus even when I am far back enough and aiming the camera at a point of contrast, it just hunts. and hunts and hunts and hunts...

My K10D only hunts with the DA55~300, and I that only when I move the focus point from a far to a near object. To correct that condition I manually focus to close (without my finger on the shutter release) and then hit the AF button.

Well I'm just (re)-learning this craft and I don't claim to know much about what I am about to post - but - I have to use a DoF calculator fairly often to stay in range. Usually I plan which lenses I am going to use and make some notes from the f/calc software.

50mm f/1.4 at 10 feet APS-C sensor
Near = 9.672767 ft
Far = 10.350149 ft
Total = 0.677381 ft or about 8"
Circle of Confusion (mm) = 0.019948

I don't shoot weddings, and I don't know whether you think 10 feet is far enough away, but at 10 feet @f/1.4 you get 8" of DoF. Aside from the angle of view for a 50, which might make 10 feet pretty far back for a wedding composition, I have rarely found 8" to be enough DoF except for Macro shots - and that's impossible to get at Macro distances.

Am I missing something here?.

[Frogroast]

I've had the same results with my faster lenses at high ISO. No surprise there, though it's very frustrating.

You definitely want to use all available light, so talking to the officiant in advance is a must. You might be able to turn on some extra lights during the service as long as you coordinate with them first.

MRRiley is right one the money here - shoot with a flash unless prohibited to do so by the situation. I even use flash for some outdoor shots, particularly where shadows are involved. I've been using the Promaster 7500EDF, which has a dual flash setup and it works great for wedding work, particularly when you don't want the flash blasting the officiant in the eyes, but just need a little fill light.

Also - practice practice practice! Get yourself in one of those churches during non-service hours, and shoot away, see what it looks like at different settings, with/without flash, different lenses, etc.

[mzmn]

Doesn't the FA 50 1.4 have issues with its auto-focus? I've read, several times, that its AF is slooooooow.

[Ash]

On the contrary, my FA 50's AF is fast and nails the focus every time.
I would hazard to say it's going to be one of the best lenses to use in low light, simply because it's able to gather so much of it when focusing (f/1.4 before being stopped down at shutter release...)

[Ash]

Paul, sounds like you know what you're doing, but there's still something awry if you're expecting all your shots (closeups and distant shots) to come out well at f/1.4

Really you should hardly ever use the lens at f/1.4 if you want to make sure your shots count. In adequate light there should be very little hunting. My 50 is a gem doing indoor shoots with strobes in a relatively dark room with black background. Keep working with your 50 and find out whether there's something wrong with it, the camera or your technique.

[paulsoucy]

What I don't get is why the camera would hunt for focus in any situation really...

Maybe I'm wrong on this.. but does not the aperture stay open all the way as you compose the shot before the shutter is fired? and then right before the shutter is fired the blade clamps down to the setting you gave it?

So this would mean regardless of lens the most light possible is coming in? Or do I not understand the difference between lens based focus and camera based focus?

Is there a difference?

Paul

[MJB DIGITAL]

dude you just need to practice.

i have been shooting on pentax for about 4 years. what i know now is that you need to know the camera's personality. sometimes the lens' personality as well.

when i shoot a wedding, i shoot about 500 shots and delete 50. the 50 arent all poorly exposed, but sometimes repeats, blinks, etc.

the camera is fine. i think you might just need to slow it down a bit. it sounds like you were relying on the camera to get the shot. of course, maybe i'm wrong but... 10 out of 600??

please dont blame it on the camera. if you recognize that you need to learn some more, then you will learn. if you think you need to change cams, you are just going to spend a couple grand....then end up with the same ole photography that you can find all over.

mitch

[MRRiley]

Originally Posted by paulsoucy

What I don't get is why the camera would hunt for focus in any situation really...

Maybe I'm wrong on this.. but does not the aperture stay open all the way as you compose the shot before the shutter is fired? and then right before the shutter is fired the blade clamps down to the setting you gave it?

So this would mean regardless of lens the most light possible is coming in? Or do I not understand the difference between lens based focus and camera based focus?

Is there a difference?

Paul

Yes, the camera focuses "wide open" and then stops down for the shot. And to my knowledge there is no "lens-based focusing" vs "camera-based focusing". What there is are differences in the speed, responsiveness and plain old capabilities of various lenses.

There are also situations which give any autofocusing system fits depending on how your camera is set up. Weddings are one of these. And it doesn't matter if you are shooting Canon, Nikon, Pentax or whatever...

Lets examine a couple of typical wedding shots...

1. Bride and Groom holding hands looking at each other. Unless they are real close to each other there will likely be a gap between them at upper chest level. IF you have your camera set to the center focusing point, and you frame the shot just so, then you MIGHT actually end up focusing on what is behind them. Not the camera's fault. It focused where you told it to, you just picked the wrong focus point.

2. Crowd shot during the reception. Again, WHAT is the camera going to focus on? Depends on what AF point you select. AF doesn't mean "point and shoot". You still have to make decisions. And with a fast lens with a narrow DOF those decisions are even more critical.

Due to these types of situations I tend to focus manually 90% of the time. Frankly, it takes longer to select the AF point than to just go ahead and focus the lens myself. I do use AF-C for motorsports but only when I am using the center AF point and am following a particular vehicle.

Best of luck...

[little laker]

I have to agree with everyone here Paul,
Pentax makes a great camera for weddings, although it's easy for a photographer to mess up an entire shot by just using one wrong setting.

Whenever I shoot an important event I scout the location ahead of time, and if I feel i need something else for the shoot I'll go out and get it.
In your case a small flashlight might have helped your camera focus, although I'd usually just use manual focus.

Plus I spend the entire day before, testing out equipment and checking all the settings out.
Charging up batteries, and making sure everything has a formatted memory card installed.

It sounds like you learned your lessons the hard way. So I know that you won't do it again.

Have you tried using an Unsharp Mask to save some of the images?
It sometimes works wonders, and might just be able to save your bacon.

Originally Posted by dylansalt

A wedding is not some super hypo event where things move at break neck speed
D

Your right Dylan, that would be the divorce


Now I'm off to scout this weekends wedding location, so I don't mess it up

[pentaxdude]

I have had no problems whatsoever using pentax equiptment.I shot approx. 6 weddings with the k10 with excellent results.I would of been using your tamron 28-75 and paying more attention to dof.