I am finally a Pentaxian!

[FotoPete]

After almost a year with my Samsung GX-1L (Pentax DL2 at heart), I finally got a Pentax dslr body!

Certainly not a long stretch going from 6.1MP to 6.1MP. I bought it mostly out of impulse. A $529.99 CAN price tag (for new body) was certainly a deciding factor. The price drop probably there to pave the way for the newer K100D Super variant.

Anyhow, I'm not quite sure how this may be of immediate help because my GX-1L is still in perfect working order and takes great pics. I volunteer at school so in Sept, the cameras will see alot more use. I found the WB to be some what of a pain in the ass with the GX-1L in mixed artifical lighting as well as with flash. Hope the K100D can do better.

Has anyone tried the K100D battery grip from the taiwanese company Ownuser yet? I was thinking of trying it out in the future.

Heres the Product Body shot. Just playing around with my Vivitar S1 600 thriystor.

I'll post some pics from the K100D once I get extra batteries and memory cards. (The three photos posted above were taken with the 18-55 Kit lens btw.)

[RiceHigh]

Originally Posted by FotoPete

Certainly not a long stretch going from 6.1MP to 6.1MP. I bought it mostly out of impulse. A $529.99 CAN price tag (for new body) was certainly a deciding factor. The price drop probably there to pave the way for the newer K100D Super variant.

Congrats. I think you've made a wise choice. The K100D Super is actually nothing "super" at all. Unless you want to use SDM lenses *now*, there is actually no point to get the "Super" as the Dust Removal won't work anyway. The good thing is the CCD of the K100D is less dust adhesive than the DS, so if worried, just blow the sensor at a clean place before going out to shoot. The CCD surface, i.e., the AA filter, of the K100D sensor is very "slippy" and does not attract dust very easily afterall.

Anyhow, I'm not quite sure how this may be of immediate help because my GX-1L is still in perfect working order and takes great pics. I volunteer at school so in Sept, the cameras will see alot more use. I found the WB to be some what of a pain in the ass with the GX-1L in mixed artifical lighting as well as with flash. Hope the K100D can do better.

The AWB of K100D is only marginally better, but you will still need to shoot RAW if you do not have the confidence.

Has anyone tried the K100D battery grip from the taiwanese company Ownuser yet? I was thinking of trying it out in the future.

I think such grips are useless. THey just adding weight and size to the camera with no real benefit of any kind. Especially consider those after-market products with inferior quality, I won't even consider them.

Heres the Product Body shot. Just playing around with my Vivitar S1 600 thriystor.

But beware of the possible damage it might cause to your new K100D! See:- RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: Which Flash Units are Safe for Pentax DSLRs?

I'll post some pics from the K100D once I get extra batteries and memory cards. (The three photos posted above were taken with the 18-55 Kit lens btw.)

If you get NiMH rechargeable, get only the Sanyo Eneloop which is the only usable AA rechargeable I have ever found with my K100D. While the eneloop is usable without shut down the camera shortly and suddenly, sometimes it still does show "half-depleted" under heavier current drain such as flash, use of SR and/or more AF is carried out etc. I still recommend *regulated* RCR-V3 which is the true way to go and the AF will be as fast as when disposable CR-V3s are used too. With Eneloop, the AF will be slightly slower (but yet faster than typical NiMH already anyway)

Good luck and happy shooting!

[FotoPete]

Originally Posted by RiceHigh

Congrats. I think you've made a wise choice. The K100D Super is actually nothing "super" at all. Unless you want to use SDM lenses *now*, there is actually no point to get the "Super" as the Dust Removal won't work anyway. The good thing is the CCD of the K100D is less dust adhesive than the DS, so if worried, just blow the sensor at a clean place before going out to shoot. The CCD surface, i.e., the AA filter, of the K100D sensor is very "slippy" and does not attract dust very easily afterall.

The Super made the K100D price go down. I could care less about DA* so I'm good.

Originally Posted by RiceHigh

The AWB of K100D is only marginally better, but you will still need to shoot RAW if you do not have the confidence.

The flash WB comes out quite well except when I usually drag the shutter to properly expose the background, the people in the foreground get subject to the lighting in the building (not flash) and so they get yellow casts or something else depending on the lighting.

Originally Posted by RiceHigh

I think such grips are useless. THey just adding weight and size to the camera with no real benefit of any kind. Especially consider those after-market products with inferior quality, I won't even consider them.

Still waiting for reviews haha.

Originally Posted by RiceHigh

But beware of the possible damage it might cause to your new K100D! See:- RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: Which Flash Units are Safe for Pentax DSLRs?

I use a Sunpak AutoZoom 333 (7.9V) and a Vivitar S1 600 (8.7V) so its well below the Pentax Tech Support stated 30V limit. 30V is the limit for the K100D right?

Originally Posted by RiceHigh

If you get NiMH rechargeable, get only the Sanyo Eneloop which is the only usable AA rechargeable I have ever found with my K100D. While the eneloop is usable without shut down the camera shortly and suddenly, sometimes it still does show "half-depleted" under heavier current drain such as flash, use of SR and/or more AF is carried out etc. I still recommend *regulated* RCR-V3 which is the true way to go and the AF will be as fast as when disposable CR-V3s are used too. With Eneloop, the AF will be slightly slower (but yet faster than typical NiMH already anyway)

Haha I think Eneloops are a joke. Certainly the way The Source (by circuit city) presented them. $30CAN + tax ($240HK) for 4 AAs? Sony's got the same precharged status and charge retaining tech (85% in one year), their 4 pack sells for $20 + tax ($160HK).

I currently use the Energizer NiMH 2500mAH. I get them (4AAs) for $15CAN + tax ($120HK). They are pretty decent and I've shot with my GX-1L in very cold weather (it was like -5C ~ -10C plus windy). The battery indicator started going back and forth but the camera just kept shooting. I personally think eneloops are overpriced given that their competition sits at around $20.

Oh yea, I shoot manaul focus 99.99% of the time.

Originally Posted by RiceHigh

Good luck and happy shooting!

Thanks RH.

[RiceHigh]

Originally Posted by FotoPete

The flash WB comes out quite well except when I usually drag the shutter to properly expose the background, the people in the foreground get subject to the lighting in the building (not flash) and so they get yellow casts or something else depending on the lighting.

I think that is normal.

I use a Sunpak AutoZoom 333 (7.9V) and a Vivitar S1 600 (8.7V) so its well below the Pentax Tech Support stated 30V limit. 30V is the limit for the K100D right?

Not really. An user report a damage to his DS for using Vivitar flash unit with trigger voltage at around 13V. Pentax Germany told him of 30V though.

Haha I think Eneloops are a joke. Certainly the way The Source (by circuit city) presented them. $30CAN + tax ($240HK) for 4 AAs? Sony's got the same precharged status and charge retaining tech (85% in one year), their 4 pack sells for $20 + tax ($160HK).

The Eneloop sold at the streets of Hong Kong is at around $75 to $98 for 4. So, I think it is just that it is sold unreasonably dearer at Canada.

I currently use the Energizer NiMH 2500mAH. I get them (4AAs) for $15CAN + tax ($120HK). They are pretty decent and I've shot with my GX-1L in very cold weather (it was like -5C ~ -10C plus windy). The battery indicator started going back and forth but the camera just kept shooting. I personally think eneloops are overpriced given that their competition sits at around $20.

The Eneloop, besides hold charges well, has a very flat discharge curve, which is very favourable to the (high) voltage sensitive Pentax AA DSLRs.

For more read, you can see my super lengthy article on about the batteries and the Pentax DSLRs:

RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: When 1100mAh Li-ion RCR-V3s Outperform 2500mAh+ NiMH AAs ..

[FotoPete]

The Source is expensive yes but so are other stores. Out of all the places I go to, alot of NiMHs sell for $20CAN and up. I had to go to Canadian Tire (hardware store) for the 14.99 price. I'll keep an eye out for cheaper eneloops though.

[Kguru]

Originally Posted by FotoPete

The Source is expensive yes but so are other stores. Out of all the places I go to, alot of NiMHs sell for $20CAN and up. I had to go to Canadian Tire (hardware store) for the 14.99 price. I'll keep an eye out for cheaper eneloops though.

In Australia, where consumer items are always more expensive than in US & Canada, I can get pack of 8 Eneloops delivered for US$30 equiv. Amazon is selling same pack of 8 for US$20 (free delivery if add some little thing to bring total purchase to $25+). I'd think you should be able to find in Canada a price in between; pretty similar $ to normal NiMHs.

[Confused]

Yeah but consider this, if you'd remained a loyal Samsungagenarian rather than entering the rarified atmosphere of Pentaxians, you'd probably be entitled to a complimentary senior citizen's bus-pass by now..and what's more, if you resided in Houston, would that qualify you as a PENTEXAN ?.....LOL !
Incidentally I studied the Pentax K100D very carefully before finally settling on the K10D, but will probably still obtain a K100D 'Super' body (a pathetic acronym, if ever I saw one......there's certainly nothing particularly SUPER about it by comparison with the K100D !) and keep it as back-up, because it still handles more sweetly than any Canonikon equivalent ever will ! As far as the Ownuser battery grip is concerned, it sure as hell looks like one ugly son-of-a-b...ch and consider what happens to your official warranty if/when something malfunctions. I'm not trying to disuade you in any way, but simply weigh up the potential pitfalls.....anyhow I'm sure you'll derive many hours of pleasure from your new purchase, so the best of luck taking photos !

[gussegutt]

[
I use a Sunpak AutoZoom 333 (7.9V) and a Vivitar S1 600 (8.7V) so its well below the Pentax Tech Support stated 30V limit. 30V is the limit for the K100D right?

Hi:

Looking at a Sunpak 333 to buy.
My question is:
How did you optain the trigger voltage for this unit?
Did you measure it youself, and if so, what instrument ( meter) did you use?
If not , where did you get the info. from ?

Thanks

Jan

[FotoPete]

The list of flash trigger voltages can be found here:

Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages

Scroll all the way down to the Sunpak section, model "Autozoom 333". It states 7.9V from one source. I haven't measured this myself although I probably will. I've been using it for a long time on my Samsung GX-1L without problems.

[gussegutt]

Originally Posted by FotoPete

The list of flash trigger voltages can be found here:

Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages

Scroll all the way down to the Sunpak section, model "Autozoom 333". It states 7.9V from one source. I haven't measured this myself although I probably will. I've been using it for a long time on my Samsung GX-1L without problems.

Thanks Pete, I obviously missed this link.

[roscot]

Originally Posted by RiceHigh

But beware of the possible damage it might cause to your new K100D! See:- RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: Which Flash Units are Safe for Pentax DSLRs?

Vivitar 600 should be OK. Pentax USA quoted me 25V or less on the K series bodies and 30V on the ist*Dx bodies.
The Vivitar tested at 8.7V
Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages

[slipchuck]

Originally Posted by FotoPete

The Source is expensive yes but so are other stores. Out of all the places I go to, alot of NiMHs sell for $20CAN and up. I had to go to Canadian Tire (hardware store) for the 14.99 price. I'll keep an eye out for cheaper eneloops though.

If you have a Costco membership, the sanyo NIMH's that are 2500mv (mv?) go for a great price and they seem to last a long time in my wife's K100D

BTW, congrat's on your new K100D!
my wife's K100D is just as capable of great shots as my K10D.... the only place it looses out is with cropping up close. (10mp advantage)

cheers


randy

[FotoPete]

Originally Posted by slipchuck

If you have a Costco membership, the sanyo NIMH's that are 2500mv (mv?) go for a great price and they seem to last a long time in my wife's K100D

How much are they?

Originally Posted by slipchuck

BTW, congrat's on your new K100D!
my wife's K100D is just as capable of great shots as my K10D.... the only place it looses out is with cropping up close. (10mp advantage)

cheers


randy

Haha if only Pentax made a grip for the K100D. Even a relatively simple one with an extra jog dial, the on/off shutter combo and the AE-L.

[roentarre]

You are always a pentaxian here regardless of the camera make.

p.s. you could get mine for a lot cheaper since I have not used k100d for ages...

literally for 4 weeks before release of k10d

[khardur]

Originally Posted by FotoPete

Haha if only Pentax made a grip for the K100D. Even a relatively simple one with an extra jog dial, the on/off shutter combo and the AE-L.

Amen to that - I'd love to have a grip for my K110D. I don't even care if it would have AE-L, but the other day I was dying to have a vertical shutter release...