Photography Roundup - 07/23

Summary of photo news, the latest contests, and more

By K David in Columns on Jul 23, 2015

Luluka | Michu

Regardless of where you sit in the world, July has fabulous light. In the north, bright days and warm sunsets help create images with rich tones and warm colors. In the south, short days and cool light allow for great low-light and mood-evoking imagery. So check out our deals, pick up a new lens, go shoot around with it, and share your work on the image sharing forums!

Pentax K-3 II Service Advisory

Pentax K-3 II

• Pentax K-3 II Power-off Notice

The new Pentax flagship DSLR has been affected by an issue that causes an unresponsive on/off switch and GPS-related freezes. The latest development in the story is that Pentax bodies above the Ricoh-stated serial number range may have manifested problems. If you own or plan to buy a K-3 II body, we strongly recommend that you have it serviced for the issue.

You can continue to get the classic K-3 (which is identical to the K-3 II in almost all key areas) at retailers.

Join the service advisory discussion here. Find out more about the out-of-sequence bodies with issues here.

Featured Deals

Holy cow do we have a lot of deals on a diverse range of gear this week! Check out some of the bargains.

• 77mm FA Limited for Various, Low Prices
• Pentax K-3 II for $928.95 (Amazon)
• Pentax K-3 II for $935 (B&H)
• 40% off Topaz Adjust
• Pentax FA* 250-600 Zoom for less than $5,000 at B&H
• Pentax K-50 for $288.45
• Multiple Lexar SD Card Deals from Adorama
• Pentax K-3 for $534.80
• Pentax SMC-DA 17-70mm for $299
• Pentax 150-450mm for $200 Off
• Four Hot Lens Deals at Adorama
• Sigma 10-20mm and 17-50mm Lens Deals

Pentax Forums Roundup

Josephine and Pantea | DonThomaso

Comprehensive Pentax Flash Guide

Pentax Forums has released our comprehensive resource for Pentax flashes and flash use. Check out the Comprehensive Pentax Flash Guide by Nigel McGregor and download the 73-page PDF book.

Official Monthly Contest #107, Converging Lines, Vote Now

The latest Official Monthly Photo Contest, #107, Converging Lines, has entered the voting phase. Be sure to vote for your favorite converging lines photo.

Long Jump

Long Jump | Velja

Have you ever wondered how your photos stack up? Head over to the Photo Critique sub-forum and find out. While you're there, you can see other forums member's fantastic work, like Long Jump by Valja.

Pantea Swimsuit Shoot

Have you taken a photo (or more) that you'd like to showcase? Head over to our Post your Photos sub-forum and share your work. While you're there, check out some of the great work that other Forum members are posting, like these Swimsuit Shots with Pantea Samimi by DonThomaso. Check out the section intro photo for an example.

Gear News

• Mitakon Speedmaster 85mm f/1.2 Lens Review
• Kodak 120 Film Changes Paper Design
• Fuji to Discontinue More Films

Good Reads

This week we saw a LOT of interesting reads, so our reading list is a lot longer than normal. We hope you get a chance to check out a few, especially this one: Pentax shooter Jeffrey Milstein uses his Pentax 645D to create fantastic images of the world from above. He's also published a photography book on airplanes, all of the photos taken from directly below them, and an earlier book on Cuba. You can see him using his 645D in this video from CBS News. 

• Meet Florence Henri, One of Photography’s Unsung Influencers
• Adios Yellow Glow: How LED Streetlights Will Change the Look of Night Photography  h/t Kristin Lee
• 11 Bizarre Photos Show Who’s Under The Costumes At Tourist Spots
• CHOOSING A MEDIUM FORMAT CAMERA h/t Howard Tarragon
• Who Owns Your Steps? [Editor's note: While not directly about photography, this article deals with data ownership, a subject that directly applies to photography.]
• How a 170-year-old 'Leaf' provoked a hunt for the world’s first photographer
• See Scenes of Daily Life in a Ukrainian City Marked by War
• Pestka by Magdalena Switek
• A Panorama of Smiles: The Photography of Réhahn

Interesting Kickstarter

This week we look at the E1 4K Camera (Z Camera), the smallest-ever 4K interchangeable-lens camera. Built around an M43 sensor and lens mount, the Z Camera uses advanced noise reduction for low-light performance. Even though it sports wifi, bluetooth, and an interchangeable lens mount, it's not much larger than a GoPro.

As Always, Pentax Forums does not endorse this project nor the creators. We share Kickstarters with you to help Forum members keep abreast of cutting-edge photography developments.