Photography Roundup - 11/16

Summary of photo news, the latest contests, and more

By K David in Columns on Nov 16, 2015

Portrait | K McCall

Regardless of where you live, this time of year offers great light for photography. Magic hour is more accessible most days for most people and the light throughout the day takes on a warmer hue as it angles through the atmosphere. So check out our deals for some new gear, our articles for some inspiration, and our contests for some places to post your work!

Featured Deals

We're tracking a number of fantastic deals this week. If you're looking to get a jump on the holidays, this is a great time to get jumping!  Also, remember to stay tuned to our homepage during the Black Friday weekend, as we will be bringing our traditional coverage of the hottest US deals.

• Pentax K-3 II at Amazon for $779
• K-3 for $649 w/ free DA 50mm and Flash
• HD DA 21 f/3.2 $345.56 at B&H
• AF 540 FGZ II flash - $267 off at B&H
• Topaz Texture Effects (new plugin) - $20 off

See more in the Pentax Price Watch forum.

Pentax News

A new D FA 35mm F3.5 lens has been announced for the 645 system.  It will serve as a wide-angle option alongside the existing 28-45mm zoom.

US pricing was announced today: the 35mm is available for pre-order at B&H for $1096.

In other news, the Pentax full-frame DSLR made another appearance at Salon de la Photo in Paris.  Rumors suggest that it may end up being named the "Pentax K-1".

Pentax Forums Roundup

Below is a summary of current photo contests and events happening on the forum.

Monthly Contest #110 "Colorful" Winner Selection

We've posted the finalists from last month's photo contest.  Cast your votes for the overall winner!

Monthly Contest #111 "Motion" Submissions

Official Monthly Photo Contest #111, Motion, is accepting submissions. Submit your most moving photos for a chance to take home some great prizes!

Motion Theme Image

Point and Shoot Competition #95 - Wheel

Wheels Theme Image | Bart

The point and shoot contest is a fun, monthly contest that challenges us to use non-standard cameras, including film cameras. This month's theme is "wheels." Check it out and the very liberal camera requirements and submit your best freewheeling image!

Pentax Lens Reviews

Did you know that Pentax Forums has a user lens review database that encompasses every known Pentax lens from the ancient M37 lenses to the most recent releases? This is a great way to find out about your lenses, others that you might want to buy (new or used), and also share your experiences with and images from various lenses. There are even some lenses that have never been reviewed, and writing the first lens review is hugely gratifying.

Good Reads

It's been a while since our last roundup, so we've had time to find some good reads. We found some articles that have some incredible photography as well as some nice technique- and gear-related articles, too.

• 25 Of The Most Powerful Photos Of This Week
• 31 beautiful vintage photos that show what New York City looked like in the 1940s
• 25 vintage photos of Vancouver in the 1970s
• The 50 Most Powerful Pictures In American History
• A Simple Filter Change Could Make Low-Light Photography Much Better
• Why do I rarely see other shooters using a monopod?
• Heroic, yet sensitive portraits of men in Ghana and Ethiopia

Interesting Kickstarter

TIle Light | Blind Spot Products

This week we look at the Tile Light, a modular lighting system. Slightly larger than a smart phone, the Tile Light produces more than 2,000 lumens at 500 lux from a single source surface, according to the creators. The sample footage looks interesting and the size is certainly handy for carrying.

As always, Pentax Forums has no connection to the product or developers. We do not endorse the product or developers and share interesting Kickstarter projects so our readers can remain current on cutting-edge photographic innovation.