[res3567]

I have not used flash, ever, with any lens. But I have shot the 17-50 lens in low light and it is excellent, especially on the K20 where I feel good bumping up ISO. It really is an awesome lens. I think, and so do others, that it is at least as good as the Da 16-50. It certainly is better than the Da wide open--no doubt!

Never ever flash? You are a natural light person?

Can you share some of you techniques?

[Jewelltrail]

res3567: Never ever flash? You are a natural light person?

Can you share some of you techniques?

I know, it must sound strange, but this is the way I shoot. I do not have any secrets to share.

If I'm not shooting people or moving objects, there is no problem since I can simply do longer exposures. If I am shooting people, then, to the extent it is possible, I maximize available light, bumping ISO as high as needed to get the shot. I do not think everyone uses ISO 3200 on the K20, but they should. No, you can't make 30 x 40, award winning posters at ISO 3200, but you surely can get printable shots which preserve the memory, sometimes with very surprising quality--it does take practice and exposing as far to the right as possible is essential. I have to believe %95 of prints are smaller than 8 X 10.

Sometimes I will manually focus in low light, but often the K20 AF more than does the job for me with my Tammy 17-50mm. I have faster primes too, like the Pentax Auto tak 85mm f 1.8 which can help too. But I guess I just go to the shot with the mindset that I am not using flash and will do all I can to get the best shot I can. Here is AF in low-light, in the dark of the woods, with only a lantern which was, BTW, low on oxygen and dimming down a lot. From the deep & dark back woods of New Hampshire, with no PPing at all, just raw to jpg and resampling. Wide open, ISO 100 and hand held:

[res3567]

I know, it must sound strange, but this is the way I shoot. I do not have any secrets to share.

If I'm not shooting people or moving objects, there is no problem since I can simply do longer exposures. If I am shooting people, then, to the extent it is possible, I maximize available light, bumping ISO as high as needed to get the shot. I do not think everyone uses ISO 3200 on the K20, but they should. No, you can't make 30 x 40, award winning posters at ISO 3200, but you surely can get printable shots which preserve the memory, sometimes with very surprising quality--it does take practice and exposing as far to the right as possible is essential. I have to believe %95 of prints are smaller than 8 X 10.

Sometimes I will manually focus in low light, but often the K20 AF more than does the job for me with my Tammy 17-50mm. I have faster primes too, like the Pentax Auto tak 85mm f 1.8 which can help too. But I guess I just go to the shot with the mindset that I am not using flash and will do all I can to get the best shot I can. Here is AF in low-light, in the dark of the woods, with only a lantern which was, BTW, low on oxygen and dimming down a lot. From the deep & dark back woods of New Hampshire, with no PPing at all, just raw to jpg and resampling. Wide open, ISO 100 and hand held:

That is so cool, Jewell.

Thanks for all your responses.

I can learn from you how to be a no flash shooter.

Great for events such as weddings to get those candits without attrcting attention!

[Jewelltrail]

res3567: That is so cool, Jewell.

Thanks for all your responses.

I can learn from you how to be a no flash shooter.

Great for events such as weddings to get those candits without attrcting attention!

Thanks Res and you are very welcome. I'm sure there will come a day when I'll do some flash work, because surely events like weddings demand the absolute best you can produce. If I come to that stage, I'll buy a Pentax flash and post here asking for your help on how to use it--okay with you?

But do try and shoot without flash--you will surprise yourself on how good results can be.

[res3567]

Thanks Res and you are very welcome. I'm sure there will come a day when I'll do some flash work, because surely events like weddings demand the absolute best you can produce. If I come to that stage, I'll buy a Pentax flash and post here asking for your help on how to use it--okay with you?

But do try and shoot without flash--you will surprise yourself on how good results can be.

Oh I do it every day Jewell. Just gotta watch those WB settings in tricky lighting. ( I think I will shoot RAW in those situations).

That is why I was asking about the three lens.

And they are all f/2.8.

Great for lowlight shooting.

I will be glad to help with any flash help.

I use manual flash.

A Vivitar 285 which has been a favorate of working pros for decades now.

I will purchase a dedicated flash AFTER I get my f/2.8 small zoom.

Pentax, Sigma or Metz