[popellis]

Thank you all for your honest replies

DeadJohn: How do I define WOW well I am sure you have come across the photos that are pin sharp and color balance is vivid , but not overdone to the point that it looks fake.

I am 56 yrs old so I am sure of shakey hands and not so sharp eyesight.

Jatrax: No I am not joking, you have done well with the camera like others. I just am not one of them. I think of modern cameras as computers some work well and others not so well. It seems there are more settings to adjust then there need to be.

Brooke Meyer: Not much in the way of classes around here, there are collage classes but they are during the day and I work. Besides I am not looking for a photography career just a hobby.

aleonx3: I have several lenses but no samples at this time, I have the DA L 18- 55mm the 55- 300mm, DA 18-135, DA 35, DA 15 LTD, DA 35, FA 50, DA 70 LTD, FA 100, FA 135, Sigma 70-200 2.8, sigma 24mm 2,8, sigma 170-500mm



bobpur: I came from Panisonic in fact I still own a Fz-150, and a LX-5 and LX-7.

johnyates: I have no idea on how to adjust any of that, and I would assume you would need special tools to calibrate these items to spec.

Parallax: Spending time with each picture to create what I want is exactly what I do not want to do.

Ok I' am getting a head ache trying to answer all the responses, and I thank you all for your responses. I do believe that is me and the lack of knowledge that is why my photography" sucks" for a lack of a better word. I live in a large/ small minded community, so there is 1 photo club that concentrates on competition vs instruction. again there is a college but it is during the day and expensive. The books you mentioned i have and have a hard time following since he is always talking about some outing he was on.

Mark

[crewl1]

Thank you all for your honest replies

DeadJohn: How do I define WOW well I am sure you have come across the photos that are pin sharp and color balance is vivid , but not overdone to the point that it looks fake.

I am 56 yrs old so I am sure of shakey hands and not so sharp eyesight.

Jatrax: No I am not joking, you have done well with the camera like others. I just am not one of them. I think of modern cameras as computers some work well and others not so well. It seems there are more settings to adjust then there need to be.

Brooke Meyer: Not much in the way of classes around here, there are collage classes but they are during the day and I work. Besides I am not looking for a photography career just a hobby.

aleonx3: I have several lenses but no samples at this time, I have the DA L 18- 55mm the 55- 300mm, DA 18-135, DA 35, DA 15 LTD, DA 35, FA 50, DA 70 LTD, FA 100, FA 135, Sigma 70-200 2.8, sigma 24mm 2,8, sigma 170-500mm



bobpur: I came from Panisonic in fact I still own a Fz-150, and a LX-5 and LX-7.

johnyates: I have no idea on how to adjust any of that, and I would assume you would need special tools to calibrate these items to spec.

Parallax: Spending time with each picture to create what I want is exactly what I do not want to do.

Ok I' am getting a head ache trying to answer all the responses, and I thank you all for your responses. I do believe that is me and the lack of knowledge that is why my photography" sucks" for a lack of a better word. I live in a large/ small minded community, so there is 1 photo club that concentrates on competition vs instruction. again there is a college but it is during the day and expensive. The books you mentioned i have and have a hard time following since he is always talking about some outing he was on.

Mark

You have very good equipment in your collection so I don't think buying a new body is going to change things.

I would pick one of the primes like the DA 35 and spend a good amount of time learning how to extract your vision out of the combo. Maybe join a 'single in' challenge and experiment with different settings, such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO. Try different composition styles, subjects time of day etc.

This will help you learn how to really be in control of the camera, then apply what you learn to another lens and so on.

I see you have some long lenses in your collection, those take special effort to avoid shake and find the sweet spot.

First thing is hobbies should be fun.
If you have been at this for a while and are frustrated maybe its not for you and golf may be an option

Just kidding, keep at it and let us see some of your samples so we can offer more specific advice.

[LensBeginner]

If you have been at this for a while and are frustrated maybe its not for you and golf may be an option

...as if golf were easy...

Just kidding, keep at it and let us see some of your samples so we can offer more specific advice.

yep, second that!

[jatrax]

Not much in the way of classes around here, there are collage classes but they are during the day and I work. Besides I am not looking for a photography career just a hobby.

Take a look at:
https://www.creativelive.com/?
Learn Photography Concepts
Digital Photography School - Digital Photography Tips and Tutorials

The books you mentioned i have and have a hard time following since he is always talking about some outing he was on.

As noted by many, learning and practice is extremely important. If you have those books, may I suggest another read? I have read Understanding Exposure cover to cover at least three times. And no I did not really get what he was trying to say the first or even the second time.
You have a quite good collection of gear, I think perhaps you need just a little help up that steep learning curve.

Another thing to remember: for every 'wow' image I post somewhere there will be 50 to 500 others that get deleted. No one gets a 'wow' with every shutter press. Some, even many of mine are just test shots. What will happen with these settings as opposed to some other settings. It is part of learning. Once you get an image you like, study it and the settings used so you can see why you like it.

[crewl1]

Another thing to remember: for every 'wow' image I post somewhere there will be 50 to 500 others that get deleted.

Amen to that, my keeper rate is much lower

[Parallax]

I would suggest that perhaps your smartphone camera is your best bet, as you apparently don't wish to invest the time and energy learning the art and science of photography.

[crewl1]

I would suggest that perhaps your smartphone camera is your best bet, as you apparently don't wish to invest the time and energy learning the art and science of photography.

That's just Parallax being gentle

[jatrax]

Amen to that, my keeper rate is much lower

I was being optimistic........

For the last 12 months I have shot about 19,400 according to the shutter count. I still have about 8,000 of those in Lightroom of which possibly 1,000 have been sent to agencies or posted in public. So maybe 5% keeper? That's not 'wow' images though, just ones that will pass agency QC. 'Wow' images, hmm maybe 50? Out of 19,000+..............

Maybe I should take up golf

[normhead]

K5II and Nikon D200 pics, using a 50mm reversed on an extension for macros. P mode no adjustments and onboard flash used.

You need to learn how to use your equipment.... that's about the only thing you can learn from those images.

[Parallax]

That's just Parallax being gentle

[BrianR]

And that proves what, relevant to to OP's post?

It proves the once mighty k5ii is now a terrible piece of trash. This sad transformation happened as soon as the k3 was announced

Spending time with each picture to create what I want is exactly what I do not want to do.

If you're not willing to spend the time to do something well, expect to do it...not well. It's the same with any hobby, you'll get out of it what you're willing to put into it.

Practice, read books (libraries are great!), online tutorials (just about anything you want to know is out there somewhere), pester Pentax Forums for help (be specific- post examples and ask how to fix the parts you don't like),and follow it up with more practice. There's a time commitment that you can't escape, no matter how often you upgrade your camera.

[micromacro]

But I have to believe that as gear evolves it should be getting easier to use just like any other tool.

This is the answer. Can it be easy to play great music with Stradivari violin not knowing how to play? I believe you are a victim of belief that better camera will take better pictures as is. Yep, ones I believed in that too. Forget about it.

[GUB]

Come on what is this image comparison sposed to prove.
On the K511 you have fired the flash manually (full power) at a close subject with your iso set at 1000 and for all we know the lens is wide open. It is little wonder the image looks like that.

[aleonx3]

K5II and Nikon D200 pics, using a 50mm reversed on an extension for macros. P mode no adjustments and onboard flash used.

Thanks for sharing your k-5II macro shot.... I see the point. I guess someone "GUB" have already provided the answer for you; BTW, where is the EXIF for that shot with Nikon D200 and do you see the difference?

[GUB]

Thanks for sharing your k-5II macro shot.... I see the point. I guess someone "GUB" have already provided the answer for you; BTW, where is the EXIF for that shot with Nikon D200 and do you see the difference?

Sorry I managed to knock the quote off my reply