[Clavius]

Thank you.....Exactly why I come to this forum. I actually get help. I'll give this a shot.

Yeah, you'll find this forum very helpfull. I've learned LOTS over here.

And you'll also find that Pentax isn't as limited as you first assumed.

[Wheatfield]

Thank you.....Exactly why I come to this forum. I actually get help. I'll give this a shot.

FWIW, I do a lot of studio photography, and I work with photographers who have access to all the gee whiz stuff that Nikon packs into their cameras.
Interestingly, none of them tether, even though they have the ability to do so. Tried it, wrote it off as a "yes that's nice, but what good is it?" feature.
What we found was that it gets in the way of the process of taking pictures more than it helps.
Now, if I was doing a lot of small product/tabletop photography, I would like full tethering, in much the same way that when I was shooting that sort of thing 20 years ago I liked using my 4x5 because I could shoot Polaroids.
Sometimes I think all the stuff they put on cameras to make it easier actually has exactly the opposite effect. I have a K5, and I have an AF540ftz flash.
Apparently, I can use it wirelessly with TTL automation.
I don't know for sure because when I read the instructions for how to do it, I decided that it was far easier to just use an autoflash, or to use real studio lights and not mess around with all the Rube Goldberg stuff that is an excuse for "Strobist" photography.
It seems to me that a lot of what gets packed onto cameras these days is there so that marketing has something to talk about, and to give some sort of leg up on the competition, not because it is necessarily useful for photography.

[einstrigger]

I find tethering useful only if my camera is stationary and I'm not moving around. Otherwise, it's a hassle to deal with the wires or the usb plug slipping off the camera. I hardly ever use it shooting with people, since I don't like to be stationary.

Same thing with the Pocket Wizard wireless TTL stuff. I own a set for my Nikon D7000, but I find it useful mainly for snapshots. Times where you just want to take a quick photo and not worry about setting the flash manually. When it comes to studio or on location type shoots, I never use them. Letting the camera figure out the exposure and sending TTL info wirelessly to the flash makes for nicely exposed subjects, but I find the lighting to be bland. If I want dynamic lighting, it's back to using my Elinchrom Ranger and figuring out manual settings/ratios with my light meter.

[Andi Lo]

FWIW, I do a lot of studio photography, and I work with photographers who have access to all the gee whiz stuff that Nikon packs into their cameras.
Interestingly, none of them tether, even though they have the ability to do so. Tried it, wrote it off as a "yes that's nice, but what good is it?" feature.
What we found was that it gets in the way of the process of taking pictures more than it helps.
Now, if I was doing a lot of small product/tabletop photography, I would like full tethering, in much the same way that when I was shooting that sort of thing 20 years ago I liked using my 4x5 because I could shoot Polaroids.
Sometimes I think all the stuff they put on cameras to make it easier actually has exactly the opposite effect. I have a K5, and I have an AF540ftz flash.
Apparently, I can use it wirelessly with TTL automation.
I don't know for sure because when I read the instructions for how to do it, I decided that it was far easier to just use an autoflash, or to use real studio lights and not mess around with all the Rube Goldberg stuff that is an excuse for "Strobist" photography.
It seems to me that a lot of what gets packed onto cameras these days is there so that marketing has something to talk about, and to give some sort of leg up on the competition, not because it is necessarily useful for photography.

FWIW I do share alot of his frustrations with Pentax like the 1/180 sync speed and AF 540's slow recycle. Thanks for the insight though Wheatfield. My mind jumped to D7000 again when I read Deiberson's post... I'm at a point where I have to decide if I'm going two systems, or just buy the K-5. From other's suggestions and my reading, AF seems to be not an issue anymore with K-5, although having the option of moving up (sideways?) to the D300s for better AF is nice. Something Pentax lacks.

The D7000 may have its cons as mentioned above, but I think I'm willing to live with it if I can get auto-TTL that actually works and faster sync. I think the only two current lenses I miss from Pentax will be the DA 40 and DA 10-17.

Just to add to the list of Pentax's deficiencies, I refuse to use an SDM lens and it's next to impossible to find a used Sigma 50-150 in Pentax mount! I really need this range but it's frustating that there's really only two options in pentaxland for this range. In Canon and Nikon you can go Tokina / Sigma for APSC or 70-200 for FF

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Last edited by Andi Lo; 11-18-2011 at 12:33 PM.

[alohadave]

FWIW, I do a lot of studio photography, and I work with photographers who have access to all the gee whiz stuff that Nikon packs into their cameras.
Interestingly, none of them tether, even though they have the ability to do so. Tried it, wrote it off as a "yes that's nice, but what good is it?" feature.
What we found was that it gets in the way of the process of taking pictures more than it helps.
Now, if I was doing a lot of small product/tabletop photography, I would like full tethering, in much the same way that when I was shooting that sort of thing 20 years ago I liked using my 4x5 because I could shoot Polaroids.
Sometimes I think all the stuff they put on cameras to make it easier actually has exactly the opposite effect. I have a K5, and I have an AF540ftz flash.
Apparently, I can use it wirelessly with TTL automation.
I don't know for sure because when I read the instructions for how to do it, I decided that it was far easier to just use an autoflash, or to use real studio lights and not mess around with all the Rube Goldberg stuff that is an excuse for "Strobist" photography.
It seems to me that a lot of what gets packed onto cameras these days is there so that marketing has something to talk about, and to give some sort of leg up on the competition, not because it is necessarily useful for photography.

I've used tethering a few times for self portraits, but my impression is that it's more often used when clients will be at the shoot and want to see the pictures as they are taken.

[kenyee]

In Canon and Nikon you can go Tokina / Sigma for APSC

That's because Tokina helped design Pentax's DA*50-135...

FWIW, I've had no problems w/ my 60-250 and it's SDM...

also FWIW, I shot a fashion show this year next to Canon/Nikon users. I used A mode on a Nikon flash on my K20D...they used full x-TTL. We compared photos and they had more variation in shot exposure than I did...it wasn't a magic bullet in this use case...

[Deiberson]

I've used tethering a few times for self portraits, but my impression is that it's more often used when clients will be at the shoot and want to see the pictures as they are taken.

One of the main reasons I want to tether. To help with the position of the model on their end.

[garyk]

I bought into Pentax without knowing it's limits. I knew nothing about photography, but sounds like you know allot. I still have Pentax but changed to Canon, after a year of hell.
The sync speed is a huge deal for me. Now 250, recycle times are almost instant. AF will not lock until sure. Also the lenses from the OEM are much better than Sigma. One was a nightmare. Never one problem with the Canon. For me it was not an option really.
But it depends. If it is a serious hobby? Count it as a learning experience and move on. That was the advice given to me by another guy here in private. And very sound advice it was.
If you know what you want and need and cannot get it here. Then it is costly, but always an option.

That being said. I am kinda partial to Pentax. So I am hanging around to see if things get better. I have and like the K-5 with all its problems. And use it daily. But for serious hobby fun and getting down... I am afraid I move to Canon.

Have fun with it. And good luck.

[IIGQ4U]

Personally I don't have any usability issues with my K-5. One question I have is why the 1/250 sync speed is so important?

Anyway, to the OP, Do you have a Mac, iPad and WiFi? If so, you can plug the camera into your laptop (I am assuming) via the Mini Display Port with a Mini Display to HDMI adapter and then HDMI to Mini HDMI. You can then with your iPad use VNC to view what is on your computer screen. I mention this because You stated that you want the models to see their positioning.

[Wheatfield]

I've used tethering a few times for self portraits, but my impression is that it's more often used when clients will be at the shoot and want to see the pictures as they are taken.

This was the very situation where we found tethering to be more problem than it's worth. Having the images pop up on a screen that the client can see totally destroys any rhythm to the shoot, often the image showed the subject looking at the screen in anticipation of the image rather than the camera, and there was also the problem of having the laptop in the way, and a wire in the way as well.
OTOH, having it available for product shooting is a definite bonus, but for that, I think plugging into the HDMI outlet and using live view is better, since you can see adjustments in real time as you make them.

One of the main reasons I want to tether. To help with the position of the model on their end.

Again, use the HDMI output and live view. You'll probably be happy with that.

[Andi Lo]

Personally I don't have any usability issues with my K-5. One question I have is why the 1/250 sync speed is so important?

One reason is to overpower sunlight when even iso 100 and f22 doesnt suffice. Most of the time it's wiser to just move away from that kind of light, but sometimes you just have to.

[IIGQ4U]

A ND filter would help overcome this issue, right? I am still very green bit to me this doesn't sound like a major problem.

[Wheatfield]

A ND filter would help overcome this issue, right? I am still very green bit to me this doesn't sound like a major problem.

Unfortunately, no. An ND filter cuts the light from the flash as well, negating any gain that might be had from cutting the ambient light. The thing to remember is that people are talking about something in the range of 1/2 stop of light with the sync speed.
For some people, it isn't a big deal, and for others, it's the end of the world.

[sterretje]

Unfortunately, no. An ND filter cuts the light from the flash as well, negating any gain that might be had from cutting the ambient light.

How about circumventing that by forcing the flash exposure an additional 1/2 stop in that case? Agreed it's a work around and it will result in longer recycle times, but wouldn't it work?

[alohadave]

How about circumventing that by forcing the flash exposure an additional 1/2 stop in that case? Agreed it's a work around and it will result in longer recycle times, but wouldn't it work?

You could put another flash next to it and trigger them together. It's a common solution. It allows you to reduce power for recycle time, or get more power if needed.