I've been lucky enough to spend a week in Paris at the beginning of October. The city needs no introduction and is, of course, very photogenic. I brought along my K-1 and a few lenses. Most night shots were performed with the DA21 (for the starbursts), the DA40 and DFA 100 macro (my fastest lenses, both well behaved on FF).

Here are my favourite, in no particular order. You can click them to get larger versions.

1-Alexandre-3 bridge



2-Pillars at the entrance of the same bridge



3-Alexandre-3 pillars, with Invalides at the back



4-Invalides



5-Eiffel tower shimmering (that's a longish exposure, the tower shimmers at each hour turn, this image integrated all those small lights)



6-Eiffel tower and the Moon (from a boat, handheld)



7-a beam of light (handheld, DA40, from the top of the Arc de Triomphe. No tripods allowed)



8-Arc de Triomphe



9-Champs Élysée from the top of Arc de Triomphe



10-Notre-Dame (my favourite monument, so beautifully lit)



11-Same



12-Grand Palais



Comments and critique are welcome!

[markvc]

Very nice work - I really like Notre Dame in image #10. Thanks for sharing

[mhoule418]

Belles photos.
Un jour, ça va être mon tour!

Nice pictures.
One day, I'll be there too!

[DW58]

Beautiful captures of a beautiful city.

[bdery]

I really like Notre Dame in image #10

I think it's my favourite from the whole trip.

Un jour, ça va être mon tour!

Pourquoi pas? Quelle belle ville.

Beautiful captures of a beautiful city.

The city is more beautiful than my images. Thanks!

[Qwntm]

Great photos! Must be absolutely lovely this time of year for sure!


As I sit here staring at my K1 and K3II, wondering which set of primes to go with, I can't help but think that you might have been better served with a K3 or K3II instead of a K1 for this. Wouldn't 24mp's on target be better than 15? And you could have saved about 2 pounds of carry around weight too.


I love the 15mm, which there is no prime FF equal yet, and Love the 21mm, the 31 is much faster, heavier and expensive than the 21. I'd prefer the 35mm Macro to the 43mm, though I do like the 77mm either way.


But when I head down that road I wonder what I'm actually ever going to use the K1 with the MONSTER 24-70 for anyway....


And having said all that, the K1 with the 24-70 was no big deal really at an 8 hour wedding last weekend so I don't even know what I'm on about...


(I guess I'll just start with the 43mm and see where we go from there.)

[Peter Nutkins]

Love the pics (especially perspective in no. 1) - makes me want to go over to France

[bdery]

Great photos! Must be absolutely lovely this time of year for sure!

yes. The only thing missing is that most of the fountains weren't flowing anymore.

As I sit here staring at my K1 and K3II, wondering which set of primes to go with, I can't help but think that you might have been better served with a K3 or K3II instead of a K1 for this. Wouldn't 24mp's on target be better than 15? And you could have saved about 2 pounds of carry around weight too.

2 pounds? There are a few grams of difference between the K-3 and K-1, but I would have taken the same lenses.

I almost never use (used?) my K-3 at 24MP, except in the studio. In all honestly, 15 or so is plenty for most situations, I have a 3 feet by 2 canvas print in my living room that was shot at 10 MP.

What the K-1 offered that the K-3 lacked was better noise control, the tilting screen, better SR, easier controls (I've never ever used the composition adjustment with the K-3 for some reason), GPS, better viewfinder display and controls, and probably a few other things I forget.

The K-1 also let me use the DA40 as a FF lens when needed, and I could mount the 16-85 at its widest and grab a few degrees of wide angle more than what APS-C would give me.

My kit is mainly built for APS-C. I purchased the K-1 exclusively to perform Pentaxforum reviews. But then I started using it... and it's hard to go back.

But when I head down that road I wonder what I'm actually ever going to use the K1 with the MONSTER 24-70 for anyway....

I don't own that lens, I hear it's great, my own test with it lasted a few minutes, no more.

I guess I'll just start with the 43mm and see where we go from there.

The 43 is a great lens by all accounts. If Pentax upgrades it to DC focus and (ideally) WR, I'll replace my DA40 with it in a pinch.

Love the pics (especially perspective in no. 1) - makes me want to go over to France

1 and 10 are my personal favourites.

[Sailor]

Very classy, indeed. Super job.

Jer

[bdery]

Very classy, indeed. Super job.

Thank you!

[Adam]

Love the light beam shot. Awesome series overall!

[bdery]

Love the light beam shot. Awesome series overall!

That one was shot without a tripod since those are forbidden at the top of Arc de Triomphe (and in many other places). Good high ISO performances, SR and the patience to shoot many times did the trick!