[Wheatfield]

I spoiled myself this morning with a Fuji X-T5 body.
It seems quite nice so far.

[pepperberry farm]

I spoiled myself this morning with a Fuji X-T5 body.
It seems quite nice so far.

nice!!

[Wheatfield]

nice!!

It sure has a lot of inscrutable settings. The lack of a paper owners manual doesn't help me much as I much prefer to read a book than try to figure stuff out from a computer screen. I'll probably end up watching a bunch of YouTube videos.
They have taken a page from Pentax with their pixel shift technology and built on it. If I've interpreted things correctly, it takes 16 images and combines them to create a 160mp file with full color data at every pixel site.
It appears to have an extended ISO range down to ISO 64 which will be very handy in the studio as my room is small enough that I have trouble throttling my lights back far enough to allow the wider apertures I prefer for portraiture.
No astro tracer, that's still a Pentax thing, though the camera appears to have GPS as it offers to save location data. I haven't dug around on that yet.
Also, it does automatic focus bracketing for focus stacking. This is exciting for me as focus stacks are one of the things I do quite often.
It's tiny, about the same size as the X-T1. My understanding is the previous camera or two were somewhat larger.

And... It has an EVF that doesn't give me an instant headache if it's set to it's higher refresh rate, which is nice. One of my few complaints with the X-T1 was that it gave me eye strain fairly quickly.

It doesn't come with an external battery charger, it plugs into a USB-C port on the side for charging, but my pusher gave me a good deal on a third party charger that has two charging ports and came with a battery, so I have two batteries for it.

And, almost the best part was when I walked past the used gear display I found a Pentax mount (though not Pentax brand) bellows with a genuine K mount 100mm bellows lens attached to it, which they sold to me for a very small price, about 1/6th of what they seem to be going for on eBay.
This is a lens I have been desiring for many years.

Overall, it's been a very successful day so far.

I have two, or possibly three, portrait sessions scheduled for tomorrow, so I'm going to use the Fuji for them to see how it works. I've always liked the quality I get off the X-Trans sensor, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what this camera does for me.

[ChrisPlatt]

Daylight Wafer 1 Lightbox

A4 size "lightpad" will be useful for viewing negative pages and slides.
My wife may also use it for tracing and other art projects.

Chris

[disconnekt]

A couple days ago got 4 rolls of Fujichrome Provia 400X in 120 format

Just now got a "FR Special Adjustable Roll Film Developing Tank Model 2", which can develop films from 35mm all the way up to 616/116 (aka 70mm film) for ~$26 bucks on evilbay

[Jonathan Mac]

After a long dry spell, I have jumped into the pool again and it is going swimmingly. A local shop have had a KX on their website for a while now. The price is about USD150. Not a bad deal but it has an 18-55 kit zoom included in the price. I already have two of them, which make it a bit of a deal breaker. After thinking about it long and hard, I came up with the thought of emailing them about a different deal.

My brilliant idea was to suggest a swap for another Pentax lens that they have in stock. I would then buy the KX and other lens, with a small discount for the kit lens that they will keep. They might or might not go for it, since those kit lenses can't be easy to shift. That is why I sweetened the deal. No harm in asking, so I forged ahead.

Looking at the used Pentax stuff on the website, I saw a DA 35/2.4 that would expand my collection nicely. I do not have any Pentax AF prime lenses yet, might as well get started. I was about to start typing that email when my eye caught something else.

There it was - a Pentax K3 body at a price I could relate to! No stinking kit lens included - what a deal! After thinking about it for about three seconds I went downstairs for my wallet to get my debit card number. That K3 is now mine. Yes, I took the DA 35/2.4 as well. Why not? The total is about USD440 (free shipping included) and I could not be happier. It should be here by the middle of next week.

PS: now to start shopping for a battery grip and GPS unit...

I'd have just bought the camera and kit lens and sold off the kit lens myself (after testing to see if there are any differences with what I already have).

I spoiled myself this morning with a Fuji X-T5 body.
It seems quite nice so far.

Very nice. Don't forget to post some shots and thoughts over in the Fujifilm X thread.

[richard0170]

It sure has a lot of inscrutable settings. The lack of a paper owners manual doesn't help me much as I much prefer to read a book than try to figure stuff out from a computer screen. I'll probably end up watching a bunch of YouTube videos.

That's a great first sentence. It sums up so many modern cameras so well!

I don't think the lack of a paper manual makes much difference these days. They are so thick (to deal with those aforementioned settings) it's very hard to find what you are looking for. It is almost as if you need to go on an educational course to fathom the manual out. I am not even convinced that all you need to know is even in the manuals any more. I have heard rumours that the X-H1 manual lacks information on IBIS and AF settings for example.

The X-T5 intrigues and tempts me, though I probably won't get one unless my X-T1's die. It is certainly a welcome return to a smaller form factor IMO. It's not the extra MPs that catch my eye as I really like the 16MP output of the X-T1, but the upgrades to the OVF and the addition of IBIS.

The one annoyance I find with Fuji's OVFs are the way that in very bright light they go all dark so composition becomes an issue. Sure the photos are still properly exposed but I find it most disconcerting. I could use the rear screen but I have never been a fan of that for hand held work and when it happens I curse myself for not taking my KP out instead. Has Fuji sorted this out with the latest model?

[Wheatfield]

The one annoyance I find with Fuji's OVFs are the way that in very bright light they go all dark so composition becomes an issue. Sure the photos are still properly exposed but I find it most disconcerting. I could use the rear screen but I have never been a fan of that for hand held work and when it happens I curse myself for not taking my KP out instead. Has Fuji sorted this out with the latest model?

That I cannot say, as I have yet to brave the cold to find out. I do know the X-T1 viewfinders don't play nice with polarized sunglasses. I don't know if the X-T5 does better with them.

[pepperberry farm]

That's a great first sentence. It sums up so many modern cameras so well!

I don't think the lack of a paper manual makes much difference these days. They are so thick (to deal with those aforementioned settings) it's very hard to find what you are looking for. It is almost as if you need to go on an educational course to fathom the manual out. I am not even convinced that all you need to know is even in the manuals any more. I have heard rumours that the X-H1 manual lacks information on IBIS and AF settings for example.

The X-T5 intrigues and tempts me, though I probably won't get one unless my X-T1's die. It is certainly a welcome return to a smaller form factor IMO. It's not the extra MPs that catch my eye as I really like the 16MP output of the X-T1, but the upgrades to the OVF and the addition of IBIS.

The one annoyance I find with Fuji's OVFs are the way that in very bright light they go all dark so composition becomes an issue. Sure the photos are still properly exposed but I find it most disconcerting. I could use the rear screen but I have never been a fan of that for hand held work and when it happens I curse myself for not taking my KP out instead. Has Fuji sorted this out with the latest model?

I weighed X-T4 vs X-T5 - especially the 26mp vs 40mp sensors...

I decided that I did not need the extra resolution and bought a NIB X-T4; I sold my X-H1 to help finance it and have no regrets...

I haven't had any issues with the EVF losing contrast in bright light - I normally have the rear screen turned off while shooting...

[que es tu]

My latest acquisition is the HD DA 70mm Ltd! Now I have:

Mamacita HD 15mm

Maria SMC 21mm Ltd

Dulcita SMC 40mm Ltd and

Margarita HD 70mm Ltd

The FOUR AMIGAS!!

Here's the whole fam-damily:

[pepperberry farm]

a replacement keyboard - out with the old Das Keyboard, in with the new....

[Kevin B123]

A new to me K-50. I bought it cheap with ABF and have now fixed it.

Next up is a sensor clean and I may a swap casing over, but it working and going to keep my 18-135 company.

My old K-50 has SR run on issues so it is not reliable anymore, and retired for spares.

[ChristianRock]

My latest acquisition is the HD DA 70mm Ltd! Now I have:

Mamacita HD 15mm

Maria SMC 21mm Ltd

Dulcita SMC 40mm Ltd and

Margarita HD 70mm Ltd

The FOUR AMIGAS!!

Wow, congrats - in such a short time you already have more Limiteds than I do (I have 21/35/70). But I can't complain at all, I really don't think I have use for the 15 and 40. And I'd probably have use for the FA Limiteds but like you, I don't have the budget for them. Probably not while raising 3 boys but who knows, I got the 3 Limiteds that I have when we had a bit of a headwind in finances a couple years ago. It could happen again and be even better

[que es tu]

Wow, congrats - in such a short time you already have more Limiteds than I do (I have 21/35/70). But I can't complain at all, I really don't think I have use for the 15 and 40. And I'd probably have use for the FA Limiteds but like you, I don't have the budget for them. Probably not while raising 3 boys but who knows, I got the 3 Limiteds that I have when we had a bit of a headwind in finances a couple years ago. It could happen again and be even better

Thank you! I got bitten by the limited bug, found some good prices here on the Marketplace and bit the bullet. 21,35,70 is a great set too! Not much you can’t do with them! I debated over the 35 Ltd, but really like the tiny 40mm! I am right where I want to be right now, so I can concentrate on photography! I like your quote from Dorothea Lange, and it applies to using primes too. I try to see with whatever FL I have with me, usually 3 to choose, and go from there. I am far from being an expert, but enjoy the hobby and get some good shots now and then!!

[RoxnDox]

New wood for making pens such. Brought home from the Big island of Hawaii by a friend. Koa, purpleheart, black palm, wenge, pheasant wood, and mango. I haven’t turned anything yet, as I’m still researching the special handling some of these require.