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01-01-2014, 09:41 PM   #1
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I just bought Pentax K-3


I want to learn
easy setting using AF 28-105 Pentax lens (old)
- portrait close up day time and with flash
- shooting during night outdoor
what to learn basic setting

Thanks..

01-01-2014, 09:47 PM   #2
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Welcome!

So is this your first dslr? So you need to learn all about photography, or just your first Pentax?

Which 28-105? There are several different ones, you need to include the whole name and the aperture numbers.

If you are willing to read and learn this is the place, but you have some work ahead of you.
01-01-2014, 09:59 PM   #3
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congratulations on joining the Pentax K-3 club, you will enjoy using that camera.
01-01-2014, 10:21 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by jatrax Quote
Welcome!

So is this your first dslr? So you need to learn all about photography, or just your first Pentax?

Which 28-105? There are several different ones, you need to include the whole name and the aperture numbers.

If you are willing to read and learn this is the place, but you have some work ahead of you.
HI Jatrax

Thank you very much for your reply
Its my first time at PENTAX Forum.
And this is my first time to use DSLR and have SMC Pentax-FA 28-105mm F4-5.6

I use Point and shot NIKONP510


Thanks..

01-01-2014, 11:15 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by jojnoble Quote
HI Jatrax

Thank you very much for your reply
Its my first time at PENTAX Forum.
And this is my first time to use DSLR and have SMC Pentax-FA 28-105mm F4-5.6

I use Point and shot NIKONP510


Thanks..
Does it have a Green Mode, if so, then use that at the beginning and start clicking.
01-02-2014, 02:39 AM - 1 Like   #6
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The K-3 is an incredible machine. Especially since this is your first DSLR ever - I am confident it will keep you guessing and learning for the next 3-4 years. It's also generally agreed upon as the best APS-C camera money can buy. Seriously.

Crop sensor is a bit smaller than the full frame standard that uses a sensor the same size as traditional 35mm film - don't worry about what that difference means. At this point in time it means nothing to you. Trust me.

The K-3 was not designed to be used in "Green Mode." Of course it works perfectly well in fully automatic mode, but what I mean by that is it was designed for you, the photographer, to drive it. To change the settings, to envision your photograph before you take it, knowing how to turn the dials and push the buttons to make that vision a reality. It's without any doubt that the tool you have in your hand is nothing short of professional quality. Nothing short of it at all.

If you really want to take advantage of the incredible capabilities of it as opposed to using it as a very expensive "point and shoot," learn the following:
  • Depth of Field - what it means, and how to manage it and when having more (deeper) depth of field is critical (i.e. landscapes) and when having less (shallower) depth of field is critical (i.e. portraits). Also, how to accomplish less or more depth of field in your photos and what affords depth of field (large aperture on your lens, distance to subject, distance of subject to background, zoom/magnification all contribute to DOF control, with the first one being the most critical).
  • Shutter Speed - yes it has to be balanced for a good exposure, but you also need to learn what it means. Too long a shutter speed and it won't freeze even a person standing there for you frozen for a portrait. Too fast a shutter speed, and you've unnecessarily raised your ISO to poor quality levels.
  • ISO - aka "sensitivity" it allows you to increase or decrease your sensors responsiveness and sensitivity towards light. In poor light (say inside a bar) it becomes your best friend, but at a cost in image quality. Learn what that cost is.
  • Exposure - how the three critical photographic settings (Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO) are in a three-way marriage. Think of the three points of a triangle that you need to always balance, as they always change depending on what your priorities are (depth of field, freezing action, etc) and more importantly and much more constraining - the amount (and quality) of light available to you when taking the shot. Here is a great simulator that will help with getting started:
  • Composition - a good photograph is not just taking a good photograph technically, but remember that the "study of light" is also an art. Compositional guides will be your friend until you learn how to break them purposefully because a certain shot/situation calls for it. Such 'rules' or 'guides' are the Rule of Thirds, Negative Space, Golden Spiral, and many others. Here are two guides provided by Pentax Forums that should provide an excellent starting point (and they're quick to read with plenty of examples!):
  • Focal Length - learn what difference focal lengths afford in terms of "Field of View." The lower the number, the wider the focal length, and vice versa. See what this means with regard to different shooting scenarios (indoors, portraits, outdoors, landscapes, far away shots, etc.). You have a zoom lens, so this should be easy to experiment with by just zooming in and out.
  • Your K-3 - Read the manual. Read the manual. Read the manual. And then keep it in the bathroom and read it. It will answer many of your questions and teach you what the different dials, buttons, etc are for your camera, and how to change specific settings.
  • Av, Tv, TAv Modes - as soon as you can, get out of green mode. These three modes are "Manual/Automatic" type modes. Meaning you change 2 of the three settings (Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO), and the third is automatically set by the camera's internal light meter to balance the exposure (the triangle reference above). Av is "Aperture Priority" where you change the aperture and ISO manually and the camera sets the shutter speed. This is arguably the most popular and used camera setting, so it would be a great place to start. I shoot only "M" (full manual where you change all settings manually - nothing is automatic) now, but I started in Av after switching from green mode with a trusty Pentax K-7. Do not wait the six months that I did before going off Green mode - it only delayed my progress that much longer. Initially you won't get good photos - way too dark, way too bright, or way too blurry because the shutter speed will be too slow. That's ok. Don't go back to Green mode.
I could go on, but this seems to be a good starting point, and if you have too much to focus on, then you learn nothing, right? And once you start really learning what these tenets mean, the rest will fall into place through self-discovery.

In the mean time, make sure to always keep your lens cap on when not using your lens, and always use your lens hood. Always. You will see the vast majority of shooters around you will not have a lens hood, or worse, leave it at home or have it reversed in the storage manner while shooting. I don't understand this, but don't fall into that trap. The lens hood not only benefits the quality of your images by cutting glare from the sun (think of your pull-down shade when you are driving - doesn't it make a world of difference when the sun is in your eye?), but it physically protects your lens. Just the other day I was walking around with a camera and I slipped on ice walking down an old staircase. I punched the brick wall with my camera and lens that I had in my right hand (there was no hand rail) and the lens hood was destroyed. The lens and the camera? Perfectly fine.

Hope this helps, and once again, you have a camera that you do not have any idea how powerful it is. This is not a bad thing nor meant as an insult. But devote the time to unlocking bits of that horse power, and your photography will start to take off, and the investment in such a machine will be more than worth it.

And welcome to the Pentax family

-Heie

Last edited by Heie; 01-02-2014 at 03:04 AM.
01-02-2014, 07:06 AM   #7
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The short answer is there is no easy setting. DSLR is like a Formula 1 car: very powerful, but requires some skill to use. It's not hard, but it does take education.

I recommend that you start by reading "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. This will teach you how shutter speed, ISO and Aperture all interact. It's cheap on Amazon, but your library may also have a copy.

01-04-2014, 10:19 PM   #8
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Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by Heie Quote
The K-3 is an incredible machine. Especially since this is your first DSLR ever - I am confident it will keep you guessing and learning for the next 3-4 years. It's also generally agreed upon as the best APS-C camera money can buy. Seriously.

Crop sensor is a bit smaller than the full frame standard that uses a sensor the same size as traditional 35mm film - don't worry about what that difference means. At this point in time it means nothing to you. Trust me.

The K-3 was not designed to be used in "Green Mode." Of course it works perfectly well in fully automatic mode, but what I mean by that is it was designed for you, the photographer, to drive it. To change the settings, to envision your photograph before you take it, knowing how to turn the dials and push the buttons to make that vision a reality. It's without any doubt that the tool you have in your hand is nothing short of professional quality. Nothing short of it at all.

If you really want to take advantage of the incredible capabilities of it as opposed to using it as a very expensive "point and shoot," learn the following:
  • Depth of Field - what it means, and how to manage it and when having more (deeper) depth of field is critical (i.e. landscapes) and when having less (shallower) depth of field is critical (i.e. portraits). Also, how to accomplish less or more depth of field in your photos and what affords depth of field (large aperture on your lens, distance to subject, distance of subject to background, zoom/magnification all contribute to DOF control, with the first one being the most critical).
  • Shutter Speed - yes it has to be balanced for a good exposure, but you also need to learn what it means. Too long a shutter speed and it won't freeze even a person standing there for you frozen for a portrait. Too fast a shutter speed, and you've unnecessarily raised your ISO to poor quality levels.
  • ISO - aka "sensitivity" it allows you to increase or decrease your sensors responsiveness and sensitivity towards light. In poor light (say inside a bar) it becomes your best friend, but at a cost in image quality. Learn what that cost is.
  • Exposure - how the three critical photographic settings (Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO) are in a three-way marriage. Think of the three points of a triangle that you need to always balance, as they always change depending on what your priorities are (depth of field, freezing action, etc) and more importantly and much more constraining - the amount (and quality) of light available to you when taking the shot. Here is a great simulator that will help with getting started:
  • Composition - a good photograph is not just taking a good photograph technically, but remember that the "study of light" is also an art. Compositional guides will be your friend until you learn how to break them purposefully because a certain shot/situation calls for it. Such 'rules' or 'guides' are the Rule of Thirds, Negative Space, Golden Spiral, and many others. Here are two guides provided by Pentax Forums that should provide an excellent starting point (and they're quick to read with plenty of examples!):
  • Focal Length - learn what difference focal lengths afford in terms of "Field of View." The lower the number, the wider the focal length, and vice versa. See what this means with regard to different shooting scenarios (indoors, portraits, outdoors, landscapes, far away shots, etc.). You have a zoom lens, so this should be easy to experiment with by just zooming in and out.
  • Your K-3 - Read the manual. Read the manual. Read the manual. And then keep it in the bathroom and read it. It will answer many of your questions and teach you what the different dials, buttons, etc are for your camera, and how to change specific settings.
  • Av, Tv, TAv Modes - as soon as you can, get out of green mode. These three modes are "Manual/Automatic" type modes. Meaning you change 2 of the three settings (Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO), and the third is automatically set by the camera's internal light meter to balance the exposure (the triangle reference above). Av is "Aperture Priority" where you change the aperture and ISO manually and the camera sets the shutter speed. This is arguably the most popular and used camera setting, so it would be a great place to start. I shoot only "M" (full manual where you change all settings manually - nothing is automatic) now, but I started in Av after switching from green mode with a trusty Pentax K-7. Do not wait the six months that I did before going off Green mode - it only delayed my progress that much longer. Initially you won't get good photos - way too dark, way too bright, or way too blurry because the shutter speed will be too slow. That's ok. Don't go back to Green mode.
I could go on, but this seems to be a good starting point, and if you have too much to focus on, then you learn nothing, right? And once you start really learning what these tenets mean, the rest will fall into place through self-discovery.

In the mean time, make sure to always keep your lens cap on when not using your lens, and always use your lens hood. Always. You will see the vast majority of shooters around you will not have a lens hood, or worse, leave it at home or have it reversed in the storage manner while shooting. I don't understand this, but don't fall into that trap. The lens hood not only benefits the quality of your images by cutting glare from the sun (think of your pull-down shade when you are driving - doesn't it make a world of difference when the sun is in your eye?), but it physically protects your lens. Just the other day I was walking around with a camera and I slipped on ice walking down an old staircase. I punched the brick wall with my camera and lens that I had in my right hand (there was no hand rail) and the lens hood was destroyed. The lens and the camera? Perfectly fine.

Hope this helps, and once again, you have a camera that you do not have any idea how powerful it is. This is not a bad thing nor meant as an insult. But devote the time to unlocking bits of that horse power, and your photography will start to take off, and the investment in such a machine will be more than worth it.

And welcome to the Pentax family

-Heie
Thank you very much ..
I will try and practice..
01-04-2014, 10:22 PM   #9
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by Heie Quote
The K-3 is an incredible machine. Especially since this is your first DSLR ever - I am confident it will keep you guessing and learning for the next 3-4 years. It's also generally agreed upon as the best APS-C camera money can buy. Seriously.

Crop sensor is a bit smaller than the full frame standard that uses a sensor the same size as traditional 35mm film - don't worry about what that difference means. At this point in time it means nothing to you. Trust me.

The K-3 was not designed to be used in "Green Mode." Of course it works perfectly well in fully automatic mode, but what I mean by that is it was designed for you, the photographer, to drive it. To change the settings, to envision your photograph before you take it, knowing how to turn the dials and push the buttons to make that vision a reality. It's without any doubt that the tool you have in your hand is nothing short of professional quality. Nothing short of it at all.

If you really want to take advantage of the incredible capabilities of it as opposed to using it as a very expensive "point and shoot," learn the following:
  • Depth of Field - what it means, and how to manage it and when having more (deeper) depth of field is critical (i.e. landscapes) and when having less (shallower) depth of field is critical (i.e. portraits). Also, how to accomplish less or more depth of field in your photos and what affords depth of field (large aperture on your lens, distance to subject, distance of subject to background, zoom/magnification all contribute to DOF control, with the first one being the most critical).
  • Shutter Speed - yes it has to be balanced for a good exposure, but you also need to learn what it means. Too long a shutter speed and it won't freeze even a person standing there for you frozen for a portrait. Too fast a shutter speed, and you've unnecessarily raised your ISO to poor quality levels.
  • ISO - aka "sensitivity" it allows you to increase or decrease your sensors responsiveness and sensitivity towards light. In poor light (say inside a bar) it becomes your best friend, but at a cost in image quality. Learn what that cost is.
  • Exposure - how the three critical photographic settings (Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO) are in a three-way marriage. Think of the three points of a triangle that you need to always balance, as they always change depending on what your priorities are (depth of field, freezing action, etc) and more importantly and much more constraining - the amount (and quality) of light available to you when taking the shot. Here is a great simulator that will help with getting started:
  • Composition - a good photograph is not just taking a good photograph technically, but remember that the "study of light" is also an art. Compositional guides will be your friend until you learn how to break them purposefully because a certain shot/situation calls for it. Such 'rules' or 'guides' are the Rule of Thirds, Negative Space, Golden Spiral, and many others. Here are two guides provided by Pentax Forums that should provide an excellent starting point (and they're quick to read with plenty of examples!):
  • Focal Length - learn what difference focal lengths afford in terms of "Field of View." The lower the number, the wider the focal length, and vice versa. See what this means with regard to different shooting scenarios (indoors, portraits, outdoors, landscapes, far away shots, etc.). You have a zoom lens, so this should be easy to experiment with by just zooming in and out.
  • Your K-3 - Read the manual. Read the manual. Read the manual. And then keep it in the bathroom and read it. It will answer many of your questions and teach you what the different dials, buttons, etc are for your camera, and how to change specific settings.
  • Av, Tv, TAv Modes - as soon as you can, get out of green mode. These three modes are "Manual/Automatic" type modes. Meaning you change 2 of the three settings (Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO), and the third is automatically set by the camera's internal light meter to balance the exposure (the triangle reference above). Av is "Aperture Priority" where you change the aperture and ISO manually and the camera sets the shutter speed. This is arguably the most popular and used camera setting, so it would be a great place to start. I shoot only "M" (full manual where you change all settings manually - nothing is automatic) now, but I started in Av after switching from green mode with a trusty Pentax K-7. Do not wait the six months that I did before going off Green mode - it only delayed my progress that much longer. Initially you won't get good photos - way too dark, way too bright, or way too blurry because the shutter speed will be too slow. That's ok. Don't go back to Green mode.
I could go on, but this seems to be a good starting point, and if you have too much to focus on, then you learn nothing, right? And once you start really learning what these tenets mean, the rest will fall into place through self-discovery.

In the mean time, make sure to always keep your lens cap on when not using your lens, and always use your lens hood. Always. You will see the vast majority of shooters around you will not have a lens hood, or worse, leave it at home or have it reversed in the storage manner while shooting. I don't understand this, but don't fall into that trap. The lens hood not only benefits the quality of your images by cutting glare from the sun (think of your pull-down shade when you are driving - doesn't it make a world of difference when the sun is in your eye?), but it physically protects your lens. Just the other day I was walking around with a camera and I slipped on ice walking down an old staircase. I punched the brick wall with my camera and lens that I had in my right hand (there was no hand rail) and the lens hood was destroyed. The lens and the camera? Perfectly fine.

Hope this helps, and once again, you have a camera that you do not have any idea how powerful it is. This is not a bad thing nor meant as an insult. But devote the time to unlocking bits of that horse power, and your photography will start to take off, and the investment in such a machine will be more than worth it.

And welcome to the Pentax family

-Heie
Heie
Kozlok

THank you very much for your advice ..

I will try also to post photo's using this Pentax K-3


jojnoble
01-07-2014, 04:36 AM   #10
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Location: Nelson B.C.
Posts: 3,782
Have fun with your new camera. Just remember that it will do exactly what you tell it to do. This is a bad thing for starting out, but a great thing as you gain experience.
01-08-2014, 08:06 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by jojnoble Quote
Heie
Kozlok

THank you very much for your advice ..

I will try also to post photo's using this Pentax K-3


jojnoble
Good day!

I posted some of my photo .I think its my best for now..

jojnoble
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