[Tsuken]

Welcome everyone to the Single in May 2015 Challenge

Aim of the Game:To use the same lens each day for a month, posting one picture captured each day with that lens. The picture must be captured with a Pentax lens coupled to a camera body of your choice (including Pentax/Ricoh), a non-Pentax lens provided it is coupled only to a Pentax or Ricoh body, or a Pentax-Ricoh point&shoot camera. (Taking other pictures with other cameras/lenses is fine, but these won’t be eligible for this Challenge).

Commenting: Posting your pictures allows other participants to comment on them. Conversely, it’s hoped that you will comment on those of other members. Please don’t be shy if you don’t have much photographic experience or are a Forum newbie - your personal reactions to photographs are as valid as anyone else’s. It’s a very friendly group and with regular commenting, you’ll soon be enjoying the camaraderie.

The rewards: It’s great fun. You’ll learn heaps about how your chosen lens can perform and you’ll see what other members achieve with their selected lenses - sometimes the same one you’ve chosen. In the comment banter you’ll pick up many tips on photographic technique generally, including post processing. As the month progresses it often becomes quite demanding (it’s a challenge, remember) but you’ll always be encouraged by other participants. Worried about LBA? - this game doesn’t help you fight it!

How to participate:

1. First you need to join the Group to be able to post pictures; you only have to do this once. The group’s name is “Monthly Photo Challenges”. You’ll find a clickable link on that forum page to join.

2. You’ll need to have your pictures stored in an on-line album. This could be the Pentax Forum, or others such as Flickr, Picassa etc. You actually post a link to the picture in your album into the daily picture thread.

** If you are linking to a Pentax Forum album, you’ll find advice on how to post elsewhere in the Forum and in the FAQs below. One of the Challenge’s stalwarts, patjp, has also prepared a short video on how to do this - it’s on YouTube (Singlein.m4v)

** If you are posting a link to Flickr, just click on the sharing icon below your selected picture and a window will open displaying the BB code. Copy it and paste into the Single in (month) Challenge thread in the Pentax Forum.

Each day, you’ll see a new thread of pictures grow and by clicking on each you should be redirected to the photographer’s parent album where you will be able to add a comment and read those of others. When you post each day’s picture to the Pentax Forum, please specify the camera/lens combination underneath your picture eg K5 & DA15 Ltd - this makes it easy for others to note what combo you’re using.

The thread you’re painstakingly reading now is the Discussion Thread for Game > Single in (month).
This is separate to the picture posting thread referred to above and you’ll probably want to subscribe to the Discussion one to keep up with activities and develop a rapport with Challenge members. It’s the place where you can ask questions, offer advice, share concerns, suggest improvements, and often just participate in general banter related to this month’s challenge.

So there it is. It is easier than it might seem at first. If you miss a day, don’t worry. If you have any problems, please ask. We’re a very friendly, forgiving, international bunch. Come and try!

FAQs: Finally, Zorglub has kindly posted a FAQ collection here …. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/groups/102-monthly-photo-challenges/711-faq.html


Video below was created by patjp

Youtu.be

Youtu.be

Possibly some theme days to be posted in thread below....

THEME DAYS
Saturday May 2 = Blue
Saturday May 9 = Green
Saturday May 16 = B&W
Thursday May 21 = Selfies for Sara (Belfies for the brave)
Saturday May 30 = Abstract

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Last edited by Tsuken; 05-02-2015 at 08:51 PM.

[Sandy Hancock]

Torn.

New-to-me Sigma 8-16 zoom? (I have sent my DA10-17 and DA15 off to CR Kennedy for assessment/repair)
Fast fifty challenge? I could re-visit my A50/1.2 or use my as-yet-un-singled M50/1.4 (which might be my next give-away lens to the Single In family)

Either way, I'm back in after an embarrassing retreat from April.

[Tsuken]

Torn.

New-to-me Sigma 8-16 zoom? (I have sent my DA10-17 and DA15 off to CR Kennedy for assessment/repair)
Fast fifty challenge? I could re-visit my A50/1.2 or use my as-yet-un-singled M50/1.4 (which might be my next give-away lens to the Single In family)

Either way, I'm back in after an embarrassing retreat from April.

Excellent

How many fifties do we have going? I'm one; my first inclination is to urge you to join us.

This month, Matthew, I'm going to be the M50/2; decidedly-not un-singled by me, but I'll try to learn more about its capabilities this month, rather than just getting comfortable using it - as was the case the previous times I've singled it.

[noelpolar]

Sounding off.....

K50 1.2 for me....

[severalsnakes]

A50/2!

[pbancr]

K50 1.2 for me. Welcome back Sandy!

[blackcloudbrew]

Well, I'm in with my Q7 + 05 Toy tele lens for sure. I'm torn about the fast 50 challenge as shooting two lenses/cameras this month is, well, complicated. Looking at my lens data base (yes I have them listed in a data base), I have 3 M42 50mm lenses. I may just need a break from MF lenses. I had thought I'd go with the Industar 50-2 f3.5 but honestly, I'm not wanting to go right into another M42 lens. So...I think I'm going with the plastic fantastic DA 50 f1.8. I used that for my Single in September 2012 and that might be fun for this challenge.

[trip]

Hello everyone!
It's been a hectic few months, but I'm back. May's lens is the Helios 44-2 again; it's been eating at me that I abandoned the February challenge and I'm looking forward to getting out with it again.

Edit: I've just read some of the other comments. Is May a 50 month? If yes, then I'll get out the M50 1.7, and the Helios will have to wait for June!

[blackcloudbrew]

Torn.

New-to-me Sigma 8-16 zoom? (I have sent my DA10-17 and DA15 off to CR Kennedy for assessment/repair)
Fast fifty challenge? I could re-visit my A50/1.2 or use my as-yet-un-singled M50/1.4 (which might be my next give-away lens to the Single In family)

Either way, I'm back in after an embarrassing retreat from April.

Sandy, what's up with your DA 10-17 and DA 15? I don't think I've ever seen someone mention a problem with a DA 10-17 before. Wondering.

[g026r]

I still don't know if I'm in. I normally prefer to do every other month, but the idea of 50s is tempting.

At the same time, I kinda want to spend some time on film. I'm currently talking with someone about a K2 body they're thinking of getting rid of, so that would at least give me a Pentax body to shoot on. (Otherwise it's going to have to be a Tak 55 on either a Zenit or FD-mount Canon. )

Of course, the other option is my nice new (to me) 6x7 55mm, which would also provide me with a decent amount of exercise over a month of use. Though I also suspect that would get expensive. (And would probably be a bit wider than I'd like to use for a full month, though it's at least close-focusing as far as 6x7 lenses go.)

[UncleVanya]

I have an M 50 f/1.7, an F 50 f/1.7, an M 50 f/2 and an A 50 f/2 all of which are vying for love next month. I am leaning towards the F 50 f/1.7 over the manual focus lenses for simplicity and speed. My eyesight isn't the best and my use of manual focus lenses is a bit ponderous at times. Shoot - magnify - try again... lol

[Tsuken]

Hello everyone!
It's been a hectic few months, but I'm back. May's lens is the Helios 44-2 again; it's been eating at me that I abandoned the February challenge and I'm looking forward to getting out with it again.

Edit: I've just read some of the other comments. Is May a 50 month? If yes, then I'll get out the M50 1.7, and the Helios will have to wait for June!

There's absolutely no requirement it be a 50; it just so happened that a few people were talking about shooting 50s, and things went from there.

Great if you fancy joining the 50s throng but totally fine if you don't.

[Sandy Hancock]

Sandy, what's up with your DA 10-17 and DA 15? I don't think I've ever seen someone mention a problem with a DA 10-17 before. Wondering.

Nothing disastrous. The damping of the focus ring changes from quite nice from infinity to near MFD, then disappears altogether, then becomes very stiff for the last few degrees. I suspect it just needs a clean out. With the 8-16 in my bag I can live without it for a while so I thought I should get it serviced. I have had it since 2008.

[ramseybuckeye]

I was thinking of skipping May as it may be too busy. I'm sure I'll be heading up to Magee Marsh to shoot the migrating Warblers and that will be DA*300 territory, but that doesn't last all Month. But with this talk of all the 50s, I have this little A 50m/1.7 last summer that hasn't got that much use yet. So I'll be in with that. Should be fun!

[photolady95]

I on the other hand am not a prime shooter, and there really isn't anything around here to make using it a good idea, unless of course I tack on a few closeup lenses. My lens for May was going to be my new to me Pentax F zoom 28-80mm Macro lens. I have two 50s, both f2s, one A and one M. I got them to use as portrait lenses, and still plan to use them on my up coming Granddaughter's wedding in June/July which ever month they decide to do this. Other than that, they sit in my backpack doing nothing.