[Tsuken]

Welcome everyone to the Single in December 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

Theme days:

Saturday 5th December: Architecture
Saturday 12th December: Texture
Saturday 19th December: Light (a photo where something about the light is the point.)
Monday 21st December: B/Selfies
Saturday 26th December: Boxes

Photo thread for the 1st is here.

[pepperberry farm]

time flies, eh?

pretty sure it'll be new DA 18-135 for me..mainly to make life a little easier for me......

[dansamy]

I'm not sure what I'll choose yet. I just joined later in November & haven't done a super great job keeping up, but I'll get it!

[robgski]

I'm committing to it. Though December will be a month of cramming for a professional certification, taking pictures will be a welcome stress relief. I am going to make it easy on myself, I'll probably use the 50mm f1.8. Then I can use some filters I've had collecting dust and liven up the drab December days.

I did just come across a manual Vivitar 28mm macro that I've used for almost 25 years on my K-1000. I has some sort of piece on it that prevents it from fitting onto my K-5, see I'll take it to my local lens guru and see what can be done.

[Sandy Hancock]

I'm not sure. I was a bee's dick away from pulling the trigger on a FA135 today, and that would have given me a perfect opportunity to compare it to my DA*50-135 for a month, and even give it whirl on film.

I'm still not convinced I should have pulled out of the sale - it's such a tiny lens (same size as the DFA100WR), it's very close focussing, and supposedly has the fastest AF of any Pentax lens ever.

Enablers, engage!

[todd]

Enablers, engage!

I am in with the FA20/2.8 I acquired today, nary a bee's dick to stop me.

[Tsuken]

I'll bore you all with another plastic month, I fear. I just can't switch it for anything. I dunno, maybe I'll think about it; I have been having a hankering for the takette 135/2.5 again, but ...

... I just don't know if I can.

I just don't know.

But I can't leave the daily photo thing alone. And I love this group, so I can't just sit with blipfoto and not Single In.

So probably another plastic month then.

[OzzRod]

I'll put my hand up for December with the intention of using my kit lens - the DAL 18-55. But foreshadowed and prolonged medical treatment for my son could necessitate absences, depending what support he and his family need.

[Tsuken]

I'll put my hand up for December with the intention of using my kit lens - the DAL 18-55. But foreshadowed and prolonged medical treatment for my son could necessitate absences, depending what support he and his family need.

:-/ sorry to hear that, mate. We'll just look forward to seeing you in life's gaps.

[dakight]

I'll put my hand up for December with the intention of using my kit lens - the DAL 18-55. But foreshadowed and prolonged medical treatment for my son could necessitate absences, depending what support he and his family need.

It goes without saying... take care of your family first; we'll be here when you have time or need a respite.


Well, seeing that I unwrapped yesterday, to my great surprise , a brand new DA-15mm Limited I will have to give that a go for December. I really like the feel of that lens but I'm not so crazy about the screw-on lens cap. Unless someone tells me why I shouldn't, I may use a clip on lens cap and put the metal one away for safekeeping.

[blackcloudbrew]

My goodness Rod, take care of you family. Hugs.

As far as December goes, I'll be shooting the F28 f2.8 on my K-mount camera. For the Q7, have not figured that out yet. If it arrives, I have another CCTV lens coming and I may use it if it gets here (from China) in time but, I still don't know. I may recycle one of the Q-system AF lenses (I'm very tired of fuzzy focus images on my Q shots).

[robgski]

Take as much time as you need for your your son, Rod.

Possibly two 135mm next month? I just picked up an Albinar 135mm, it seemed very sharp and only cost US $15. Maybe I'll use that and compare with yours. After a month with a 500mm, the 135mm will feel like a wide angle lens

[severalsnakes]

I'll bore you all with another plastic month, I fear. I just can't switch it for anything.

Big mama jama challenge: One year of the Plastic Fantastic?? :-D

---------- Post added 11-22-15 at 11:46 AM ----------

I'll put my hand up for December with the intention of using my kit lens - the DAL 18-55. But foreshadowed and prolonged medical treatment for my son could necessitate absences, depending what support he and his family need.

Best wishes to your boy! Take care of your sweet family, and I'm looking forward to your contributions with the kit lens!

I don't think I'm actually going to officially participate in December. I'll take some pictures for sure, but... I might make December a month of commenting without posting. You know, spirit of giving 'n stuff... then I don't have to feel like I need to shoot and edit and post every day. :-)

I'm planning on buckling down for a real deal Project 365 for 2016, so I'm going to spend December getting myself psychologically prepared for that...

[todd]

I'll put my hand up for December with the intention of using my kit lens - the DAL 18-55. But foreshadowed and prolonged medical treatment for my son could necessitate absences, depending what support he and his family need.

Also sorry to hear about the serious challenges at hand and will look forward to whenever you might be able to drop in (to make us believe the 'L' in your kit lens stands for Limited.)

[pepperberry farm]

Take as much time as you need for your your son, Rod.

Possibly two 135mm next month? I just picked up an Albinar 135mm, it seemed very sharp and only cost US $15. Maybe I'll use that and compare with yours. After a month with a 500mm, the 135mm will feel like a wide angle lens

you know........

we could make it a trio of 135's... I have a nice Sears 135mm with that oh-so-cool "Macro Zone"......


anybody else?