[babywriter]

Welcome everyone to the Single In April 2020 Challenge!

Theme days:

Friday, 8th May: SMALL WONDERS

Friday, 15th May: HALF EMPTY/HALF FULL

Thursday, 21st May: B/SELFIES

Friday, 29th May: LOW ANGLE

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 …. The FAQ - Monthly Photo Challenges - PentaxForums.com


Video below was created by patjp

Youtu.be

Youtu.be

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

[pepperberry farm]

how timely - May's lens arrived in the post today: Carl Zeiss Distagon 25mm f2.8 ZK T*

[Sandy Hancock]

I have barely picked up a camera in April. I will try to amend that for May.

[Chris_K]

In May I'll go with the Kaleinar 100/2.8 (M42 mount) with a temporarily-fixed aperture. The aperture ring was stuck and wouldn't go wider than F/4. Now it goes till almost wide-open (stays stopped down a half stop) but it'll do the job. Especially that I got it for free
I was hoping to use my Tamron 90 macro from PF marketplace, but this one is still stuck in the US (no family going either direction to pick it up).

[robgski]

We'll see how it goes. Frankly, I'm very busy, be even worse, I'm somewhat uninspired.

I am finding this guy's videos gives me some ideas

Youtu.be

Youtu.be

[iheiramo]

Four lenses to go from M series. I try to push them thru till the end, so I'm in. I have M120/2.8 reserved for may. Looking forward to it

[Minimonster]

I'm in. Possibly with my newly acquired Macro Takumar 50/4, the 1:1 version with preset. Or possibly another zoom as I've enjoyed the 35-105 so much.

[babywriter]

I'm in with the Pentax-M 35-70 f/2.8-3.5. Looking forward to really putting this through its paces. (I had it in Single In earlier, I believe, but petered out that month.) It will be a challenge for me, because it takes away two of my easy options: close-up shots - the MFD is ~1 meter - and snapping buffalo from a distance.

Also, I did some testing last night, and noticed that a normal-thickness filter causes some vignetting. First lens where I've actually seen that happen. So I have an "ultra-slim" one on order. Till then, I'm going bare.

---------- Post added 04-26-20 at 06:45 AM ----------

May's lens arrived in the post today: Carl Zeiss Distagon 25mm f2.8 ZK T*

Can't wait to see how that performs! Getting a Zeiss lens (any focal length) is on my bucket list.

[pepperberry farm]

Can't wait to see how that performs! Getting a Zeiss lens (any focal length) is on my bucket list.

so far, it's a monster of a lens: close-focusing, super clear, and color color color.....

[garywakeling]

I'm in with either the A Series 24-50mm or the original tamron inspired Pentax lens the FA 28-200

[Sandy Hancock]

I'm in with either the A Series 24-50mm or the original tamron inspired Pentax lens the FA 28-200

I'd love to see your work with the A24-50. It's a relatively unheralded lens which punches well above its weight division.

[garywakeling]

I'd love to see your work with the A24-50. It's a relatively unheralded lens which punches well above its weight division.

I still love the feel of the A series lenses, I also have the F version of it but it doesn't feel as nice in the hand I listened to the song you shared on facebook which your daughter sang, what a wonderful voice

[Sandy Hancock]

I listened to the song you shared on facebook which your daughter sang, what a wonderful voice

Thanks Gary. I hope she'll be back in Melbourne performing to real crowds soon enough

[Tsuken]

I’m definitely in. Change of work means change of scene; two scenes in fact, as I’m based at two different sites. Lots to look at and photograph particularly where I am today and yesterday - and will be three days a week. Problem will be in deciding between short lens for the nice old buildings, and long lens for the birds - and bats.

---------- Post added 28th Apr 2020 at 12:36 PM ----------

I have barely picked up a camera in April. I will try to amend that for May.

Yuss!

[robgski]

Problem will be in deciding between short lens for the nice old buildings, and long lens for the birds - and bats.

You are spoiled for choice, sound like justification to buy an 18-250 superzoom. Just before the lockdown, I went to a favorite spot along a river and noticed for the first time in 10 years that bats were flying over the large pool formed by fallen logs, and drinking from it. Probably getting insects at the right times of day as well. Alas, that area is now closed off, but I hope the quiet has encouraged the bats to remain in the area.

I have been sorting out a lot of old photos, and it has made me think I should dust off my beloved FA 77mm. make sure of its AF adjustment, and I hope I get to use it to its greatest potential this month.

We've ben fortunate to have a lot of rain recently, and April showers bring May flowers, I hope to get more than a few pictures of them, if only in my back yard. Being locked down has allowed me to put a lot of time and effort into landscaping and gardening. I only wish I 'd planted more tulips last winter.