keep taking photos on an angle :(

Keebler · 04-11-2009, 05:58 AM

oh boy

I'm into this bad habit of taking photos on an angle - not on purpose either.

I try my best to line up the tops of the targeting reticule, but I must slip when i'm pressing the shutter?

I'm also a hunter so I know well enough to take a full breath, let half out etc..., but i keep doing this. Very frustrating. Of course, I can correct it in photoshop, but I don't like doing it.

Any other suggestions? I do have a tripod, but I don't bring it with as I'm either on a nature walk or riding my bike with my camera in a slingblade. I was thinking one of those mono-pods (as long as it can fold up and be carried when I ride my bike).

Thanks,
Keebler

MrApollinax · 04-11-2009, 06:13 AM

Your focus screen might be canted slightly. My K100DS is canted slightly to the right resulting to a tilted frame if I try to line up with the edges of my focus screen. So it might not be anything you are doing.

Wheatfield · 04-11-2009, 07:07 AM

Put your camera on a tripod and use a spirit level to make certain it is true and then take a picture of a brick wall or some such that you can confirm has lines that are also parallel to the ground and check the image for trueness.
It isn't unusual for newer Pentaxes to have alignment issues with both the finder and the sensor.

Unfortunately, the price we pay for all these cool features at a cheap price is atrocious build quality and non existent quality control.

Parallax · 04-11-2009, 07:26 AM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

.................................Unfortunately, the price we pay for all these cool features at a cheap price is atrocious build quality and non existent quality control.

Most companies these days maintain a very large quality control force. They are called consumers.

alehel · 04-11-2009, 07:32 AM

I to suffer greatly from this with my K200D. I've had the camera mounted on a tripod and then photographed the sea. I can swear that it looked straight in the viewfinder, but it still needed correcting during editing. I've more or less got used to it now.

Andi Lo · 04-11-2009, 07:40 AM

If the camera is under warranty, this defect should be covered by pentax.

Wheatfield · 04-11-2009, 08:06 AM

Originally posted by Parallax

Most companies these days maintain a very large quality control force. They are called consumers.

Unfortunately, when you depend on paying customers to be your QC people, you tend to get a lot of your QC people looking for work elsewhere, generally just after you have them trained.

chirpy · 04-11-2009, 08:17 AM

There can also be a very simple explanation for this, and it's not uncommon with heavy DSLRs. When you press down the shutter release you can often tilt the camera slightly. If the tripod+remote/timer test come out OK, this could easily be the problem. Once you're aware of the issue, it's usually a matter of adjusting your grip and to be conscious of not moving the camera as you press the release. As the OP asked, a monopod would certainly help, it was the solution that helped me the most when I used to have the same problem.

Parallax · 04-11-2009, 09:25 AM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

Unfortunately, when you depend on paying customers to be your QC people, you tend to get a lot of your QC people looking for work elsewhere, generally just after you have them trained.

I wasn't even thinking about paid consumer opinion, I was referring to the "Just ship the damned thing, the customer will let us know if it doesn't work" attitude.

Wheatfield · 04-11-2009, 09:29 AM

Originally posted by Parallax

I wasn't even thinking about paid consumer opinion, I was referring to the "Just ship the damned thing, the customer will let us know if it doesn't work" attitude.

Thik of "paying customers" as one concept, as in the people who buy your stuff.
How many people have posted on various forums that this camera or that camera has a flaw so they send it back and buy a different brand?
I haven't kept track myself, but I've read things to that effect deveral times.

OregonJim · 04-11-2009, 10:39 AM

Originally posted by Keebler

oh boy

I'm into this bad habit of taking photos on an angle - not on purpose either.

There's nothing you can do about it. It's the angular momentum of the earth. Between the time you compose your picture and press the shutter, the earth has rotated so that all your pictures are skewed. Apparently, Pentax did not tilt the viewfinder in your camera enough to compensate. It's too straight.

Yes, it is a little late for April 1.

ryan s · 04-11-2009, 11:05 AM

Originally posted by Andi Lo

If the camera is under warranty, this defect should be covered by pentax.

Indeed. Sent mine in to Pentax under warranty, fixed free of charge. Got it back in about 3 weeks but I sent it before Christmas and got it back after New Year's so I don't think it's a fair "ruler" to measure service time.

kenyee · 04-11-2009, 11:30 AM

Another check for this is to put a piece of level tape horizontally in a mirror. Then put the camera on a tripod that has a level and level it. This way you can check the a) viewfinder is level and b) the sensor is level. This technique was used way back w/ the Canon G3 when Canon's QC put out a bunch of them w/ misaligned sensors :-P

If your camera is level, you're not aligning properly. Your eyes can pick up a 1.5 degree rotation if the picture if big enough. Use the targeting marks in the viewfinder (eyeballing level-ness in the viewfinder image w/o reference points is useless IMHO...you'll end up being off 2 degrees)-: If that still doesn't work, just load up the image into the Picasa freeware program and fix it. It's pretty easy.

OregonJim · 04-11-2009, 08:22 PM

Originally posted by kenyee

Another check for this is to put a piece of level tape horizontally in a mirror. Then put the camera on a tripod that has a level and level it. This way you can check the a) viewfinder is level and b) the sensor is level. This technique was used way back w/ the Canon G3 when Canon's QC put out a bunch of them w/ misaligned sensors :-P

If your camera is level, you're not aligning properly. Your eyes can pick up a 1.5 degree rotation if the picture if big enough. Use the targeting marks in the viewfinder (eyeballing level-ness in the viewfinder image w/o reference points is useless IMHO...you'll end up being off 2 degrees)-: If that still doesn't work, just load up the image into the Picasa freeware program and fix it. It's pretty easy.

It's probably a good idea to turn SR off first. Which brings up another question - does anyone know what the maximum rotational error can be if SR is turned on? I'm sure it's not an issue for real-world shooting - I was thinking more along the lines of scientific work involving macro.

**Canada_Rockies** · 04-11-2009, 10:16 PM

The only solution I have found to this problem is to replace my viewfinder focus screen. All three of my SLRs have grid screens in them, the SF-1, the MZ-S and the K10D. The grid screen, for some reason divides the screen in quarters rather than thirds, so I use the rule of fourths instead of the rule of thirds. Works for me! Keeps trees standing up rather than falling over, too.

04-11-2009, 05:58 AM	#1
Keebler Guest	keep taking photos on an angle :( oh boy I'm into this bad habit of taking photos on an angle - not on purpose either. I try my best to line up the tops of the targeting reticule, but I must slip when i'm pressing the shutter? I'm also a hunter so I know well enough to take a full breath, let half out etc..., but i keep doing this. Very frustrating. Of course, I can correct it in photoshop, but I don't like doing it. Any other suggestions? I do have a tripod, but I don't bring it with as I'm either on a nature walk or riding my bike with my camera in a slingblade. I was thinking one of those mono-pods (as long as it can fold up and be carried when I ride my bike). Thanks, Keebler

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04-11-2009, 06:13 AM	#2
MrApollinax Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,529	Your focus screen might be canted slightly. My K100DS is canted slightly to the right resulting to a tilted frame if I try to line up with the edges of my focus screen. So it might not be anything you are doing.

04-11-2009, 07:07 AM	#3
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Put your camera on a tripod and use a spirit level to make certain it is true and then take a picture of a brick wall or some such that you can confirm has lines that are also parallel to the ground and check the image for trueness. It isn't unusual for newer Pentaxes to have alignment issues with both the finder and the sensor. Unfortunately, the price we pay for all these cool features at a cheap price is atrocious build quality and non existent quality control.

04-11-2009, 07:26 AM	#4
Parallax Senior Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South Dakota Photos: Gallery Posts: 19,332	Originally posted by Wheatfield .................................Unfortunately, the price we pay for all these cool features at a cheap price is atrocious build quality and non existent quality control. Most companies these days maintain a very large quality control force. They are called consumers.

04-11-2009, 07:32 AM	#5
alehel Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 167	I to suffer greatly from this with my K200D. I've had the camera mounted on a tripod and then photographed the sea. I can swear that it looked straight in the viewfinder, but it still needed correcting during editing. I've more or less got used to it now.

04-11-2009, 07:40 AM	#6
Andi Lo Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 2,924	If the camera is under warranty, this defect should be covered by pentax.

04-11-2009, 08:06 AM	#7
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by Parallax Most companies these days maintain a very large quality control force. They are called consumers. Unfortunately, when you depend on paying customers to be your QC people, you tend to get a lot of your QC people looking for work elsewhere, generally just after you have them trained.

04-11-2009, 08:17 AM	#8
chirpy Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: UK, Berkshire Posts: 143	There can also be a very simple explanation for this, and it's not uncommon with heavy DSLRs. When you press down the shutter release you can often tilt the camera slightly. If the tripod+remote/timer test come out OK, this could easily be the problem. Once you're aware of the issue, it's usually a matter of adjusting your grip and to be conscious of not moving the camera as you press the release. As the OP asked, a monopod would certainly help, it was the solution that helped me the most when I used to have the same problem.

04-11-2009, 09:25 AM	#9
Parallax Senior Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South Dakota Photos: Gallery Posts: 19,332	Originally posted by Wheatfield Unfortunately, when you depend on paying customers to be your QC people, you tend to get a lot of your QC people looking for work elsewhere, generally just after you have them trained. I wasn't even thinking about paid consumer opinion, I was referring to the "Just ship the damned thing, the customer will let us know if it doesn't work" attitude.

04-11-2009, 09:29 AM	#10
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by Parallax I wasn't even thinking about paid consumer opinion, I was referring to the "Just ship the damned thing, the customer will let us know if it doesn't work" attitude. Thik of "paying customers" as one concept, as in the people who buy your stuff. How many people have posted on various forums that this camera or that camera has a flaw so they send it back and buy a different brand? I haven't kept track myself, but I've read things to that effect deveral times.

04-11-2009, 10:39 AM	#11
OregonJim Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon Posts: 1,327	Originally posted by Keebler oh boy I'm into this bad habit of taking photos on an angle - not on purpose either. There's nothing you can do about it. It's the angular momentum of the earth. Between the time you compose your picture and press the shutter, the earth has rotated so that all your pictures are skewed. Apparently, Pentax did not tilt the viewfinder in your camera enough to compensate. It's too straight. Yes, it is a little late for April 1.

04-11-2009, 11:05 AM	#12
ryan s Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Madison, WI Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,383	Originally posted by Andi Lo If the camera is under warranty, this defect should be covered by pentax. Indeed. Sent mine in to Pentax under warranty, fixed free of charge. Got it back in about 3 weeks but I sent it before Christmas and got it back after New Year's so I don't think it's a fair "ruler" to measure service time.

04-11-2009, 11:30 AM	#13
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	Another check for this is to put a piece of level tape horizontally in a mirror. Then put the camera on a tripod that has a level and level it. This way you can check the a) viewfinder is level and b) the sensor is level. This technique was used way back w/ the Canon G3 when Canon's QC put out a bunch of them w/ misaligned sensors :-P If your camera is level, you're not aligning properly. Your eyes can pick up a 1.5 degree rotation if the picture if big enough. Use the targeting marks in the viewfinder (eyeballing level-ness in the viewfinder image w/o reference points is useless IMHO...you'll end up being off 2 degrees)-: If that still doesn't work, just load up the image into the Picasa freeware program and fix it. It's pretty easy.

04-11-2009, 08:22 PM	#14
OregonJim Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon Posts: 1,327	Originally posted by kenyee Another check for this is to put a piece of level tape horizontally in a mirror. Then put the camera on a tripod that has a level and level it. This way you can check the a) viewfinder is level and b) the sensor is level. This technique was used way back w/ the Canon G3 when Canon's QC put out a bunch of them w/ misaligned sensors :-P If your camera is level, you're not aligning properly. Your eyes can pick up a 1.5 degree rotation if the picture if big enough. Use the targeting marks in the viewfinder (eyeballing level-ness in the viewfinder image w/o reference points is useless IMHO...you'll end up being off 2 degrees)-: If that still doesn't work, just load up the image into the Picasa freeware program and fix it. It's pretty easy. It's probably a good idea to turn SR off first. Which brings up another question - does anyone know what the maximum rotational error can be if SR is turned on? I'm sure it's not an issue for real-world shooting - I was thinking more along the lines of scientific work involving macro.

04-11-2009, 10:16 PM	#15
Canada_Rockies Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sparwood, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,385	The only solution I have found to this problem is to replace my viewfinder focus screen. All three of my SLRs have grid screens in them, the SF-1, the MZ-S and the K10D. The grid screen, for some reason divides the screen in quarters rather than thirds, so I use the rule of fourths instead of the rule of thirds. Works for me! Keeps trees standing up rather than falling over, too.