[richandfleur]

I'll chime in too.

These little buildings are great. As Gub points out, one of their weak points is their "puny" floor joists. But, that's easily fixed.

The other issues, also easily fixed, are:

1. Many people don't set these on a proper foundation. If you don't elevate it off the ground, the floor will rot out. So, providing you set it on piles, min. 300mm out of the ground to the top of the piles, with malthoid over, with H3.2 bearers over that, then you're good.
2. Next problem is that they have no hold-downs for wind uplift, so one needs to do some stainless steel straps over those little stick out ends at floor level to hold the thing down.
3. At the 3 minute mark in the video, the vertical timber supports that allow for the top to bottom connection can be seen. That's really the only thing stopping the top (roof) and the bottom coming adrift. Better fixings are advisable.
4. The roof can be hugely improved by adding firring strips down the slope, over roofing underlay, to create a 20mm airgap, and then treated ply over the top of that, and then roofing underlay over the ply and nailing the shingles through the roofing underlay into the (18mm) ply. Vermin protection is needed at the bottom, of course, but that bit of extra will make the roof structure last for a very long time. You do need to build up the barge boards of course, as the whole roof structure therefore grows with around 40mm, but that's easily done.

I helped a friend with one of these and his is perfect, a few years later, having done those mods.

Thank you for this. We have decided to go for it, and will be taking all of these points on board.
MUCH appreciated. Will take a photo with the Pentax when it's done.
In the process of sourcing the particular one we've gone with, selected to maximise the area in that part of the back yard, whilst keeping the required district plan distance from the neighbouring fence lines.

---------- Post added 04-09-22 at 08:14 PM ----------

We knocked up a traditional pile and joist floor to sit it on. Including a layer of 2nd hand ply I had sitting around. This meant the puny floor joists that came with the kit were well supported. (I spotted one the other day just out of Wangas on the Parapara and it looked awful - think it had no foundation). The actual assembly of the kitset walls and roof was quick largely because of the level base. We were surprised that the kit came with a very attractive malthoid tile roof - we had been told roof cladding wasn't included. Worth checking about that. The kit has fairly puny internal struts to vertically secure the structure from wind. (it is log cabin nail free type construction.) Rather than use the struts we instead bought some light chain and tek screwed that top to bottom on the outside. It is not cheap -- owes us about $8500 by the time a small deck was attached. But it looks great. 3 x3 m doesn't require a permit . As a tramper I would consider it being useful as a 4 bunk unheated hut.

Was thinking of building a ply platform for it all to sit on, piles and bearers then ply on top. Figure we could put some expol or half a pink batt in the floor cavity created between the ply base, in between the included floor joists, before putting the actual floor down.

Would be interested to see a photo of your chain idea, sounds pretty clever!

Appreciate all the ideas, and sorry to hijack the thread for a bit

[NZ_Ross]

Appreciate all the ideas, and sorry to hijack the thread for a bit

If mates can't help mates Rich, what can they do

[Class A]

Well i'm about to grace Kennedys (Au) service dept with my hard earned.

Let us know how it goes.

(No pressure, CRK. )

[zkarj]

Edited to make more sense of the real/equivalent numbers.

The wife and I went to the beach yesterday (a good excuse for a jaunt up Transmission Gully) and I made the conscious decision before I left to leave the KP at home and just use my phone if any opportunities presented themselves. Long story short, I was once again disappointed with many of the results. Is that Kapiti Island I see, or a lump of blancmange?

That got me to thinking... what if I had a lightweight lens that covered approximately the same focal length range? My iPhone's lenses are 13mm, 26mm, and 52mm equivalent. Can anyone recommend a decent zoom lens that covers this kind of range (and particularly at the lower end, as I have nothing shorter than 27 equivalent currently)? Ideally something middle of the pack. I'd want it to be decently sharp, it doesn't need to be super 'fast', and I'd like it not to be bulky or heavy. And not too expensive.

In real terms the KP would need a 9-35mm lens to achieve this, and I think the wide end of that is pretty rare.

---

Last edited by zkarj; 04-09-2022 at 03:17 PM.

[GUB]

How about the Samyang 8mm just to test the waters and see if you can actually forgo the phone for your camera in wide angle shots. They are fun - 180 degree on the diagonal.
You already have the M28 for the other end. A very capable and easy to focus lens. (8mm even easier to focus!)

[GUB]

Would be interested to see a photo of your chain idea, sounds pretty clever!

Chain just tek screwed top and bottom. Placed so they are invisible from the front. Top attached to the top wall beam which doubles as a perlin for the roof.
Hopefully Tracey will grow something up them.

[zkarj]

How about the Samyang 8mm just to test the waters and see if you can actually forgo the phone for your camera in wide angle shots. They are fun - 180 degree on the diagonal.
You already have the M28 for the other end. A very capable and easy to focus lens. (8mm even easier to focus!)

My idea was a single lens for walkabout with just the camera in my hand. I have the 18-135 which covers the middle iPhone lens and up (and then some!) I was just wondering about something that went wider. And less bulky. The 18-135 isn't exactly petite.

I should give the M28 a spin more often, though.

[NZ_Ross]

Maybe the Sigma 10-20, not too expensive when you can find one

[Kiwizinho]

Maybe the Sigma 10-20, not too expensive when you can find one

I have a Sigma 10-20 4-5.6 and I love the field of view, but I don't like that the edge sharpness even stopped down leaves a lot to be desired.

I'm seriously considering biting the bullet and getting a DA* 11-18. It's a pricey lens, but there seem to be a few used on Ebay, and it gets stellar reviews. i(Is international shipping is working, does anyone know ?)

The other option I've considered is the new PLM version of the 16-50 which also gets stellar reviews but is even more pricey, and there don't seem to be many used ones about yet.

Another option is the D-FA 15-30 2.8, but apparently it's very heavy, and overkill for an APS-C sensor.

[Transit]

Edited to make more sense of the real/equivalent numbers.

The wife and I went to the beach yesterday (a good excuse for a jaunt up Transmission Gully) and I made the conscious decision before I left to leave the KP at home and just use my phone if any opportunities presented themselves. Long story short, I was once again disappointed with many of the results. Is that Kapiti Island I see, or a lump of blancmange?

That got me to thinking... what if I had a lightweight lens that covered approximately the same focal length range? My iPhone's lenses are 13mm, 26mm, and 52mm equivalent. Can anyone recommend a decent zoom lens that covers this kind of range (and particularly at the lower end, as I have nothing shorter than 27 equivalent currently)? Ideally something middle of the pack. I'd want it to be decently sharp, it doesn't need to be super 'fast', and I'd like it not to be bulky or heavy. And not too expensive.

In real terms the KP would need a 9-35mm lens to achieve this, and I think the wide end of that is pretty rare.

You've got a KP ! lucky dog

The most used wide lenses I had on crop were the DA21ltd and the Sigma 8-16...no blancmange even bags of cropability

The Sigma is pretty marvellous, I replaced a DA14 with it.

Len Lye at 16mm and 1/15


---------- Post added 10th Apr 2022 at 03:30 PM ----------

I have a Sigma 10-20 4-5.6 and I love the field of view, but I don't like that the edge sharpness even stopped down leaves a lot to be desired.

....

the 8-16 stepped up apparently... by 10mm there's plenty at the edges
Presumably the new megabuck lenses are better again

---------- Post added 10th Apr 2022 at 03:34 PM ----------

My idea was a single lens for walkabout with just the camera in my hand. ....

I should give the M28 a spin more often, though.

May as well, we are so spoilt for pixels these days, cropping is a zoom

---------- Post added 10th Apr 2022 at 03:37 PM ----------

Let us know how it goes.

(No pressure, CRK. )

Will do.
So far so good.

Plea for help on Aussie website resulted in email from Ak side who will send it to Melbourne for me.
Nice to know actual professionals available

---------- Post added 10th Apr 2022 at 03:45 PM ----------

Very nice. Hopefully the K-1 is back in action in the near future. You certainly seem to have Pentax sensor sizes pretty well covered between your gear collection. Only lacking a 645-D or Z.

Cheers
I jumped the tracks and started a Pentax binocular collection for astro...The Q7 has seen duty on the Newtonian but the K-1 has got the pip from being unused.
The FA77 then put the boot in too... use me or lose me

---------- Post added 10th Apr 2022 at 03:48 PM ----------

Chain just tek screwed top and bottom. Placed so they are invisible from the front. Top attached to the top wall beam which doubles as a perlin for the roof.
Hopefully Tracey will grow something up them.

What are you going to do in there Mate ?

[zkarj]

I'm seriously considering biting the bullet and getting a DA* 11-18. It's a pricey lens

Yikes! Just a tad. But it does look like a very, very nice lens.

---------- Post added 04-10-2022 at 04:09 PM ----------

You've got a KP ! lucky dog

Yeah, I do love it. The K-5 was a great upgrade from the K10D, adding the far better sensor and more pixels. The KP just goes up a notch from there, particularly with the extra pixels. I still lust after a K-3iii but I really have no complaints about the KP.

Looking at the PF reviews of the Sigma 8-16, the first one says this...

Lens does not provide focal length info to camera between 8 to 10mm part of range. This is Pentax issue and the worst thing is that you cannot see the number in output file. SR seems to work well anyway.

Is that something you experienced? The review was written in 2021 and used K20D, K5, and K3, so reasonably recent kit. I also note it is supported by DxO who profile lenses at all focal lengths so presumably they have it covered.

[Transit]

Yes it doesn't report fl 10-12

[pixelsaurus]

It's a pricey lens, but there seem to be a few used on Ebay, and it gets stellar reviews. i(Is international shipping is working, does anyone know ?)

YouShop in the USA was working fine a few weeks ago. The Pommy branch shipped to me in less than a week 3 weeks ago.

[NZ_Ross]

I'm seriously considering biting the bullet and getting a DA* 11-18. It's a pricey lens, but there seem to be a few used on Ebay, and it gets stellar reviews. i(Is international shipping is working, does anyone know ?)

A very good lens from what I have read and images I have seen.

The other option I've considered is the new PLM version of the 16-50 which also gets stellar reviews but is even more pricey, and there don't seem to be many used ones about yet.

Also very good, but it is a heavy wee sucker. It hasn't tempted me to trade in my DA 20-40 due to the weight difference

Another option is the D-FA 15-30 2.8, but apparently it's very heavy, and overkill for an APS-C sensor.

There has been one of these for sale on TM for a while.

[Clarkey]

Film Sunday/ figure out Darktable. Very happy that:
1. I can scan in DNG with VueScan.
2. Getting to grips with a scene referred workflow.
3. All going well I might be able to visit the scene in July:


Off the rocks by Aaron, on Flickr