[rdenney]

Yeah, Rick, this looks way better, whatever you've done. Just looks quite crisp.

Ed Hurst has quite a sharpening process for posting here---almost alarming. I still haven't posted anything here because I haven't cracked the code yet---really, haven't had the time to do a separate set of images just for posting. But I hope after March I can work on that.

What I did was create a scratch area on my website (which is otherwise pretty outdated). My ISP provides something like 200 GB and I barely have scratched that surface. Normally, that area requires authorized access to see a file list. People can figure out or guess at filenames and find stuff, so this isn’t secure, and I never use it to store full-resolution or unprocessed images.

On my computer, I can use an FTP client to move files into that area, but then I have to remember the links. I have a trick for that, but it requires too many steps of preparation. There are other tricks, but all require that I name files meaningfully, which is another time consumer.

But I bought an FTP client app (FTPManager) for my phone that builds a thumbnail library locally (on the phone), and that makes all the difference. So, now when images are in that scratch area, I can see them and cut and paste the URL to that image with minimal editing.

To get images into that file area, I have to do it on the computer (though descriptive filenames aren’t required) it get the images onto my phone. If the image from the Pentax doesn’t need processing, I use the FlashAir app to download the image from the 64G FlashAir SD card in Slot 2. I save raw files to the 128G card in Slot 1, and JPGs to the Toshiba FlashAir card in Slot 2.

Once in the phone, I can use Desqueeze to downsample it, which does a pretty good job if I specify maximum quality in the JPG output. Then, that same FTP client will let me move a batch of them to my online scratch area.

If the image needs light processing, I can do that on the phone using Snapseed. But more often I’ll use DXO Photolab on the computer, and run a separate developing batch from the raw files targeted for lower-resolution 8-bit sRGB web display. Then, I can FTP it directly.

Then, in Tapatalk, I just paste the URL to the image between IMG tags. It’s easy to find the image visually, which was the missing link. The image stays out of both the Tapatalk and PF rendering engines, which is the key to maintaining image quality.

And I’m immune from policy changes at an image hosting service. My only problem with Ed’s images is that Tapatalk won’t resolve their URLs, and I have follow links to his image hosting service for each one. It’s usually worth it.

Of course, I pay for hosting my website, but I’d be doing that anyway. And that means my email server isn’t being mined for advertising.

It takes much longer to describe it than to do it.

Rick “who usually can’t play with images on a real computer while traveling, which is most of the time” Denney

[rdenney]

Garden Flower, Anchorage, 2018. 645z and 120/4 A Macro.

Rick “the bee was waiting patiently until I was done” Denney

[Camaro5]

Las Vegas Street Art. I was scouting some places for a photo shoot for our Camaro Club. Couldn't use this spot but I liked the photo.

[rdenney]

Old Truck, Talkeetna, Alaska 2018. 645z, 45-85FA at 45, f/8 at 1/320.

Rick “typical Alaska kitsch” Denney

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Last edited by rdenney; 02-01-2020 at 03:34 PM.

[mattb123]

I shot the D for the first time in a while tonight.
A* 300/4

[ivanvernon]

I shot the D for the first time in a while tonight.
A* 300/4

Beautiful with wonderful and subtle gradations of color.

[rdenney]

Somebody has to go behind Matt. Always a tough act to follow.


Sadie Cove, Alaska, 2018. 645z, and would have to look up the lens. Either the 45-85FA or the 55DFA. (Edit: Nope. 35mm FA, f/11 at 1/320.)

Rick “working through a backlog” Denney

---

Last edited by rdenney; 02-01-2020 at 03:33 PM.

[ivanvernon]

Somebody has to go behind Matt. Always a tough act to follow.


Sadie Cove, Alaska, 2018. 645z, and would have to look up the lens. Either the 45-85FA or the 55DFA.

Rick “working through a backlog” Denney

You got that right. Almost all of his images justify printing and framing!

[rdenney]

Neighborhood Eagle, Sadie Cove, Alaska 2018. 645z, 400/5.6 plus 1.4x converter, f/8, tripod, ISO Really High, and held breath.

Rick “whose wife’s Nikon D500 and 500mm lens was the better tool, but not the better outcome” Denney

[johnha]

I shot the D for the first time in a while tonight.
A* 300/4

Great shot Matt, gives me some inspiration to put more effort into my D and A*300/4 combo.

---------- Post added 01-26-20 at 12:53 PM ----------

Neighborhood Eagle, Sadie Cove, Alaska 2018. 645z, 400/5.6 plus 1.4x converter, f/8, tripod, ISO Really High, and held breath

I remember you're mention of this in your post Alaska report. Amazing shot under the circumstances.

I'm mulling over whether to go for the
1.4x or 2x for my A*300/4 - for when my 67 500/5.6 is a tad burdensome (having managed to resist a 67 600/4)...

[rdenney]

I remember you're mention of this in your post Alaska report. Amazing shot under the circumstances.

I'm mulling over whether to go for the
1.4x or 2x for my A*300/4 - for when my 67 500/5.6 is a tad burdensome (having managed to resist a 67 600/4)...

I have an old Takumar 500/4.5 that weighs about half a ton. But it's not as heavy as the 500/5.6 Pentacon Prakticar, which is in many ways a better lens (and with medium-format coverage, too). The 400/5.6, with its low-dispersion glass, is a lightweight compared to those, and far more compact, too. It's easily the biggest lens I could have considered taking on that trip--even easier than the 300 A* that weighs significantly more.

The 1.4 is a good teleconverter, as teleconverters go. The extra stop taken by the 2X seems to me a price too high, though, in too many situations. I'd rather crop, as I did in this case.

But the 1.4 on the 300 competes directly with the 400/5.6. The focusing on the 400 FA is so good I'd rather have that.

Rick "who did a comparison of those, posted in the review section" Denney

[bjolester]

Pentax 67ii + Fuji Provia 100F


Chapel By The Sea by bjolester, on Flickr

[PhilRich]

I have an old Takumar 500/4.5 that weighs about half a ton. But it's not as heavy as the 500/5.6 Pentacon Prakticar, which is in many ways a better lens (and with medium-format coverage, too). The 400/5.6, with its low-dispersion glass, is a lightweight compared to those, and far more compact, too. It's easily the biggest lens I could have considered taking on that trip--even easier than the 300 A* that weighs significantly more.

The 1.4 is a good teleconverter, as teleconverters go. The extra stop taken by the 2X seems to me a price too high, though, in too many situations. I'd rather crop, as I did in this case.

But the 1.4 on the 300 competes directly with the 400/5.6. The focusing on the 400 FA is so good I'd rather have that.

Rick "who did a comparison of those, posted in the review section" Denney

Rick, did you use your 30mm arsat on the trip, I haven't seen any pictures you may have taken with it?

[ivanvernon]

I have an old Takumar 500/4.5 that weighs about half a ton. But it's not as heavy as the 500/5.6 Pentacon Prakticar, which is in many ways a better lens (and with medium-format coverage, too). The 400/5.6, with its low-dispersion glass, is a lightweight compared to those, and far more compact, too. It's easily the biggest lens I could have considered taking on that trip--even easier than the 300 A* that weighs significantly more.

The 1.4 is a good teleconverter, as teleconverters go. The extra stop taken by the 2X seems to me a price too high, though, in too many situations. I'd rather crop, as I did in this case.

But the 1.4 on the 300 competes directly with the 400/5.6. The focusing on the 400 FA is so good I'd rather have that.

Rick "who did a comparison of those, posted in the review section" Denney

I have the Arsat 500mm, but with only the 42mm mount so I can only mount it on the K-1 or APS-C cameras. However, I have found the lens unusable for me to this point in time because of its tremendously heavy and unwieldy size. I need to locate a very substantial tripod with a larger than usual mounting screw in order to put it to use.

[rdenney]

Rick, did you use your 30mm arsat on the trip, I haven't seen any pictures you may have taken with it?

I did. But not many—I just wasn’t feeling the results on that trip. This is probably the best of them, and I think the only one I used in the book.


Flattop Overlook, Anchorage Alaska 2018. 645z with 30mm Arsat Fisheye.

Rick “lots of photos not yet shown” Denney