[mikesbike]

Any budding photographer of any age should learn spot metering. It is quite the thing in tricky lighting, which comes up fairly often. But it also gives good actual experience as to how camera meters work and what lighting situations will fool the meter, resulting in less than satisfactory exposure, and how to quickly deal with that.

In case you are also inexperienced in spot metering, after you select this function, it basically works by training the center spot meter indicator on a part of the scene representing a mid-tone of the overall scene. For example, a nice green lawn on a sunny day. Then you'll take a meter reading based on that, and set your meter at the center by adjusting your shutter speed and aperture- or use the handy Pentax Hyper Manual mode by just hitting the green button to get meter-centered exposure. If you are in an Automatic Exposure mode, including the "P" mode, you then hit the AE-L button to lock the exposure, then move the camera to reframe and take your shot. It is especially handy when shooting in the Manual mode in tricky lighting. Then your setting stays the same as you move the camera and then ignore the meter's warnings due to the tricky lighting. Another example is shooting a sunset. You can meter off the sky at a mid-tone point where the lighting is not too bright nor too dark. When metering into a blank space, just switch the focus to manual focus (MF) so the AF system doesn't hunt because there's no object there. Then once you've got the metering done to set exposure, you can switch back to AF, and also it is a bad idea to look into the sun, so you can also switch to LV for your shot.

With the KP's easy controls, just turn the top knob to AE then set your preference of metering with the set dial. No need to go into menus as with the K-S2 and K-70.

The K-S2 is the smallest and lightest APS-C DSLR I know of yet still having a complete feature set, 2-dial operation, etc. in addition to the articulating rear screen. This is why I bought one, and it is so good I have no hesitancy in putting into service when its merits are important. With the very small DA-L 18-50mm kit lens, I can even shove it into a large jacket pocket! Imagine that- a full-featured DSLR with a zoom lens in a jacket pocket! The K-70 is heavier. The KP is about the same weight, within about 1/2 ounce over. But as advanced as the KP is, the slim design with the smallest grip allows me to carry it with a small lens, preferably extra-high quality like the DA 21mm Limited, in a quite compact belt-pack case! This you cannot do with any camera having the now common bulky right-hand grip! I make sure the belt-only case is of thick quality to protect the contents, yet I also put a piece of bubble wrap sheet inside the front. So depending on the nature of carrying, the case I need to use, and the lens, I've got an ideal camera for the circumstance.

What lens or lenses has he been using?

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Last edited by mikesbike; 08-31-2020 at 06:44 PM.

[ofer4]

I guarantee that the K-70 will be more reliable than the 13-year-old.

[que es tu]

@ mikesbikes
My son has, at my suggestion, been reading photography books by Bryan Peterson. I think Bryan is a very down to earth author who does not talk down to people who don’t own pro-level equipment, and he explains things very clearly. My son has learned about, and implemented, exposure compensation, spot metering, composition, DOF control, and even figured out the Green Button and Hyper-Manual before I showed him the article on PF!! He is also able to devote time to experimenting with new techniques and concepts he learns. He is a quick learner and a veritable question asking machine!!
He started out with a Canon superzoom, but immediately saw the many benefits of an OVF when he borrowed my KS-2. He even considered getting a Nikon but, GLASS PENTAPRISM, DUAL CONTROL WHEELS, WEATHER SEALING, VINTAGE GLASS!! He took off with the KS-2 after I got the KP. Well, even before I got the KP we “fought” over the KS-2!!
Right now he is shooting with the DA-L 50-200mm which I think is sharp, quick to focus, and very easy to use. He also uses my Canon 500D close-up filter. For “wider” angle he uses the DA 35 f2.4 which is a VERY capable lens, as you probably know. He occasionally borrows my DA-L 18-50, but has his eye on a 55-300 and the 18-135!!
He has been very conscientious and responsible with the equipment and process. Maybe I’ve got a lifelong photographer here!! I didn’t start learning photography until 5 years ago when I was 43. He’s got a big head start on me!!

[gatorguy]

@ mikesbikes
My son has, at my suggestion, been reading photography books by Bryan Peterson. I think Bryan is a very down to earth author who does not talk down to people who don’t own pro-level equipment, and he explains things very clearly. My son has learned about, and implemented, exposure compensation, spot metering, composition, DOF control, and even figured out the Green Button and Hyper-Manual before I showed him the article on PF!! He is also able to devote time to experimenting with new techniques and concepts he learns. He is a quick learner and a veritable question asking machine!!
He started out with a Canon superzoom, but immediately saw the many benefits of an OVF when he borrowed my KS-2. He even considered getting a Nikon but, GLASS PENTAPRISM, DUAL CONTROL WHEELS, WEATHER SEALING, VINTAGE GLASS!! He took off with the KS-2 after I got the KP. Well, even before I got the KP we “fought” over the KS-2!!
Right now he is shooting with the DA-L 50-200mm which I think is sharp, quick to focus, and very easy to use. He also uses my Canon 500D close-up filter. For “wider” angle he uses the DA 35 f2.4 which is a VERY capable lens, as you probably know. He occasionally borrows my DA-L 18-50, but has his eye on a 55-300 and the 18-135!!
He has been very conscientious and responsible with the equipment and process. Maybe I’ve got a lifelong photographer here!! I didn’t start learning photography until 5 years ago when I was 43. He’s got a big head start on me!!

If you get him the 55-300 be sure it's the PLM version. It's a great lens, punching well above its weight on the KS-2 and K-70's I've used it with. Impressively fast focus and very good imaging.

I no longer have the KS-2's but they hold a special place in my photo journey.

[reh321]

If you get him the 55-300 be sure it's the PLM version. It's a great lens, punching well above its weight on the KS-2 and K-70's I've used it with. Impressively fast focus and very good imaging.

and it works very well on my KP.
Even with the reduction of light resulting from using with a 1.4X TC, the combination focuses quickly and well.

[MikeMcE]

and it works very well on my KP.
Even with the reduction of light resulting from using with a 1.4X TC, the combination focuses quickly and well.

Totally, a great combo, with the KP.


Hang up and DRIVE!

[gatorguy]

and it works very well on my KP.
Even with the reduction of light resulting from using with a 1.4X TC, the combination focuses quickly and well.

You knew I had the KP for awhile, but I don't' recall ever using the PLM with it. I would expect the 55-300 PLM works equally as effective as it does on the K70. I also don't recall using any of my TC's with it, so you have me at a disadvantage

[que es tu]

I'm really amazed at all the support I get here at Pentax Forums!! I wonder the poor guys who use Canon or Nikon get this kind of support??

[gatorguy]

I'm really amazed at all the support I get here at Pentax Forums!! I wonder the poor guys who use Canon or Nikon get this kind of support??

What's not to like about suggesting what other people spend their money on?

But seriously the members here are much more helpful and courteous than you find in your typical fan forum, at least in my opinion. Welcome to the club!

We're also good at helping you save money. Some here even have a budget LOL! Yeah there's some expensive lenses for sure, but with Pentax having such a long history of quality glass offerings going back decades there's some gems available for any budget. Just ask.

[mikesbike]

@ mikesbikes
My son has, at my suggestion, been reading photography books by Bryan Peterson. I think Bryan is a very down to earth author who does not talk down to people who don’t own pro-level equipment, and he explains things very clearly. My son has learned about, and implemented, exposure compensation, spot metering, composition, DOF control, and even figured out the Green Button and Hyper-Manual before I showed him the article on PF!! He is also able to devote time to experimenting with new techniques and concepts he learns. He is a quick learner and a veritable question asking machine!!
He started out with a Canon superzoom, but immediately saw the many benefits of an OVF when he borrowed my KS-2. He even considered getting a Nikon but, GLASS PENTAPRISM, DUAL CONTROL WHEELS, WEATHER SEALING, VINTAGE GLASS!! He took off with the KS-2 after I got the KP. Well, even before I got the KP we “fought” over the KS-2!!
Right now he is shooting with the DA-L 50-200mm which I think is sharp, quick to focus, and very easy to use. He also uses my Canon 500D close-up filter. For “wider” angle he uses the DA 35 f2.4 which is a VERY capable lens, as you probably know. He occasionally borrows my DA-L 18-50, but has his eye on a 55-300 and the 18-135!!
He has been very conscientious and responsible with the equipment and process. Maybe I’ve got a lifelong photographer here!! I didn’t start learning photography until 5 years ago when I was 43. He’s got a big head start on me!!

An impressive young man! Good for him!

Well, I did not start until I was getting towards 40, so don't feel bad- better late than never. In those days there was no auto-anything. SLR cameras were all of metal construction and the newest, most advanced feature all the new ones had was a light-reading meter in the camera body so you didn't have to carry an outboard separate meter. You had to learn how to set both aperture and shutter speed by checking the meter in the VF to get exposure right, and then how your choices of either would affect different aspects. And how to focus the lens- manually, of course. I learned everything on my own by trial and error, starting out with some basic coaching from an experienced friend. And of course, no way to check results until getting back my developed film. I started by just shooting slides- less expensive and easier to store, but very unforgiving regarding exposure.

All I had for the first 6 years were my 35mm film Vivitar SLR camera and a 50mm ( I think f/2) screw-on lens. Then the camera stopped working, so upon shopping I decided on a Pentax ME Super with the "M" 50mm f/1.4, a 3rd party 28mm f/2.8, and a 3rd party tele zoom lens, something like 65-170 mm f/4 or so. Later I got a Tokina 35-200mm zoom lens, which I liked a lot. I was amazed that the Pentax ME Super could set the shutter speed automatically after I set the aperture on the lens aperture ring. I would just set apertures over and over just to see that happen! Still just manual focus, no AF had been developed. It was another 6 years before I got my first Pentax AF SLR camera, the SF-1n. Of course, no digital- just film. We have since come a looong way!

Yes, the DA 35mm f/2.4 lens is a very fine choice. Very sharp imaging. it is the equivalent with APS-C to a 50mm lens on a FF or 35mm film body as a "normal" lens- neither wide angle nor telephoto.

[swanlefitte]

The 2 of you might consider a flash and trigger also in the near future. Turn him onto strobist after he has it all down. There is hours of learning and help understanding light basics.
Strobist: Lighting 101: Introduction

also has a gear guide geared toward priority of a decision, not so much what gear.
Strobist: A Guide to Choosing Photo and Lighting Gear

[mikesbike]

but has his eye on a 55-300 and the 18-135!!

Good thinking! I agree, the PLM version would no doubt be best, especially for birds as he has been doing. I have held on to my older DA 55-300mm WR version, which is optically still very good. There are always advantages and disadvantages. One advantage for it is in not being of internal-focus design, so it is not subject to "focus breathing" meaning a visible loss of focal length as one gets closer to a subject. So if I get closer to a bird or other animal for my shot, my older lens can get a larger image in the frame than the PLM version would get. It still uses the old screw-driven system like the DA 35mm f/2.4, but there are some top-level lenses, like the Pentax Limited primes, still using this old, but very reliable system. Interestingly, I and some others here have discovered the KP's new AF system has been producing faster and more sure AF with lenses of the old screw-driven system than those same lenses had been capable of on other bodies, even with the older 55-300 mm WR lens that has a slower-AF reputation! It improved that markedly.

[mikesbike]

considered getting a Nikon but, GLASS PENTAPRISM, DUAL CONTROL WHEELS, WEATHER SEALING, VINTAGE GLASS!!

Right on! The K-S2, as a lightweight, entry-level DSLR is OUTSTANDING to this very day.

Well, even before I got the KP we “fought” over the KS-2!!

Ha, ha, ha!

There's a website offering an image comparison device I have found sometimes useful. The Imaging Resource "comparometer". It provides two columns in each of which you can bring up different camera models, and select the same image shot with both models for comparison. These are JPEG images right out of the cameras at default settings. It can give an idea of the cameras' capabilities and characteristics. You can, for example, bring up the Pentax K-70 in one column, and the KP in the other. The best image for comparison, from my own experience, is the still life scene containing bottles, fabrics, and other objects. This scene is repeated at various ISO settings to check that difference also. You just select the image you want, doing so with each model. Then click on the image again to open it, then once again to blow it up.

The first thing you might notice with the KP is by comparing the blank back wall, to note its color accuracy, in this case neutrality. You will probably notice the K-70 exhibits a slightly magenta color cast by comparison. This is fairly common among Pentax DSLR bodies, so the KP is exceptional in this regard (as well as in many other ways). Some of the points in this image to check for sharpness include the edge of the basket containing the fabrics for edge and detail sharpness, the bottles and their labels, like the fiddler image, the ancient Greek figure on the Hellas bottle, and the writing on the Samuel Smith bottle, as well as the circular measuring disc. You can check at 100 ISO as a base. Then go on up to ISO 6400 as being the most potentially useable setting for not too much loss of quality, for noise and retention of detail. Check between objects for noise, but the darkness of shadows at the same spot might differ, so you have to find a shadow the same darkness at a different location.

I've found these two cameras are very similar in their excellent low noise performance, with the KP just a tad better in retention of detail and edge sharpness. with the strip of red cloth having the dark leaf pattern, you will find the pattern disappears at higher ISO. This is from the type of noise suppression Pentax uses, and appears to be the main shortcoming of their design, while other detail preservation in the image is superior compared to that of most other brands. With these two camera models, one could even go up to ISO 12,800 or even higher when dealing with more casual subject matter with acceptable results. But when interested in finer quality, it is best to keep to yet lower ISO ratings than ISO 6400.

Keep in mind, these test shots are done at the cameras' default settings. "Fine Sharpening" as I recommend, was not implemented.

If you click on "all cameras" at the top of the column, this will allow you to access previous models, not just current ones. Amazingly, the K-S2 comes in at the top level for color accuracy by Pentax along with the KP!! It does very, very well in other respects also. It loses a bit more detail at ISO 6400 compared to the KP, but it still does a great job! The off-color of the measurement disc is something I have seen occasionally with other models, and I believe it is caused by wayward lighting in that part of the room at certain times. There is no corresponding effect with the whites in other areas of the image. The K-S2 remains my favorite lightweight, inexpensive body. I got mine brand new from B&H in a closeout sale, with the super-compact DA-L 18-50mm zoom lens included for only like 500 bucks!

[que es tu]

The 2 of you might consider a flash and trigger also in the near future. Turn him onto strobist after he has it all down. There is hours of learning and help understanding light basics.
Strobist: Lighting 101: Introduction

also has a gear guide geared toward priority of a decision, not so much what gear.
Strobist: A Guide to Choosing Photo and Lighting Gear

Yes! He and I are both interested in this! One thing at a time, though!

---------- Post added 09-04-20 at 02:47 PM ----------

Right on! The K-S2, as a lightweight, entry-level DSLR is OUTSTANDING to this very day.

Ha, ha, ha!

There's a website offering an image comparison device I have found sometimes useful. The Imaging Resource "comparometer". It provides two columns in each of which you can bring up different camera models, and select the same image shot with both models for comparison. These are JPEG images right out of the cameras at default settings. It can give an idea of the cameras' capabilities and characteristics. You can, for example, bring up the Pentax K-70 in one column, and the KP in the other. The best image for comparison, from my own experience, is the still life scene containing bottles, fabrics, and other objects. This scene is repeated at various ISO settings to check that difference also. You just select the image you want, doing so with each model. Then click on the image again to open it, then once again to blow it up.

The first thing you might notice with the KP is by comparing the blank back wall, to note its color accuracy, in this case neutrality. You will probably notice the K-70 exhibits a slightly magenta color cast by comparison. This is fairly common among Pentax DSLR bodies, so the KP is exceptional in this regard (as well as in many other ways). Some of the points in this image to check for sharpness include the edge of the basket containing the fabrics for edge and detail sharpness, the bottles and their labels, like the fiddler image, the ancient Greek figure on the Hellas bottle, and the writing on the Samuel Smith bottle, as well as the circular measuring disc. You can check at 100 ISO as a base. Then go on up to ISO 6400 as being the most potentially useable setting for not too much loss of quality, for noise and retention of detail. Check between objects for noise, but the darkness of shadows at the same spot might differ, so you have to find a shadow the same darkness at a different location.

I've found these two cameras are very similar in their excellent low noise performance, with the KP just a tad better in retention of detail and edge sharpness. with the strip of red cloth having the dark leaf pattern, you will find the pattern disappears at higher ISO. This is from the type of noise suppression Pentax uses, and appears to be the main shortcoming of their design, while other detail preservation in the image is superior compared to that of most other brands. With these two camera models, one could even go up to ISO 12,800 or even higher when dealing with more casual subject matter with acceptable results. But when interested in finer quality, it is best to keep to yet lower ISO ratings than ISO 6400.

Keep in mind, these test shots are done at the cameras' default settings. "Fine Sharpening" as I recommend, was not implemented.

If you click on "all cameras" at the top of the column, this will allow you to access previous models, not just current ones. Amazingly, the K-S2 comes in at the top level for color accuracy by Pentax along with the KP!! It does very, very well in other respects also. It loses a bit more detail at ISO 6400 compared to the KP, but it still does a great job! The off-color of the measurement disc is something I have seen occasionally with other models, and I believe it is caused by wayward lighting in that part of the room at certain times. There is no corresponding effect with the whites in other areas of the image. The K-S2 remains my favorite lightweight, inexpensive body. I got mine brand new from B&H in a closeout sale, with the super-compact DA-L 18-50mm zoom lens included for only like 500 bucks!

Yes, I forgot about this feature. I used it when deciding on the KS-2 back in 2016!

[SpecialK]

I'm really amazed at all the support I get here at Pentax Forums!! I wonder the poor guys who use Canon or Nikon get this kind of support??

They shoot on auto...

However, I shoot on P and know how to use exposure compensation.