 |
 | Search this Thread |
| 03-05-2023, 11:12 AM | #16 |
| 03-05-2023, 11:18 AM | #17 |
 Originally posted by pschlute  For your portrait work , do you use flash ? That obviously negates the need for high ISO and will give you more (cheaper) options. I just realized the poor choice of timing on my part for starting this thread because I can't access my photos right now and I don't have a flickr page, but I will have access in a week and maybe I will post one or two pics for reference. Long story short, no flash. (Well, that being said it's quite possible I will have to do some photo work for my company in the near future and then flash and studio lighting may become an issue...) But for now I can only think of two situations where my GR III has its limitations and where I need to switch to the 550d with my Pentax 50mm 1.4 wide open: Close up portraits (ISO no issue) and sometimes concerts in low light maybe when I want a close up of the singer for example (and then yes, then ISO 800 or 1600 is essential but for this rare occasion I'd be willing to take the risk of higher noise). Oh and I forgot to mention, I never print so jpegs are fine with me I'm quite liberal when it comes to resolution/pixel numbers. Colors and composition is where my focus lies (ha, pun!). Like I said, rare occasions, so I would really like to keep it on a budget, since I already have an option with the 550d. At the same time, I thought having a Pentax body-lens-combo might be neat, so I was wondering what the options are... ---------- Post added 03-05-23 at 11:28 AM ---------- Originally posted by Wheatfield Below is an image off an istD. It did well for me, though it was pretty slow to write files and had a slow buffer, even for the day, and like all cameras from that era, high ISO was not very good. The 6mp sensors are very capable of giving nice results, and if the OP is using a recent version of Photoshop, the files can be successfully enhanced (that's the Adobe term) up to 24mp if a larger file is required. The biggest problem now with cameras of that era will be finding memory cards that will play in the same sandbox as the camera. The OP has been a little vague about what sort of portraiture he is doing, so I am speaking to studio photography specifically where tonal rendering is more important than other features and lighting is more important than anything. I really liked, and still like, the skin tone rendering of the earlier cameras. With the K5, Pentax seemed to go a bit more mainstream, and some of the niceness that they had with skin tones was lost. At the studio, we had Nikon, Canon and Pentax cameras in use, and we all found the Pentax files were easier to edit and gave nicer results. We considered the K5 to be the great equalizer, as suddenly the Canon and Nikon files looked just as good as the Pentax ones. The later cameras are very good, but to me, the earlier cameras were better at reproducing nice skin tones, and this opinion was shared by the other photographers I worked with. One thing new portraitists get too hung up on is cameras and lenses when they should be paying attention to lighting equipment if they are working in a studio. Battery powered speedlights on inexpensive umbrellas and stands are OK for living room studios, but they won't stand up to day to day use. OTOH, dedicated studio lights and stands can be expensive and as I am now finding, are on the large size for the living room studio, which is what I am shooting in these days. sorry I should have been clearer, when I say portrait/people I actually don't mean portrait in a classical term (studio) but spontaneous situations when I'm hanging around with people, spur of the moment type situations where I want a super shallow depth of field with the 50mm (which with the 550d then becomes more like an 80mm "true" portrait lens) Again, bad timing on my part, I should have posted some reference pictures... ---------- Post added 03-05-23 at 11:36 AM ---------- Originally posted by luftfluss Why not just use a Pentax K to Canon EF adapter for each lens? Keep the adapter on the lens, then you don't need to fiddle with it. ---------- Post added 03-05-23 at 11:45 AM ---------- Originally posted by Tri-X 400 Ok, I hope I'm using this quote function right... I just realized the poor choice of timing on my part for starting this thread because I can't access my photos right now and I don't have a flickr page, but I will have access in a week and maybe I will post one or two pics for reference. Long story short, no flash. (Well, that being said it's quite possible I will have to do some photo work for my company in the near future and then flash and studio lighting may become an issue...) But for now I can only think of two situations where my GR III has its limitations and where I need to switch to the 550d with my Pentax 50mm 1.4 wide open: Close up portraits (ISO no issue) and sometimes concerts in low light maybe when I want a close up of the singer for example (and then yes, then ISO 800 or 1600 is essential but for this rare occasion I'd be willing to take the risk of higher noise). Oh and I forgot to mention, I never print so jpegs are fine with me I'm quite liberal when it comes to resolution/pixel numbers. Colors and composition is where my focus lies (ha, pun!). Like I said, rare occasions, so I would really like to keep it on a budget, since I already have an option with the 550d. At the same time, I thought having a Pentax body-lens-combo might be neat, so I was wondering what the options are... ---------- Post added 03-05-23 at 11:28 AM ---------- @ Wheatfield, sorry I should have been clearer, when I say portrait/people I actually don't mean portrait in a classical term (studio) but spontaneous situations when I'm hanging around with people, spur of the moment type situations where I want a super shallow depth of field with the 50mm (which with the 550d then becomes more like an 80mm "true" portrait lens) Again, bad timing on my part, I should have posted some reference pictures... ---------- Post added 03-05-23 at 11:36 AM ---------- Sure this is an option, but maybe every now and then I want to switch fromm the 50mm (where the adapter is attched to most of the time) to a 28 or 85. And then fiddling around with the adapter is a real pain the rear end, especially when you're outside and need so switch fast. | |
| 03-05-2023, 11:46 AM | #18 |
| Originally posted by Tri-X 400 Ok, I hope I'm using this quote function right... I just realized the poor choice of timing on my part for starting this thread because I can't access my photos right now and I don't have a flickr page, but I will have access in a week and maybe I will post one or two pics for reference. Long story short, no flash. (Well, that being said it's quite possible I will have to do some photo work for my company in the near future and then flash and studio lighting may become an issue...) But for now I can only think of two situations where my GR III has its limitations and where I need to switch to the 550d with my Pentax 50mm 1.4 wide open: Close up portraits (ISO no issue) and sometimes concerts in low light maybe when I want a close up of the singer for example (and then yes, then ISO 800 or 1600 is essential but for this rare occasion I'd be willing to take the risk of higher noise). Oh and I forgot to mention, I never print so jpegs are fine with me I'm quite liberal when it comes to resolution/pixel numbers. Colors and composition is where my focus lies (ha, pun!). Like I said, rare occasions, so I would really like to keep it on a budget, since I already have an option with the 550d. At the same time, I thought having a Pentax body-lens-combo might be neat, so I was wondering what the options are... ---------- Post added 03-05-23 at 11:28 AM ---------- @ Wheatfield, sorry I should have been clearer, when I say portrait/people I actually don't mean portrait in a classical term (studio) but spontaneous situations when I'm hanging around with people, spur of the moment type situations where I want a super shallow depth of field with the 50mm (which with the 550d then becomes more like an 80mm "true" portrait lens) Again, bad timing on my part, I should have posted some reference pictures... My advice changes to a later model K5 or newer, which may cost you more than you want to pay. The early K5s were prone to a whole bunch of problems, the worst for me was unpredictable autofocus in artificial light. If you are doing pictures with AF under artificial light this will be a concern for you. If you want an eye opener about this camera, go to the K5 sub forum and start working your way from the oldest threads to the more recent. I think by the third page the problems people were having with the camera were starting to manifest as more of them were getting bought and the issues with it were rearing up. I was a huge fan of the K5 until after looking at the files from my first studio session with it where I used auto focus. It was something I never did again with that camera, and in fact I purchased a Voigtlander 58mm/1.4 Nokton manual focus lens specifically because of the K5 auto focus. By later in the model run, most of these had been solved from what I understand. One thing the K5 had in it's favor right from the start was excellent high ISO performance. Gone were the days of noise like golf balls at higher ISOs. Unfortunately in the early ones, this was negated by the camera's inability to focus accurately under artificial light. | |
| 03-05-2023, 12:00 PM | #19 |
| Originally posted by Wheatfield It does change my advice somewhat. Low light performance will be more important than tonal rendering. There isn't much point in having great tonality if you can't get the camera AF to lock on or the noise is so great that the files are not usable. My advice changes to a later model K5 or newer, which may cost you more than you want to pay. The early K5s were prone to a whole bunch of problems, the worst for me was unpredictable autofocus in artificial light. If you are doing pictures with AF under artificial light this will be a concern for you. If you want an eye opener about this camera, go to the K5 sub forum and start working your way from the oldest threads to the more recent. I think by the third page the problems people were having with the camera were starting to manifest as more of them were getting bought and the issues with it were rearing up. I was a huge fan of the K5 until after looking at the files from my first studio session with it where I used auto focus. It was something I never did again with that camera, and in fact I purchased a Voigtlander 58mm/1.4 Nokton manual focus lens specifically because of the K5 auto focus. By later in the model run, most of these had been solved from what I understand. One thing the K5 had in it's favor right from the start was excellent high ISO performance. Gone were the days of noise like golf balls at higher ISOs. Unfortunately in the early ones, this was negated by the camera's inability to focus accurately under artificial light. Now, I never actually never use auto focus with my (D)SLRs (yes it's hit and miss sometimes when people move around but I like it that way). But low light/ISO performance might be an issue, the more I think about it the more I realize, I like taking pictures in low light situaitions, so... | |
| 03-05-2023, 01:04 PM | #21 |
| Originally posted by Tri-X 400 Ok sorry I read it wrong... you mean for each lens.. well yes but I have to admit I'm not a super fan of the flimsy feel and it actually doesnt fit 100% there's always a bit bit of give, but yes it is an option. Which Pentax lenses are you using? | |
| 03-05-2023, 01:25 PM | #22 |
| 03-05-2023, 02:17 PM | #23 |
| Originally posted by ChristianRock The K-r would work... I have 3 suggestions: K20D - best skin tones out of any Pentax I have used. Dynamic range is poor but if you aren't shooting landscapes you might not notice. K200D - my choice. Superb at ISO 100-400, especially 100. I don't find 10MP to be a limitation, as long as you use good lenses it will deliver. K10D - I prefer the output of the K200D slightly, and the shooting experience a lot more. But the K10D does have a better viewfinder like the K20D, so you might like it better. I do when I'm shooting manual lenses. | |
| 03-05-2023, 06:14 PM | #25 |
| 03-05-2023, 07:11 PM | #26 |
| Originally posted by Wheatfield Below is an image off an istD. It did well for me, though it was pretty slow to write files and had a slow buffer, even for the day, and like all cameras from that era, high ISO was not very good. The 6mp sensors are very capable of giving nice results, and if the OP is using a recent version of Photoshop, the files can be successfully enhanced (that's the Adobe term) up to 24mp if a larger file is required. The biggest problem now with cameras of that era will be finding memory cards that will play in the same sandbox as the camera. | |
| 03-06-2023, 12:33 PM | #27 |
|
Ok so first of all I want to say how super grateful I am for all the answers and the dedication in this forum, this is awesome! All these posts and thoughts have led me to some conclusions that I want to share. Before that, I want to adress some of the last posts, @ luftfluss: On my 550d 90% of the time I use the 50mm 1.4, sometimes the 85mm 2.0. And the wobble is quite a bit annoying at times, especially when you are focussing manually with a super shallow depth of field last thing you want is a lens that moves about. It's no deal breaker but I really would love a tighter fit. @wheatfield: Even though I do like taking pictures in low light I think I'm willing to sacrifice high Iso performance. 95% of the time I use the GR III and on the rare occasions I use the 550d low light situations are only a small part of it. If I know I need higher ISO I can always take my 550d with the adapter ring. Or maybe I'll just use the built in flash with the pop up flash diffusor that I have that you can stick on the hot shoe of the camera and channel my inner Martin Parr...  @Christian Church: You absolutely have a point and I hadn't really thought about it before. When focussing manually a bright viefinder is essential! So to recap: - I don't like the wobble of the adapter ring, so I am looking for a Pentax body. - I use it only every now and then, so I don't want to spend more than a 100 bucks. - Willing to sacrifice high ISO performance - Bright viewfinder is very important ---------- Post added 03-06-23 at 12:39 PM ---------- Sorry, I meant @ChristianRock! | |
| 03-06-2023, 04:23 PM | #28 |
|
The K-5 would be a good choice, but one in good condition might be hard to find at such a low price. When it appeared, it was hailed for bringing remarkable improvement in lower noise at higher ISO without significant loss of image sharpness, compared with previous models. Same could be said about price for most of the other suggestions. The K-5, as well as the prior K-7, K20D, and K10D were flagship models, and will still likely command prices above $100 in good condition. You would want a camera that will be dependable for a long haul. But if you go too far back you lose some features, build, and imaging quality. I'd say the K200D might be available in good shape for that price. It is well above the K100D for image quality, and is of much better build. Like those flagship models, it has WR construction with weather-resistant seals. After shooting with the K100D for a few years, I found the K200D brought me superior imaging along with other improvements. It is very decent regarding noise at higher ISO. Not as good as a K-5, but still quite decent. Its ISO setting limit tops out at 1600, and not bad even at that level. It has better in-camera imaging adjustments than the previous K10D, and is also better for highest-quality JPEG images right out of the camera- just be sure to go into the Custom Image menus to set up "Fine Sharpening". But that is for more general use, however, as this degree of detail might not be as desirable for portrait use. I believe there is a Portrait category available as a choice in the Custom Image settings, where sharpening can be left as is. This setting will also modify the color palette to be more pleasing for portraiture. ---------- Post added 03-06-23 at 05:12 PM ---------- Originally posted by Tri-X 400 Bright viewfinder is very important These days, and for a number of years now, Pentax has been THE brand offering pro-level viewfinders, along with WR construction, in entry-level models at very reasonable prices! One of our regularly-posting technicians, also from Germany, going by the name "photogem", would probably advise that you look for a more recent non-flagship model having these attributes, such as a K-30, K-50 or even a K-S2 (a great compact Pentax DSLR with many desirable features) but having no aperture control due to a faulty solenoid that is susceptible to failure in these models. These are often sold at very cheap prices. Then you could obtain a good used solenoid that is not susceptible to this problem, taken from an older non-functioning Pentax camera model, and use it to replace the bad solenoid in the very fine camera you've obtained at such cheap price. You have to be willing to take on this task, and learn the procedure to do it. If so, you could wind up with quite a bargain. Whether you'd be over $100 then- maybe, maybe not. If you get a camera with this defect, you could otherwise use it as is, but the lens would remain wide open- or you could obtain a Pentax lens with PLM technology, which does not depend on the solenoid for setting aperture. But there are only a few of these lenses so far. Last edited by mikesbike; 03-06-2023 at 07:11 PM. | |
| 03-07-2023, 12:37 PM | #29 |
| Originally posted by mikesbike The K-5 would be a good choice, but one in good condition might be hard to find at such a low price. When it appeared, it was hailed for bringing remarkable improvement in lower noise at higher ISO without significant loss of image sharpness, compared with previous models. Same could be said about price for most of the other suggestions. The K-5, as well as the prior K-7, K20D, and K10D were flagship models, and will still likely command prices above $100 in good condition. You would want a camera that will be dependable for a long haul. But if you go too far back you lose some features, build, and imaging quality. I'd say the K200D might be available in good shape for that price. It is well above the K100D for image quality, and is of much better build. Like those flagship models, it has WR construction with weather-resistant seals. After shooting with the K100D for a few years, I found the K200D brought me superior imaging along with other improvements. It is very decent regarding noise at higher ISO. Not as good as a K-5, but still quite decent. Its ISO setting limit tops out at 1600, and not bad even at that level. It has better in-camera imaging adjustments than the previous K10D, and is also better for highest-quality JPEG images right out of the camera- just be sure to go into the Custom Image menus to set up "Fine Sharpening". But that is for more general use, however, as this degree of detail might not be as desirable for portrait use. I believe there is a Portrait category available as a choice in the Custom Image settings, where sharpening can be left as is. This setting will also modify the color palette to be more pleasing for portraiture. ---------- Post added 03-06-23 at 05:12 PM ---------- This makes it more difficult to stay at $100!! Then for cameras this old, you might need to stick with flagship models. A K-r would not make it, and maybe not even a K200D. These use the less-expensive typical mirror-prism design. You might then find the K10D to be the ticket to your success. Or if you get very lucky, you might find a good K20D at that price. These days, and for a number of years now, Pentax has been THE brand offering pro-level viewfinders, along with WR construction, in entry-level models at very reasonable prices! One of our regularly-posting technicians, also from Germany, going by the name "photogem", would probably advise that you look for a more recent non-flagship model having these attributes, such as a K-30, K-50 or even a K-S2 (a great compact Pentax DSLR with many desirable features) but having no aperture control due to a faulty solenoid that is susceptible to failure in these models. These are often sold at very cheap prices. Then you could obtain a good used solenoid that is not susceptible to this problem, taken from an older non-functioning Pentax camera model, and use it to replace the bad solenoid in the very fine camera you've obtained at such cheap price. You have to be willing to take on this task, and learn the procedure to do it. If so, you could wind up with quite a bargain. Whether you'd be over $100 then- maybe, maybe not. If you get a camera with this defect, you could otherwise use it as is, but the lens would remain wide open- or you could obtain a Pentax lens with PLM technology, which does not depend on the solenoid for setting aperture. But there are only a few of these lenses so far. This is very useful information thank you very much... but warning, stupid question incoming: Like I said, I use my old Pentax lenses from my film SLRs on my 550d with evrything in manual mode. That way, in manual mode, the solenoid problem wouldn't have an affect, would it? I've seen some K30s and K50s used and apparently in perfect condition for under 150 bucks so in this case it wouldn't even be a problem but I was just wandering. Also what you would say are the advantages of a K30 over let's say a K10d which at the moment would most likely be my choice. | |
| 03-07-2023, 02:40 PM | #30 |
| Originally posted by Tri-X 400 @mikesbike This is very useful information thank you very much... but warning, stupid question incoming: Like I said, I use my old Pentax lenses from my film SLRs on my 550d with evrything in manual mode. That way, in manual mode, the solenoid problem wouldn't have an affect, would it? I've seen some K30s and K50s used and apparently in perfect condition for under 150 bucks so in this case it wouldn't even be a problem but I was just wandering. Also what you would say are the advantages of a K30 over let's say a K10d which at the moment would most likely be my choice. I think you can use Av (aperture priority) mode too, as long as the aperture ring is set somewhere else than the A-position, but the lens won't stop down at all in that shooting mode with full manual lenses (this mode won't work properly with DA lenses or lenses with aperture rings set to the A position when the camera has ABF) | |
|
| Bookmarks |
| Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it! |
| 50mm, adapter, affordable, camera, cameras, day, dslr, files, flash, iso, k10d, k200d, light, models, pentax, pentax dslr, photography, portrait, post, price, situations, skin, studio, switch, time, wobble |
| Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
| |
Similar Threads | ||||
| Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
| Affordable DSLR body that's weather resistant? | camera_nut | Pentax DSLR Discussion | 72 | 05-28-2020 02:47 AM |
| Which affordable Pentax DSLR offers best Live View? | KonstantinT | Pentax DSLR Discussion | 9 | 03-18-2015 11:13 AM |
| Good affordable autofocus portrait lens? | geekette | Pentax SLR Lens Discussion | 16 | 06-19-2011 12:51 AM |
| Affordable portrait lens recommendation please | geekette | Pentax SLR Lens Discussion | 31 | 06-01-2011 10:18 PM |
| In need of some recommendations for gift - affordable DSLR | suliabryon | Pentax DSLR Discussion | 17 | 10-19-2010 01:08 PM |
