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Forum: General Talk
10-23-2023, 11:31 PM
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Just1MoreDave... Thank you
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Forum: General Talk
10-22-2023, 07:20 AM
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#Mak53
Thank you.
"My target would be Spring before tourist season kicks in and motel/hotel rates go up." Which months do you mean and which states?
Coming from India, I am not much fond of heat :) So i will avoid anywhere too hot. That includes Death Valley in summer.
What i am looking for is specific guidance on what route i should follow and broadly in which month i should be in which state(s), with the condition that I want to avoid extreme cold and heat and try and get the nature at its best for landscape photography. Since I intend doing this over two trips of approx 4 months each, I think that may give me enough flexibility to plan the route smartly.
Your warning about LA and San Francisco... Do you mean there are real possibilities of being robbed of my cameras etc while walking about in these cities in broad daylight?
---------- Post added 10-22-23 at 08:35 PM ----------
#gaweidert
Thanks for the detailed post.
"Car camping out west is easier than east of the Mississippi."... Can you please specify which states enable car camping comparatively easier? I was in the impression that socially, legally & culturally, the US should be seen more as the North and the South.
I will check out the YouTube channel you mentioned. Maybe just the right guy to learn from.
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Forum: General Talk
10-16-2023, 08:13 AM
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I am from India.
Thank you for the tips.
I am mostly interested in doing the US Road trip. However, if time permits, i could venture into some areas of Canada too.
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Forum: General Talk
10-11-2023, 10:26 AM
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# pres589, nosliwmit
Thank you.
I intend taking the country roads or two lane interior roads. I won't be hustled for time. My only target would be to reach some place safe and comfortable to sleep for the night. I wish to keep the travel very flexible.
I guess America the Beautiful should be explored in slow time. Other than landscapes, i wish to explore the "real America", meet people, see how they live, etc.
I wish to try and avoid very cold seasons. I plan to sleep in the car only where it is safe and legally allowed. Of course there might be times when i will have no option. I will try and be kitted up for such occasions.
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Forum: General Talk
10-10-2023, 10:20 PM
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An RV would be too unyielding and too large. I guess a small SUV like Honda CRV would be best.
From photographers here, i would like to get advice on seasons, places, possible routes etc, based on their personal experiences.
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Forum: General Talk
10-10-2023, 11:00 AM
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The trip can start from anywhere convenient, but preferably end in the same place because return air fares to and from same city are much cheaper.
Camping at safe places ok. I will sleep in a real bed in a motel maybe after 3/4 days of roughing it out. But nothing hard and fast. I will take it as it comes.
Alaska and Hawaii... Flights.
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Forum: General Talk
10-10-2023, 08:22 AM
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Hello friends,
I plan to do two road trips of 3-4 months each in the US. The overall plan is:
1. Max 300-400 km per day. Rest day every three days. Travel through all 50 states.
2. Avoid extreme cold season.
3. Landscape photography is a major aim. I will make a coffee table book after the trip. Equally important is going through interesting experiences, meeting people and understanding the country better. I plan to write a travelogue too. Also, would love to film the trip using GoPro.
4. Avoid touristy places, but do visit a few iconic American cities.
5. On a shoestring budget. So sleeping in the car is an option where legally allowed.
6. Experiencing peak fall season in at least one of the two trips is important.
Please advise on possible routes for the two trips to achieve the above mentioned aims, and specific tips to make it a great and yet economical trip.
I plan to shoot with Pentax 645Z with 28-45, 45-85, 150 and 400mm. Maybe i will carry the 90mm. As a backup, i will take K1 with 28-105.
Thank you.
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
10-08-2023, 10:58 PM
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Welcome to Pentax Forums. I am from India. I use 645Z mostly, with K1 and K3 iii as necessary. I also have the Sony A7 iii. I hate to use it, hate its RAW files more (horrible after being used to the 645Z files), but for certain applications, it is the best choice. I have since long been wondering if I should supplement the 645Z & 28-45 with Fujifilm 100S & 45-100, specifically for my aerial photography needs. The IBIS of the 100S ii is very tempting (8 stops I guess), but again, I have discovered that there is something called "quality of stabilization" in aerial photography. So an Olympus OM-1 at ground level can take usable pictures even at 1 second in my hands, but it fairs poorly in the helicopter as compared to even an old K1 regarding stabilization. I have not been able to decide on the Fujifilm 100S & 45-100 combo and most likely I would continue with another Z with 45-85 to complement the existing Z with 28-45.
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
10-08-2023, 10:20 PM
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Hi from India. Welcome to the forum. I am from India. Started with K-1000 in late 1980s. First Digital camera was Ricoh GR Dgital II. Now 645Z, K1, K3 iii. Happy to be part of this amazing community.
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
08-23-2023, 09:16 AM
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Thanks for your comments friends
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
08-14-2023, 03:13 AM
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Thank you very much friends. I will order the Godox Trigger.
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
08-13-2023, 01:23 PM
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Hey everyone.
I am buying a Godox AD 600 PRO soon. I already have a few Cactus V6 and V5 transceivers. Do I need to buy dedicated Godox triggers? If yes, which would be best for Pentax 645Z, K1 and K3 iii? If no, how can i get full flash power control as well as HSS using the Cactus transceivers?
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-14-2022, 12:02 PM
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The Sv mode can be effectively used for night photography when you might want to keep the same ISO value for the series of images you are making. In night aerial photography too, it would liberate you from decision making on an important parameter (the ISO value). That's because the night images would have huge contrast due to a pitch dark sky and an illuminated city where DR issues at very high ISOs would need consideration. When you set the max possible ISO value which you are comfortable working with, you need to then only worry about the shutter speed that you need to get an image that is not blurry (aperture mostly being the largest available).
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
05-07-2022, 12:29 PM
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Saw the "scanned" images. Thank you.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
04-30-2022, 02:01 AM
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Great post Eyewanders. You illustrated your points with the images so well. Indeed there is something about the 67 paired with the 105mm. I am more than sure that I will pick up the combo in near future.
And I would certainly like to hear more about the "scanning" done with the GR III. I am intrigued.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
04-18-2022, 01:39 AM
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Thanks Sandy. Lovely portraits. Thanks for sharing.
I will pick up the 105mm to pair with the Pentax 67 that I wish to get just to get started with film photography again. For 645Z, I guess the 90mm is very good. And so is the MF 150mm f/3.5 that I own.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
04-17-2022, 03:58 AM
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Thank you friends for your advice. I guess I will get a Pentax 67 with the 105mm lens soon, specifically for portraits.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
03-19-2022, 11:14 AM
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Thank you. Was looking forward to advice from someone like you who has used both the 67 105mm and 645 90mm.
Perhaps, if I ever bring myself to pick up the Pentax 67 itself, I will pick up this 105mm as the only lens with it.
Do you have any experience of the A 150mm f3.5 compared to the FA 150mm f2.8? I have the A lens and it is a joy just to use it for the old times sake. Sharp enough but not as clinically sharp as the 90mm. I like using that lens a lot.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
03-16-2022, 11:00 PM
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I have the A 150mm f/3.5. It is nice.
But the Pentax 67 105mm f/2.4 has a reputation for being "legendary", a moniker not easily applied to other lenses. I am trying to understand if there is something really unique about it, specifically compared to the Pentax 645 90mm f2.8.
---------- Post added 03-16-22 at 11:56 PM ----------
I have the FA 35mm f/3.5. Mostly used for landscape work.
This is a wonderful portrait. And to hold the pose for one sec for a giggling lady is no mean task :)
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
03-16-2022, 09:58 AM
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Hello friends,
I own the Pentax 645Z and the gorgeous 90mm f2.8. If I am allowed to own only one lens, it will the 90mm. If I am allowed two, the other one will be 28-45 f/4.5.
The most satisfying aspect of being a decent photographer is when I make available light portrait images of people using the 90mm, and they come back to say thank you again and again. I guess the rendering of the 90mm is something special as far as portraiture is concerned.
Now, I have been reading a lot about the Pentax 67 105mm f/2.4 being a "legendary" portrait lens. The images made using this lens that I saw on the Internet look wonderful.
A friend in the US says he has found a mint condition Pentax 67 105mm f/2.4 at a reasonable price of around USD 500.
GAS aside, I would like to know from the experienced members of this esteemed forum about how these two lenses compare for portraiture in the following circumstances :-
1. Both lenses on Pentax 645Z (the 105mm in manual mode using adapter)
2. 90mm on Pentax 645Z and 105mm on Pentax 67 (please disregard resolution, sharpness etc issues due to the obvious differences between digital and analogue, and let's look at only the "look" or "character" in portrait making using these two lenses, all other things being equal.)
I would also like to understand how the 105mm, an almost 50 year old lens design with fewer glass elements and old coatings, can be even compared to the modern digital optimised lenses like 90mm which is an almost "perfect" lens on technical parameters.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
02-20-2022, 03:24 AM
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If the Fujifilm GFX autofocus is not "considerably" better than the Pentax 645Z, then I do not really need the Fujifilm except on occasions where I need the stabilisation of the camera-lens combo (say 50S with the 45-100 OSS or 50Sii/ 100S with any lens that can be mounted) to keep the ISO low. Since most of the flying is restricted to daylight hours, I end up shooting at say 1/1000 sec with f/5.6 at ISO 800 or so in the worst possible situations. I don't think ISO 800 is a problem with Pentax DNG files with some help from Topaz DeNoise etc. Not getting another Fujifilm saves me a lot of money as well as the hassle of learning and getting fully conversant with a new system. Handling even the 645Z and the K1 together itself is a pain in the air. You end up fumbling with buttons or controls or even the tactile feel of the differences in responsiveness of the two cameras.
This is a sage and practical advice by biz-engineer and I can't thank you enough for it. Indeed, while the OVF, the DR and the DNG files (which are a visual joy to work with) of the Z make the experience highly enjoyable, ultimately, if not missing a composition, achieving tack sharp focus consistently and reliably and yet not sacrificing image quality much are the prime considerations, then a fast mirrorless with adequate resolution and excellent buffer is the most useful camera at least over the cityscapes. Just disable all control buttons except the barest minimum, set up the shutter priority mode, have a fast lens with adequate zoom (24-105 with constant aperture is what will be good for 95% of the shots, a 28-75/ 24-70 for 85% of the shots), and the only thing you would do is get the composition in your head, zoom and compose in one quick action and shoot. No additional wasteful actions or waiting for the lens to focus. With the Sony A7 iii and Tamron 28-200, I missed not more than perhaps 2-3% of composition opportunities and whatever I shot, almost every image was sharp (no blur/ shake). They had to be at 1/1000 sec with a camera giving 5-stop IBIS.
Coming to the print size, well, we started with around 24x36 or 20x30. But I am kind of getting a bit greedy, in that I would like to have the option of blowing much bigger than this in future for the absolute best of these images (say upto 40x60). I was hoping that the Sony A7 iii aided by Topaz Gigapixel AI/ Adobe Super Resolution etc computational tools would be adequate for sizes bigger than 24x36 (say upto 40x60). Perhaps it is not good enough. I need to understand this aspect better. Now, since I am already quite used to the Sony, perhaps I should think of a Sony A7R iii/ A7R iv to start with or go for Sony A1 if finances allow. Since I also fancy myself doing a lot of wildlife photography in future, maybe the Sony A1 as the primary camera and Sony A7 iii as the secondary camera would be just the right kit for that purpose. Or what about the new Sony A7 iv as the primary camera for aerial photography? Good feature set.... 33 MP, practically unlimited buffer, fast AF, decent resolution, not too expensive...it ticks a lot of boxes, except that it won't allow you to crop much.
As an aside, I wish to inform that the Pentax Z with the 400mm is an absolutely phenomenal combination for environmental portraits of wildlife (lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants lazing around in their habitat). Not for action, but then despite the blazing FPS and AF of the Sony monsters, how many great wildlife action pictures does one get to see regularly? Very few. The ones which appeal the most and are also frequently photographed are mostly animals in habitat.
In the end, if the aerial sortie allows a more languid pace, good weather, low winds, a cooperative pilot who also shows willingness to drop height to the extent feasible, then the Pentax Z with 55mm or a reportedly good zoom like 45-85 will still be a camera that I will be happy to use compared to any other camera system.
Every sortie gives a new lesson. I guess I will continue to evolve as a photographer as the project progresses. However, coming to the right equipment for the specific job, I guess I have got it mostly figured out, and I am grateful to the pentaxforums members to help me with their practical and timely advice. A big thanks to you all.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
02-18-2022, 08:22 PM
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Pentax 645Z files are very nice to work on. I enjoy shooting with the camera. However, there are times while flying over a busy city, with landmarks bunched together and restrictions on flying height, no-fly zones etc, that you miss the composition by the time you focus or click the shot. I know it sounds crazy, but it is my experience that quicker Autofocus helps a lot even in aerial photography.
The problem with shooting at infinity in manual focus is one doesn't know where the exact infinity focus is. It is not at the hard stop at all times. Besides, there are times when you are focusing on buildings and structures which are close enough not to be at infinity.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
02-18-2022, 08:16 AM
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Hello everyone.
Can anyone please let me know how good or bad the autofocus speed of Pentax 645Z is compared to Fujifilm 50S, 50S ii and 100S? This is probably the only bit of information I need before making up my mind regarding the second camera I need for aerial photography using a helicopter.*
Thanking you in anticipation.*
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
02-06-2022, 05:14 AM
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In aerial photography, I have been mostly shooting in the TAV mode. So, if I bracket for three exposures, the ISO changes.
Is there some way I can do the following without resorting to manual change of settings for every image:
Shutter Speed to change from say 1/1000 to 1/750 to 1/500.
ISO to remain constant in Auto ISO mode.
Aperture to change automatically as the shutter speed changes while keeping the exposure constant, starting at at least one stop less than the widest one and then progressively becoming narrower as the shutter speed reduces.
This is not bracketing with +/- values. This is taking three shots at different combinations of shutter speeds and apertures at the same ISO while keeping the exposure constant.
Another thing: There is no TAV mode in the Sony A7 iii. So, when I shoot in shutter priority mode, with Auto ISO, the camera takes pics at the wide open aperture (to keep the ISO as low as possible). But I would rather the ISO goes up a bit, but the aperture should be at least two stops down from the widest one. Single shot mode (no bracketing). How do I achieve this without fiddling with the camera dials for shutter speed and aperture settings?
If this is impossible to do, what's my choice? Shoot in the Program mode, and change shutter speed for each image so that the aperture also changes in tandem with the ISO at Auto? But by the time I do this, the image composition on the ground below is gone forever. Instead, if I can do this automatically, for the same image composition below, I will have correctly exposed images at three different combinations of shutter speed and aperture. It means there will be times when the image at 1/500 would be as sharp as that at 1/1000, with the advantage that it would be at a more optimum aperture than say the fully wide open one.
And if i can achieve these shutter speed and aperture changes while being in the "Continuous shooting mode" rather than the single shot mode, then it would be just terrific.
Any ideas/ thoughts please?
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
02-05-2022, 08:09 PM
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I have mostly shot the Pentax 645Z with 55mm as the main lens (95% of the time) and 28-45 as the standby lens over the past many weeks. I have missed image stabilisation with this combo (with 55mm,but the SR of 28-45 is not much use in the air) in low light.
Pentax K1 with 77mm,Tamron 70-200 and lately Pentax 28-105 has been the second camera. It has helped when I needed the closer reach.
I used the Sony mostly for this single sortie that I mentioned. What I have brought out is the reliability of focus, responsiveness, light weight, the really good Tamron 28-200 lens performance, the succession of excellent image compositions I was fortunate to be presented with easily tackled by the zoom range and excellent Autofocus speed of the Tamron all taken together resulted in the Sony A7 doing a better overall job than the other two camera systems. One way of looking at it is that a 24MP Sony image is better than an image opportunity missed under certain circumstances. However, I also feel that when the aerial circumstances (heavy winds and vibrations etc) and ground circumstances (how quickly photo opportunities are being presented) are different, in good light, the Pentax 645Z with the 55mm lens (or the 45-85 whenever i manage to get it) or a Fujifilm GFX 100S with 45-100 will be certainly a far better camera to use.
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