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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
01-15-2024, 05:58 AM
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That's a good price for a K200D, even if it is a silver one, as long as it's working. My two top pieces of advice for this camera:
Get good batteries and a good quality charger to avoid nasty surprises.
The SOOC jpegs are really, really soft. Import RAWs to a PC and process them with the included software (or alternative of your choice), even with the default settings, and you'll get much better output.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-08-2024, 05:01 AM
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This is a fun game. My most used by a huge margin is
K1 + 43 limited
My trusty GRii for a close second
I am loving seeing other members preferences. And wondering what trends will form
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
12-20-2023, 11:15 AM
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No. But I think it depends on the lens one owns. As a K1 owner with an old 28-300 travel zoom, a sigma 12-24 silly-wide, a Tamron 90mm macro a DFA *85 DFA Ltd 21, and FA Ltd 43 and 77 the first thing about switching back to crop sensors is all my lenses would be the wrong focal lengths. The 43 isn't really a portrait lens on a crop body, so if I went back down a K3-iii (the mono intrigues me) I would need to get the DFA* 50, the 85 and 77 become a bit longer than ideal, and the 21 is no longer a proper wide so I'd be looking for a 15mm, and blowing the dust of my 18-250 travel zoom.
If you're invested in DA lenses no only are the focal lengths wrong in the other direction, but in a lot of cases they need to be used in crop mode which begs the question why have the bigger sensor and all that comes with it.
If I'm pushed into leaving SLRs behind and replacing my lenses I'll head for something with a bigger sensor (and a Fuji badge.)
And if I were starting from scratch I might look at smaller cameras. But I'm convinced there is a feel that comes with a bigger image - as distinct from technical quality... you can't change the laws of physics - digitizing more light beats digitizing less but small sensors have sufficient for anything I'm likely to need for 10 years or more. .
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
11-30-2023, 03:25 PM
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I suspect that's probably not so true...I have a ton of cameras ranging from Pentax Q-sized sensors to APSC to full frame and lately full frame mirrorless and frankly, now that EVF tech is so good, the portability and generally lower weight penalty of mirrorless wins nearly every time for me.
And if course, as usual it's smartphones that are the problem, not just because their capabilities and resolution are constantly improving, but because that's where 99% of photos are ultimately viewed, so it's tempting to ask why bother with 'proper' cameras when all those megapixels are for nothing at the end of the day except that painfully small screen?
For most of us hobbyists it's pretty much for our own pleasure rather than anything else.
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
11-20-2023, 04:50 PM
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The standard Pentaxian opinion is that it makes no sense to make a mirrorless camera with the K-mount, and Pentax isn't about to design a whole new lens mount and mirrorless lenses from scratch. BUT, I'm starting to feel like maybe Ricoh should capitalize on the rising tide they've had with the GRIII/IIIx and K-3 III (regular and monochrome) and just do it. Now or never. Make something unique and put out 28, 35 and 50 equivalents and two zooms, and go from there. Big investment sure, but maybe now is the time.
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Forum: Pentax Full Frame
09-22-2022, 03:20 PM
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KP FF sounds interesting- Something less cumbersome in weight
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Forum: Pentax Full Frame
09-22-2022, 03:04 PM
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Who is us? I do not think there is an "us". There is Ricoh (seller) and there is the photographer (buyer). And why competitive with Nikon (which announced cutting back on DSLR camera's)?
From earlier threads in which the statement from the CEO (or other important Ricoh person) it is clear that Ricoh will not make such a camera, they pledged that they would make old fashioned DSLR's and nothing of that modern stuff. There has been a lot about it on this forum. And you are probably the umpteenth person to begin about a K-1 Mark III. I'd rather would have a KP-FF :lol:. Or a K10d Mark II (with an upgraded CCD). But I dare not to suggest this on this forum preventing me from becoming a laughing stock.
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Forum: Pentax Full Frame
09-22-2022, 12:02 PM
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No idea. But I always ask this follow up question.... What does a 36MP FF camera like the K-1 II not have, that anyone would need ?
The MP race ended a number of years ago in my view. The game is now all about processing software....Super resolution et al.
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Forum: Pentax Full Frame
09-22-2022, 12:01 PM
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-22-2022, 11:32 AM
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I don't know if I have a forever lens. Right now my favorite is the FA 35mm f/2...actually my FA 35mm is probably a forever lens because I dropped it and the damage has made it not worth selling.
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Forum: General Photography
03-19-2022, 03:48 AM
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I honestly think that all bokeh is fake, after all, it is just something that is not there in real life. It is also fake in the sense that the unsharpness of background is a trick (thus fake) to enhance the sharpness of the subject and to emphasize the subject. All this is done by using a proper camera with a proper lens, which combination is not capable of making a picture that captures everything as sharp as it is in real life. But if you are talking about the art of photographing, using the shortcomings of your camera and lens to the effect of enhancing the sharpness of the subject and isolating it from the surroundings to emphasize the subject is a clever way to produce a work of art! :hmm::o
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-21-2019, 01:10 PM
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Ha! Ha! I own the FA 35/2 and have no desire to have the FA 31 LTD. :D
Part of the allure of the FA is its size and weight.
Steve
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
03-04-2019, 11:11 AM
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I have the K-2000 (a version of the K-m), K200D, K5, K3, and K1, along with some film SLR cameras. I have pictures that I love from each camera. When using Auto-ISO, I keep the high value at 800-1200. Most of the time I use 100-400 ISO if possible. I don't think I have shot over 3200 ISO so I can't speak to "high" ISO. Each sensor and camera has positives and negatives. I am a "still" photographer and have not made video with any of the video capable cameras. I have not interfaced with the K70 or KS2 so I can't comment. I still use my K200D and K5 to back up the K3 and K1 because the K200D 10MP CCD has great rendering of colors and depth. Part of the issue depends on how large you want to print and the image expansion algorithms package you use. With all the knowledge on this site, I would consider what the folks have said about the K70 and K2S as it sounds like they will step you up in the APS-C sensor game.
JB
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-01-2019, 03:20 AM
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This year I was able to go to CP+ on the Friday rather than the Saturday. I was hoping that a weekday would make it easier to get around and see things. It was, but still got busy after midday. The nature of the crowd is a bit different on the Friday. There seemed to be more pros, industry people and elderly people. On the other hand there were fewer couples and casual visitors in general. I guess it is what you would expect of a weekday.
The Ricoh Imaging Booth
The Ricoh booth was the same size and position as the previous year, but the layout was different. The space was divided into three zones with the GR at the front, Theta in the middle and Pentax at the back. There stage area and a small gallery behind it. Overall there was quite a lot to see. You’ve probably seen the revised roadmaps and 85mm mock-up already. The 85mm had a black plastic disk where the glass should be, but a staff member told me this is normal procedure because they don’t want people spying on the optical formula. The booth was busy the whole time I was there.
GR III
The first thing I did was to queue up for a bit and try out the GR III. As a user of the very first GR Digital model, I’m very happy about the smaller dimensions than the GR II. Because it has more weight in it, it has a better feeling of solidity. There is still a huge amount of customisation available. The touch screen is very responsive, and I was pleased to find that you can use the screen one handed with your thumb without too much difficulty - no need to adjust your grip. One aspect I had not heard mentioned before was manual focus. I found this easier and more intuitive now, because the circular wheel around the D-pad can be used for this purpose. It’s still a bit fiddly, but better than up/down buttons. Overall the GR III was every bit as good as I’d hoped for and I’m going to buy one.
KP Custom Model
So far the coverage of this seems completely to have missed the point. These two guys are proposing the idea of a kind of a sub-brand offering bespoke customisation. The KP they are showing is just an illustration of this idea. They’ve even made up a logo for the brand. They are experimenting with the kind of tweaks and tuning that car/bike enthusiasts do to soup up their machines. They realize these will never be mass produced as mainstream cameras, but they are trying to gauge interest. That KP in his hand has a cool replacement mount made of some shiny grey carbon material. It was quite interesting. They were very keen to speak English to me, and seemed to love the fact I was still using a K-01.
Theta Z1
While the whole booth was busy, this part seemed to be busiest, perhaps because it was so small. They had small explanatory presentations and some deconstructed Z1s. It’s really impressive how they use prisms to package so small. The little OLED screen looks cool too. I’d like to see one on a K-mount camera in future.
Pentax 100-year Anniversary
Given that most of the recent releases have been Ricoh products, Pentax was a bit overshadowed by the GR II and the Z1 this time, but they did have reasonable amount of space, with a counter to try out the new lenses. A number of the presentations focused on Pentax and the new lenses in particular. There was also promotion for Pentax 100. Between presentations they were showing was a nice video on the screen with people holding a selection of Pentax cameras over the years. The images changing timed to drum beats. It was bright and cheerful and I hope they make it available online soon. They said they are not planning a specific anniversary model. Their new models will be forward looking, not commemorative. For the celebrations, there will be events around the world in the months leading up to the actual date in November.
Other manufacturers
I looked round all the other manufacturers. The tone of their stands were much the same as previous years (bland corporate), and they are all pretty much the same as each other. Now that all the companies are primarily pushing mirrorless mounts, it feels like they are coming out with near-identical systems. The only thing that differentiates them is FPS, bitrates and so on. The galleries show that all of these cameras are capable of taking fantastic images to be displayed at any reasonable size. So what sets anyone apart now? It seems to me that Ricoh/Pentax is really the only company that is making cameras that feel different to use. As Pentaxians, I think it’s time to stop wishing that Pentax would emulate the other makers and appreciate Ricoh/Pentax for its own strengths.
From my own perspective it was quite a good CP+. I‘m totally positive about the changes to the GR III. Also a new standard zoom for APS-C is something I would potentially be very interested in, so I'm glad it was added to the roadmap. And most of all, I think both Ricoh and Pentax remain unique brands that I can happily associate with.
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Forum: Pentax Full Frame
02-10-2019, 11:13 PM
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I shoot landscapes, cityscapes, astro (Milky Way over something) and a bit of architecture - stuff that doesn't move. So,over the last ~15 years, I've acquired these for full frame shooting.
- DFA 15-30/2.8 - picked this up a year ago mainly for astro because everything else I had showed a bit of coma.
- Voigtlander 20/3.5 - I've had this for a while, and shot a reasonable amount with this when I picked up the K1, but now with the 15-30, this is getting little use.
- Zeiss ZK 25/2.8 - I've had this for at least 8 years now. I picked it up on a sale close out, because I wanted to see what a real "Zeiss" shot like and I like wide angle. I need to shoot more with this. This has a 350 degree focus throw, and focuses like a macro lens. Wonderful colors.
- Contax Zeiss Distagon 28/2.8 and Sonnar 85/2.8 - There was no way I was going to afford over ~$1k each for new Zeiss lenses, so I acquired these old Contax Zeiss lenses and converted them to the K mount totaling about $300 each (lens plus remount). Leitax.com They shoot wonderfully, with great colors. I need to shoot more with these.
- Pentax M 28/2.8 - I picked up a bundle of old M lenses for a song. I've shot occasionally with these, but the 15-30 with AF is usually the go to lens.
- Pentax K 28/3.5 Shift - Acquired this for shift panos and architecture.
- Pentax 31/1.8 Limited - I really like this lens - outstanding, but has a bit of coma for astro. For landscapes this is excellent.
- Pentax A50/1.7, Asahi Tak 50/1.8 and M50/1.7 - The A50/1.7 I bought years ago for $12, while my Tak came with my Spotmatic II in 1970 while I was in the Navy. The M50/1.7 came with a group of lenses.
- Asahi Auto Tak 85/1.8 - Wonderfull lens from the 1960's - that I have been using for some stitched landscapes along with some astro star fields.
- Tak 135/2.5 and M135/3.5 - These came with a group of lenses. Thinking back, I'm using these very little.
- Pentax M 150/3.5 - I picked this up with a group of lenses. I shot with this up in Alaska a fair amount because 150mm fit the situation.
- DA* 60-250/4 with the AW 1.4x - I have used this a lot with my K5. I still need to modify the baffle for full frame coverage.
- Pentax A 300/4 - My longest lens. I need to still try this one out with the K1
I've been saying this for the last 4 years now - but it has just really dawned on me that I'm now pushing 70 and my eyesight is not getting any better - I've worn glasses since being a year old. I need to pare down my manual lenses. Overall, with the K1, my plan was to use as a core set the 15-30/2.8, acquire a 28-105/4 and then the 60-250/4 along with the 31Ltd - all AF, with a couple of my manual lenses - like the 28 shift.
Writing this is a kick in the pants realization that I need to find new homes for the glass I'm really not using.
:cool:
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
08-06-2010, 04:00 PM
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I hear that PentaxForums actually hires actors to come in here and act like Pentax owners. We're that rare! Can you guess which ones? :lol:
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Forum: Pentax Price Watch
02-02-2019, 01:32 PM
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A really sweet deal on the 10-17mm fisheye has just gone live at B&H. Just $297! This is the lowest price I've ever seen for a brand new copy.
DA 10-17mm Fisheye F3.5-4.5
19% Off / $71 Below Average
Year's price range: $297 - $447
Request Price Alert | Reviews |
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
02-01-2019, 09:00 AM
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I had switched from K-3 to K-1 a year ago. However, my situation was quite different. I am the fan of prime lenses; and I had mostly film Pentax lenses except only two wide-angle DA ones (15 and 21 lims). Besides, earlier I had purchased K 24/2.8 lens. Thus, I just sold my K-3 body and both my DA lenses and continued to shot with my line 24mm, 31-43-77 lims. Later I've purchased several Pentax-K primes including 135/2.5. That's it.
I have to say that FF body is not comparable with cropped one. It is better in a lot of terms; and the main one is the focus accuracy. My K-3 was not good both with 31 and 77 lenses; while K-1 is perfect with alll my AF lenses.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
01-30-2019, 12:09 PM
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I picked up a Pentax K1000 yesterday. It came in a camera bag, with all sorts of filters, converters, closeup lenses, lenses, releases a flash unit, and various other things. In one of the pockets was this little spiral bound pocket sized book. Pretty neat. I love wheels!
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-30-2019, 02:49 AM
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Hello! My initial impression it's very similar with the others: great lens, nicely build, contrasty, very good colors, sharp, a very good work from Pentax. A little tricky sometimes with the focus, especially at infinity but not really a problem! Very interesting bokeh!
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-29-2019, 06:26 AM
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Nokishita Camera just posted a low-res picture. Same link as the OP.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
01-28-2019, 10:40 PM
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There are a couple of other compromises in the KP other than the top LCD panel, having to do with on-body controls. Of course, these compromises are for space-saving and for having the third control wheel on top. Instead of separate dedicated controls for AE-L and a back AF button, the AE-L button can be programmed to serve as an AF button instead. I prefer setting it to AE-L because I use this feature fairly often, and I am accustomed to using the shutter button half press for AF anyway. The lever around the power on/off button for optical DOF preview is gone, but other buttons are programmable, such as the one for level display, which could be set up for that purpose.
So, though some convenience is lost in controls having to be used in double roles, the third wheel on top provides additional convenient and efficient control features, also programmable, that are not found on the K-3. It is a give and take situation, but I think Pentax engineers have done a very good job in providing an exceptional and unique controls setup on a modest-size body. It is way beyond the controls setup of the K-S2 and K-70 style camera body, which in their own right are way above the typical entry-level DSLR camera bodies in both features and controls.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
01-28-2019, 06:40 AM
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Just throwing out yet another plug for keeping the K-3.
I was in the same position as you last year. I stumbled upon a VERY good deal for a K-1 that meant selling my K-3 + 18-135mm + $100 would pay for the K-1. Of course, I jumped on it having been lusting after the K-1 for a while (particularly for astrophotography/nightscapes). I am on a very tight budget, so even tacking on $100 was about all I could do. I wish I would have asked on this forum and received the advice you have, because like many have said, jumping into full-frame on a budget can become extremely constraining, and while I have a bigger budget now than I did a year ago, I am still working to get even a basic set of lenses to cover my wants and needs, and I've missed many photo opportunities in the meantime.
For example, while I have loved the astro/nightscape photos and think the K-1 has helped with that, I missed some great moose pictures twice simply because I have nothing beyond a 75mm lens while I have been saving up towards the 70-200 Tamron. I could have easily snapped that on my K-3 with an inexpensive tele and it would have looked fantastic.
I have thought many times of selling it and going back to the K-3, and maybe someday I will. All that being said, the K-1 is a fantastic camera, but it's not like I love my pictures now more than I did with the K-3 (makes you think...)
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
01-27-2019, 06:55 PM
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Funny that you saw the same thing I did Norm. I believe that the K-1ii needs some firmware refinement. The sum of the parts are fine, but there is so much more that can be done...let's hope CP+ yields some new software/firmware for this body. Also fine lens adjustment should be made automatic as it seems to be a common weakness in the K-1ii. Every lens is either front focused or rear focused, few, if any of my lenses are as clear as they should be....the KP fired solid right out of the box...a true little champion...lookinh forward to really working it up.
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