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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
12-29-2022, 02:05 AM
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Here's my 2 cents: The K-3 III eBook is well worth the cost over the user manual. The later pretty much has a one liner of what the feature is, but the eBook expands on the purpose of the features and when it should ideally be used. I used to write software manuals in my former job life, and the eBook is well written and doesn't have all those cliff hangers that the manual is filled to the brim with. Money well spent for the worthy owner of the K-3 III. Keep the change.
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Forum: General Photography
09-20-2023, 01:05 PM
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I left buying "NEW" Pentax cameras back when the original K-1 came out (2017ish?), because that camera was all the camera that I'll ever need, and improvements in both features and IQ have been incremental, slow, and of little value to me since then.
However, I still believe that "USED" Pentax gear is a raging bargain. I'm having great fun discovering used older Pentax cameras these days. I've never paid more than $300 USD for them (Q $99, K-01 $130, K3 $250, etc.).
I no longer make large prints, don't sell my images, and shoot mostly vintage manual-focus fast prime lenses so no need for this guy to upgrade to $2,000 plus flagship bodies just for faster/better auto-focus and crazy high resolution.
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
08-23-2022, 09:33 PM
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Group AF acts as one large AF point with the priority given to the face
Subject recognition for can be found in Auto area AF this is the only setting that uses the cameras AF to detect and select the subject
Here I made a videos made sometime ago with the D4 set to Auto area AF and letting the camera select the AF points it has no problem with selecting the correct AF points in a dark bathroom
This is done in light that I would not want to use or even save the files if it was for wildlife photography
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Here with some light added
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I look to see if I still have the raw files to post, It should not be any harder for the D500 to obtain the same results as I have done with the D4 as it is a much more robust AF
You have to remember that Dynamic that you have to place the main AF point over what you want to track
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Forum: General Talk
08-20-2022, 08:23 AM
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I remember them with Arthur Lee and their smash hit, "Seven and Seven Is" back in '66. I was around 13 at the time...
"I'd sit inside a bottle and pretend that I was in a can,
my father's in the fireplace and my dog lies hypnotized"
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-20-2022, 02:01 AM
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I've had my WR telephotos out in the rain. The main thing is to refrain from zooming while using them & prior to drying them off.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-19-2022, 07:33 PM
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I had my copy of the DA 20-40mm on my K-3 on the boat that goes right up to Niagara Falls. Both the camera and the lens came through with flying colours, and I was exceptionally happy with the results I got on the day.
It doesn't get much wetter than that in my experience, and the only other cameras being used on the boat at the time were Samsung water proof cellphones (was before Apple got water proofing).
I had to wipe the lens with a cloth that got very wet, before each image, but that was a small price to pay for the images achieved |
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Forum: General Talk
08-18-2022, 03:11 PM
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Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles.
Just so many beautiful pop songs
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Forum: General Talk
08-18-2022, 05:00 AM
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Summer groove
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
05-10-2022, 08:20 AM
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I took advantage of the current sale and purchased the K-3 III. It arrived last Friday. Here are my 1st impressions as a K-70 owner/user who was looking to upgrade (just using the camera in my back yard over the weekend):
1. The viewfinder - WOW! Noticeably brighter and I like the slight magnification. I like the configurable overlays and the amount of information available. It makes the K-70 viewfinder look primitive by comparison. No cons whatsoever.
2. Focusing - Also WOW! Noticeably faster and more precise when using either my HD DA 16-85mm DC lens or my HD DA 55-300mm PLM lens. This is with mostly static targets. I need to do more testing with moving subjects.
3. Menu system - Different, but not noticeably difficult to adapt to. The Pentax support site provides a downloadable K-70 to K3 III menu translation reference sheet.
4. Shutter/Mirror action - seems quieter and better damped with less vibration from mirror slap. This might also be a side-effect of the more robust feeling, heavier body.
5. Weight - it definitely feels heavier than the K-70, but feels more balanced with the two lens I used.
6. Rear display - Lots of information available. Live View focusing seems a little better. Live View manual focus is about the same as the K-70. Alas, still no ability to change the highlight color for the Focus Peaking function.
Some room for improvement:
1. As mentioned above, provide for user selectable highlight color for Focus Peaking function.
2. Sp. Function Button - make a menu option where the button can be configured to toggle through all the Sp. Function menus instead of using the rear dial. This was how I initially though it would work and had to go back to the user manual to see that it didn't work this way.
3. Display the user assigned name to user settings U1-U5 when selected. I see this has been mentioned in other threads.
All in all, I'm happy with the new camera and do not regret my purchase.
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
05-04-2022, 05:38 PM
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One's in Chinese, HP!
If it was no problem, I need to sit next to you when ordering in a restaurant. :D
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
10-08-2021, 04:07 PM
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I tried to be as absolutely objective and open as possible which made this much harder to do than I first thought. But it's out there now.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
10-18-2021, 01:06 PM
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I noticed something about my new K-3 iii, or more specifically, I noticed something about the box. Ricoh isn’t prominently displayed anywhere. It is written on one side down low, but look how different the box for the 16-85 shows the parent company brand.
The camera is phenomenal by the way. WOW!
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
10-30-2021, 05:39 PM
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Honestly, this is my first "flagship" camera. I've always had to be very frugal with money, I've never been able to afford the top-of-the-line stuff.
But this camera looked very, very intriguing to me. My K5-iis just bit the dust, so I was down to one working body, my KP.
Then the free battery grip sale popped up, I had just gotten paid for a couple wedding jobs, and bam... I found myself ordering.
(let me just say, I've always been peeved at the battery grip price, with the exception of the K200D which was reasonable.)
Super quick first impressions after 6 senior portrait sessions shot with it in two days. (nothing like giving it a workout a day after receiving it:
#1: The autofocus. So much better. My 55mm is really hit or miss on my KP. It has a much, MUCH better keeper rate on the K3-III.
#2: The "lock all buttons" button. I've needed this for so long. Every time I let the camera hang (on my strap) or grab it to shoot again, I roll the wheels with my fingers, or hit the joystick.
#3: Image quality is freakin' oustanding. Of course it's Pentax, so that's to be expected. But it's soooo good.
#4: USB charging: Some folks don't like this. I love it. I hated taking off the battery grip on all my previous cameras just to charge the main battery. This is great, and it charges both batteries.
Anyway, I'll go back to lurking for another month and then post some photos. lol.
Previous cameras:
K110D
K200D
K7
K5
K5IIS
KP* still in service.
K3-III *new
---------- Post added 10-30-2021 at 08:50 PM ----------
Here are a few photos from those sessions:
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Forum: General Talk
10-16-2021, 05:16 PM
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Mark Knopfler’s homage to the Boss?A great track whatever.
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Forum: General Talk
07-21-2021, 09:31 AM
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Alice Coltrane, Journey in Satchidananda.
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Forum: General Talk
02-18-2021, 07:08 AM
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the kinks
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followed by canned heat
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Spotify is choosing for me at work since the Dylan album I was listening to ended
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Forum: Pentax KP
02-18-2021, 10:57 AM
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I find my KP handles perfectly with just the medium grip on my extensive collection of lenses (just the two!16-85 and PLM)
I would rather retain the original svelte lines the designer intended.Any lack of battery life is overcome by carrying a spare or two.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-12-2021, 09:17 PM
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
08-20-2017, 08:23 PM
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With a few notable exceptions, most threads on this site that specifically relate to weather seals generally fall into three main groups: reports of failed seals and/or rants about expectation of seal performance and/or Ricoh voiding warranty when water is found inside the camera. The standard responses range from success stories ("seals saved my camera"), sympathy comments, more rant, and suggestions of user (victim?) blame. That last is particularly prominent to the point that I have been thinking that a short treatise on user responsibility may be more kind and ultimately more helpful. Note that this note specifically excludes discussion of lens flange seals and/or use of focus/zoom on a sealed lens. The intent here is focus on the body only.*
Mods: Feel free to relocate if needed
A few initial talking points:- Given enough time and/or pressure differential, any seal in any system will fail
- All seals degrade with age and factors such as heat, ozone, contamination, etc. may contribute to the process
- Hermetic seals are only a good idea if a static internal environment is also a good idea
- Many on this site and elsewhere who have shot electronic film cameras and did so under challenging conditions for many years without failure due to moisture
- The above four points strongly infer that mindfulness and appropriate expectation might be combined to secure a good result. (That certainly reads stuffy.)
When water gets in with help from the user
I have my K-3 in front of me as I type. Pentax claims 92 environmental seals and has featured photos and video showing the camera quite thoroughly wet, if not soaked. That appears to be a clear invitation to excess. On the body, I count six points where user behavior may reduce the benefit of the camera's seals. They are (working from the top down)...- Microphone port flap...must be properly seated
- USB, HDMI, DC-in flap...very easy to not get fully seated to seal
- SD Card door...probably the weakest point in the system, though it is quite possible that there may be additional internal seals similar to those used with the hot shoe
- Wired remote port flap...must be properly seated
- Battery door...I would not leave the camera base sitting in standing water...'nuff said, eh?
- Grip contact cover...if properly seated, probably is quite effective, however, see point #5 above
Some might also add the lens mount (duh) and PC sync cap.
As is noted above, time is not our friend where water is concerned and while there are well-documented occurrences where a Pentax camera has survived full immersion or cleaning under a gentle stream of water, prompt removal of standing water from the camera is a prudent course of action. Some additional thoughts regarding time and pressure...- Avoid situations where the camera may end up sitting in pooled water (e.g. bottom of leaky camera bag or ice chest**)
- A splash is a high pressure moment. The same is true for a falling drop of rain. A few more words about "splash". There has been a subtle move by manufacturers to use "splash" in preference to "all-weather", or "rain" when describing seal performance. I think that is is safe to assume that "splash" as a "waffle word" does not include firehose, 30' waterfalls, garden hose nozzle, or a rogue wave at the sea shore.
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- Aftermarket plastic or glass protectors for rear and top LCDs may allow water to pass and hold it against the main seals for the LCD itself
On the subject of humidity
Water in the camera is not always due to seal failure and damage to internal components due to moisture is not always due to gross incursion of liquid water. The sad truth is that water vapor in the air will follow the concentration gradient and while seals may slow the process, eventually the vapor pressure of H2O inside will be the same as on the outside. Moist air may encourage growth of fungus and when the camera passes from a warm, high humidity environment into a cooler space, condensation on internal surfaces, including electronics and optics, may occur as a result. This has always been a problem for cameras and lenses, particularly in the tropical parts of the globe where specialized storage in low humidity cabinets is not unusual. Another common humidity risk element is present in cold winter areas where outside air is cold and dry with indoors air often being somewhat more humid. Moving a camera filled with warm moist air to a 10°F (-12°C) outdoors will result in condensation within the camera and/or lens. The most obvious indication is condensation on internal optics and mirrors. Note that moving to an air-conditioned space from the humid summer outdoors is very similar. There are many approaches to dealing with humidity and condensation and a full discussion of a little off-topic. Google is our friend. Many thanks to user @JinDesu for suggesting expanded content on humidity.
Please indulge a small aside on the matter of hermetic (love that word) seals. User expectation often is that the camera should be warrantied watertight. The logical extension is that the camera be fairly airtight as well. There are troubling implications to both in that once water or moisture-laden air gets in, it may be very difficult to get the wet out again. The seals work against us and there is a good reason to not make them too tight. It is my belief that Ricoh/Pentax should extend a grace in their warranty restrictions where condensation is a potential cause for water damage.
Best Practices
I won't guaranty that following these suggestions will save one from wet grief, but they are common practice and field-tested and I do believe them to be of value.- If one finds that rain gear is needed, it is quite likely that one's camera needs some level of protection as well
- Do not be presumptuous of the effectiveness of the seals. Hubris is not a virtue. Yes, it is sort of cool to allow the seals to be the first line of defense against the wet (I confess), but it is better to avoid doing so.
- Do not expose the camera to more than a few minutes of steady rain or penetrating mist. If one needs to wipe the lens front element or camera eyepiece or if water is dripping off the gear, there is reason for concern.
- Make sure that doors and flaps are properly closed.
- The seals on exterior doors and flaps as well as o-ring mount gaskets (WR and AR lenses) work best if they are kept clean of grit, lint, or contamination. Many thanks to @BigMackCam for reminding me of this and for his cleaning suggestions (comment BELOW)
- Do not allow water to stand on the camera. Carry a small towel (e.g. dish towel) to wipe water from the camera before returning it to the bag
- When working in the rain or when potential for splash is high, avoid setups where one of the body doors or flaps are open to the wet
- Consider use of well-fitted camera rain sleeve or poncho
- An umbrella can be a huge help, particularly if one has a willing assistant to hold it. Having an umbrella might allow one to carry the camera around the neck or off the shoulder.
- Most camera bags have minimal water resistance. Know before you go.
When to weep
The following indicators of water penetration have been reported by users on this site...- Visible fog, droplets, or sloshing water in rear/top LCD
- Persistent fogged viewfinder eyepiece
- Condensation on inner surfaces of SD card access, USB/HDMI access and similar
- Liquid water inside SD card access or battery bay
- Sloshing sounds from within the camera
- Failure of one or more camera controls
- Failure of rear or top LCD displays
- Failure to power up
- Camera is demon possessed
- Liquid water found during service attempt
- Gross corrosion found during service attempt
Mitigation
There are multiple reports from users on this site of successful drying after a mild incursion. I have never had to perform the procedure, but conventional wisdom goes something like this:- Power off and leave power off until confident that the camera is dry
- Remove battery
- Remove lens
- Open all camera access doors and flaps
- Place in a closed plastic bag with desiccant to draw moisture out of the body. Tradition calls for dry, uncooked rice grains, but rice can cause problems if allowed to get into the mirror box and other openings and can get mushy. Some users have used other grains or dried legumes (e.g. wheat or lentils) and have reported good results. A recent option is silica gel-based crystal-type kitty litter (see HERE).
- Drying may take several days and may also require a change of desiccant
Incursion of salt water is much more serious and I hesitate to recommend a DIY solution beyond powering down immediately and removing the battery prior to getting it to a service facility.
Steve
* The rational is partly for convenience and partly due to my lack of experience with sealed lenses (yes, I shoot in the rain without such and have done so for decades).
** Yes, I wrote ice chest and yes, I did see this and no, it was not my camera
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Forum: General Talk
02-12-2021, 05:34 PM
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In the days leading up to Mardi Gras, some New Orleans music is in order.
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Forum: Pentax KP
02-12-2021, 07:07 PM
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I'll give you the opposite side of thinking, I wanted to get one and decided against it for these reasons: I like the small size of the KP, I use a ThinkTank Turnstyle sling bag, I'm afraid the KP with the grip may not fit. It's darn easy to carry a couple of extra batteries in the bag or pocket, and I can change the battery in the dark, it's easy and quick. The KP handles beautifully the way it is designed, I regularly carry it with the DA*300 and 1.4tc attached. I've seen some people on here think that you can't handle a large lens without a grip, I really question how they hold their camera, but everybody is different and you do what is right for you. I think the grip would be handy if I were doing a lot of vertically oriented shots and would probably buy one if the price were much lower, but would use it sparingly.
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Forum: Pentax KP
02-12-2021, 02:57 PM
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I have one. I’m not one to kill a battery but do carry a spare . I love the feel it gives me with the 50/300 PLM. I rarely use my monopod due to my comfort level and the SR.
I rarely use the grips release though.
Hang up and DRIVE!
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Forum: General Talk
02-10-2021, 02:20 PM
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Forum: General Talk
02-06-2021, 03:29 PM
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You Tube
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---------- Post added 07-02-21 at 00:36 ----------
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Forum: Pentax KP
02-09-2021, 09:14 AM
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I took a quick look, and it appears that the supply of cheap Chinese screens on eBay has dried up. There was one sold a couple months ago, and since it said it was for K-m/x/r AND K-7/5/3/30/50/etc., I have my doubts - one of those groups must be wrong.
That said, if you have experienced a real KatzEye, I don't think you would be satisfied with an eBay screen - I've used both, and there was a huge difference in quality.
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