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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
07-07-2021, 05:30 PM
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K-70.
I posted this in the K-70 forum thinking it was implied. My bad. I haven't spent much time on the forum. Still have a FT business that has nothing to do with photography.
Thanks.
I understand depth of field, stop action, etc from my manual 35mm cameras. I use the viewfinder on all shots. Can't get used to the screen for composing, focus, etc.
I try to catch butterflies but have a few bumblebees. Also a bunch without insects.
That is a beautiful flower shot.
Thanks for all the feedback!
---------- Post added 07-07-21 at 05:37 PM ----------
My K-70 has TAv which I assume is the same.
Still getting used to DSLR and VERY overwhelmed. Tried to go to fast when I got it. Now I am stepping back are re-learning how to shoot. This camera (to me) is more like a computer. It is much smarter than I am.
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
07-05-2021, 08:38 AM
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So much to learn about these "new" cameras. The DSLR is like a mini-computer vs my Pentak k1000 where I mostly shot manual and relied on TTL metering.
I have mostly settled on using the AV setting and manual focus prime lenses. I have the option of using the A setting or picking an f-stop. I generally use the A setting which may be self-defeating but today I read a suggestion to manually choose the aperture and use F8 since it is the sweet spot for focusing and clarity.
Seems the more I read the more confused I get.
FWIW most of my shots are outdoors, daylight. Subjects are closeups (plants, flowers) and people (portraits). My current preferred prime is Rokinon 85mm with a 17-70mm Sigma zoom as a backup for wider shots such as landscapes.
Am I overthinking the aperture setting? ISO setting is 100. As a rule I am pleased with the outcome but wonder if the shots could be better by picking the aperture vs using the A setting.
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
05-26-2021, 04:02 PM
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thx
I purchased one of the books
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
05-12-2021, 05:40 AM
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@unclevanya I am shooting JPEG for now. About a dozen years ago I ventured into digital with a K2000. Film processing was still available at the time so the K2000 was more of a novelty. I never really learned how to use the camera but did shoot a video background subject in RAW in order to get the detail needed for a 60 x 48 backdrop enlargement.
Still learning the controls on this camera. I feel like I need to get a degree from the Pentax night school before I can operate it. My old K1000 seems like a Model T by comparison.
I did find information about adjusting the flash "power". Something like a GN setting. Once I figure out how to do that it might be easier for me to adjust the flash than the aperture when I need a fill flash. This camera does so well with the few indoor shots I may not need the flash. I still have 2 working Vivitar 285's in the off chance of a need for more power.
Back to the photo . . . the shot was on automatic, not AV. The first few times I used this camera I did shoot in AV and opened the aperture fairly wide, 2.8 to 4.0. Still not satisfied with color rendering I dug out the manual and worked through the "tree" and discovered the prior owner set the camera for Adobe RGB. Gary Fong (on YouTube) suggested sRGB over Adobe. That setting made a noticeable improvement (to me at least) but still searching for the "best" setting (or settings).
Thanks for the f5.6 advice. I will play around with that vs stopping all the way (or almost all the way) down.
For film I used mostly zooms to avoid looking like a packrat lugging a bunch of lenses in my bag. As I get more accustomed to this camera I might carry two primes and leave the zoom at home. The primes are Rokinon.
@bertrand3000 I did not use Live View. Shot in autofocus mode and "tricked" the camera by pushing the shutter button half way to target the bridge then repositioned the frame for the full shot. I have also gone back through the settings used by the prior owner and changed the focus mode from center weighted to full frame.
Thanks for all the feedback. So much to learn.
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
05-11-2021, 04:30 PM
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Did not use flash here. Only one shot. So bad I trashed it.
Also looking for suggestions on color saturation. Digital photog is new to me. I am a 35mm, manual camera guy. Now I have a camera that is smarter than me and I am trying to figure out several things. Tried on camera fill flash only once. I don't anticipate using fill flash that often. When I have used it in the past (on the 35mm) I had a dedicated hot shoe flash with TTL metering enabled.
@photoptimist ask for EXIF data. Had to Google it. Had no idea what he was talking about. I am an old school guy trying to catch up to the digital world. Only had this camera a few weeks.
Perhaps I am expecting too much from the camera. I am accustomed to vivid colors from ASA 100 or 200 film cameras.
Ignore the fill flash question. It was thrown in as an "oh BTW"
Colors look off to me. Late AM shot with sun at 11 o'clock filtered through trees. I would prefer to take these shots before 10AM or after 4PM but that is not an option in these gardens. No filters on the lens. Not sure a polarizer would help since the sun angle is wrong for that type of filter.
I have Rokinon prime lenses . . . 14, 50 and 85 but decided to travel light so I only took the zoom.
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
05-11-2021, 02:48 PM
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Landscape shot attached. Attempt at fill flash so bad I deleted it.
Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC OS (HSM) Macro K Mount Autofocus Lens for Pentax APS-C Sensor DSLR {72}
Make : RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
Model : PENTAX K-70
Orientation : 1
XResolution : 300 [300/1]
YResolution : 300 [300/1]
ResolutionUnit : 2
Software : PENTAX K-70 Ver. 1.11
DateTime : 2021:05:09 11:27:44
Artist :
YCbCrPositioning : 2
Copyright :
ExifIFDPointer : 726
GPSInfoIFDPointer : 32014
undefined : 400
ExposureTime : 0.008 [1/125]
FNumber : 8 [80/10]
ExposureProgram : Landscape mode
ISOSpeedRatings : 400
ExifVersion : 0230
DateTimeOriginal : 2021:05:09 11:27:44
DateTimeDigitized : 2021:05:09 11:27:44
ComponentsConfiguration : YCbCr
ExposureBias : -0.3
MeteringMode : CenterWeightedAverage
Flash : Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
FocalLength : 29 [2900/100]
MakerNote : [30720 values]
FlashpixVersion : 0100
ColorSpace : 1
PixelXDimension : 6000
PixelYDimension : 4000
InteroperabilityIFDPointer : 31984
SensingMethod : One-chip color area sensor
FileSource : DSC
SceneType : Directly photographed
CustomRendered : Normal process
ExposureMode : 2
WhiteBalance : Auto white balance
FocalLengthIn35mmFilm : 43
SceneCaptureType : Landscape
Contrast : Hard
Saturation : Normal
Sharpness : Hard
SubjectDistanceRange : Distant view
GPSVersionID : 2.3.0.0
thumbnail : [undefined values]
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
05-11-2021, 08:04 AM
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Still figuring my way around the K-70. Tried different modes before settling on Auto while the operator is still in the training cycle.
Color saturation is not up to my liking. Outdoor shots are slightly washed out.
Took a few head shots with outdoor backlighting. Subject in the shadows, background full sun. Initial shot (no flash) was horrible. Turned on the popup flash and everything washed out. Sigma zoom @ 40mm and about 8 feet from the subject.
These are probably simple fixes. Did a search on the forum and nothing matched my fill flash query.
Suggestions appreciated.
Bob
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
04-06-2021, 09:46 AM
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Thanks for the responses.
I shoot mostly scenery, landscapes, etc as DNG in order to generate prints. Last one was 48 x 60 printed on matte finish vinyl and used as a backdrop for YT videos.
Compressed files like PNG, JPG, etc don't work well with enlargements.
Most of the editing software wants to compress the file which results in data loss. Compression is an enemy of enlargements.
I can't recall what I used before but think it was Lightworks with Darktable. Could have been GIMP+Darktable but frankly I don't recall which one produced the results without compressing the file.
I mostly shoot in shutter priority, manual mode and am very conscious of lighting, color saturation, etc. Old habits can be hard to break sometimes. I cut my 35mm teeth on a Pentax k1000 and a Ricoh KR-10. Shot a lot of film, color and BW under different settings including night shots where meters don't work well. I rarely used TTL metering, either followed my "gut" or occasionally used a Gossen Luna Pro.
My photo's require minimal editing which is why I have no use for expensive software or a subscription service.
I am also looking for a way to transfer the DNG files to a hard drive. I managed to use a Chromebook with an SD card reader, uploaded to G Drive then downloaded to my PC hard drive. Way too many steps . . .
After a bit more research (this camera is still new to me) I discovered a data port. Unfortunately the port is a "micro-mini" female, not a standard in the USB world. I believe I found a data cable that might work at B&H and on Amazon. I really don't care for using eBay for any kind of technical equipment. I will find out in a day or so if the data cable will solve that problem. It seems everyone that made photo equipment used a proprietary port design making after market parts challenging.
I will certainly check out suggestions like RawTerapee, GIMP, Irfanview, etc and see if these achieve my goals and have a minimal learning curve.
Thanks!
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
04-05-2021, 03:01 PM
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@bertwert a little of both. Minor editing (color adjusment, rotate).
I shoot in RAW (DNG) because I have enlarged a few. Used one as a backdrop for YouTube video's I shoot. Yes, I can shoot as JPG or RAW/DNG but sometimes need a compressed file.
I tried Darktable but did not consider is user friendly. Looking for something simple, with a relatively flat learning curve.
Search mentioned Picasa (which apparently is no longer a Google product). Tried to download and got a Trojan warning. Had the same when trying to download GIMP.
I gave the Windows 10 built in Photo Editor and it does most of what I want.
Hoping to find a bulk converter for a dozen+ files on my SD card that can be saved on my hard drive. Taking the SD card from the camera and inserting into the slot on my PC I discovered Windows can't read it. The card does not show on Explorer so I have a need to convert so they can be saved on my HD.
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
04-05-2021, 01:53 PM
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Hello . . . !
Photog nut from the old days (110, 35mm, 120) to digital.
No darkroom experience but still have a few 35mm manual camera's left over that have been collecting dust for years. Sold my 120 medium format years ago. 2 Yashica and 1 Fuji 645 folding.
Went digital (kind of) a dozen years ago with a Pentax k2000. "Upgraded" to a k20d a few months ago and added some new fixed lenses (Rokinon, 14mm, 50mm and 85mm). Enjoying these "fast" lenses and relearning how to operate a camera in shutter priority with manual focus.
Shoot mostly in RAW (DNG) but find the need to do MINOR editing without investing in Photoshop or other software. DNG files are "invisible" to most software so I can't rotate and do minor adjustments.
I need to find a way to convert files to PNG or JPG to rotate and/or upload to social media.
G search turns up mostly paid ads with free trials, etc and other come-ons.
Looking for bulk conversion of DNG files that saves as PNG or JPG. Something more convenient than on camera conversion.
Suggestions?
Bob
---------- Post added 04-05-21 at 02:01 PM ----------
Forgot to mention . . . several of the sites with "free" software have Trojans.
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