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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
12-03-2023, 12:22 AM
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It's like a "MASTER CAUTION" light in an aircraft annunciator, or a "CHECK ENGINE" light in a car. It means "Something important is in an unusual state."
Generally, I can make it come on when I set one of the shutter delay timer settings (12 sec, 2 sec, remote 3 sec.)
I think that it's a useful reminder, and with a firmware change, it could be even more useful if it were user configurable to flag other settings that might delay or cause unexpected results when you push the shutter button—such as very long exposures, crop settings, filter settings, SD card getting full, severe under-/over-exposure, or options that take multiple exposures followed by many seconds of processing them, like HDR, Clarity, etc. One thing that always bites me is if I set "One-Push Bracketing" to "OFF" and then forget to restore it to sanity mode...
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
09-04-2023, 10:00 AM
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I really like the K-01 for tabletop photography. It doesn't take up a lot of room and the ability to use a wide variety of macro and zoom lenses I already own makes it vastly superior to any of the current D-milcs available today. I especially like the fact that I don't have to buy a whole truckload of expensive, new lenses that only fit one camera as is the case with every other D-milc on the market today.
Live view is extremely useful for for tabletop work. I don't have to twist my neck to weird positions to peep through the viewfinder and the focus assist is very easy to see on the large display.
I have narrowed down the problem to aging batteries that the K-01 is more sensitive to than any of my other Pentax cameras. As soon as the camera misfires, a quick check of the screen confirms that the first segment of the battery-charge status indicator is about to switch off (or already has). By the time the battery icon changes from green to yellow, the shutter hangs after every shot.
I have also found that some lenses deplete the battery more quickly than others (focus-hunting by big, heavy screwdriver lenses, mostly). Using the flash will also accelerate the appearance of the shutter issue.
A solution
Swapping in a fully charged battery ALWAYS restores proper operation... at least for a while. I always keep one on hand.
I have found that Kastar batteries give me the most images before the malfunction begins. Manual focus (which is a boon for tabletop/macro work anyway) helps a lot to delay the problem. Reducing the screen backlight brightness a notch or two will also noticeably postpone the onset of the dreaded shutter hang. Newer Pentax lenses with internal focus motors and electronic diaphragm actuation almost completely eliminate the issue.
I believe the problem is caused by aging resistors in the circuitry, which are changing value beyond the design tolerance limits, which causes the shutter drivers to pass insufficient current to the shutter actuation mechanism. Other possibilities are: the accumulation of dirt, or the aging of any lubricant material (including Teflon™ parts), or wear of the same (although it is very unlikely to have wear issues at only 4,000 cycles).
Off-topic rant follows:
I love my K-01, and I wish Pentax would produce a new D-MILC model made to today's Pentax DSLR standards (K70/Kf), and maybe even a mirrorless full-frame to leverage even more of our beloved and renowned Pentax glass. Both should have the flip screen found on the K-S2/K-70/Kf, possibly with the touch-screen functionality and the menu style of the K3iii.
And Ricoh, don't cheap out! Make the new camera a tool marketed for professionals and advanced prosumers. The big, heavy Nikon Z series is the target. I'd gladly sell my eyeteeth to pay K-3iii money for such a beast if it would mount and work with all my prized Pentax lenses! (And keep the K-0# numbering scheme for the MILCs. K-02 full frame and K-03 APS-C makes perfect sense.)
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Forum: Pentax Full Frame
10-10-2022, 07:17 AM
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Saving up for a K-1 — even a used one — is a noble way to accomplish your goal. However, if you are convinced that you want a K-1 and nothing else will do, many people in a similar situation apply for a store credit card from a major retailer that sells Pentax gear, and make affordable payments (albeit with high interest). As a bonus, the major retailers have a used equipment department which is worth a look on a regular basis for all of us!
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-15-2022, 03:20 AM
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I vote for [MENU] Custom Settings > 26 -AF Fine Adjustment, which MUST be done through the viewfinder.
Since it's likely you've already tried that, I would take a look at the EXIF info for your NON-keepers, and see of there's a common thread. Shake reduction can fix a LOT of camera movement, but NOTHING can fix moving subject blur. Try higher ISO or wider f-stop at higher shutter speeds (faster than 1/250 second).
Remove the lens and CAREFULLY shine a very bright light through it while making sure you don't blind yourself, You're looking for haze, scratches, fog or fungus. I have many Tamron lenses and they make fantastic images most of the time, as long as I use the lens hood, and avoid having extremely bright lights in the field of view.
Your workhorse zoom sounds like the Tamron A09. I like mine on my K-1ii. It is a sharp screwdriver-focus lens which is tailored for the pixel geometry of full frame sensors. On APS-C it's not as sharp since there are fewer pixels than full frame but in a much denser arrangement.
I used to be very skeptical of people here gently suggesting to me that my old, expensive collection of world-class film lenses was not a good match for APS-C. I figured they were drinking the new lens manufacturers' advertising Kool-Aid.
Turns out I was wrong.
I now know that when I use even the relatively inexpensive "kit" lens which was designed on a blank sheet of paper to meet the demands presented by the unique pixel geometry of high-density APS-C sensors; that when I'm using lenses like my SMC Pentax-DA 1:3.5-5.6 18-135mm ED AL (IF) DC WR with its hood "glued" on, I get a very satisfactory percentage of excellent keepers on any of my APS-C Pentaxes. Best $150 bucks (US — about $220 AUS) I ever spent! Very fast and accurate focus, sharp images, vivid, natural colors, "just right" contrast. It's a good close-up lens too.
My non-keepers are now mostly caused by faulty framing, lousy lighting and careless composition... All of which are my own fault.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
06-14-2022, 11:52 PM
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The K3 Mark ii vertical grip has a battery tray for AA batteries (six, I think). So does the K-1.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
06-14-2022, 11:48 PM
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Have you downloaded and installed the latest firmware? I have version 1.01, on my K200D and it works very well on any batteries i throw at it.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
05-25-2022, 11:45 AM
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Here is the latest Pentax mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, with the latest Pentax HD 24-70mm f/2.8 weather resistant zoom lens. This DSLR lens is 100% fully compatible with the Pentax K-01 without requiring the purchase and use of any adapters or losing any features.
If an updated K-01 successor* were available, its lens compatibility would be a major selling point for those of us with Pentax DSLRs, lenses and accessories. It would be a useful part of an integrated camera system, and befuddle the media.
*I'd pay a K3iii price for a full-frame Pentax mirrorless, as long as it included the existing awesome lens compatibility, ~56 megapixels (to match the K3iii pixel density), UHS-II support, modern on-sensor autofocus; K3iii speed, ergonomics, touch-screen and menu; the K-1 screen articulation, Pentax build quality, retention of the best K-01 features, including and expanding the number of aspect ratios; built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, built-in GPS, vertical/battery grip; and overall upgrades, with a commitment to building a product advanced customers want, with customer input incorporated into the design and upgrades. Reducing the size and weight should NOT be the primary design factors for this "high performance" level of a professional imaging tool.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
05-25-2022, 06:42 AM
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Ever wonder why SUVs are so popular? Not for the utility! When I count, the vast majority of SUVs driving past me are carrying exactly ONE person. Not the kids' soccer team. Not the week's groceries. Just. One. Person.
Well, back in the early 2000s, the auto manufacturers found that SUVs did not have to meet the much stricter (and vastly more expensive) emissions and safety requirements as did "passenger cars".
SUVs of the day were (much) cheaper to make than sedans, and if you could hype them up and charge more for them, they were SIGNIFICANTLY more profitable!
Now let's look at digital MILCs. (I say "digital" or "dMILC" because mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras have been around for over 100 years!)
- They are cheaper to produce
- They are sold for a higher price
- They are highly promoted and marketed as "better"
- They require the purchase of costly proprietary lenses and accessories
Sounds like a recipe for success in business.
To quote a 19th century proverb, sometimes attributed to P. T. Barnum, "There's one born every minute."
Below is a portrait of Mr. Barnum, taken with a MILC by Matthew Brady, circa 1860, courtesy of the Library of Congress.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
05-25-2022, 04:53 AM
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Popular buzz-words like Adam Smith's Free Market are oft quoted but commonly misunderstood and misused. Photographic equipment at the performance and luxury levels is marketed to a very different clientele and market segment than are cellphones and bubble-pack point'n'shoots.
If the "Invisible Hand of the Free Market" were to decide that oval-track car races were the most profitable spectator sport, would that mean the end of NFL Football, MLB Baseball, NHL Hockey, Professional tennis, the Olympics and local youth soccer?
The relevant freedom we should focus on is the freedom for manufacturers to produce products they believe they can sell at a sufficient profit for them and for their customers.
Should everybody but Ricoh/Pentax decide to discontinue DSLRs that would leave one remaining DSLR brand: Pentax. That means a monopoly, and as we all know those can be extremely profitable!
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Forum: General Talk
05-16-2022, 10:51 PM
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... AND, it's a point'n'shoot!!!
(Couldn't resist!)
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Forum: General Talk
05-16-2022, 10:49 PM
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Indeed!
And to be honest, the K-01 doesn't bother me at all. It reminds me somewhat of the old Argus C-3, which was an extremely popular film camera!
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Forum: General Talk
05-16-2022, 09:47 AM
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Disclaimer: I have a K-01 and I love it. I'd gladly part with $$$ for a full-featured, full-frame version!
Now for the news...
Beloved Pentax K-01 designer Marc Newson has a new gig: He's designing a new shotgun for Beretta.
What could possibly go wrong?
Introducing the new 486 by Marc Newson
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-01-2022, 01:39 AM
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Here's an interesting video that many are already aware of. I started in the middle because that's the best quote about the debate between test results and actual performance that I've ever heard in my entire life! Enjoy...
https://youtu.be/ktyzkSRxdFE?t=117
//Joe
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
02-22-2022, 04:49 PM
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Amen, Brother. The "push a button and scroll" to activate a function before being able to use it is just plain silly.
The K-1 got it right; Why try to improve on perfection???
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
02-22-2022, 09:53 AM
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There are two kinds of camera users—those concerned about their image, and those concerned about their images.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
02-02-2022, 05:27 PM
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I think that is kind of what I was trying to say in point #1. It is true both for people who make a living by photographing ("Professionals") and those who enjoy photographing as its own reward (non-professionals). And there is a huge continuum in between, with plenty of room for Pros whose vocation is photography and for Amateurs whose avocation is photography. Both groups are made up of people with all levels of skill, craftsmanship, proficiency, creativity and vision. Professionals (hopefully) get paid for making quality photographs, while Amateurs pay for the privilege of making quality photographs.
My point being, both Professionals and Amateurs benefit from the availability of many types of cameras and photographic technologies, each being well-suited to some types of photography and less suited for others. The most satisfied photographers are those who select the right tool for the task they are undertaking. Pro or Amateur, they can define themselves by their photographs—the equipment is secondary, as long as it provides the photographer with the capability of recording their unique vision so others may share it.
Now let's please move on from arguing about gear, and get back to arguing about how many photons can dance on the head of a pixel! :)
//Joe
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Forum: Photographic Technique
02-01-2022, 02:46 PM
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Excellent description and demonstration!
p.s. Don't worry about your accent. You are completely understandable. If you want to be able to control your voice and pronunciation, find a music teacher (or a voice acting coach) and take a few months of lessons. You will quickly learn how to listen to yourself and modify your pronunciation on the fly. I found that learning how to sing songs in other languages than my native American English made me better at speaking English! Another trick is to use a fake British accent, and most Americans will think you're very intelligent! :)
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Forum: Photographic Technique
02-01-2022, 01:58 PM
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Finding myself in need of pictures of things I wanted to sell on a popular auction site led me to consider what Pentax equipment I could devote to the task. I mounted various cameras on a thrift shop tripod, used the existing Daylight (5000°K) led room lights, and taped an 11x17 inch piece of copier paper to my working computer desktop to be used as a backdrop.
I mounted an smc Pentax-F 1:2.8 50mm Macro lens, or an smc Pentax-F Zoom 1:3.5-4.5 35-70 lens, and experimented with composition and exposure on my K-1ii and K-3iii. The results were quite satisfactory, but I didn’t want to relegate either camera to permanent use. I looked at the rest of my Pentax DSLRs (and even borrowed a purple K-x and K-5iis from a friend.) It became immediately obvious that Live View was an absolute necessity, as contorting myself into odd positions to look through the viewfinder was—quite literally—a pain in the neck!
That requirement ruled out the *ist-D, K-100D, K-200D, and surprisingly the K-5iis which for some inexplicable reason did not have focus peaking! The K-x had both LV and FP, but as a bare-bones, entry-level offering, didn’t give me the ability to fine-tune things like HDR, EV steps and other features found in the rest.
So I mounted my poor, lonely, misunderstood K-01 mirrorless camera on the tripod, attached a lens and dialed up the same settings as with the “real” cameras...
I was blown away by the results!
I was blown away by the sophistication of the K-01 live view, its excellent implementation of focus peaking, the ease of selecting focus points, the ease of tuning the exposure parameters, the image quality (after all, it uses the same 16MP sensor as the K-5 and many other Pentax DSLR models).
What I had now was a very easy 1-minute setup for taking product shots with a camera, tripod and backdrop which took up virtually no storage space in my rather cramped work area. And the results were outstanding!
Refining the Technique
In my search for ultimate quality, I realized that the noise from high ISO settings was best avoided by taking long (10+ seconds) exposures at a low ISO. I also experimented with controlling shadow details, and found using HDR exposures was satisfactory, yielding professional results without having to set up and monkey with flash or fancy lighting arrangements. My primary goal was consistently getting clear, sharp, professional product photos with an absolute minimum of studio setup, that would be easily reproducible every time I set up and tore down.
Here’s what worked the best…
Lighting: Single LED Lamp above and to the left of my desktop, and LED ceiling light to my right
Placement: ~18 inches from sensor to object foreground to comfortably fill frame with object.
Exposure: Multi-Segment metering, Av mode for desired DoF (this shot I used f:5), ISO 100, Custom image: “Natural”, HDR Auto, exposure compensation -0.7 EV, Self-timer 2s
In Conclusion
Give it a try, and share your results—and any further tips you discover!
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
01-26-2022, 08:13 AM
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I should have elucidated more on the demise (both figurative and literal) of the uniquely gifted SLR assembly technicians. They are an elite group, and their skills were learned through the experience they gained from a lifetime of working in the industry. There is little opportunity to develop such skills in the Western world, and outside of Japan and a few communities in Europe the master crafters are not to be found.
I have a friend who has made a career in the manufacturing sector. His company can't find enough basic laborers, let alone those with advanced skills. A distressing number of the new hires couldn't tell you the difference between a hammer and a screwdriver, let alone possess the knowledge of how to use either safely and effectively, without damaging the product in the process.
And they refuse all attempts at training, because they believe they know it all.
NASA is going back to the moon, or so they say. But it won't be any time soon. The Uncomfortable Truths of American Spaceflight
And now we look at the camera manufacturing industry. Its bread and butter mainstay of millions of point and shoot cameras a year is no longer relevant, as customers have 0deserted them for smartphones. The loss of that market segment and the profit it generated is making it difficult for the companies to be able to fund the highly-skilled, labor-intensive manufacturing of DSLR cameras—let alone to fund exotic R&D programs.
Pentax is lucky to have found an adoptive parent in Ricoh, who has a large sales network and a bounty of loyal non-camera customers who generate enough profit from their other business lines to permit the funding of top-line camera manufacturing and R&D such as the massive bankroll of two state-of-the-art flagship DSLRs in the face of unreliable parts supply chains, uncertain sales and declining market interest in complex technology that isn't a smartphone, tablet or large-screen TV.
Pentax already is a boutique brand, and we will have to pay more in the future to keep them in business if we want to enjoy buying new products from them.
And remember—Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras have been around for 170 years (using 8x10", 4x5" or 9x12cm sheet film; and 120, 620, 220, 127, 126, 110 and 135 roll film sizes.) The SLR was a novel idea before WW II, and Leica wasn't worried. It wasn't until the late 1950s that Pentax and Nikon followed by Canon, Olympus, Konica, Minolta, Topcon, Mamiya and a host others) started to outsell popular rangefinders such as the Argus C3, The Leicas and Contaxes, the Kodak and Polaroid folding cameras (with bellows!) and plastic SLR lookalikes from anonymous Asian manufacturers.
There are significant numbers of us who still use these films and cameras occasionally, but it is a niche market. Optical rangefinder dMILC cameras are a mainstream product, and almost all of the current entry-level, mirrorless, Point&Shoot cameras (that aren't cellphones) are rangefinders with LV and built in flash.
Any industry is subject to the whims and fads of society. Successful companies find a balance of giving the public what they want, while maintaining the integrity of their high-end products. Think Nikon sunglasses and hunting rifle scopes being a support system for the expense of producing D-850 and Z-9 cameras. And think Pentax—and yes, I know that division is not owned by Ricoh, but it does remind consumers that there IS still a Pentax!
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
01-26-2022, 01:49 AM
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Things to think about in the ongoing discussion...
1. Cameras are tools, not a definition of who we are. There's room for both DSLR and dMILC cameras, because each system is better suited for some types of photography than the other. A useful toolbox includes both a hammer and a screwdriver.
2. As a photographer, my favorite camera is the one I'm currently using, be it a DSLR, dMILC, Phone, MF film, or whatever. When it is unable to deliver the results I am after, or not suited for the current task at hand, I switch to another camera which is more appropriate to what I am trying to do. I don't use a car to tow a 50,000 lb trailer, and I don't use a Mack truck to go to the store.
3. Manufacturers are driving the demand for the products they want to (or still can) make, and devote many resources to creating demand for the products they want to (or still can) sell. And it's not all about profit. There is a need for skilled workers with specialist knowledge, skills and experience to properly align and calibrate the focusing elements of DSLRs. Robots can't (yet) duplicate the precision a skilled technician brings to the process, especially when the work is a labor of pride and self-esteem for the camera builders, many—if not most—of whom, are at or beyond retirement age. Further complicating the situation is that younger workers with the same dedication, extensive skillsets, esoteric knowledge, and lifetime commitment necessary for hand producing extremely sophisticated, professional-level SLR cameras are virtually nonexistent. (If you don't think this is important, take your favorite camera apart and put it back together.)
dMILC production is much easier to automate since all the high-precision autofocus calibration technology is integrated into the mass produced sensor chip, and highly-specialized, highly-skilled craftsmanship is not required to calibrate it. Digital MILC design philosophy is relatively new, and is at about the same place DSLR design was in the late 2000s. I'm not saying that it will take 10 years for dMILCs to mature, but they are still growing and have already established a foothold in the mainstream of photography (which for the overwhelming majority of people in 2022 consists of their smartphone).
The discussion as it exists in the media and online discussions is largely missing the point: The reality is that the largest part of the camera market no longer exists, and has now become the smartphone market.
Apple designer Jonathan Ive once stated, "We're surrounded by anonymous, poorly made objects." (After retiring from Apple, Ive formed a business partnership, LoveFrom, with Marc Newson of Pentax K-01 fame.) see: Apple Designer Jonathan Ive Talks About Steve Jobs and New Products
Ricoh/Pentax may be taking the best path going forward: resizing to meet the demand for the admittedly botique-level technology they can and want to produce, while embracing the reality that the camera market for Ma and Pa and the Kiddies taking family vacation snapshots at Disneyland is gone... perhaps forever. The good news is that there will continue to be a very active niche market for professional-level photographic equipment among Artists, Publications, News, Entertainment, Advertising, Portraits, Industrial, Medical and aficionados of fine photography.
Leitz (Leica), Hasselblad and others are aware of this, and for those willing and able to pay the fair cost for all the creativity, skill and quality necessary to develop and manufacture such elite products, there will continue to be top-shelf markets in photography, technology, automobiles and the rest of life. Successful manufacturers understand this. Leica and Hasselblad understand this. Mercedes and Rolls Royce understand this. Apple understands this.
Pentax, Nikon, Sony and Canon need to understand this too, if they want to survive this decade.
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
06-22-2021, 06:14 PM
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Rick --
I still have 'em, and still have film in the fridge, but haven't used them in years. I will, while it's still possible to develop them! I still have all the lenses (thanks to your fine info over the years) and the ARE being put to good use on my K1-ii and K3-iii! Here's one example using the Schneider-Kreuznach 60/3.5 Curtagon on the K3-iii, cropped and resampled to HD wallpaper size.
In other news, I'm much more involved in amateur radio than ever, and serving my third term as ARRL Western Pennsylvania Section Manager. I'll be at the Firecracker Hamfest in Harrisburg on July 3 and at the Chambersburg Hamfest on July 31, if you should feel up to a drive from Virginia.
Great to run into you again, and thanks for your support of an odd but interesting family of cameras.
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
05-18-2021, 10:04 AM
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You are correct—the only protocol available in the K-3 III for file transfer is MTP, and that is what my software will use for the K-3 III.
The "UNIX way" involves low-level services (or "daemons") as an interface layer between physical devices and applications. Every program that wants to download files from the camera via a USB cable goes through the "gphoto2" service, which negotiates with each USB device to discover and use the appropriate file transfer protocol. In practice, I simultaneously download photos from both cards in my K-1 (via PTP orMTP for videos), both cards in my K-3 III (via MTP), my iPhone (via file system mount), and sometimes both cards in my Nikon (via PTP or file system mount). Because of the middle-ware server, I don't know and don't have to care which protocol is being used for which device, and they can all dump their new photos as quickly as possible.
Simultaneously, as in "all at the same time".
It makes me happy!!!
:D
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
05-18-2021, 08:43 AM
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Hello fellow K-3 III users and Linux users! As we all know the world runs on Windows™ and stuff that works there does not necessarily support Linux. It is often easy for the experienced user to fix these little issues and enjoy our familiar crash-free, marketing-free use of our favorite cameras using our favorite operating system.
The issue: While using Linux, Rapid Photo Downloader and other software applications fail to connect to your shiny new K3 Mark III via the USB-3/USB-C connection.
Symptoms: Programs attempting to access the photos on the K-3 III via the USB-3 connection fail and report "unable to read device" or "device not found" and the like. If you are using a USB-2 port on your computer, the problem might not occur, but does occur when you use your computer's USB-3 or USB-C ports.
More information: It's a permission thing. The K-3 III registers itself as a USB device which can be found in /dev/bus/usb. The plug-and-play automatically assigned permissions for that device, when connected via USB-3, restrict reading and writing to that device to only the "root" user, and members of the "audio" group.
The Solution: from the command line, type:
After the command has completed successfully, log out and log back in. You should now be able to connect to your K-3 III via the USB 3 cable at full USB-C speed! |
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
05-13-2021, 04:19 PM
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Hello, old friend! We do seem to travel in the same circles! Happy to see that you're still active and hoped to find some time to catch up after all these years!!!
73 Joe W3BC
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Forum: Monthly Photo Contests
05-13-2021, 01:53 PM
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Here is the first photo I took with my brand new K-3 Mark III. I am lucky to have a huge Japonica (Japanese Quince) bush in my back yard, and even more lucky to have a nice, new Pentax K-3 to photograph it with! I am a "convert" to Pentax, and very impressed with the quality of the lenses and cameras—and the price is very affordable! Thank you Ricoh/Pentax for brightening an old, retired guy's life!
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