Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 
Log in or register to remove ads.

Showing results 1 to 21 of 21 Search: Liked Posts
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 05-31-2022, 02:47 PM  
Lens recommendations for Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 58
Views: 4,297
My view is I wish they had the timed entry system for ALL of the National Parks that get crowded. It doesn't take much effort to get your times (based on my experience with Carlsbad) and the parks feel less like a Disney ride (SO many people), and most people don't make last minute decisions to go to places like Zion (we planned ours many months in advance). I'd rather have the parks "limited access" than to have them "loved to death" (title of an article I read about our National Parks).
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 03-29-2022, 07:49 AM  
Lens recommendations for Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 58
Views: 4,297
I just got back from a week-long trip to the 5 National Parks in Utah. I took a HUGE number of pictures with my K-1ii. I'm still getting the best ones printed. Most of my shots were with my wide angle (20-35mm Pentax) and my fisheye (12mm). I never had trouble with wind or dust. I did have "trouble" with things being so close and large that I needed my widest lenses (the 12 and the 20-35). The super wide also helped me get close enough to the various things that I could keep the other people out of the shots. When I went the parks were CROWDED and many vistas were "ruined" (in my view) by all the people. With the wide and super wide, I was abl to get in front of the rest of the people and still get the shot.

I took very few shots with the telephoto, for example, when I shot the Delicate Arch, as I am not in the greatest shape, so I took the path that was across the canyon from the arch. I still got a good set of shots of it, but it did take my 100-300 Pentax.

So in order of the # of shots that I ended up printing for my hallway (wife calls it my gallery), it would be the 20-35, then the 12, then my 28-105, and then my 100-300. Remember, these are all for a full frame K-1ii.

I went with a tour group (small groups) over 5 days and it was fantastic. If you've not already made your reservations, you can PM me (?) and I'll tell you the company I used.
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 02-25-2022, 11:46 AM  
Simple Free Program to De-FIsh a Rokinon 12mm F2.8 Full Frame Fisheye Lens
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 8
Views: 2,118
Yes, I lowered the quality AND size to fit here. The 6826 x 5311 x 16 bit/color actual image results doesn't have the banding. That also may be the result of the conversion from 16 bit/color tiff to 8 bit/color jpg. Main thing was to illustrate the fisheye correction results. My plan is to do all the image correction work in Digital Camera Utility 5 and just do the defishing in Hugin, although I've not anywhere near explored the options in Hugin.

Again, I did no image manipulation in DCU5, other than to convert to tiff.

I tried to stitch together a couple of images I made standing at one location and it didn't work very well. That could be my inexperience with the program.

I do like the map projection theme for the conversion from sphere to flat. I work with map files a lot and that was familiar, although it doesn't have a bunch of projections that I actually like to use when I do actual maps and some of the projections it does have produce hilariously bad results.

I also just found out I can import Pentax DNG raw images directly, rather than convert to tiff and THEN use Hugin.
Forum: General Photography 08-20-2021, 12:18 PM  
Camera Display
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 5
Views: 2,235
Some years ago, I inherited my aunt's Argus C-3 camera set. I didn't know what to do with them because I had my own Pentax system. The set stayed in a box in my closet for years. I also have 4 different Pentax cameras that I not longer use, now that I have my K-1ii digital. So what to do with all these cameras? I could try to sell them, but they would not bring in much money and it would be a hassle. Besides, each of these cameras have special memories associated with them. So instead, I decided to display all of them in my house.
So on the top, you have my aunt's C-3 setup. She got two identical cameras (why? we don't know), flash, a meter, and a lot of other little things. I put them together in this aged wooden display case.
As for my Pentax cameras, I just put them all on a separate shelf below the Argus setup with a common (read cheap) lens. For the Pentax, I go from a total manual camera (K-1000), to an auto exposure camera (Super Program), then add auto focus (PZ-1), and then on to digital (K-30). I owned all of these, although I admit, I sold the Super Program years ago (but recently bought a non-working model to display).
So now I have a display of 35mm camera from the 1940's up to the 2010's, over 70 years of 35mm photographic equipment.
Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories 07-27-2021, 10:15 AM  
Your favourite accessories
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 92
Views: 6,031
Most of my shooting is hand-held. However, at times I will use a monopod (and even less frequently a tripod). The problem is quickly going from hand-held to monopod. What I found was this:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1455396-REG/digitalfoto_solution_limi...981&

I more or less just mount it to my camera and leave it there. It adds little bulk to the camera, and allows me to quickly mount/dismount the camera on the monopod. It allows me to quickly do portrait and landscape formats. And it's not expensive.

The second item goes with it. I needed a way to carry the monopod with me and since my wife almost always accompanies me on our hikes, and she wanted a walking stick, I got this to convert my monopod into a walking stick:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1418053-REG/magnus_mha_01_monopod_han...981&

It attaches to the top of my monopod. I put it on a quick release (just like my L-bracket) and I can quickly steal her walking stick and convert it back to my monopod.
:cool:
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 07-24-2021, 01:32 PM  
Used Alternative to the K-30
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 41
Views: 2,132
I sprung for an eBay K-5ii. I'll keep the K-30 and will eventually try and fix it. Now that I will have the K-5ii as my backup, repairing the K-30 won't be a life/death thing. I'll add it to my list of "fun things to do". If I succeed, I'll feel good about doing the repair (and I'll brag about it), if I fail, no one will ever know (I'll bury the evident under some endangered plants so no one will ever find the evidence...)
Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II 07-20-2021, 07:18 PM  
How Tough Is The K-1ii?
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 29
Views: 2,191
I will do my best to NOT damage it.....
Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II 07-20-2021, 07:31 AM  
How Tough Is The K-1ii?
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 29
Views: 2,191
That is my plan. This is how I travel with my K-1ii and K-30...
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 07-20-2021, 07:36 AM  
General Exposure Guide For Digital Cameras
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 44
Views: 3,003
Even if I put my camera on burst instead of bracketing, I'd likely miss such a shot as I'd be just looking at it going, "Wow!". Afterwards, I'd realize I never even TRIED to shoot it. I'm not good with quick decisions. I tend to stand there with a deer in the headlights look... ;)

That is a great sequence...
Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II 07-16-2021, 09:27 AM  
How Tough Is The K-1ii?
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 29
Views: 2,191
It's not like I'm going to pound nails with my K-1ii, but how tough is the camera? I know it has lots of seals and is built "tough" compared to other cameras, but what exactly does "tough" mean? I just want to know if I will need to get it repaired if I bump it against the side of the car while getting in/out or if it gets some rain on it. I am a clumsy person, but I really try to keep my cameras from getting damaged (I once fell down a step (thank you German unmarked, oddly placed step) but kept the camera from getting damaged by letting the rest of my body take the fall).
Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II 07-16-2021, 09:59 AM  
How Tough Is The K-1ii?
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 29
Views: 2,191
That's my feeling exactly!:lol:
Forum: Pentax K-3 III 07-10-2021, 07:47 PM  
battery question
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 62
Views: 4,914
I've also read that you should store modern batteries at 1/2 charge. Of course, I have no way of doing that with camera batteries. I use my power tool batteries too much to store them at 1/2 power, so I really can't say if this is true.
Since I don't want to wait to fully charge a battery before I use it (I want to use it NOW), I guess I'll just live with a shorter battery lifetime.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 07-01-2021, 06:50 PM  
Polarizer Filter = More Vivid Colors?
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 43
Views: 2,809
Yeah, I didn't make that clear. The prior shots at the BG had TWO differences. 1) Polarizer, and 2) Sunnier day. I used the same lenses both times. Both the polarizer AND the sky conditions (partly sunny vs. totally cloudy) could have made the difference. That's why I'm experimenting, taking lots of picture under different conditions, and seeing how things work out.
Specifically, I used a Hoya HRT "Combination UV and Circular Polarizer, 1.5-3x Filter Factor, 0.6-1.6 Stops". I remember picking it because it seemed that it had a smaller effect on the exposure than my prior CP filter. It did seem less dark than the one I had before. I will add that filter to my standard kit when I shoot.
As for the CP for the 12 mm lens, I see the problems. I have a lot of fun with that lens. I'll check to see if it has the ability to have a rear filter (like my mirror lens does).
I forgot how much fun shooting was. I LOVE the instant feedback with digital shooting. No waiting for days to see if I got anything good.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 06-30-2021, 08:28 PM  
Condensation Issues
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 22
Views: 1,200
I found our version of your "Kairo". They are called Hot Hands.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 06-24-2021, 03:12 PM  
Decent USB Charger for Pentax D-LI90 Battery
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 34
Views: 2,696
Well, I got the Pentax USB charger. It seems to work fine, so far. I've only used it to charge my Pentax battery and one of my non-Pentax batteries. Both seemed to charge just fine. This will be my standard charger as I already have a USB charger hub (I call it the spider because of how many USB ports it has) that I use to charge all sorts of stuff when on travel (which is when I will most likely need a battery charged). I'll keep folks up to date if anything doesn't work.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 06-16-2021, 03:02 PM  
Condensation Issues
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 22
Views: 1,200
That's a good idea. We do have them here. I learned about them (called "hot hands") from my band kids. It seems they needed a way to keep their hands warm enough to play their instruments on cold football game nights. I may even have some spares from those years.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 06-16-2021, 02:42 PM  
Decent USB Charger for Pentax D-LI90 Battery
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 34
Views: 2,696
Thanks! I will get the Pentax USB charger.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 06-08-2021, 09:41 AM  
My Google Fu is Poor
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 9
Views: 1,013
I don't expect perfection the first time. I just want something other than a blank image (or some abstract blurry thing). These posts give me a start. Back when I was in college, I hung around with folks who did astrophotography with telescopes. Some even had film coolers. A few light years have passed since then, and now I have a really nice digital camera.
As for the "middle of nowhere" remark, I used to be pretty good at finding "good" locations. I know what to look for. Thanks for the Light Pollution Map site. That's one thing I didn't have access to 40 years ago... As for the actual "middle of nowhere", we are going to the Bankhead Forest. I already knew it was a good choice (well, other than all the dang trees), and the LPM site confirmed it. We'll see how it goes.
Again, thanks for all the feedback.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 06-07-2021, 07:50 PM  
My Google Fu is Poor
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 9
Views: 1,013
Thank you all!

That'll get me started. I'm going to a place in the middle of nowhere this weekend, so I wanted to at least try astrophotography, since the K-1ii has that feature. Now I just have to digest all the information, try some things, and then ask more questions.

Oh, and those images are exactly what I want to be able to make.

Again, thanks!
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 05-10-2021, 05:34 PM  
General Exposure Guide For Digital Cameras
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 44
Views: 3,003
I've recently moved from film to digital cameras. When I took slide film (I almost always shot slide film), the general rule of thumb was to shoot a bit under exposed (like about 0.5 stops). That was to get a more "saturated" look to the colors. That general guide served me well for the many years I shot slide film.

So what is the general guide for digital photography? I would assume that the point is to get as much of the image between the digital 0% (no signal) and digital 100% (saturation), but how do I do that?
Forum: Welcomes and Introductions 05-09-2021, 07:22 PM  
Back Into Photography
Posted By dmach47
Replies: 36
Views: 2,026
When I was stressing out in college, my aunt suggested I get into photography and she gave me some money to buy a camera. So I looked at the available models and brands at the time and chose the Pentax Super Program because it had both aperture and shutter priority, along with full program settings (kinda super...). I also got a 35-70 and 70-210 zoom lenses. I then took LOTS of photos. It really did help with the stress of getting an engineering degree. I then got my degree, got married, and had kids. I moved up to a PZ-1, a 20-35, 28-80, and a 100-300 zoom autofocus lenses. I took lots of pictures. Then life happened. I more or less put away the PZ-1 and my lenses, and got a series of point-n-shoots to take pictures of our family adventures.
Now the kids are all off on their own, I decided to get back into photography. So I got a K-1ii. It seems my various AF zooms work just fine with the K-1ii. I splurged and got a 400-600 Pentax zoom mirror (not AF) and a 12mm fisheye (also not AF). So now I am remembering how to take pictures of things other than what my kids were doing (trees don't move as fast as kids...). So I have lots of questions about digital photography. I'll be asking my first very soon.
Search took 0.00 seconds | Showing results 1 to 21 of 21

 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 05:25 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top