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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-26-2024, 11:01 AM  
Poll: It's a total eclipse, but is it art? Best of Pentax Forums Feb. 21 poll
Posted By khardur
Replies: 31
Views: 1,722
So, my son and I took a road trip in 2017 to see that one, we picked a spot in Tennessee. Drove from Massachusetts.
It was a 2500+ mile road trip. We stopped in PA and visited my parents and my brother/his family along the way. Drove through Shenandoah National Park. Stopped at this cool underground cave/lake.
Then saw the Eclipse and went home.
We happened to have clear skies. It was amazing. The only problem we had traffic wise was on the way home.
This time it's a 140 mile drive up into Northern VT from where I live. There is zero chance I'm going to miss the opportunity to see it again.
I"m in a local astronomy club (mostly for learning more astrophotography tricks) and of the group - three have seen totality.
If the ones who haven't there is a general "I probably won't travel to see it." vibe.
Those of us who have seen it, say "if you're in a place that's getting 98% - > the difference between 98% and totality is a lifetime... Go see the totality if you can.
All three of us have plans to go. L
A lot of life events happened to my family within the next year, and between that and my brother losing his son to cancer, I was/am a completely changed person.

My son and I have been talking about the 2024 event since 2017. So many memories! My daughter is now old enough to go with, I'm convincing my friends to go with. Honestly it's an adventure. If there is cloud cover I'll film the whole thing with a regular lens so we see the shadow move across the clouds to us and darken the sky. That'll be so rad. It's an experience.. And the average life expectancy odds give me some grace in possibly being around in 2044 for the next one.. But that's a lot of tomorrows to count on being there for me..

I'd rather have the experience with my kids. It's worth it.

Don't be at 99% and not travel. If you are within a few hours drive.. Do it.
Forum: Pentax K-3 III 01-15-2024, 06:27 AM  
Oh no! The weather sealing on my K-3III failed in a light rain. Oh, wait....
Posted By khardur
Replies: 22
Views: 3,257
^^^ This! I don't miss the sensor at all. I don't even really know why they have it quite frankly... It's not a mirrorless where you might be competing between the EVF and the LCD.
Forum: Monthly Photo Contests 09-25-2022, 07:03 PM  
Milky way over Spruces
Posted By khardur
Replies: 7
Views: 267
Camera: Pentax K3-Mk3
Lens: Rokinon 10mm @ f/4
Two exposures for the sky, each 4 minutes. Taken on tripod with tracking mount.
Two minute exposure for the trees and the highway.
Forum: Pentax K-3 III 07-19-2022, 08:08 PM  
Post your K3 iii pictures.
Posted By khardur
Replies: 3,691
Views: 276,235
Milky Way and some air glow,
composite of 2 photographs.
1 shot for the sky (tracked) - First time out using the Skywatcher Star Adventurer tracker.
1 shot for the foreground.
Pentax K3-III
ISO 800
Sigma 17-50mm @ 17mm f/3.2.
both shots 2min 30 seconds.

Forum: Pentax K-3 III 10-31-2021, 10:19 AM  
Oooh, I bought one.. and super quick impressions
Posted By khardur
Replies: 22
Views: 2,633
I had found the same thing. Most of my lenses I had to add pretty strong + factor to get them to focus correctly on my KP, where really only my Tamron 70-200 had to have adjustment on my K5-iis. My 70mm f/2.4 was the most reliable in that regard. The 55mm, if I wasn't paying attention, would look good in the viewfinder, but be way off once I looked at the shots. (when you get fuzzy eyes in portraits,.. that's not a good feeling when you see them on large screen after you've all gone home from the shoot.)

I had a couple missed focus shots when shooting in extremely bad lighting scenarios with the K3-III, but that wasn't entirely unexpected given the situation I was putting it in.
When I had anything above "okay" ambient light, it was nailing them.

---------- Post added 10-31-2021 at 01:22 PM ----------



that could be. If I recall correctly I got my K5-IIs as it was being discontinued,
Either way I was definitely a late late adopter on that one.
Forum: Pentax K-3 III 10-30-2021, 05:39 PM  
Oooh, I bought one.. and super quick impressions
Posted By khardur
Replies: 22
Views: 2,633
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:




Forum: Pentax K-3 III 10-19-2021, 04:55 PM  
Is anyone else excited about greater than 30 second manual exposures?
Posted By khardur
Replies: 19
Views: 1,673
yesssss I remember stumbling upon this with my KP and thought "well, what a novel thing!" and it is really awesome actually, instead of doing certain photos and having an auxiliary timer or what not, you just program it in with the bulb mode settings.
It's super handy! (maybe some might rarely use it, I do a lot of long exposure stuff..)
Forum: Post Your Photos! 07-18-2021, 09:17 AM  
Nature Eclipse
Posted By khardur
Replies: 6
Views: 726
Photo Sharing. Your Photos Look Better Here.

awesome. :) I don't know if this is the exact same photo. But I threw a larger one up in my gallery. Download button will require a password. The pwd is "sharing"
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 04-18-2021, 08:35 AM  
DA * 55mm f1.4 SDM buy or not
Posted By khardur
Replies: 33
Views: 1,975
omg buy the lens..
I've had mine for years, I wait on it for almost as long. It's my favorite lens for "film like" images. Seriously what an amazing lens.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 02-09-2021, 07:03 PM  
K5ii won't work in TTL with Godox V1/Flashpoint R2
Posted By khardur
Replies: 5
Views: 1,131
Okay, so what exposure mode are you using on the camera?
and what trigger?

Hmmm. Also one thing I've noticed, if I don't push the trigger in all the way (on the hotshoe) sometimes the connection doesn't seem to be quite right.. but in my testing just now, I can't get it to *not* fire in TTL. :hmm:
But I love problem solving so fill in a couple of the details above and I'll see if I can help you figure this out.

---------- Post added 02-09-2021 at 10:09 PM ----------

It does seem that when I put it in HSS mode, then changing the flash exposure compensation on the trigger doesn't seem to do anything. It's in HSS mode and that's it. (I have the X-Pro trigger for Pentax ([URL=https://www.adorama.com/fprrr2propn.html?[/URL])
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 02-09-2021, 10:13 AM  
K5ii won't work in TTL with Godox V1/Flashpoint R2
Posted By khardur
Replies: 5
Views: 1,131
hey Kyle.
I'm not home at the moment, but I'll write myself a note to see if I can test this combination out when I get home.

I have an AD200, and I have both a KP and a K5iis. I'll see if I can replicate the situation.
-Dan
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 12-22-2020, 06:48 AM  
Who's a (mostly) prime only shooter?
Posted By khardur
Replies: 99
Views: 9,304
If I'm shooting landscapes, or portrait sessions where I'm controlling the timing, then I'm using my primes.
If I'm shooting on-the-fly events, it's probably 50/50 zoom or prime, depends on the event. If I find myself claustrophobic with a prime I'll pop the zoom on.

I only have two zooms, a Sigma 17-50 and a Tamron 70-200.

I've done weddings with two cameras, one with zoom and one with prime that I swap when I need.

Often when I want to "travel light" and just hike around and shoot random things in my city, I'll take my favorite combo that's as small as the Sigma zoom: My 21mm, 40mm, 70mm primes. Oh and I have the 55mm f/1.4 which I bring along a lot.
I need to get a 15mm again, I dropped mine and the right 1/3 of the frame is now out of focus blurry.

anyway... that's my normal shooting.
Forum: Pentax KP 08-02-2020, 08:30 PM  
KP locked up
Posted By khardur
Replies: 7
Views: 1,205
I had this exact thing happen once and only once.
... of course at a baby gender reveal party.. about 30 seconds before the "reveal" :o

Thankfully the "gimmick" failed as I was trying to figure out what happened with the camera, undid the grip and popped the battery out of the body. Switch cards (thank god for the grip + extra SD cards at the ready) just in case... had everything back together just in time. WHOOAH..

Hasn't happened since. 46k photos. One hang.
Forum: Pentax KP 08-02-2020, 08:19 PM  
Pentax KP experience... 3 weeks and 3500 clicks later
Posted By khardur
Replies: 75
Views: 17,300
So I finally shot a photo in Jpg mode and checked the shutter count, up over 46k shots in just about 2 years.
Not too shabby, not my all-time high, but certainly not my lowest numbers either.

I've been working on off-camera flash technique lately. Today I had free time, and my daughter had her choice of things to do today: She wanted to do a photoshoot.
So we rocked it. Here are a couple photos. Taken with the 55mm f/1.4 and the KP, + the Flashpoint (Godox) Li-Ion manual flash. Specs shown here, and setup. I have a Flashpoint EVOLV 200 (Godox AD200) and an AD600 as well, but that power wasn't needed for this shoot. Plus again, light weight is a plus.

Also used a magmod MagBounce. And I'll tell you what, for individual portraits? those things rock. Because I can have them on a light stand and not worry about weighing the light stand down with a sandbag. It may not seem like much, but seriously the weather here? There always seems to be gusts, even on the calmest of days. And the more weight you have to carry? The less spontaneous you can be. Which isn't always a bad thing, but isn't always good either.
I can get them up really close to people's faces (to soften the light as much as possible) and it still renders a very pleasing light pattern / not harsh if I don't want it to be.



It started raining while we were shooting. I had a ziploc bag with me.
(Actually this is a pretty good downpour, we almost had to make a run for it, but it let up about 30 seconds after this pic was taken). You can see the droplets... 1/1000s plus a flash.








Here is some star trail work I've been doing with the KP. I just finally started nailing focus on these. (my problem, not a camera problem.) and I'm very happy with some early results here. I have a feeling the next six months are going to be huge for me for doing star trails.


And another:


I think this fall I probably won't be freelancing for the newspaper anymore. I totally still enjoy it, but it really doesn't pay a lot, and with COVID-19 still bouncing around the US I have a feeling events are going to be called off at random, and I can't see the newspaper needing me for much of anything this year.

Anyway, if there's still anyone on the fence about owning a KP, have no doubts it is a capable machine.
Forum: Ask B&H Photo! 07-24-2020, 10:18 AM  
microphone options for Pentax KP
Posted By khardur
Replies: 1
Views: 1,012
I'm looking to get a good microphone for doing interviews. I've done some public service announcement videos for the local Emergency Services company here, but the built-in mic is just not acceptable for recording voice from more than a few feet away.

I'd love to get something wireless that I can clip to collar /etc.. But wireless+ good quality is probably way over my budget, so a hot-shoe mounted option is okay, so long as it can record good audio for interview type conversations. Mostly indoors, but occasional outdoor use.

If I could see a range of options, there are just so many things that come up when I do a search, but i'm having trouble sorting through all the info out there. I'd like to see the best lower-price option, a few mid-range options, and what would be considered "high end".

Much appreciated!

-Dan M.
Forum: Pentax KP 07-22-2020, 03:38 PM  
Pentax KP experience... 3 weeks and 3500 clicks later
Posted By khardur
Replies: 75
Views: 17,300
Here's another update:
My son and I went down to the grocery store just after a storm passed through and saw godrays. I said "wanna go up on the mountain for sunset?" "YESSSS" he says.

It was. Epic.



another view:


I hung out with a friend at the base of Mt. Greylock trying to spot the comet a few nights later and I got this shot.


Then I got the comet a few nights later. This is two shots, an astrotracer shot of a minute and a half combined with a non-AT shot for the foreground.
Cosmic snowball, anyone?


I do have to say this: The astrotracer: Does anyone else find that, even though it may say up to 5 minute exposure time is possible, it's best to keep it as low as possible.. like... pushing two minutes gives me too much movement. I mean it's still much better than not using the AT if I'm trying *not* to get star trails... but I felt like on the K5-iis it worked better.

Maybe I was less picky?
I'll post a few more later, and a shutter count.
Forum: Ricoh Theta 360° Cameras 05-28-2020, 08:39 PM  
Virtual Tours - workflow and software?
Posted By khardur
Replies: 14
Views: 2,544
I appreciate that..
Our company gave us word April 29th, that we'd be terminated June 19th. So... it feels like a surreal, slow-motion Indiana Jones style boulder rolling toward us.
This could be a bread-and-butter income generator for me. I talked to my son about doing virtual tours, he wants to get into it with me. (He's 16)
I do a lot of other paid photo work, as my my "day job" and available free time permit. But now it's a good chance for me to say "I've always talked about doing this for a living" --I'm being pushed out of a job I never quite saw as being the job I stayed at for as long as I have (19+ years) ... sooooo time to really see if I can make something out of it.

I'm still working my current job, but I've taken time off since I got the camera to do a few test runs with the Theta V. And a full property tour. It's not the same quality you'd get if you shot a tour with a DSLR and a wide-angle lens and stitched them together from that -> But on a cell phone (which is folks' devices of choice these days) you cannot really tell much difference. (Looking at the tours on a high-res screen like on a PC, you can see the difference one would expect from 1-shot, smaller sensor vs. 4-6 shots with a wide angle on a DSLR.. But it doesn't upset me in the least.

I've even gotten some artistic stuff done with it.
I'll leave it at that for now. The realtor friend I did the tour for, was on the phone with a realtor from another agency at the time I was shooting, and he was already getting inquiries on how to contact me... So.. This is encouraging.
Forum: Ricoh Theta 360° Cameras 05-15-2020, 01:27 PM  
Virtual Tours - workflow and software?
Posted By khardur
Replies: 14
Views: 2,544
Thanks!
Yea I've been scraping by doing photography "on the side" for the last 25 years.. Now my job is going away and well.. I can give this a whirl and go full bore while I'm on unemployment and see if I can get it to take off.
Forum: Ricoh Theta 360° Cameras 05-11-2020, 12:03 PM  
Virtual Tours - workflow and software?
Posted By khardur
Replies: 14
Views: 2,544
I'm about to go all-in on this...

I'm going to be losing my job in a month, and there's a pretty decent real estate market in my area, and not a ton of people who do 360° tours..

I contacted a few friends (and non-friend contacts) I know in real estate and there is a huge amount of interest, so I bought a Theta -V and subscribed to the Ricoh Tours website so everything can be hosted right there.

I'm really going to hit this hard, I'm currently making a site on Square to allow booking... and I really need to make this work at least for the short term.. so here goes! :)
Forum: Pentax KP 12-09-2019, 06:44 PM  
Pentax KP experience... 3 weeks and 3500 clicks later
Posted By khardur
Replies: 75
Views: 17,300
^^ agree!
Paid reviewers have time to look at basic features, but don't normally have time to put it through the rigors of actual work and workflow.

---------- Post added 12-09-2019 at 10:10 PM ----------



okay, here is a good example -> high ISO image with noise reduction in LR

ISO: 8000


1:1 crop:


LR settings on this one:
Forum: Pentax KP 12-09-2019, 06:37 AM  
Pentax KP experience... 3 weeks and 3500 clicks later
Posted By khardur
Replies: 75
Views: 17,300
^ hmm that's interesting. I don't suspect I have some sort of secret methods here, I'm just using the Lightroom noise reduction.

I have a couple presets I made just for noise reduction when I do high ISO work, I'd be glad to look and send you a screenshot of my LR noise reduction settings if there are any ones in particular that you want to see settings for.
(I'm not saying I'm doing anything special, but maybe the combination of amount + threshold + detail works a little better)
Forum: Pentax KP 12-03-2019, 09:07 PM  
Questions for D-BG7 owners
Posted By khardur
Replies: 36
Views: 4,897
I own the grip.
I use it all the time.
With the LI-90, always.

Here's why for me:
I have a K5-iis also. That has the grip, and it has 2-LI-90 batteries. So the only one not like the other is the LI-109 in the body of the KP. I think I have 5 LI-90 batteries floating around.
The LI-109, if I had 2 I'd probably trust it. But there are times where I've shot 1500-2000 photos in a day, depending on the event(s). I'd never trust taking the KP body out on its own.

That and the battery meters seem... well, not like phones where they give you a percentage.
Once it decides to show you half the battery... well your guess is as good as mine as to how long that'll last from there on out, but it's not long.
Forum: Pentax KP 12-03-2019, 08:55 PM  
Pentax KP experience... 3 weeks and 3500 clicks later
Posted By khardur
Replies: 75
Views: 17,300
ooh dang, it's all over the place. Mostly ISO 3200... but f-stop and shutter speed are all over the place, I was changing stuff based on the lighting.
Here's the link to my "forums" gallery where I post this stuff from.

On the left once it loads, there's a little bar graph for "photo info" click that and you can flip through the photos and see the info for each photo.
Forum: Pentax KP 12-03-2019, 07:30 AM  
Pentax KP experience... 3 weeks and 3500 clicks later
Posted By khardur
Replies: 75
Views: 17,300
Thanks dude!
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 12-02-2019, 10:04 PM  
Purchase dilemma - KP or new APS-C flagship?
Posted By khardur
Replies: 80
Views: 5,265
with the KP being $696 online sales at the moment, I would not hesitate one bit to pick one up. It's light years ahead of the K7. (I owned that).
The high ISO starting at 800 and above was horrendous. For that alone, but not to mention the increase in MP, the better focusing points, articulating screen, live view / focus peaking feature...

Go for it, you will not regret it.

also: Sports/nature/night/ astrophotography: The KP is better suited for all of that over the K7. Pair it with an ultra fast SD card like the Sandisk Extreme Pro 170mb/s and you will never have a problem with the "smaller buffer" compared to the K3/K5.

Oh -> I'd spring for the grip. uses the larger capacity batteries. Invaluable in my opinion in keeping you shooting, providing convenient second battery, and a spot for a spare SD card as well.
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