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Forum: Lens Clubs
12-08-2023, 06:39 AM
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I need to add to my sig that I'm an expat from the States :^) As a kid I think we shopped more at Mongomery Ward than Sears but I have fond memories of the latter when it was still literally on Main Street in my hometown. In my high school years they built a shopping mall on the outskirts of town, anchored of course by a Walmart, and Main Street died. Sears moved their store into a big fancy space there at the mall and then closed for good inside of 10 years. My last trip there I just remember going to find some basic hand tools and not finding any where there stood elaborate staged displays full of props and mannequins doing fake work on fake lumber. Absolute travesty.
Indeed, I'd love to get my mitts on either the XR 28 or the 35, if not both! Your test shots from the 28 look great and the bokeh is nice. It's very smooth, even in the highlights which is rare. This little Tokura zoom is actually an A mount lens which makes it super easy to use with proper metering in all various shooting modes so no complaints being variable aperture.
Absolutely. Anybody can take sharp, clinical photos with a $1k f2.8 lens and they'll look all just the same as the other millions of images out there. If you adjust your shooting to work with the eccentricities of the old glass I find that it's much more rewarding. The contrast and rendering really has a quite different feel to it.
I think some next steps for me is to build out a proper lens cabinet and buy the tools to be able to disassemble and clean them up so I can keep bargain hunting.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
12-07-2023, 04:08 AM
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hey thanks! I've been really impressed by this little gem. It's definitely encouraged me to embrace wide apertures that I normally wouldn't have shot otherwise. It's long enough on APSC to be distortion free which makes stitching very easy if you want to grab wider angles, which I do often. The flower shot above is single frame.
I have a look every so often for other Rikenon primes but they're rare. I've run across several 35-70mm zooms that I've passed over due to having bought a different zoom (more below), but there aren't many 28mm or 35mm Rikenon trading. Ditto for the Auto Sears lenses - they are rarer than hen's teeth here in Europe.
I ended up with a new-in-the-box 28-70mm macro from a brand called Tokura which has been decent, but probably considered junk by most. I think it's probably a re-badged Cosina and I wouldn't be surprised if the 35-70mm Rikenons weren't also rebadged from Cosina, too. Visually they are nearly identical. It has a beautiful low-contrast / dreamy rendering to it and is also a real flare monster, which is fun.
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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
12-04-2023, 03:31 AM
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Unquestionably - and I think on the slack only for the first few transits. There is a sizeable lock 1.5km up river that provides a nice sized pleasure boat marina and port access to smaller commercial fishing vessels. In this image you're staring out at the English Channel - La Manche to the French. As the crow flies, East Devon and West Dorset are straight north. Port Saint-Brieuc @ Le Legue lines up almost exactly with West Bay with Guernsey immediately off starboard on the way up. I've not yet had the pleasure of sailing here, hopefully inside of a couple years. I am warming up to bilge keelers given the conditions here.
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Forum: Monthly Photo Contests
12-02-2023, 04:07 AM
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I would like to nominate this photo
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Forum: Monthly Photo Contests
12-02-2023, 04:04 AM
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I would like to nominate this photo
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Forum: Winners' Showcase
12-02-2023, 04:00 AM
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I would like to nominate this photo
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Forum: Monthly Photo Contests
12-02-2023, 03:59 AM
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I would like to nominate this photo
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Forum: General Photography
11-29-2023, 05:30 AM
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Well, my guess would be that you already have a usage pattern that narrows down 2-3 lenses for each body you've got, and the rest are there waiting for inspiration to strike or a specific event/scenario that calls for its attributes. I've never owned more than 6 lenses at any given time, and that was across 2 systems. Some folks have a real bug for collecting them and there's nothing wrong in it. I had around 20 pairs of headphones and IEM a couple years ago and am back down to ~ 5 :^)
---------- Post added 11-29-23 at 01:34 PM ----------
Thank you for the kind words. That's a nice lens and still on my Round-to-it shopping list. I think the 20-40 is the ultimate 50mm prime for Pentax APSC.
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Forum: General Photography
11-28-2023, 08:17 AM
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Hi Kubo - that's fantastic! I'm thrilled that you were inspired to take the plunge to simplify your rig and concentrate on your shooting. That's awesome that you picked up the 50-200WR - definitely please do share your images!
The 18-55WR remains to be my only AF lens, as well as my only WR lens, so I still use it frequently - especially since the wet weather has set back in. Look forward to seeing some pics!
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Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
11-27-2023, 10:32 AM
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Another installment for the K-5 18-55 WR Appreciation Society. Shot on the wide end at 18mm. Single frame, B&W conversion in PS.
1/400s, f8 @ ISO640
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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
11-27-2023, 10:26 AM
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K-5, 18-55 WR - shot at 18mm
1/400s, f8 @ ISO640
Chateau Pontivy, House of Rohan
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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
11-27-2023, 10:09 AM
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"It's the waii-aaaiting that's the hardest paaarrtt"
--Tom Petty
1/6s, f5.6 @ ISO800
K-5 w/ 18-55WR
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-27-2023, 06:16 AM
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I had a hunch I was wrong about this as soon as I posted it and of course I am. The mk2 has focus peaking, probably mk1 does also? I guess the more accurate question would be if PDAF based focus peaking is really any better than CDAF sensor points in the current Mk2. My guess is that it doesn't make much difference as a MF aid in AF-S.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-27-2023, 04:38 AM
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Totally! The tilting EVF on the GX8 was a neat feature, too. I steered a family member into a G9 and it's been a great camera for them. I also had a little Lumix LX7 pocket cam that I used as my only digital body while still shooting (*ahem* more like ignoring) my film gear. The LX7 was a wonderful little camera that I still regret selling.
The IQ difference between my Olympus 16mp m43 bodies is such that I abandoned them entirely for my Pentax K-5, which was crafted with pride by Hoya some time back in 2011. The combination of IQ, green button convenience, and ergonomics feel have turned me into a Pentax disciple and are all much more important to me than AF performance.
Having said that, something I do really miss from mirrorless is zebra-striping in LiveView. This really took all the guess work out of manual focus and is still fast to use for things that aren't moving. If I had an ask of the K-1 Mk3 it would be to figure out how to offer this feature and to retain a tilting screen. I would also love to see a factory built prismatic-ring focusing screen sold as an accessory for us manual glass shooters instead of rolling the dice on these 3rd party sites, but I suspect I'm in a rapidly diminishing minority on this point.
Happy to hear that, actually. I'm reacting mostly to gear reviews I see on vlogs and blogs from perennially jaded portrait reviewers. I'm not on forums any more except here @ PF.
IMO, resolution wise the K-1 continues to be compelling because it's splitting the difference in mirrorless world's FF 24mp video-focused / 40+mp stills-focused offerings. 36mp is a nice goldilocks level of resolution and I hope they will keep mki/mkii resolution as a setting on the Mk3.
To be perfectly honest, I've compared a lot of @Rondec's K3mk3 and K1 pixel-shift images side-by-side and I really can't tell the difference at desktop resolutions in his images, which are consistently processed to a high standard. All of this gear is still better than what I actually need.
Absolutely 💯💯💯
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-26-2023, 07:45 AM
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Loud mouth Sony fanatics have all but ruined the marketability of this camera, also, since it's about twice the size of an A7CR with 13 less megapixels, and still around 50% larger and heavier than an A7R mkIV or mkV, and doesn't perform up to the same levels as Sony's AI based eye-detect autofocus.
In many ways I view the S1R is a mirrorless equivalent to the K-1. It has a large heavy body, an abundance of traditionally arranged controls, uncompromising image quality, beautifully made lenses at sane prices, and is packed with more features than most other cameras at the same price point. Prices for the S1R have nose-dived in the last year, especially used, but a steady cadence of firmware updates have kept improving the hybrid aspects of the camera and worked out initial bugs.
Re: AF performance - sort of like Pentax, Panasonic remained very bull-headed about their investment into the DFD (Depth-from-Defocus) autofocusing algorithm that they developed on micro-4/3s and put it into the S5 and S1 FF bodies. It wasn't until just recently with the release of the S5ii and S5iix that they rectified this and started shipping PDAF with the newest bodies. But just like the K-1 Mk3 there is no concrete information as of yet about an S1 mkii update, or if it will even be continued.
fwiw
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-24-2023, 03:39 AM
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If Pentax could release a Mk3 version of the K1 w/ global shutter, 100MP, and 3D holographic overlays in a redesigned optical viewfinder I'd be willing to pay at least $1,250 for the new body, assuming it can still auto-focus all my Pentax-A glass.
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
11-20-2023, 04:51 AM
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Reading through your other replies, I think you're pretty close to getting what you want but are just lacking a couple of small tweaks and a bit frustrated with your methods in producing reliable results. I'm still not fully convinced that this is a camera body issue, but you're not wrong, either. If you want to shoot less than f4, nailing critical focus on foot is naturally going to be very challenging. I might even experiment with a split-focus screen and try manual focus, and give up on the AF altogether. I've been shooting MF for the most part in the last several months and forgot what a joy it was to control what the lens is doing. My next upgrade is an OVF screen replacement for my K-5.
Respectfully, I would argue that this is just basic photography. We could be talking 4x5 film or micro-4/3s - the principles are the same. Available light portraiture is a lottery, which you're keenly and painfully aware of but seem to be frustrated by it. No amount of autofocus wizardry is going to shine 2 stops of light where you need it most and I think you know this but don't want to admit it.
I mentioned medium format specifically due to their hampered autofocus features relative to the newest FF mirrorless bodies. Fuji's GFX medium format rig is going to set you back $4-10k depending on new or used, isn't really medium format, and from what I've read about this system you won't have much better AF than you do now on your K-1, unless you buy the newest 100 mkII, or find one of the earlier 50s or 100S. Even then the reviews on the S models AF system have been less than glowing. Lastly, my gut says that you're going to really be shocked and disappointed by the small discrepancy in GFX's high ISO performance relative to your K-1 while shooting hand-held and relying on the IBIS.
Another strong and creative shot here - you have a great vision of where you want to be. The reality is that it sounds to me like you're being a bit obstinate in taking the extra step to really control your environment. This is all about lighting - the light is everything. You need to refine your methods, not abandon them. 3 ideas:
1) Rent an AF wunderkind camera for your next shoot and see if it solves your difficulties, or at least get it out of your system. You sound far too knowledgeable to do the amateur thing and rage-quit DSLR into mirrorless expecting huge gains in your artistic output. There is no argument that mirrorless systems will solve the AF issues you're being plagued by. The question is whether or not the cost and trade-off is worth losing Pentax IQ and the look from the lenses currently know and love. There is no shortage of fantastic lenses in any of the mirrorless systems but you will still need time to learn to shoot them and adapt your methods to suit your vision.
Since resolution and FF+ sensor is not an area of compromise, I personally would be looking at a Panasonic Lumix S1R, 4 years old but features a stream of regular firmware updates, has very high quality EVF, tilt screen like the K-1, 45+ MP resolution, and is available for about $1500 ~ $2000 used. The AF system is not as good as the newest Sony's, Canon R5, or latest Nikons, but I imagine that its still light years ahead of the K-1.
The bonus in L-mount is bang-for buck on the Lumix side, and best-of-the-best native mount on the luxury side: Lumix S f1.8 primes are affordable and optically near perfect. I'd sink the bulk of my funds into Leica glass, like the 35mm APO Summicron . My own object de l'envie. Bodies don't really matter. Lenses matter.
2) Even if you fix the AF issue, you'll still have a lighting issue and for less than $500 you can grab a cheap Godox rig for reliable portable light. I'm not talking about pop-up fill flash, I'm talking about key-light and fill-light. If you're using available light as your key light, you can keep the power down on the fill and position it well off to the side or from overhead. The XPro remote is only about 80 dollars and you have all the control right there on the camera. Experimenting a bit will also let you A/B test between your rented rig and your K-1.
3) Add in a small stand + hanging reflector. Used with a focused beam off the studio light you have options for bounce flash and it's like getting another light for free. It's not something you need all the time but give yourself some options that don't involve ISO1600 and higher.
I would avoid speedlite type flashes which max out ~ 60w and go straight for a single-light setup with AD100Pro or AD200Pro and a largish white umbrella to match the soft style you're after. This is portable enough for working onsite and still has enough power to bring to the studio or to use outdoors. A softbox grid would let you position the rig further away but it's going to chisel the model's profile and features, not flatter. Either way you have options, and you don't need to sacrifice the backdrop for environmental portraits. At 1/8th ~ 1/2 power there should be plenty enough to fill in the face and profile from the side to control the exposure (i.e. keep the ISOs down and the shutter speed up near synch speeds ~ 120/s to 250/s) without blowing out your available light. Also, stronger lights used at lower power == shorter recovery cycles, and having the option to increase the power will keep the rig well out of your way so you won't have any issue using wide angle lenses.
To sum up my suggestions: 1 light, 1 umbrella, 1 reflector, and a couple clip-on modifiers (which come free in the box) leaves you with a wide range of options, is affordable, doesn't sacrifice your approach, and will help both the K-1 and/or a new rig.
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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
11-19-2023, 11:28 AM
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Fountain in Quintin
K-5 mk1 w/ 18-55WR | 1/60s, f6.7 @ ISO1600
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
11-19-2023, 08:45 AM
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Putting this as a second reply to keep it out of the basic camera gear and focus more on technique:
These are beautiful portraits that appear to be shot using available light with maybe a small fill flash. I think you should invest more effort on your lighting setup to control the exposure on the environment relative to your model. Why? So you can stop leaning on wide open apertures to diffuse the background.
I am by no means a flash or portrait expert and haven't shot flash in about 15 years ... but if you had a nice softbox overhead and soft fill from the side, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to get aperture up to f4 ~ f8 and use flash to darken down the backdrop. This will reduce small errors with focus-recompose, and maybe add a bit more drama to the images. In the shots above you have quality light (from some bay windows I'm guessing) but the model is disappearing into the scene a bit too much for me.
The other thing that will make even your K5 look like an upgrade is to invest in a camera stand and get away from tripods or strictly hand-held shooting. Once you try one of these you don't want to go back. It's so easy to figure out where critical focus is and just mark the floor with a small piece of tape to move the rig in and out of the way. Add an external 4k monitor plugged into the video output and you don't even need to bother with tethered shooting.
Also, consider that the Hasselblads and PhaseOne's MF rigs have a single center focus point and you'll understand why the cadre of youtube sony crybabies aren't taken very seriously.
my .03
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
11-19-2023, 08:14 AM
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With 101 AF points including face detection Eye Detection, including joystick selection for the AF point, I don't understand why a K3 mk3 isn't in the cards.
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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
11-18-2023, 04:31 AM
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Thank you.This chapel is in near the sea-side village of Port Manec'h, more broadly referred to as Névez found in south Brittany.
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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
11-16-2023, 04:47 AM
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cross posted from B&W thread.
1/125s, f4 @ ISO1600
K-5 w/ 50mm Ricoh Rikenon f2 XR
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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
11-16-2023, 04:27 AM
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1/125s, f4 @ ISO1600
K-5 w/ 50mm Ricoh Rikenon f2 XR
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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
11-14-2023, 01:36 PM
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My wife walks past an old cafe here in town that once belonged to her Great Aunt.
1/160s, f8 @ ISO200
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Forum: Pentax Price Watch
11-14-2023, 03:48 AM
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Right on. I don't quite understand why people care about this stuff, but I'm glad that they do ;^)
Too bad it's not avail. for EU. There are two 21mm ltds for sale on MPB europe - for $293 and $336 USD
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