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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
12-24-2022, 06:10 AM
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I echo the other comments. I find split-image is excellent with f2.8 or wider apertures. I used to use Vivitar 100-300 and Tamron 70-200 zooms on an ME Super - f/4.5 - f/5.6 were typical apertures - and it was better to focus on the plain screen. away from the split image circle. As stated, the blacking-out is normal, and partly depends on angle at which the screen is viewed, but it is inevitable as the v/f image gets dimmer - it happens even in Equatorial sunlight!. When using those slower lenses, the microprism circle and ground glass screen in a K1000 was actually better for focusing. Nowadays with DSLRs many people use f/4 or slower zooms a lot, and modern screens are adapted to this reality. I find precise visual focusing of an f/1.4 on a modern DSLR screen quite challenging because the modern screens lack the texture of the older ground screens that made the image seem to snap into focus. In practice this does not bother me because DSLR focus-assist (in a KP) is generally very accurate with the fast primes.
Kevin
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-23-2022, 10:28 AM
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Thank you, Uncle Vanya, a.k.a. Brad!
Your advice seems very sound to me. I can understand that some lenses might be stiffer to drive (or whatever) and this wears out the motors even after replacement. I can get the shop to swap it for another used one and hope that one works! I am in England and next year will do a 6-week tour of USA South West, so I do not want to risk failure of this perfect wildlife lens. Screw-drive would be OK though second-best (I could have bought an FA cheaper). Alternatively I find that if lens has stable support I can get extremely sharp pictures in dim indoor lighting, using the KP viewfinder and focus assist, and have done m/focus wildlife for decades until getting the KP. BTW I am still considering a used 50-300 PLM which has a wide range of other uses for travel photography, and could to some extent be a backup for the 300mm. Thank you again and Happy Christmas to you and all on the Forum - Kevin
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-23-2022, 05:20 AM
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Dear c.a.m., Jacamar, Ski Jumper, Sebberry, Uncle Vanya, and Ramsey Buckeye, thank you for all the helpful comments. The retailer has agreed to refund in full if posted to them within 45 days - excellent Customer service! They are: Wex in UK. Their tech support made two suggestions in addition to cleaning the brass contacts which did not help: my KP Firmware might need updating; or, the lens might be altogether incompatible with the KP. The KP works fine with either screw-drive lenses (e.g. the excellent 24-90 FA, an old Sigma 28-70, or a "Bigma") and with my only new lens with electronic focusing the Sigma 17-70. Nevertheless there might still be compatibility issues and I will check the historic Forum discussions for any information about this. In any case, if it is truly incompatible with KP I will get a refund but that will be very disappointing since it is fantastic optically, and MF is very easy, accurate and quick. I will also find out, early 2023, whether it could be repairable economically in UK. If I can work out that it is compatible, then it must be faulty SDM so I might negotiate a large discount, to a price that would be realistic for, e.g. an M series 300mm, because that is what it will be functionally if only MF is possible. Then I can think about sending it for repair. Thank you all again for your help, Kevin (the only person who uses his actual name on tis Forum).
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-22-2022, 08:52 AM
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Hi everyone: I just bought am "Excellent" condition DA* f4 from a large UK camera dealer. Cosmetically, it appearss excellent. I put it on my KP, made sure both lens and camera were set on AF, and I found that no autofocusing occurred. No movement at all. Switching to MF, I found it easy to get sharp pictures. I might misunderstand how the MF ring on the lens works - I imagine it is electronically connected to the USM since there is no feel of anything being moved mechanically, and the ring will continue to turn even though lens focus has reached the limit of its travel.
I think the availability of MF suggests that the USMotor itself is working to some extent, though obviously not well enough to auto-focus. I called the retailer who advised me to clean the electrical contacts on the lens and lens mounts. I have done this repeatedly and there is still no AF.
What do our experts think? Almost-dead USM, which might be replaceable (at what cost?); at least then I would know I had a motor that would last some years. Or, faulty wiring? Contacts still dirty?
Of course I will need to consider a refund or replacement as the sensible way forward, though another option might be to get it at a large discount and then pay to get it fixed. Any suggestions will be welcome!
Kevin
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
12-14-2022, 08:57 AM
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Hi Jeff,
The sensation of using EVF must be very personal. I used a Sony alpha7ii for about 5 years and loved the viewfinder - there were genuine practical advantages for critical focusing, and you see the JPEG image in EVF continuously, so you can check contrast and white balance on-the-fly. I imagine there are two ways the EVF could be unpleasant: eye strain, and motion sickness. I think it depends on how the particular eyepiece optics work with your individual eyesight. I do find some cameras make my head ache. However, I don't experience motion sickness, not even seasickness, and never felt the EVF nausea some people describe. It's clear that loads of people buy these models and take great pictures with them. As a camera, the Sony was frustrating and slow to use, as you discovered. Their basic range lenses were not cheap and not as good as my "K/M" and "FA" lenses. It did feel roughly made for the price, nothing like the better Pentaxes, but worked 100%. I traded it last year for a KP - deep joy. I am even considering adding a K3iii for its improved AF.
Kevin
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Forum: Pentax KP
12-12-2022, 02:11 PM
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Many thanks to: Pschlute, northcoastgreg, photoptimist, kypfer, luftfuss, mlag, normhead, Des, Sandy Hancock, ramseybuckeye, Thagomizer, for great advice from you all, and inspiring photos.
Here are my technical takeaways: technique and practice are the keys to improvement. I was getting too many things wrong. Try again in brighter light (not available at present in UK mid-winter). Minimize atmospheric disturbance and do not expect sharp pictures of small birds 50m away! Work on post-processing. Centre-spot focusing (I was using it); no filter (I didn’t have one). Try not to use very high ISOs; 3200 is top end for quality pictures. 1/1000 ought not to be necessary on a tripod unless there is subject movement. SR/IS is worth a try even on a tripod. Do not assume a tripod (even a good one) is best because there can be rapid vibrations. Try hand-damping lens and camera, or try a beanbag. Forget electronic shutter, it is weird and prevents use of IS/OS. Get a remote release; for static subjects (not birds) try 2s delay timer; leave focus adjustment alone until there is definite evidence of viewfinder focus error (I don’t think there is).
Context: I have taken sharp-enough photos previously, hand-held in good light, using M 80-200 f4.5 with Sony alpha 7ii and cropped (great sensor, horrid to use, traded for KP). I have posted a few from Sony just to show I can nail MF quite often, and can PP Raw (RawTherapee, with GIMP). How amazing is that M-series lens? My KP has wonderful IQ with that and with shorter lenses, and IS works well. The issues only appeared once I tried a long lens.
Lens - Sigma 50-500, f/6.3 - the brightest UK December light was never good enough for the screw-drive AF to work well. MF worked but I need good AF. Image quality seemed good but NOT comparable to old Pentax glass at the shorter end of the zoom; my M50 1.7, FA 24-90 (v. good lens), and ancient M 80-200 were all better. I sent it back before I would be forced to pay for it, and I will get one of the Pentax lenses mentioned in the posts here – the current 150-450 or maybe DA*300 f4, with 1.4X converter. Then I will practice.
Thanks again to all for instruction - Pentax Forums is an invaluable resource.
Kevin
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
12-11-2022, 08:19 AM
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You could get it fixed, e.g. by
Peter Emanuel there told me the cog is almost the only thing that ever goes wrong, and he has a supply of new cogs that he has had manufactured from better material.
Of course it might be cheaper to buy a replacement old one, or two, and treat them as semi-disposables.
I got mine precisely because my old eyes struggle with manual focus on ME Super or Spotmatic (I can do it on LX with its excellent diopter adjustment and bright VF). I really like the MZ-5 - though, like everything, it has quirks (the dim, tiny viewfinder info compared to K, M or L cameras).
Kevin
---------- Post added 12-11-22 at 08:25 AM ----------
You could get it fixed, e.g. by
Peter Emanuel there told me the cog is almost the only thing that ever goes wrong, and he has a supply of new cogs that he has had manufactured from better material.
Of course it might be cheaper to buy a replacement old one, or two, and treat them as semi-disposables.
I got mine precisely because my old eyes struggle with manual focus on ME Super or Spotmatic (I can do it on LX with its excellent diopter adjustment and bright VF). I really like the MZ-5 - though, like everything, it has quirks (the dim, tiny viewfinder info compared to K, M or L cameras).
Kevin
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Forum: Pentax KP
12-11-2022, 08:07 AM
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Hi Everyone,
I have started on a journey to make sharp photos with 450-500mm lenses. I watch birds, and until now have not considered taking photos because technology was very limiting. Now I see so many people using teles and zooms, even hand held, and I want to give it a go. My first step, however, must surely be to get sharp pictures under the most favourable conditions and I am struggling.
My set up is on a solid Manfrotto tripod, Wimberley gimbal head locked down, Arca Swiss plate. I have shutter speeds 1/1000 - 1/2000 second, IS/OS off, and I am trying both wide-open at f/6.3 - 8, or 2 stops down. AF almost never nails the focus - sometimes slightly in front of best plane and sometimes behind. MF is much more consistent. Using LV I don't see how "front-focus" or "back focus" can occur - and in any case careful MF with spot focus and Assist is almost as good as zoomed LV. So, I doubt there is an issue with the register - experts, please correct me if this is wrong!. The best results are MF, and zoomed LV.
Touching the shutter, or focusing manually, causes vibrations that take a few seconds to die down. I do not yet have a wireless release so I am trying to find a camera setting that avoids shaking the camera by touching the shutter button.
I had thought that mirror-lock-up (MLU), electronic shutter (ES), and zoomed Live View (LV) would be a good setting - however, the ES blacks out LV. So I went back to mechanical shutter.
I wanted to lock the mirror up then use a 12s delay timer - however the two settings appear to be incompatible. If I use the delay, the mirror begins in down position, and the mirror moves just before shutter; i.e., just in the normal way. The images aren't adequately sharp - much better than MLU and touching shutter, but not good.
Can anyone please suggest better settings that will avoid vibration? Yes, I will get a wireless release, but knowing how to do the best camera settings will still be useful.
Kevin
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
05-31-2022, 09:45 AM
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I am not the least worried about gadgetry that enables those who simply want to record their lives to avoid the technical difficulties of ISO and f-stops. Those of use who try to make more personal images can choose automation or manual equipment according to preference. Decades ago, the technical ability to produce consistently well-exposed and sharp prints was sufficient for people to make a living as professional photographers and I am not convinced that many of those professionals made better composed and expressive pictures than some of todays iPhone photographers. I am worried though about continuing availability of real black and white photo printing papers, and the inattention to the skills and culture of expressive print-making in general, whether via an enlarger or via an inkjet. Even those who use black and white film nowadays scan their negatives digitally and can't reproduce the qualities of a darkroom print on LCD screen - so why do it? Why not just do black and white digitally? Any answers?
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
02-25-2022, 08:57 AM
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Hi, kypfer,
Thank you, and your reply is somewhat reassuring. The green focus-assist light should help, certainly.
If you have found that you get perfect sharp pictures on your PC using the focus assist, even on a 50f1.4 or 200f2.8, then I believe you, and I conclude that I probably will be okay manually focusing my own lenses; an 80-200f4.5 or the 450 f/8 should be much less challenging than your fast optics.
Of course a forum such as this hosts many varying opinions - I was reacting because I had previously read the opposite view, i.e., that the green light is "hit and miss". Catch-focus, by the way, works on my MZ-5 so it's not a recent innovation.
Thank you again
Kevin
(am I the only member using their actual name on here? :)
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
02-25-2022, 05:50 AM
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Hi Everyone!
I am just thinking of getting a K70 specifically so I can use legacy manual lenses, alongside my film bodies. Thanks to pjv for admirably clear tutorial on how to meter DSLRs (green button): it seems very similar to how I used my (long defunct) K100D (though I used manual setting and d.o.f. preview with that one). One reason for considering a change is that I have had a tough time using PK/M lenses adapted to the Sony alpha7 series. HOWEVER I am worried that I would be exchanging one set of Sony problems (caused by lack of auto diaphragm operation) for a worse problem with focusing K-70 manually. The 100% magnification option in Sony viewfinder - constant Live View - enables critical focusing through eyepiece, with no need for tripod - therefore manual focus can be tracked on a moving subject, though it's hard. HOWEVER, on this forum, users report that the Pentax DSLR screens are much worse for manual focus than the screens of film-era cameras - one post says all lenses focus as though set to f4.5, which must make critical focus impossible. When focusing on wildlife, such as seabirds, a tripod and Live View via rear LCD are not a feasible way to work. Has anyone really succeeded in accurate manual focusing of moving people or animals, with PK/M telephotos on K70 or similar? Is it just the case that the Pentax DSLRs are not optimal for tracking focus on moving subjects (which is what I read on the in-depth reviews about the autofocus lenses)? I hope an experienced DSLR user can advise me on this. Best wishes to all, Kevin.
[P.S. issues with Sony: to focus, the user zooms-in live-viewfinder to 100% magnification of centre spot, and then must click down aperture ring e.g. to f/8 and revert to full-image view and recompose. After clicking down to taking aperture critical focus cannot be held when the subject moves. In addition to continually winding the aperture open and shut manually the user must adjust ISO up and down; otherwise at open aperture the screen image burns out preventing focusing.... There are far too many steps to get right before pressing the shutter!]
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