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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
07-08-2016, 08:30 AM
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I am not sure why any review site would even go near another Pentax camera again after the K1. You guys are ruthless when somebody gives your baby a bad review.
The whole K1 thing has turned me off being a "Pentax" user, even though I love my camera. The carry-on here is so damn silly. It's like a mother saying "how dare you call my baby ugly". By contacting Pentax about it you've basically run to the teacher and ratted on the naughty child.
I returned my whole K1 kit for a refund because I thought the AF was not up to the task, so I kinda relate to them a little.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-29-2016, 06:18 AM
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Richard Wong just added to his review of two pre-series copies of the Dongzheng Optics Kerlee 35mm f/1.2 (serial numbers 000007 and 000010) a comparison with two Nikon lenses (AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.4G and AI-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.4) concerning sharpness and bokeh, together with around 15 pictures taken with a Nikon Df.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-02-2016, 08:03 AM
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The squirrel shot is very nice, although there is a fair bit of purple/green CA, and the focal plane is a little forward of the eye.
In the two cat shots, the focal plane is miles out.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-30-2016, 06:27 AM
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Nobody uses a 600mm f4 handheld. The 4/600mm was designed for 35mm film cameras so it was used for over a decade on cameras the same size as an A7.
---------- Post added 06-30-16 at 09:43 AM ----------
I said most people buy them to look like they know what they are doing. Your wife uses it for the right reason. It provides a portrait grip position.
Have you noticed that the portrait grip is about the same size as the grip on an A7ii
---------- Post added 06-30-16 at 09:53 AM ----------
The reason why a Nikon d5 is usually advertised with a grip on it is because the portrait grip is built into it.:o:o:o
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
06-26-2016, 12:29 AM
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-29-2016, 02:31 PM
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Well specify..ergonomics is not"the" biggest problem its "your" biggest problem with Sony. Yes
I do realize some people may have issues with the a7 ergonomics, but the reason why DSLRs Giant grips compared to their film predecessors is because of the Battery Hungry DSLRs needed somewhere to put the huge battery.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-29-2016, 08:39 AM
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I bought a 14-45mm Panasonic for my GH4. Awful lens, no contrast and lots of flare issues. I've purchased used Pentax lenses from KEH and I've never had a problem. Their bargain ratings still look good, their excellent rated lenses look mint/new. They also allow returns. I'd rather pay a bit more and have peace of mind. I recently purchased a Pentax 50mm 1.4 from KEH with a bargain rating. A few scratches but otherwise looks very good and the IQ is stunning, tack sharp. This image taken with it, K1 in pixel shift mode.
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Forum: Pentax Full Frame
06-27-2016, 04:21 PM
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With the K1,
I went to a nice place
Tanah_Lot_1 by jenkwang, on Flickr
Laboured hard
 20160527-IMGP0765-BW by jenkwang, on Flickr
and isolated workers in the drizzle
 20160527-IMGP0794 by jenkwang, on Flickr
Though the K1 was bigger, it wasn't really that heavy
 20160527-IMGP0814 by jenkwang, on Flickr
High ISO works a charm in a dark market
 20160530-IMGP1456 by jenkwang, on Flickr
Astro tracer was fun and worth it
 Testing out the K1 Astro tracer by jenkwang, on Flickr
So was multi-exposure when I did not have the right filters for my 31ltd.
 20160528-IMGP1075 by jenkwang, on Flickr
DA40XS works as nice too (and its flat as a pancake... )
 20160612-IMGP1817 by jenkwang, on Flickr
Was it all choppy?
 20160528-IMGP1053-BW by jenkwang, on Flickr
I really need slow down to reflect on it
IMGP0824-PixS by jenkwang, on Flickr
But my conclusion is that its all dreamy.....
 20160528-IMGP1072 by jenkwang, on Flickr
and worth it..... ;)
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
06-23-2016, 11:09 AM
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Let me take note of that. Let's see... only imaginative and creative people shoot with lots of DOF and everyone else is a loser. Got it, thanks.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
06-21-2016, 06:55 AM
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Forum: General Photography
06-16-2016, 08:49 AM
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With a camera, you need to understand the technology and how it works if you are to get the images you want. You also need to be able to form the image you want in your mind before you try to capture it on film or digitally. I photograph because I can't paint.
A very good book on this subject is out there. It is called "Perception and Imaging: Photography a Way of Seeing" by Richard Zakia. It went through 4 editions. It is a huge expansion of a small book he first published in 1975 called "Perception and Photography".
He became interested in the psychology of how we perceive and show the world while working on helping to develop the Zone System. Ansel Adams who besides his many talents, was also gifted with an eidetic memory. Through experience he developed and carried his own personal zone system around in his head. He could remember the exact conditions of every photograph he took and the techniques he used to make the print. The Zone System was developed to help people look at and portray the world in the same way,
I called Richard Zakia "Uncle Dick". Awesome guy. He got to meet many of the giants on 20th Century photography along the way too.
"I eagerly await new concepts and processes. I believe that the electronic image will be the next major advance. Such systems will have their own inherent and inescapable structural characteristic, and the artist and functional practitioner will again strive to comprehend and control them."
Ansel Adams - 1981
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-19-2016, 06:59 AM
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As some of you may already know, there is a website which goes into significant detail into the history of the Super-Takumar 50mm f1.4 8 element lens (taku-hachi). But unfortunately for us westerners, it is only written in Japanese text.
Therefore, I have taken it upon myself to translate the entire webpage into English. There simply isn't enough information about the 8 element lens available on the internet for non-Japanese speakers like myself, and Google translate hasn't yet reached the stage where it can provide an adequate translation of the text.
My goal is to compile a comprehensive, English website which covers the known history of the taku-hachi. I have contacted the owner of the Japanese website (Shisan) and he has kindly given me full permission to create an English version of his website. I am working closely with a native Japanese speaker to ensure the translation is as accurate as possible.
If you know of any other resources or forum members who may be able to add to this project, please let me know. This will be a work-in-progress for quite some time, so please do check back every now and again if this interests you.
geocities.jp/takumar8
Note: Please view the site on Google Chrome or Firefox browsers as it seems to have compatibility issues with Internet Explorer and Safari.
RR84
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-17-2016, 11:18 PM
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I discussed this in my 7-part Review of the K-1 "in the field". Specifically in the part concerned with using the K-1 for action photography.
Extract:
My previous camera was the K-3II, with a stated burst rate of 8.3 fps. I suspect that applies where there is no auto-focus demand. With older lenses, such as the DA* 60-250 f/4, and the sort of subjects described above, that typically fell to about 5 fps. With the modern D FA lenses, that has risen to about 6 fps.
The K-1 has a stated burst rate of 4.4 in FF mode, and 6.5 in Crop mode. Therefore, when I need the highest burst rate, I switch to Crop mode, 4800 x 3200 pixels. I keep the Function dial on top of the K-1 at "Crop", so that I can switch between FF and Crop in a second or two using the Setting dial. It is easily seen in the viewfinder which mode is in use.
I appear to get close to 6 fps in Crop mode with the modern D FA lenses. This is similar to the K-3II. In other words, the K-1 has, in practice, nearly the same burst rate in Crop mode as the K-3II, when using the same modern lenses. When I shoot an airshow or motor sports, I have my K-1 and my K-3II available. I use the K-1, and keep the K-3II in the car in case the K-1 breaks. I end up with a higher proportion of keepers than I used to get when I used the K-3II for similar shooting instead. Mostly I use FF mode. I use Crop mode where I need a higher burst rate, which isn't as often as I had originally thought.
Based on more than 6 weeks experience with the K-1, it is now my go-to camera for action photography, in spite of having a K-3II available.
Links to lots of action photos taken with the K-1 since 29th April |
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
06-09-2016, 06:40 PM
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Over on Flyertalk, Daniel W has posted an extraordinary photo diary of his trip to Syria and Northern Iraq. So what if he shoots Canon - it's such a great opportunity to see these places through his eyes.
To The Frontlines Against ISIS - FlyerTalk Forums |
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-09-2016, 05:47 PM
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The pentax method is to adjust the lcd gain so the view stays visible. Nothing to do with whether the lens is electronically linked or not.
Yeah I was disappointed the first time I tried that on my K-01
The workarounds, digital preview, histogram etc have been covered
cheers
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-09-2016, 09:58 AM
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As long as you don't try a K1 for a couple of weeks, you are safe :-) -:)
I mean, it's great to infer what image quality would be like on FF versus APSC, based on lens aperture, iso , crop factor and so on, backed with some conviction to defeat that FF images are a step above APSC images. I believed it, I was sure of it, but someone handed me a K1 to try for a week and using the K1 was biggest mistake I made, because I did not plan to upgrade to FF , but when I saw how good it was compared to APSC, I purchased it, along with new lenses. Today, I tried a Fuji X-T1, and yes, the AF is good in good like, faster than Pentax... but even with f1.4 pimes on it, image quality does not touch the IQ from the K1. The guy was telling me that his Fuji X-T1 deliver as good images as his 5DIII, he made a demo at ISO3200 with the Fuji 35 f1.4 prime lens, I took the same photo with the K1 and DFA24-70, the K1+zoom completely beat the Fuji with the prime. But of course the XT1+prime beats the K1 zoom for size. But I could also compare the XT1+prime to a K3+limited lens, and then I'm not sure if there is so much difference is size , except that the K3 can AF in the dark and the XT1 can't. We have to be carreful about theory because sometimes, practice gives different results.
Now I've lost interest in APSC, I don't use my K3 anymore. It looks like when pass the point of shooting with K1, it's the point of no return to APSC.
Here, in this thread, some people don't want to spend more money on photography, in order to avoid the spending the K1 involves, they need to find arguments to avoid taking the plunge into the Pentax K1 thing and I can understand them, but to be safe I don't recommend then to try a K1.
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Forum: General Photography
06-02-2016, 04:32 PM
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Two years after I first started planning the trip, Mr frogoutofwater and I are now back on dry land after a 15-day cruise in the Galapagos Islands. The experience far surpassed what I hoped it would be in terms of what we saw, learned and photographed.
I have many more photos to review and process but I've started to organize a gallery here:
Galapagos Islands 2016 - frogoutofwater photography
We also spent a day volunteering as photographers for Rescate Animal Ecuador, a rescue group that has been working hard to help pets (and their people) affected by the devastating earthquake that struck the coast of Ecuador in mid-April. We collected a large suitcase full of donate collars, leashes, harnesses and muzzles as well and brought that to RAE, which will use them for their own work and also give them away to foster families and adopters:
Rescate Animal Ecuador - frogoutofwater photography
I haven't had the time (or sleep) to fully sort out "lessons learned" from this adventure, but here are a few initial impressions (mostly photography-related):
1. I used a lot less photography equipment than I expected to. It was very hot and humid, and you're schlepping gear up and down ladder-like stairs, in and out of Zodiak boats, onto beaches (wet landings) or slippery steps (dryish landings) and then walking on tippy lava boulders. I think I was well-served by the K-3 and several zooms: I used the 55-300 about 75% of the time, and for the remainder I used either the 10-17 fisheye or the 16-85. My husband carried two cameras most of the time, usually with the 55-300 on and a macro on the other.
There was one guy in my group who carried a heavy tripod, a full frame Nikon with a big zoom and a second DSLR with a medium-sized lens. I'm sure his image quality is better than mine was - but that gear was a major burden. He moved more slowly and took most of his photos from a standing position. I was lying in the sand with the sea lions and iguanas. (He was also a lot bigger and stronger than I was.)
A really good bridge camera with a long zoom range is probably going to be a good option for many people. Three people in my group of thirteen (including an ex-photojournalist and someone who had been seriously into film cameras many years ago) had the Lumix DMC-FZ1000 (20MP, 25-400 f/2.84, shoots RAW and video). I haven't seen their photos but they seemed to be happy with the performance of their cameras.
2. I was glad I'd brought my laptop and a travel hard drive with me. I spent 30-60 minutes per day reviewing photos and doing some basic processing. That helped me have an idea of what I still wanted to achieve with my photos, what to look for, what didn't work, what did work, etc.
3. I think I learned a lot about light on this trip. And photographing for 4-5 hours a day for 14 days in a row is good practice. Sometimes the light was breathtakingly beautiful, sometimes it was painfully harsh, sometimes it was great but lighting the animal from the wrong side. Our guide (Juan Salcedo) is not a pro photographer but has worked with a number of pros on his trips so he was able to point out beautifully lit photo opportunities for us and was also good at directing our Zodiak captains to position the boats for the best photo opps from a lighting perspective.
4. You're going to want to shoot video - either underwater (with a GoPro) or for certain situations on land (e.g., the courtship rituals of Blue-Footed Boobies). I didn't shoot video, but Mr frogoutofwater did. He wished he'd practiced more before the trip (but got better as he went along).
5. I finally took my Cotton Carrier chest harness out of its box and used it for this trip and it was awesome. It was great to go hands-free when I need to be careful walking and the harness also took weight off my back and put less strain on my hands, since I only held the camera when I was shooting - instead for hours at a time. Originally, I thought I'd wear a small backpack (with extra gear) as well but it was far too hot to do so. So I ended up clipping a medium sized pouch to the harness and that served me well. When we transferred from the ship to the Zodiak, I'd usually secure the camera in the harness, pull a drybag over top of the camera (the drybag didn't seal at the top but provided splash protection), cover the harness with my life jacket and I was good to go. If it was going to be a splashy Zodiak ride, I'd take the camera out of the harness and seal it in the drybag until we were on land.
6. Your guide and the trip operator make or break your trip. I'm sure there are other wonderful guides out there, but our guide Juan Salcedo (also the owner of our ship the Samba) was extraordinary. His knowledge, enthusiasm, organizational and managerial skills, as well as pure showmanship were captivating and our trip ran smoothly from start to finish.
7. And finally, I will share the most important lesson of all: never attempt to pull up your underwear with both hands when the boat is travelling. (I have the massive bruises from falling in our tiny bathroom to prove that this is a bad idea.) :)
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
05-26-2016, 04:04 PM
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A field of buttercups with the enormous DOF that only a TSS lens can accomplish. The 24mm Samyang is better on a K1 than a K3, but it still is not up to the IQ of a Canon 24mm TSS that I once had (old "EF" breech lock).
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Forum: Photographic Technique
05-28-2016, 07:14 PM
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Yet most of our lenses are sharpest between f/4 and f/8. And, on crop, that range has plenty of DoF to capture an airplane.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
05-25-2016, 11:49 PM
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Its not a "WE" decision, its a "ME" decision. I bought my Sony FF in August 2015 and I like what its done for my photography. No way would i go back and change that decision 9 months back.
I'm so glad i didn't listen to the naysayers! Bravo FF.
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Forum: Pentax Full Frame
05-21-2016, 12:11 AM
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Hi Pinholecam Sir, I see that you are fussing over another fuss. Members have a right to check up on possible problems, reported, perceived or experienced on gear they have or propose to acquire one.
So please do not "shut up or silence" people discussing these problems. In fact I have seen other reports on camera vibration due to the mirror box or sensor movement.
Empathy and sympathy Sir for your fellow members.
May the Force be with you.
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Forum: Pentax Full Frame
05-17-2016, 08:32 PM
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Here are some thoughts about the A7r, without hyperbole.
Before buying an A7r, I defined my requirements and did due diligence. The due diligence process took place over a six-month period after the camera was released.
As a long-time professional, that is how I approach major equipment purchases. As distinguished from my hobbyist side, where I make impulse buys of all sorts of "obsolete" lenses.
My remaining professional level work is tripod-mounted landscape photography with large prints as the finished product. All other work is entirely casual. I don't really care about AF, burst rate, etc. etc. I do need a high-quality sensor and the ability to focus manually with very wide lenses in dim light.
My due diligence included reading all available independent reviews and many user reports. In particular, I researched reports on the performance of specific adapted lenses on the A7r. My conclusion was that many of my manual focus lenses would work well on the A7r, but I would need a major upgrade on lenses wider than 28mm. I then bought a Leica adapter and went to a friendly local store where I made test shots with my trickiest lens, a pre-aspherical Leica Summilux 35/1.4. I also verified that there was nothing fatally nasty about the camera's handling, controls and viewfinder. When I examined the RAW files they met my expectations as a member of the Ancient and Honourable Order of Pixel Peepers. A month after I bought the camera, the 16-35 became available locally and, as planned, I bought one.
I'm very happy with the technical quality of my results over the last two years, and have found the camera pleasant to use within my personal parameters. As I've said elsewhere, I wouldn't recommend the A7r as a generalist photographic tool. The K-1 at first glance, and several established cameras from other brands, are better. However, in terms of my personal requirements in my dotage the A7r has been a great success.
The "performance" is not at top-of-the-line Nikon or Canon levels in many ways. This was well-known soon after release. When I researched the A7r, I concluded that for my work an approach similar to my use of medium format film cameras would be appropriate. That has proven to be the case. Fine by me. I'm not a spray and pray type.
I find the EVF and focus magnification extremely useful in my most challenging conditions.
It was widely acknowledged soon after release that the AF performance of the A7r was not brilliant. Sort of average by mirrorless standards at that point. Doesn't matter to me. I've never even bothered to try continuous AF on the thing.
I've done some very casual low-light AF work using adapted A-mount lenses. The performance was adequate. There are issues using native e-mount lenses in low light because they tend to focus stopped down, and some menu diving may be required to overcome this.
"Ergonomics" is a matter of personal preference, experience and flexibility.
I had no problem customizing the interface to meet my needs. Thousands of other people are using the camera happily. In terms of size/weight, I view the camera as modular. I use the battery grip with large lenses. If I want to go compact, I take the grip off and use my Leica lenses. This was expected, which is why I bought the grip as a package with the camera.
Lossy RAW compression strikes me as a rather goofy idea. I've no idea why Sony came up with it. That being said, I've seen no evidence of any problems in most conditions. I have seen a few examples of possible artifacts under extreme conditions. It's only a problem when it's a problem, and that is rare.
You left out shutter vibration, which is at a level that I find very weird in a mirrorless camera. On the other hand, I was prepared for it and had no problem developing simple workarounds for my applications. I can see where it could be a pain in the butt in a fairly narrow range of circumstances.
HopelessTogger, I wish you better luck with the K-1.
---------- Post added 05-17-2016 at 08:51 PM ----------
[/quote]
Please note that in the comment your are "quoting" I suggested sensible research. There was no mention of 6 months of intensive research or of listing all sources.
I suppose indulging in hyperbole could be interpreted as digging yourself a hole.
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
05-16-2016, 05:32 AM
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Im a vintage Lens Fanatic and a Strobist actually. None of My Pentax DSLRs Came with Calibrated Focus Screens (I had to re-calibrate or replace their Screens). And none of the Pentax DSLRs knew how to TTL Flash for these old lenses(yes I do know how to fiddle with and calculate Vintage and modern Flashes/Equipment). I just wanted to take luck and fiddling out of the equation.
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
05-15-2016, 11:12 PM
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I could afford a K1 but it's not mirrorless, I have zero buyers remorse.
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
05-15-2016, 06:57 PM
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Sony cant be really blamed for not having Ibis. Were there any other Manufacturers that had Ibis in 2013 FF Cameras?
The issues were with some Ultra wide Film lenses. Light from Film lenses do not have to pass through Sensor filters, the light lands directly on the surface of the film emulsion, so the angle of light didn't matter. It has more to do with the lenses design and not the Camera body. Digital era ultra wide lenses work fine.
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