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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
03-23-2024, 07:52 PM
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The 90 Macro is far superior and perhaps the sharpest lens Pentax has ever made. If I could only have one piece of gear, it would be that lens.
If you do macro, be aware it's not 1:1. The 120 is a better choice, IMO. But for portraits, landscape, and other general work, it is stellar. Good luck.
---------- Post added 03-23-24 at 07:57 PM ----------
A very thorough and thoughtful post, Tim. Thanks for this excellent read.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
03-23-2024, 09:13 AM
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There is a ton of difference. I have them both. The 90 is a very modern design with everything they could put into a lens - great if used handheld.
The 120 is an old-school lens that has excellent DOF capabilities and I use it extensively for product pack shots and the occasional portrait. Tripod recommended.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
03-23-2024, 07:55 AM
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I know these are Both Great Lenses. The difference in price in the Used market is about 1000 difference. Is there much of a difference between these 2 lenses that Justify paying a much higher price?
I will use it for my Portraits with Strobes indoors and sometime outdoors with flash. Thank you I am using 645Z and Love that Camera.
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
03-03-2024, 01:52 PM
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Ooops ... how embarrassing! I picked up the wrong body :o
Double-checking, with K-3iii (definitely) in hand this time, you're right, there appears to be no option to change to a 12hr clock.
Sorry :o
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
03-01-2024, 11:57 AM
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aw bummer! if we lived closer, i'd lend you mine indefinitely
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
03-03-2024, 11:07 AM
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I had something similar happen with my A50/1.2. I bought it new in 1988 when I moved from Nikon to Pentax. The lens failed in 1998, one of the electrical contacts fell out of it and it would no longer work as an A series lens. I sent it off to Pentax Canada and got it back unrepairable/ parts not available with a rather hilarious offering of a small discount on a 43mm LTD.
While it was still in the Pentax catalogue, they had made internal changes to the lens and were no longer offering parts for my lens.
A local repair guy was able to do the repair (I don't think Pentax did more than look at it's vintage and reject it).
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
03-03-2024, 10:20 AM
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Not directly helpful but you absolutely can do that with the K70. It's in the wrench menu - Date format - and at the end of the date is 12h or 24 h time. HTH
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
02-27-2024, 06:42 PM
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I guess they are, sort of, at their typically glacial pace. The DA* 11-18 and DA* 16-50 PLM are reliable and excellent lenses.
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
02-27-2024, 05:37 PM
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It would be nice of Pentax to reboot the DA* line up with PLM or DC motors where necessary.
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
02-27-2024, 04:42 PM
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My DA* 55 is the same way. I mainly just use it as a manual focus lens now. Every so often the autofocus will wake up again then work for awhile. It is not reliable though. I really like using the DA* 55. I like the images it produces and the size is just right. I have no interest in getting mine repaired. It is weird that Precision cannot repair it. The lens has not been discontinued to my knowledge. I will probably end up selling mine as manual focus lens and see it anyone bites on it. Economically, it does not make sense to have one repaired with the current used market prices. As bringing the focus up, it will only work most likely for a limited time. I have had my DA* 55 mounted on my K3ii for a few weeks now. Tonight when I picked up it took about 3 minutes to get it to start working again. That is no different from when I leave the lens off the body. Once the autofocus does start working it will stop again if you let it sit too long.
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
02-27-2024, 11:45 AM
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For whatever it’s worth, KEH just repaired a broken 16-50 SDM that I purchased from them, under their 180 day warranty. Not sure how much the repair would cost out of pocket, but they are able to repair them.
I make a habit of turning the camera on and activating the auto focus for a couple minutes each day. If that keeps it fresh, who knows, but it results in a bunch of goofy pictures 🤪.
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
02-27-2024, 11:21 AM
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Weirdly they recently repaired a da 16-50 sdm that came to a forum member from them but arrived non-working. Unclear if they sent it out or got the part and repaired in house.
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
02-27-2024, 11:17 AM
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couple of thoughts...
if the cost of replacement is cheaper than a repair, there's that option...
not repair it and just use it as a MF lens - it's a great lens, whether you are focusing it or not ...
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
02-27-2024, 11:12 AM
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KEH cannot get parts as noted by several previous posters, so it will probably be a waste of time (and money if you send your equipment to them for an estimate) contacting them.
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
02-27-2024, 11:05 AM
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For what it's worth, I'll mention that I have resisted buying a DA* 55mm for that exact reason. I converted my DA* 50-135 to screwdrive after its SDM was replaced twice, and I really don't want to bother with another SDM failure. As much as I've been enticed by that lens -- its optics are certainly excellent, I've managed well enough with the 50-135, a Pentax-F 50/1.7, and a FA 43mm Limited.
I guess I would ask myself whether I really 'need' the lens.
- Craig
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
02-27-2024, 11:03 AM
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I love the lens, but with them regularly available used in the $300 range I would not personally invest in repairing one. FWIW I had one several years ago fail, and I sold it with full disclosure. I then bought another, which, probably due to a lot of shelf sitting, also became sleepy and eventually seemed gone beyond hope. My K3III revived it, but it's now a sleepy little lens instead of completely lost AF.
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
02-27-2024, 12:38 PM
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Get it repaired or buy a d-fa 501.4 sdm … it’s heavy but i plan on using it < 50% of the time
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-04-2024, 11:40 AM
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While these failures happen; the rate of failure seems paltry by comparison to say the 17-70.
At this point buying used is probably the best choice vs repair.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
01-14-2024, 01:01 PM
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Thanks everyone - much appreciated. At least I'm not failing to find something that's actually available. I can work round it but it was handy for some of my homework projects.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
01-14-2024, 05:18 AM
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Agree, but
My pictures are rectangular :) and round hoods might light leak more straw light
And the 21mm proofs it is feasible to produce... the rectangular cutout is relatively easy compared to some takumars rectangular hoods...
So I am wondering if it is more than production cost/limitations or if there is an 'optical’ motivation ?
Note that the more common butterfly shaped rounded hoods are another approach to the rectangular cutout but not compact....for which the reverse hood mount storage was created.
But in crowds or street photography, the DA21’s flat hood functions also as semi lens cap or protector...while being super compact.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
01-13-2024, 11:24 AM
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Well… 😂
The hood on the stm is actually a 3rd party designed for a Pentax lens with 49mm thread
Could that be the DA 40mm?m
Update :- just checked, yes it’s the replacement for Pentax MH RC 49 for DA 40mm 👍🏻
---------- Post added 01-13-24 at 06:26 PM ----------
The only thing that worries me about those screw in hoods is if knocked the impact transcends through the AF drive, hence why most hoods are bayonet fitting these days.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
01-13-2024, 10:15 AM
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I’ve recently picked up the DA 50 1.8 for my K5
As a canon user I had the stm 50 for my aps-c bodies. I tend to not use protective filters these days except on L glass to ensure weather sealing. So I often use hoods for a few reasons, firstly sun shade to prevent loss of contrast - I actually like a little lens flare, gives a sense of realism, secondly to prevent the front element coming into contact with either fingers or sharp objects.
Problem is on small lenses the hoods often doubles the length.
I have several canon pancakes all fitted with the flat holed washer type hood, I tried the same style hood on the 50stm, work’s brilliant on crop but not FF ( obvs)
So, having got my Pentax DA 50/1.8 I was keen to see if the canon hoods would work… works perfectly!! No vignetting, protects front element from fingers and sharp objects.
I’ve pinched one of the ef24stm, I’ll order another from China (£3-4)
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-09-2024, 10:18 AM
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-09-2024, 09:42 AM
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The 16-50 SDM is one of my favourite lenses. It creates beautiful images - I love the colour rendering, which is similar to the DA* 50-135. The SDM motor failed on mine, so I had it converted for little money to screw drive, which works great. Sometimes you can find one on the Marketplace here that is already converted (there's one for sale there now, as a matter of fact). FWIW, this is one of only a few APSC lenses that I kept when I switched to full frame, and I still use it on my K1 in crop mode, which may tell you how much I like it.
EDIT: if you can find a good deal on an unconverted lens, these two members offer screwdrive conversions in the US and Canada for a very reasonable fee:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/24-photographic-equipment-sale/456045-sa...ns-canada.html
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/24-photographic-equipment-sale/311609-sa...nversions.html
I had mine converted by UncleVanya, and he did a great job.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-09-2024, 09:18 AM
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The 16-50 SDM has always been one of my favorite lenses, since about 2010. It has accompanied me on many adventures hiking and camping throughout the desert Southwest. I have had no problem with the lens but many users do report problems with the af quitting or acting up so there are questions about the SDM reliability. If it does act up it can easily be converted to just screwdrive. I have no personal experience doing that. I have both the SDM and PLM and I am torn between them. The PLM is a modern linear motor driven lens which focues quidkly and well but it is noticeably heavier and larger than the SDM. Good luck with your decision.
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