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Forum: Pentax Full Frame 12-21-2013, 02:52 AM  
FF possible
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 143
Views: 19,568
Sony had shake reduction in a full-frame body in 2008, the A900. It is wider and taller than a K-5 by about an inch/couple centimeters in both directions, as well as heavier by a hundred grams or so. I think that extra size and weight would be a reasonable trade-off, but would keep the smaller APS-C body for walk-around shooting. And I agree with the above comments about desirability of a square sensor.
Forum: Pentax K-01 09-11-2013, 08:20 AM  
My K-01 Firmware "1.04" Wish List - Add yours too ?
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 105
Views: 14,097
Wish list for firmware upgrades to K-01 or next mirrorless:

1 Optionally disable contacts so that SMC-M lenses will stop down as designed. Partially unmounting the lens or taping over the contacts might work, but we shouldn't have to do that. The camera was advertised as working with legacy lenses and it should perform as advertised.

2 Make auto-bracketing available when camera is set on two-second delay. Some of us want to have bracketed photos when using a tripod just as we do when hand-holding the camera. I know I can use infrared for this purpose, but I still think it would be a nice feature for the two-second delay.

3 Make turning on and off Focus Peaking a Green Button option when camera is being used in autofocus mode. I normally use the Green Button that way in manual focus, and I miss that feature when the camera is set on autofocus.

4 Give the Red Button some other optional uses, for those of us who aren't especially interested in video recording. For example, if the Green Button is used for turning on and off Focus Peaking, the Red Button could be used to check depth of field. Or vice versa.

5 Give us user-definable levels of sensitivity for Focus Peaking. Currently it is much too broad. I am not encouraged to see that everything in the photo is in focus or almost in focus or not too far out of focus. What I want to see is the point of maximum focus, period. Let me work out the rest of it based on what I believe to be the depth of field at a given f-stop.

P.S., as an aside, like those magnets with colorful pictures on their faces, Marc Newson should stick to refrigerators. If you give us a mirrorless camera with ergonomics like the K-5, I'll buy it even at its exorbitant introductory price. I don't really care whether or not it's cute or looks handsome sitting on a shelf.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 09-11-2013, 03:50 AM  
smc pentax m 50mm 1.7 lens won't stop down
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 5
Views: 1,702
I like the M lens trick, too. What I would like better is a firmware upgrade that disables the offending contacts.

Pentax advertises that older lenses can be used with the K-01 and we shouldn't have to use "tricks" to get the camera to perform as advertised.
Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II 08-27-2013, 03:48 AM  
K5 for digitising slides
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 13
Views: 2,707
I tried this once and ended up putting the slide duplicator back on eBay and going back to scanning with my Canon FS4000US. Medium format I send out. But while even such a scanner, which is 2002 technology, is better than using a camera with a slide duplicator, I think the potential is there for the situation to reverse at some point. For instance, a camera with no AA filter would be a good start. Also, multiple bracketed shots recomposed in PhotoAcute might have enough of an increase in resolution and dynamic range to compete with scanners. I'm not a big fan of the Epson flatbeds that are adaptable to scanning transparencies. To me it's like having a sports car with a built-in washer and dryer in the trunk. It might limit the car's performance on the road, but if you want to do a load of laundry you're good to go. I'd take almost any dedicated film scanner over a flatbed with an adapter.
Forum: Pentax K-01 08-19-2013, 05:59 AM  
Before I sell my K-01, a question...
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 23
Views: 3,122
I'm not in love with my K-01 but there are some aspects I really like about it. One good reason to keep it is that it makes a very good M42 camera.
Removing the M42 adapter from the K mount is a fiddly process involving either a special tool or broken fingernails and I'd rather just leave it in.
As everyone knows, there are some great prime lenses with superb bokeh available in the M42 mount that cost like a couple of dinners at McDonalds.
Forum: Pentax K-01 08-10-2013, 11:08 AM  
how does focus peaking works with k01
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 9
Views: 6,178
Thanks Rob & prime.partisan, that helps.
Forum: Pentax K-01 08-08-2013, 10:46 PM  
how does focus peaking works with k01
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 9
Views: 6,178
The K-01 is my only experience with focus peaking and so far I'm not thrilled with it. While it does show me what is in focus, it seems to throw in a lot of other detail which is just barely in focus for good measure.
I gather that cameras where the user has the ability to refine the sensitivity of the system are better and would hope Pentax might add that feature to firmware.
Forum: Pentax K-01 08-08-2013, 12:33 AM  
Will the VF-3 View Finder work on the K-01?
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 34
Views: 9,331
Thanks, Jon. I was tempted to use some Gorilla tape that I brought back from my last trip home, but for the moment have decided that light leaks are not a real problem. Also, I wanted to be able to swap out the homemade parts for an unmodified quick release plate to use doing tabletop and such. One thing I would do differently, though, which would probably improve the light leak situation a bit, is to save 10 euros and get a non-collapsible Hoodman H 32 instead. It's a bit smaller to work on Nikon-sized LCD screens and collapsing the CH 32 doesn't really save all that much space in the bag.
Don
Forum: Pentax K-01 08-07-2013, 10:16 PM  
Will the VF-3 View Finder work on the K-01?
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 34
Views: 9,331
I wanted to keep easy tripod mounting as an option, so here's my solution to adding a viewfinder loupe to the K-01:

Starting with the blade of a putty knife, I cut it, rounded the corners and drilled two holes.

A quarter-twenty screw that tightens with an Allen (hex) wrench attaches the Hoodman CH-32 viewfinder. Getting the screw was more difficult in this metric world than it would have been back home in the States, and the one I ended up with had to be cut shorter. With the Allen head it is skinnier than one with a conventional head would have been, but still the quick release plate had to be notched with a round file. I added a washer to raise the Hoodman slightly but had to file it to make one flat side so it would fit.

This approach works for me and was workable by me, considering my very minimal metalworking skills and few tools.
Forum: Product Suggestions and Feedback 05-26-2013, 06:53 AM  
Sticky: Dear Pentax
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 1,335
Views: 412,890
Please compensate for residual spherical aberration in firmware. Given that focusing is done at widest aperture but actual point of sharpest focus at shooting aperture is often behind that a bit, and the amount of such focus shift is known for specific Pentax lenses, the calculation should be possible.
Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II 11-04-2012, 10:53 AM  
K-5 II and K-5 IIs Pricing
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 5
Views: 1,281
Number of units produced is lower.
Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio 06-15-2012, 04:59 AM  
AF280T Voltage
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 19
Views: 3,890
Thanks once again, SOldBear.
Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio 06-14-2012, 01:51 PM  
AF280T Voltage
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 19
Views: 3,890
Thank you for the reply. Another question, should I be seeing a visible red beam or spot at the aim point? No light is coming from either of these.
Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio 06-14-2012, 01:13 AM  
AF280T Voltage
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 19
Views: 3,890
I have an SCA 374 which is in good condition and an SCA 374/2 which has a broken foot but still attaches firmly to the hotshoe. Neither appears to work with my K10D and from what I now gather online, compatibility stopped after the *ist series.Can someone enlighten me on that? I set the camera to AF.S and the SCA to SB, per instructions. Fresh AAA batteries were loaded. I'd be tempted to look for a used *ist DS for certain low-light work, but would rather have something that functions with a later model.
Thanks for any information,
Don
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 12-18-2010, 04:54 AM  
Pentax Files DA12-35mm f3.5-4.5 WR SDM Patent
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 173
Views: 46,706
Sorry if this comes across as nitpicking, but I'd refer to f/3.5 as a maximum rather than minimum aperture; smallest number but biggest diaphragm opening.
Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II 11-05-2010, 02:08 AM  
Still no K-5 in Europe?
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 151
Views: 30,652
foto-erhardt.de has bodies for €1.240. Perhaps everyone's got them now.
Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II 11-03-2010, 05:31 AM  
K-5 Images and Impressions
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 141
Views: 44,400
I tend to rely on Imaging Resource Imatest results, which aren't out yet for the K-5. Dynamic range figures for some other cameras based highest quality images processed from RAW files are: K10D: 8.19; K20D: 8.56; K-7: 7.73; 5DII: 8.89. The difference between K20D and K-7 suggests that sharing a sensor is not necessarily a good predictor of dynamic range results. Twelve stops would put it in MF territory, which would be, as you say, excellent.
Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II 11-02-2010, 10:45 PM  
K-5 Images and Impressions
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 141
Views: 44,400
There seem to be few references to this, although it is an IQ aspect of importance to many and a principal (perceived) weakness of the K-7. Is there forum thread or other online example of K-5's dynamic range, especially in comparison to previous models such as the K20D?
Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II 10-21-2010, 12:54 PM  
Poll: Has the K-5 changed your perspective on Full Frame dSLRs
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 169
Views: 28,025
It has changed my perspective slightly, and together with the 645D has improved my opinion of Pentax's ability to deliver no-compromise equipment. However, I have my heart set on tilt/shift lenses and so far, especially for wide angle, that comes only with full frame.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-30-2010, 06:53 AM  
What if everyone is wrong??
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 65
Views: 18,748
One thing I would wish everyone could be wrong about is the assumption that the next thing is an EVIL camera and the only question is whether Pentax will or will not jump on that particular bandwagon. What about a rangefinder? To have the same flange focal distance as an EVIL camera, but with traditional rangefinder focusing à la Leica M (or, more practically, Contax G), would be great. Unfortunately, I doubt people are wrong in this case.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-29-2010, 11:04 PM  
What if everyone is wrong??
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 65
Views: 18,748
Like their current crop of 35mm-based digital bodies, the Pentax 645D is a crop sensor camera. It has a 44x33mm chip in a mirror box designed for ~56x42mm film area. So it has a crop factor of around 1.27. There are larger MF chips around, but for whatever reason (and no doubt cost is a major factor) they decided to go with that one. It's very possible that the Pentax engineers have decided that a chip which is undersized relative to the mirror box is the way to go, so they take that approach to both their 35mm- and 645-based bodies.

If reasonably priced FF bodies were what everyone really wants, Sony would have been successful with the A850. Pentax appears to have decided that price-competitive FF would be less rewarding financially than price-competitive MF which has an IQ that beats the best from Canon and Nikon.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-29-2010, 05:11 AM  
Any lens rumors?
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 102
Views: 21,611
Pentax will come out with a circa 28mm w.a. lens for the 645D. At present, they're the only MF digital camera maker which doesn't offer something in that vein. The offering of their most direct price competitor, Mamiya/Phase One, is quite expensive. Beating that would be a good thing.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 08-11-2010, 12:01 AM  
FF and Wide Angles
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 38
Views: 7,735
As an aside, Pentax apparently has yet to answer this question for their 645D system as well. Both Leica and Mamiya have superwide lenses (circa 28mm). The 35mm Pentax becomes more like a 45mm (28mm equiv. on FF 35mm body) because of the crop sensor. They're going to need something wider to compete.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 08-10-2010, 11:01 PM  
FF and Wide Angles
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 38
Views: 7,735
Hasselblad got it right a half century ago: produce a specialized camera for wide angle work. The non-retrofocus 38mm Biogon in the SWC is miles better than the retrofocus 40mm Distagon for the reflex body. Much as I don't personally care for electronic viewfinders, I think Pentax could produce one with a true (non-retrofocus) wide angle and a Kodak chip with offset microlenses such as used in the Leica M9.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 07-25-2010, 11:17 PM  
CMOS vs. CCD and sensor blooming
Posted By DonDouglas
Replies: 2
Views: 8,854
I've read in a number of places that CMOS sensors are more resistant than CCD sensors to PF/blooming (as distinct from CA). What I have yet to find is a site or forum thread which illustrates with comparative images the difference using the same lens and lighting on different sensors, e.g., 77mm Limited on K10D (or K200D) as compared to K20D (or K-7) on a high-contrast, back-lighted subject. Has anyone here performed such a test?
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