Forum: Pentax KP
03-12-2017, 01:33 PM
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Is it true shake-reduction doesn't work in live view?
That Ricoh has promised to remedy this?
Since I'm interested flip up LCD, I'm interested in knowing how kp focuses in live view.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
02-04-2017, 12:01 AM
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Mypublisher has a new sale every week or so. If you don't have a deadline, you can work on your book and wait for the right sale. I like the one where the books are 75 cents each. Of course, they are small 20 page business card size books. But they make nice spontaneous gifts. They have significant sales on larger books as well.The same sales come round every 2 mnnths or so.
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Forum: Pentax KP
02-02-2017, 01:07 PM
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I was surprised to see Adorama feature the KP with a DA 40mm lens all covered with water-dropped .
How many here would go out shooting in the rain with a DA 40?
I'd like to do it with only a rubber band sealing off the mount. How sensible is that?
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Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50
04-05-2015, 03:30 PM
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The new "ART" version of the lens is much better (quiet internal motor & sharp across the frame if you stop down to f-2.8). You may be able to get it in your price range refurbished from Sigma. The earlier version was sold at clearance for around $350. Make sure you understand that new lens is used best when you select AF point or use center-point focus.
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Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
02-14-2015, 04:18 PM
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The lcd on the back of the K5ii doesn't suck dust & moisture in under its glass-- as the protective glass is fused to the lcd. As said earlier the lcd is supposed to be easier to view in daylight as well.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
01-23-2015, 12:41 PM
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I haven't seen any dust in the images on my K-5ii -- ever. However, I use dust alert and clean the sensor when it shows something. However, now my new Sigma 30 1.4 Art is showing dust spots that my DA 40 doesn't show and that I can't clean off (with my anti-static brush and blower-- I haven't tried wet cleaning).
Is the Sigma 30 just that much better of a lens resolving dust that the DA 40 can't?
Is the Sigma just not working with Dust Alert?
Should I be concerned enough to attempt a wet cleaning -- something I have never done?
Brian
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
01-22-2015, 11:46 AM
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PacSafe makes a v17 camsafe that might actually work with the 60-250 and that you could get cheaper than the bag you link to if you shop around. However, it won't really help when you leave the bag in your room.
I just bought the v16 slingbag which has a funny clasp that you really have to fiddle with to get the wire-reinforced sling detached. The idea is that you can strap it around a chair arm or a tree and a thief can't snatch the bag without taking the chair or tree with him. It will probably work for snatch and grabs, but not so much for leaving the bag in your room unattended. Also a sling bag has the tremendous security advantage (even without all the special Pacsafe security features) of being easy to swing around in front of you, and the disadvantage of not supporting the weight of a 60-250 as well as a good backpack.
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
01-22-2015, 11:12 AM
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Pacsafe 85 Security Web - Medium
These devices will make someone really break-in to your things-- i.e. use a wire cutter. I think that is a pretty good deterrent. they come in different sizes
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-20-2015, 11:28 AM
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45 is the new 50.
One thing that isn't talked about much in the discussions of this lens is its FOV.
I was betting/hoping that I would fall for the 30mm (45mm on crop sensor) FOV as well as its low light abilities. I'm kind a wide angle guy-- I use the DA 15 or the DA 21 90% of the time. My DA 40 I don't use much, and will use it less now as it is no longer my low-light AF lens ;-).
I'm pleased that the 1st picture, that has been well received here, is seen in the same way I frame my wide angle shots-- bringing together two widely spaced objects, here the audience and the performers are connected by the light which is standing in for the sound that is actually connecting them.
Also, I'm doing a lot of street photography. In that world everyone knows that Henry-Cartier Bresson, the godfather of street, shot almost entirely with a 50mm FOV. However, he used the 50mm FOV as today's photographer's use the 35mm FOV-- to link disparate persons and objects into an intuitive unity rather than to isolate a single object or person. Today the 50mm FOV is rarely used for such photography now. (35mm, a FOV that doesn't exist in our world, being their new standard.) The most widely read street photography evangelist, Eric Kim, argues that our world is now too crowded for Bresson's 50mm FOV. I thought that Kim's argument was bunk, but I couldn't be sure. I guess I'll find out for sure when I take the Sigma 30 to India later this year. A lot of people use a 35mm lens as their crop sensor 50mm FOV and I thought I'd have a much better chance of proving Eric Kim wrong with a 45 rather than a 53mm FOV.
(On edit, Todd, I added your real name to the original post. Thanks again.)
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-20-2015, 12:29 AM
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Wow, I just shot an low light concert with my new Sigma 30 1.4 Art and I just had to post a public thanks to THoog, (Todd), for his review of this lens. I was so discouraged by the announcement in the official review that this lens had focusing issues because I have wanted it (or its earlier version for many years). As Todd predicted the lens focuses accurately with my k-5ii (no focus adjustments necessary) as long as I pick the focus point manually or just use the center focus point.
Yes, on the first shot I chose to focus on the audience at this Arco-PDX amplified classical music concert, not the performers. All the shots are at f/1.4 The first shot was shot at iso i600 and 1/50. The second one is not so well exposed, I was underexposing to keep their faces from burning out and shooting fast to keep their hands from blurring -- iso 3200 at 1/500. I wish I had stuck with 1/250. The 3rd is a better iso 3200 exposure, 1/20 of a second (dark!) my Pile of Prints photo gallery/ |
Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
01-07-2015, 03:01 PM
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I just bought my first sling bag-- I'm not recommending it for your needs because it isn't a large bag. Mine is the Pacsafe Camsafe Venture V16 Camera Slingpack. It has all these security features for travel, and it is really a small bag with the common and convenient side zipper for access to a small camera section for camera with lens and 2 or 3 limited lenses-- or one big lens. Then it has plenty of extra room for some clothes, a 13" laptop, and organizer pocket etc.
I hiked 6 miles with it just to see and it was OK for that, but I was sore afterwards.
What I wanted to add was this question:
Does a large sling pack make sense? Once you start adding serious weight and bulk isn't a backpack with internal frame and a waist belt or a fanny pack a better idea?
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Forum: Pentax Forums Giveaways
12-13-2014, 05:20 PM
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I feel lucky.
- Brian Thomas
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-07-2014, 06:35 PM
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I'm planning on purchasing the Sigma 30 1.4, if I don't win -- do we have some idea when the 3 millionth comment will appear and the lens will be raffled?
Definitely in December?
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-07-2014, 01:59 PM
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My photographic style is about getting close with wide to normal lenses, so I'm content with the DA 50-200 as my only long lens. And I'm all about traveling light. With those predilections of mine, if I had the DA 70, I wouldn't get the 50-200, I would just bring the DA 70 on my next trip.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-06-2014, 08:38 PM
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I vote for the 50-200 wr. It's light-- I carried it all the way across India for 5 months, used it about 5 times and had no regrets, about carrying it-- it's that light.
For example, when I myself was taking a bath and I saw these gentleman doing the same on the sidewalk below my hotel room in Calcutta, I was glad I had the 50-200 with me.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-31-2014, 06:07 PM
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reposted from B&H - a comparison of the new Sigma 30mm 1.4 ART lens with the classic 31mm 1.8
By str8rzr
from Jacksonville FL
Verified Reviewer- [the new Sigma 30 1.4 Art lens is...]
Not exactly small - in fact it is chunky, especially compared to the Pentax 31mm f/1.8 competitor. But f/1.4 performance is quite respectable (and infinitely better than the Pentax 31mm), f/2 is excellent and on par in peak center contrast with the 31mm f/1.8 @ f/2 (though that one's got better corners), and from f/2.8-8.0 sharpness is absolutely stellar and arguably the Pentax 31mm's equal. I've not yet heard the focusing action, which is quick. If the size and cost is not a detractor for you, you're unlikely to be disappointed.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
08-31-2013, 02:42 PM
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Digitalis,
At the Lensrentals blog they tested 8 copies of the Sigma 30 1.4 art and compared it to 6 copies of the previous Sigma 30 and the new Sigma 35 1.4 art (which they rave about as you do). Note, however, they make a more balanced assessment of the differences in quality. More many Pentax is about compact lenses. For many the FOV of the 30mm is a better choice.
On a separate matter, Digitalis, would you prefer the new Sigma 35 to the Pentax FA 31? LensRentals.com - Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM vs. Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC |
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
08-30-2013, 09:45 PM
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What about the lens I want? The NEW Sigma 30 1.4 ART lens. Has anyone heard if it will be available for Pentax? Besides the other improvements in lens quality (mainly the focus improves dramatically in the corners when you stop down as is usual for lenses) we will gain the quiet focus that was missing from the previous Sigma 30.
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Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
12-02-2012, 07:52 PM
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Thanks, I meant sharpening to overcome the AA filter
The 2nd link above, the film, was incredibly useful. I highly recommend that everyone that doesn't know exactly what the radius, detail and mask slider in the Lightroom details or sharpening panel do - watch it.
That said, the video author doesn't like Lightroom sharpening and recommends using PhotoShop.
hmm., I don't want to update my ancient Photoshop license. But I do have a Nik Software Sharpener license. Does anyone use Nik software's Sharpener?
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Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
12-02-2012, 07:05 PM
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First I want to say that I was shocked at how much slower Lightroom runs with K-5II RAW files over K-x raw files. And I thought I had a new Mac -- a MacBook Pro portable until a couple months ago the latest version with 8 megs of RAM. I'm using DNG.
So, I'm cautious about switching to Photo Ninja because their own ads stress having a very fast computer.
Does anyone have recommendations for using Lightroom's built-in deblur?
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
11-27-2012, 04:05 PM
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Even the FA 43 devotees say that it has some sort of undefinable magic. Can magic be tested?
Let's run Bob Dylan's singing through a voice measurement device to see how high he ranks next to Boy George.
Photozone is a great resource.
Brian
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Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
11-22-2012, 01:09 PM
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So in the manual and on the camera when the top two choices (with the e-dials set to Av & Tv) e-choices for the Green button say "Return to P" and the lower 2 say "P-line" it makes no difference? They both do the same thing, if you've made a choice as to how you want your P-line to be than that is just the way Program mode will perform?
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Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
11-22-2012, 12:24 PM
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I've been traveling the world with k-100d or K-x for several years, so the whole hyper-control system I.e. Hyper-program, hyper-manual, program line set-up is new to me. I read all the recommended user settings post I could find before the camera arrived. But, apparently, I misunderstood a lot.
I really liked the idea of Program Line set to MTF -- the camera knowing at which aperture my Pentax lenses work best (?!?!) and so I thought that I could set the camera up so that the Green button returned me to Program Line, but the two control wheels gave me instant access to controlling the aperture and shutter speed.
But, now it appears that this is not possible to use the camera like this. If you want instant access to the Aperture in Program mode then the Green button takes you back to regular Program mode, not to the user-configurable Program line mode.
If you want the Green button to take you back to Program Line, then you must set the e-dials to exposure compensation and Program shift.
This is on page 283 of K-5 manual, p 248 of K5-II manual. How do you configure the dials & buttons for hyper-program and Av mode?
Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans and our guests.
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Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
11-18-2012, 02:17 PM
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Ok, you've got a live one here. I am seriously intrigued by what might be a joke..
I would like to know if anyone here can recommend an inexpensive light-weight unbreakable (plastic) mirror for this purpose. that doesn't necessarily mean a specific mirror -- but something like, just go to the beauty supply aisle of your local department store and get it... Is a cheap unbreakable mirror an essential part of anyone's kit?
Has anyone ever duct taped one of these mirrors to their camera for overhead viewing?
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Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
11-15-2012, 05:46 PM
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The press release says, "A new anti-glare film in front of the 3" LCD (with the same resolution), with a tempered glass front panel and new mount"
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