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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 09-10-2012, 05:03 PM  
Pentax Facebook says K-5II will boast the widest AF range of any DSLR currently avail
Posted By Adam
Replies: 211
Views: 29,273
My humble theory is that as great as the the high sensitivity of the new AF system might be, the following things make it less impressive that it sounds:
  • We still only have 11 AF points, which means that action shooting will still not be nearly as smooth as on cameras where the VF is decked with points

  • At -3EV there is pretty much no light at all, meaning that AF readings might be unreliable even if the new system is able to operate in those conditions

  • Lens focusing speed remains a constant, meaning that the only way this new AF could be faster is if it significantly reduced focusing latency (not likely given that the camera is till running the 4-year-old prime II)

  • Metering won't properly work at negative EVs (AE sensitivity: 0-22EV)

  • It's been my experience that thanks to the AF assist light, the old K-5 does a very good job of focusing accurately in low light (or no light)

I sincerely hope that Pentax is working on another body, and that it will have more AF points. Having pro-grade features in an affordable APS-C body is the only way I think Pentax is going to be able to remain competitive if they plan on sticking to APS-C rather than full-frame.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 09-03-2012, 08:56 AM  
Default Diopter adjustment?
Posted By Canada_Rockies
Replies: 11
Views: 2,915
To set the diopter, look through the viewfinder at a blank sky and set it so that the lines in the viewfinder focusing screen are sharp and crisp. I do this frequently because of the possible movement of the diopter slide. I use manual focus often, and a sharp screen is essential.
Forum: Photographic Technique 08-30-2012, 06:15 PM  
Low light shots of indoor poultry production
Posted By calsan
Replies: 20
Views: 2,777
Bring a step ladder. You will be able to get overview shots of the barn that will be completely different to just turning up and taking shots at eye level. When you turn up with a ladder, they will think "Ah, that's why we hired a pro!" It's a bit like turning up to a building site with a spirit level. With spirit level = Professional. Without = Shonky.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 07-11-2012, 08:07 AM  
Largest SD card for K-x?
Posted By noblepa
Replies: 12
Views: 12,283
The K-x only supports SDXC cards (> 32GB) with firmware version 1.02 or higher. Version 1.03 improved SDXC support.

So, if your K-x is still at the original version 1.00 firmware, then it only accepts SD or SDHC cards and the maximum is 32GB. If you're at 1.02 or 1.03, then any SD card you can find should work. The theoretical max for SDXC is several Terabytes, but no one yet makes anything larger than (I think) 128GB.
Forum: Photographic Technique 05-25-2012, 09:42 PM  
APS-C does not increase focal length over FF, it decreases field of view.
Posted By Venturi
Replies: 135
Views: 14,859
It took me the better part of three years to get personal closure on this subject, and it didn't happen until I bought a 645 and developed that first roll of 120.

Here's the plain truth: APS-C doesn't "do" anything; it is a different format than 135 (a.k.a. full-frame).

That, in most cases, you are afforded the convenience of using 135 mount lenses on APS-C cameras is simply that - convenience.

Advanced Photo System (APS) format is the brain child of Eastman Kodak. It debuted in 1996 and is comprised of three sub-formats:
H - High-definition 16:9 aspect
C - Classic (not crop!) 3:2 aspect
P - Panorama 3:1 aspect
Calling APS-C format sensors "cropped" is quite simply marketing mumbo-jumbo.

As to magnification, well that's a matter of perspective.
I can safely argue that it isn't the lens that magnifies, but rather the recording medium - the sensor or film. 135 is approximately 2.4 times larger in area than APS-C, so doesn't it follow that the recorded image on 135 is of higher magnification than APS-C?
Or perhaps magnification doesn't pertain to the recording format at all?
Maybe it's the size of the print that defines magnification.
Or maybe it's the number of pixels in the raw digital image.
As Rico said earlier, magnification is fluid.

110, 126/127, APS-C/H/P, 135, and 120/220 are all fully independent formats. They require no legitimizing or justification to exist in the photographic world.

Once you can wrap your brain around the concept that APS-C is simply a different format, that happily often shares lens mount compatibility with 135, you will likely find more enjoyment in your photography.

More fun facts that provide zero qualitative measurement of what makes a great photograph:
  • Field of View is relative to format and distance.

  • Angle of View is relative to format and focal length.

  • Image Scale is bound to distance and focal length. It is constant across formats.

  • Snickers really satisfies.

Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 01-04-2012, 05:52 PM  
Extension tubes for a newbie
Posted By excanonfd
Replies: 13
Views: 2,001
I can confirm that you are right. When I attach the complete set of Vivitar AT-23 extension tube set to the Tamron 72B 90/2.8 1:1 Macro lens, I get about 2.1:1 magnification. The phenomenon RioRico is describing probably is for a non macro 100mm lens, and do not seem to apply to macro lenses with extension tubes. Here are a couple of shots I took few minutes ago, first is Tamron CT-105,105/2.5 non macro and the second is Tamron 52B, 90/2.5 1:2 macro (I don't have the 72B with me at the moment, I lent it to my niece). Both shots had the complete set of AT-23 extension tubes attached. Images are not in great focus but they're legible.
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 12-28-2011, 03:02 PM  
Tips on how to objectively rate photos
Posted By vonBaloney
Replies: 37
Views: 4,777
Beginners should also realize that they have a lot of crap in their system, for lack of a better phrase, from social conditioning, etc. If you look at the work of a photo 101 class, you'll notice that the students all tend to take the same photos (more or less) as all the other students (except for that one person that seems to be in every class that is just brilliant all the time). You might also notice that some individuals shoot the same photo over & over -- not necessarily of the same subject, but the same composition is repeated (e.g. big object on left-hand side in foreground looking slightly upward to smaller object on right-side background). Usually someone else has to point this out to them in order for them to notice.

You have to shoot a lot of pictures (and preferably work on them in PP, which makes you think about them) before you kind of flush out the stock ideas in your head and start to find your own style.
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 09-25-2011, 12:46 AM  
ICC Colour profiles
Posted By cats_five
Replies: 31
Views: 11,189
The Canon is an excellent choice. Each ink is in a separate cartridge which saves waste compared to printers with tri-colour cartridges, the only drawback being no grey inks - see below. Bizarelly their top-end inkjet multifunctionals have a grey ink as well, so if you haven't brought your printer yet and you want to try B&W printing you might want to reconsider.

To get accurate prints you need both the screen and an ICC profile for the paper / printer combination so they both have an interpretation of 'red' or 'orrangy-red with a hint of green' that we will see (as far as possible) as the same colour. Since screens are additive colour mixing and printers are subtractive that's quite a tall order. If your screen is a low-end TN panel you might find you are needing an upgrade there as well, to one with an IPS panel. The colours that TN panels are limited, IPS panels can display a wider range of colours.

It's relatively easy to calibrate a screen with a Spyder or similar, but you won't find downloadable ICC profiles for your printer - they are around for the Canon Pro printers, but those are far more expensive and complicated printers. However there are places that will produce them for you - you follow the instructions for producing a print, send it off and they email back the ICC profile.

The advice I was given many years ago about printing which I think still holds is as follows:
1) use OEM ink
2) pick a paper and stick to it until you are getting that one right most of the time.
3) then try another paper.

I would suggest you stick to the Canon paper for now - as you say it's ICC profile is already installed. You can't download specific profiles for a lot of papers, so you are either going to have to use a generic one, or get one made, or buy a calibration device that can do paper as well. However, with my Canon MP620 I found that I got great prints - far better than I expected - on Ilford Gallerie Smooth Pearl - and I'd expect the same of your printer.

Black and white printing is the hardest. Since your printer just has black ink, and blue, yellow and cyan, it is printing tiny dots of colour which in theory will look like grey ink at a distance. However colour casts are horribly easy to end up with, and you can also get metamerism - different colour casts depending on the light you view the print in. Years ago I got an HP 8450 that has more inks, unfortunatly in three tri-colour cartridges. One of those extra cartridges contains three shades of grey, and if I printed using just black and grey inks I got beautifully neutral prints that were pretty much neutral regardless of the light. With that printer I only every used the Ilford paper, and as it happens it was one of the very few consumer-grade printers that Ilford had downloadable ICC profiles available for.

You also touch on sizing the image. Yes, I use 300dpi, and after straightening and cropping the image I resize it so that at 300dpi it fits into my paper. Actually it's slightly smaller, depending on it's aspect ratio there will be a tiny white along the top and bottom and wider ones down the sides, or vice versa. Photoshop is very good at the resizing, the point is to make sure resizing is done once only. If I simply fiddle with the picture and send it to the printer and say 'fit paper', the printer software will make it fit with me not seeing the results until I've made a print. I found a discussion over on the Luminous Landscape forums about why 300dpi, and it's to do with how the Canon drivers work but (surprise!) opinion was divided about how much difference it makes these days.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 09-26-2011, 04:44 AM  
don't understand how to read lenses
Posted By atupdate
Replies: 11
Views: 2,312
Here are a couple of free on-line camera simulators that will help you visualize the relationship between ISO - Aperture - Shutter Speed.

The SimCam: Film and Digital Camera Simulator - Photonhead.com

Aperture, shutter and ISO value | SLR Camera Simulator

This one even has a couple of camera modes, aperture priority (Av) and shutter priority (Tv)

SLR Camera Simulator | Simulates a digital SLR camera

Tim
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 04-04-2011, 08:35 AM  
Wireless flash troubles
Posted By imtheguy
Replies: 6
Views: 2,253
Welcome to the Forum!

I am sorry that when this question gets asked that the first recommendation is to buy more stuff instead of a solution, if one exists. I use both radio controllers and built in wireless with no issues at the moment. Not familiar with the "Pen" version. For starters, it sounds like you have "Flash in Wireless Mode" (menu item but yours may have different wording) turned OFF. If your Kx built-in is firing ON, you should at least have a proper exposure from that light. When it is OFF, it still fires but much weaker so it has little effect. Now onto the 383, I assume you have channel #1 selected on cam and flash.

If you are trying P-TTL mode, I have read about severe underexposure with the 383 using TTL and suggest you try Manual to at least see if the timing is working. Its possible that what appears to be a pre-ignition by the 383 is just a very underexposed shot , at least according to reviews I have read. Last, try the camera in Manual mode also so you can eliminate metering and determine if it truly is a sync problem.

My first guess is that setting the 383 in Manual will suddenly light things up and you can work from there. If the 383 is firing off the pre-flash....I have not run into that and wish you well with research.

Let us know what happens after turning on "Flash in Wireless Mode", setting 383 to Manual and power appropriate for distance, camera to Manual. Those are my random thoughts and hope it helps you track down the issue and bust it.
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 12-23-2010, 08:31 PM  
Software price vent
Posted By JonPB
Replies: 55
Views: 13,342
Let's compared software to lenses. Nobody asks why the DA* 16-50 is more expensive than the DA 18-55. Some question why it is so much more expensive, but still the 16-50 sells enough lenses to justify the price. The 18-55 is close to free; you probably got one with your camera. You can make images with it, excellent images even. But many people decide to spend more money to make even better images, given the same scene, with better lenses. The same goes for software. The software you got with your camera is perfectly decent. You don't even need to use that software; you can capture JPEGs and send those directly to the printer. But if you want to make better images, with the same capture, you probably want better software. So, save up and spend the money on that photographic tool just like you would with a lens.

Some people wonder why software is so expensive when it is nearly free to manufacture and distribute. Well, consider a snow shovel: yes, there is a cost to the raw materials and getting the product to me, and I expect to pay that, but I also expect to pay for the labor involved in producing the thing. Developing software involves a considerable amount of labor from specialized workers. Not only should they be compensated for their time spent developing a product I use, but they should also be compensated for the skill they've developed which they apply to that labor.

Pirates might argue that software doesn't cost anything to distribute--or, more accurately, that they're bearing the cost of distribution rather than the software company. And developing that software is a sunk cost; the company won't be hurt by one more person using the software without paying for it. Which is true with software where it isn't with snow shovels. But there's this thing where if nobody paid for it, the software wouldn't exist. If I shouldn't pay for it, who should?

Now, if Adobe could somehow get more money from people who use Photoshop professionally and less money from recreational users like me, I'd be happy to pay a lower value to use that software. But that would be terribly intrusive and cumbersome. The practical way of sorting that out, for now, is the market: if you use it enough to justify the price, you pay; if you don't, you find an alternative.

I'm quite pleased with the value I received in purchasing Bibble. I get lots of global adjustments, and the local adjustments I want--clone and heal, specific adjustments to regions--are easy to implement. I didn't purchase Photoshop because it isn't worth the price, to me.

Why is software expensive? Because people who use those tools get value enough from the tool to pay that price.
Forum: Photographic Technique 03-12-2011, 09:58 AM  
Event Photography
Posted By interested_observer
Replies: 39
Views: 7,866
I am not a corporate events/functions photographer by any means - however, I have been to a few. Saw some great images, and some mediocre images from them. I also have heard comments from management over the years about the various results. So.....
  • Have you asked the customer for their expectations?

  • What do they really want to see in the photos?

  • How do they plan to use the photos?

  • What do they want the images to show?

  • Do they want candid images of all (or most) of the attendees (important customers, employees, etc.)?

  • Do they want to show how big the event is, or how friendly the event was, or that the event showcased their product line, or their management, or ?????

  • Will it be inside, outside or both?

  • Will there be a lot of meeting in side rooms, or large (drink the koolaid) presentations.

  • You may want to go to the venue and see the setup, ask the venue management for photos of past events, so that you can see how some past events were photographed. Are there particular views or vantage points that would showcase the event (a balcony), that other have used (and how do you get there). Take some test shots and see how they turn out with your gear. You might need a wider lens, or a better flash, or ......

  • Ask the venue how this particular event is going to use the venue (how the customer asked the venue to set it up for this particular function). You might also want to get there early or the night before when the venue is setting up so that you are familiar with the layout and where everything is. Also, the person who hired you will probably be there directing the setup activities and that is a good point to go over any last minute directions, changes, etc.

  • Is there going to be a famous guest speaker that the attendees (and management) would like pictures with....

  • Do you have a time line of the various activities within the event (and where within the venue), so that you will be in the right place at the right time, and manage your time accordingly.

  • Is there an area that you setup a laptop and dump your images, and maybe take 30 minutes with who ever hired you to make sure that they are getting what they wanted. You can also use this area to have spare batteries recharging, etc.

  • Do they have your cell phone number so that if you are in one area and they have an immediate need they can re-direct your activities......

  • Preparation is 90% of the task.


I probably would not only emphasize one single aspect to the exclusion of the others, but it would be nice to understand what they desired, intended and wanted, so that at least that aspect was covered adequately.

:cool:
Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories 07-27-2010, 09:28 PM  
R-strap with Arca QR plate.
Posted By Russell-Evans
Replies: 3
Views: 3,773
I came across this today on ebay. If the QR plate doesn't rotate with a heavy lens, this would solve the issue of having to remove the mount and thus, if you are willing to use a little Loctite, the issue of the mount unexpectedly working loose. Looks like it has lugs for a hand grip/strap as well. US $39.99, so not too expensive, less than some dedicated QR plates from Kirk, RRS, ...







Thank you
Russell
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-23-2010, 06:50 AM  
K-5: 16MP, ISO25600 and 7 FPS worth the upgrade?
Posted By youky63
Replies: 418
Views: 100,475
Reading all the posts from the whole forum is quite interesting.
I didn't know there were so many Pentax fanboys deeply thinking that Pentax "has the best bodies" and "made the better glasses" and "so much cheaper" than any other brand, excepted maybe Leica for the quality (sic).
So Pentax/Hoya must not be worried about its future, its products will continue to sell "well".
Now, my opinion, first about bodies (and I clearly don't ask you to think the same, anyway, I already know you don't):
Pentax did a wonderful job with the K10D. This body was miles ahead of its competitors on ergonomics and possibilities. But not without any flaw. For example, the jpeg engine was just crap. Same for AF and WB. Still, a very impressive job from that "old forgotten brand" that was Pentax.
Then, the big ones understand people were ready to pay more for more functions, possibilities, performances. In my mind, Nikon was the first to counter-attack with the D90, still the affordable APS-C reference today. Then Nikon replyed with the 50D and it's high resolution sensors. And they continued to improve their bodies, AF, sensors, IQ, in new models such as D300s and 7D (not talking about FF here, that is another debate).
What was the answer of Pentax to that? The K20D was basically a K10D with a new sensor. Don't misunderstand me, I like my K20D, but AF sucks, and high isos also.
Then, came the K7. Presented as "the new hope" for all pentaxists, most have been disappointed. Not because of the body, a new piece of art. But the sensor, the body masterpiece for IQ, was almost the same than in the K20D, maybe even worse! No way to spend 1200 dollars to get a body with (at most) the same images than the previous body. Add to that the "shutter blur crysis" and a cheaper model (Kx) with "higher" IQ. Then you understand why it is difficult to advice this body for new photographers, and why even the oldest Pentaxians upgraded from their old bodies to the small one, not to the flagship one. During this time, the AF was improved, but basically, it remains the poorest AF of the APS-C market, far far behind SoNiCanon. And image stabilization is still very much not convincing to me (my Panasonic FZ50 was performing way better than Pentax SR, was a chock to me when I bought K20D!)
Now let's talk about the lenses:
I read here very often than Pentax lenses are the best of the world. Really? Which one? The one which are as expensive as a Canon L lens? Without fast and silent USM AF motor? Nor being fast ones?
While Pentax situation was quite OK 2 years ago with many new DA lenses coming out, today's situation is in my opinion extremely serious! When Kx was released, I was happy to tell new comers they must take a look at it. Very good IQ, low price. But today, if I was one of them, I would feel trapped. Where are the lenses necessary for any beginner to grow? WHere are the cheap primes? Where is the choice in non too much expensive telezoom? Pentax is the only one to not offer any opportunity to get cheap prime. And I really don't think a "beginner" will start with a 500 dollars one. Especially the old outdate plastic look FA35 and FA50mm. Manual focus ones? Come on, we are in an "all automatic" world...
So I stopped to tell people they must check at Pentax body(ies?). Even for advanced users as you and me. Are you happy to pay that amount for lenses DA only compatible, with the terribly noisy AF? Or a "doubtful" and very slow SDM AF?
Pentax must wake up and open its eyes on the actual catastrophic lenses line up they try to sell compared to other brands. Like the bodies, they don't even offer half of the references that you can find in C/N, and there you have silent ultrafast AF in most of their lenses coupled to the high-end body AF module.

Yes, I am sorry my post is a bit nasty (I terribly lack sleep), but it is what I exactly think of the present situation. Actually I do not leave Pentax for the lack of FF. APS-C is becoming better and better, even if still far from present FF bodies, maybe I don't need a soooo big improvement. But what I cannot support anymore is the lack of lenses and features that any other brands can offer to their costumers. I need silent AF because sometimes I have to shoot during scientific meetings or classical music events (and the driller sound of my K20D is not welcome), I need fast AF because Pentax ones was good enougth when I started, but now I am much faster and need it to follow me, I am tired of the poor SR sytem (maybe it is a personal problem, maybe my shaking is specially unadapted to Pentax SR system, still, it seems almost useless to me) and I definitely need more lenses choices.

If actual Pentax products suit all your needs, good for you. But please stop to say again and again Pentax is better than anybody else. That is totally wrong, that is fanboy discussion (just like on sony's forum). And if it was true there will not be so many (almost all of them) threads asking for so many improvement for the next generation. Some things are good in Pentax, but many have to be improved by a lot to catch up at the bigger companies (and they are not bigger for any reasons).
Lets see what will Pentax announces in Photokina, and people staying in Pentax must accept they have to do with what they have, without trying to auto-persuade themselves they have "all the best of the world".
Forum: Photographic Technique 08-13-2010, 03:43 AM  
ETTR Question
Posted By ds1848
Replies: 8
Views: 3,370
Hi. I am not sure whether or not this is the appropriate forum for this question, so please feel free to move it. I have a question for the board concerning the "expose to the right" maxim.

I make use of "ETTR" when I can in order to reduce shot noise in my pictures. I don't want to get into a debate about ETTR in general, as my question is a bit more specific.

Do you think ETTR is worthwhile when you have aperture and shutter speed set at your lowest acceptable limits? For example, let's say you have a shot metered at f5.6 and 1/60. You don't want to shoot any more open than 5.6 to preserve DOF/sharpness and you don't want to shoot any slower than 1/60 so as not to induce any blurring. You look at your histogram and see that you have latitude to ETTR by one stop, but, in this case, the only way you can do this is to increase the ISO, say from 200 to 400.

By ETTR you reduce the signal/noise ratio, but in the example above, at the same time you increase the amount of noise by moving from ISO 200 to ISO 400. Do these two things cancel each other out? Would it depend on the sensor in question, or would 200-400 be any different from, say, 800-1600? Or are these two effects (ETTR and increasing ISO) one in the same, meaning that ETTR is only relevant with respect to aperture/shutter speed at base ISO?

Thanks for the help and once again feel free to move this to wherever it is most appropriate.
Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories 07-25-2010, 09:40 AM  
So you spent $500, 600, 1200 on a camera and trust your photos to a $20 SD card?
Posted By rparmar
Replies: 73
Views: 14,868
:lol:

I guess I should once again mention Choosing An SD Card.
Forum: Site Suggestions and Help 04-28-2010, 07:18 AM  
News Reputation System Enabled
Posted By mithrandir
Replies: 89
Views: 10,235
I suspect a large potential for abuse from a vocal minority.
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