|
Forum: Film Processing, Scanning, and Darkroom
08-27-2018, 10:32 PM
|
| |
Something just showed up (8/24/18) in the utilities downloads for the Epson V550 -- "Common Updater for Epson Scan v1.0.0.0." It's to fix hang issues with some versions of Win10. Just ran it and my 4490 seems to be working normally again without having to do anything with my existing driver. It would be nice to have that also over with the 4490 downloads, but I guess they are in the business of selling new hardware.
|
|
Forum: Film Processing, Scanning, and Darkroom
08-26-2018, 09:39 AM
|
| |
I have been considering a new Epson V550 to replace my trusty, if now Jurassic, 4490. Machine seems fine, but after a recent Win10 Pro update it has been getting flakey: for instance having to force the driver closed and restarting the scanner between every scan. The Epson driver for this machine was last updated in 2009, about the time the first version of Win7 was introduced. Other than higher resolution and, I believe, a switch from CCFL to LED lighting, the specs on bit depth and Dmax are the same. From what I can see in the V550 manual, the interface is largely the same. Epson driver for the new machine was last updated this July. Has anyone tried installing that and having it work with both Windows and the old scanner? (I should point out that I'm going to need to open up this beast to clean the underside of the scanner glass and there's no guarantee that I'll able to get it back together in usable condition. Time for retirement anyway?)
|
|
Forum: Lens Clubs
11-27-2013, 04:04 AM
|
| |
Partial solar eclipse November rd3 from Richmond, Virginia. Values are a bit depressed, but I was aiming to bring out the "lacing" in the branches nearest the disc. I was surprised how this didn't flair out completely with this flea market find considering the ferocious dynamic range. Taken at 180mm, 1/750, F22. K-5 at ISO 80. Cropped considerably.
|
|
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
05-06-2013, 08:16 PM
|
| |
If you're willing to go used, I'm fairly happy with the late Dell 2007FPb S-IPS I picked up last year. If you can get one in good condition for $150 or less I'd go for it. sRGB, 1600x1200 resolution (0.25 dot pitch, I think), old school CCFL backlight. It's only 20 inches, but it has a virtually extinct 4x3 aspect ratio, so there's a decent amount of headroom for verticals. I'm running it on Win7 desktop with a Radeon HD 5450 video card.
Charles
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-18-2012, 08:12 AM
|
| |
Yes, I'm the original owner. Scrounging for the paperwork to send it in. Although I'm somewhat tempted to just leave it at 17mm and treat it as a relatively sharp, fast prime.
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-16-2012, 07:35 PM
|
| |
I love the overall quality of mine. However about week ago I had the zoom control ring go askew in the middle of a shoot. Seems to go through it's range OK, but at 17mm it's only at the 35mm mark. Plus there's considerable play before it engages. Right now I'm keeping it parked at 17mm. It's been regular use for 2 1/2 years.
Has anyone else experienced this?
|
|
Forum: Pentax Price Watch
11-23-2012, 06:13 PM
|
| |
Jumped on that yesterday. I shoot a lot at ISO 6400-12,500. (Had intended to when LR4 dropped that low in October, but at the time I also thought that I had killed my engine when the timing belt slipped.) Off course the next day it dropped elsewhere to $80. Oh well, NYC needs the money right now.
|
|
Forum: Pentax Price Watch
11-22-2012, 12:55 PM
|
| |
Adorama also has Adobe Lightroom 4 for $94.00.
|
|
Forum: Pentax Price Watch
10-20-2012, 01:33 PM
|
| |
I bought my first Pentax there -- an SP-500. They also sold some Soviet gear for those who couldn't afford a Praktica. Wish I'd known about the MIR-1 lens back then. I learned to print on their Spanish made Supre-Brome.
|
|
Forum: Pentax Price Watch
10-20-2012, 12:41 PM
|
| |
Hmmm..... This one is domestic. Could be doing a kind of Dutch Auction -- relisting the item at prograssively lower prices until someone bites.
|
|
Forum: Pentax Price Watch
10-20-2012, 12:33 PM
|
| |
At lot of those "pie in the sky" listings on "vintage" seem to come from Europe, especially former Warsaw Pact countries. And/or they include shipping charges so high that I might as well fly over to pick it up personally. Perhaps they're basing their prices on how difficult and costly it would have been for an individual to obtain Western gear 30 or 40 years ago.
|
|
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
10-20-2012, 12:14 PM
|
| |
Can I assume that if I buy the retail boxed version I will receive a copy of 4.0 then have to download a massive amount of updates to get it to 4.2? Conversely, can I assume that the download will be the latest version?
Thanks,
Charles
|
|
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
08-16-2012, 06:24 PM
|
| |
I have similar problems with my Tamron 17 - 50 2.8 on a K-5 and K200d. (seems to default to 32mm) It wouldn't be that much of a problem, except the that the Pentax body based shake reduction needs accurate focal length info to work properly.Much of the time I just leave it off when using that lens. After all, I muddled through for 35 years without it.
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
03-14-2012, 06:59 PM
|
| |
I'm using the strap that came with the camera. I can make it do it if it goes from slack to taught fairly quickly. (manipulating the strap) I looked into the possiblity that I might have moved it with my left hand when shooting vertical, but it rests there away from the lever. And the switch doesn't feel loose at all.
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
03-14-2012, 06:41 PM
|
| |
I usually shoot manual with the meter set to spot. Occassionally I'll get a reading that makes no sense, then look down to find the selector lever in the center weighted averaging position. I think it may be getting pulled by the camera strap when I have a heavy lens mounted. Has anyone else had that problem?
|
|
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
02-12-2012, 11:36 AM
|
| |
hmm -- Just jumped on Aftershot Pro for $60. (introductory offer when I launched X3) Still ASP is a very capable program and fast. Now to look for a noise reduction plug-in.
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
01-31-2012, 12:35 PM
|
| |
I'd like to see a rangefinder for prime lenses, on the model of the Leica M digitals. Down side would be that to see around the larger lenses ( like the fast Sigma wides) it would have to be the size of a Mamiya 7.
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-24-2012, 08:47 AM
|
| |
It would be really usefull if makers of single focal length lenses that cover FF and crop sensor cameras would at least off a lens hood dedicated to the narrower angle of view when used on aps-c. For instance, I lost the hood for my Sigma 28mm 1.8. Since I use it almost exclusively on the digital, I would love find a bayonet lock tulip hood that is longer for extra shading.
|
|
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
01-24-2012, 05:48 AM
|
| |
I've got the trial version installed and one the first things I found is that the what's "native" is a simplified version of "Noise Ninja." Discreet adjustments require a license from PictureCode, bringing the total cost up to about what Lightroom 3 can be had for right now.
|
|
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
01-21-2012, 02:27 PM
|
| |
I have that Bronica, with the 50, 75 and 150. Love the system and would love to use it more often if it weren't for the fact that the diopter installed requires me to take off my glasses to focus it.
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
01-21-2012, 01:00 PM
|
| |
From my brief experience 6400 seems to the sweet spot -- if properly exposed. (Keep in mind that I generally have a documentary reference) Almost at good as 800 on my 200d.
I do start picking up noise at 12,800, but considering it can make the difference between getting the shot or not, it's a reasonable trade-off.
25,600 -- sand paintings under most circumstances.
51,200 -- just kick up the contrast, desaturate and call it "Tri-X boiled in Rodinol."
|
|
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
01-12-2012, 08:25 AM
|
| |
X3 is just about to send me back to the wet darkroom. Wretchedly unstable to the point that I frequently have to reboot to close it. (From what I can tell, it's generating a second copy of the file I'm working on.) Also, I seem to have locked the browser out of my "C" drive, so I'm working from a USB 2 external. (Could it be that it's crashing when it tries to access a drive that gone to standby?)
Sorry to see the appraisal of the new raw converter. That's the reason I sprung for X3. But I find it confusing, hard to adjust and poorly documented.
It probably doesn't help that I'm still running Vista.
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
12-14-2011, 05:42 PM
|
| |
One "User" setting I don't see, but would be usefull in a studio or partnership, would be photographer/copyright. It seems to be global right now. Perhaps in a future firmware update?
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
12-10-2011, 04:46 PM
|
| |
Is there any way to set up a button for faster access to the SR focal length settings? (faster than flipping through the menus.) This would be more convenient with older zooms. Also, is there any way to manually override the auto focal length settings when using a lens that produces them. I've got a lens that been giving me randomly inaccurate readings.
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
12-10-2011, 01:08 PM
|
| |
I'm up from a K200d. I generally like the logic of the K-5 layout. That said, prefer to shoot in manual and it's going to take forever before I stop pressing he ISO button to meter, hitting "review" to access the menu and turning the shutter speed wheel to shut down.
|
