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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories 02-25-2024, 11:55 AM  
Is there a camera backpack out there that does NOT have a laptop compartment?
Posted By Rico
Replies: 52
Views: 1,680
The LowePro PhotoSport lineup does not have a laptop sleeve they have a Hydration pocket. Here is the PhotoSport 24L. There is a smaller 18L model also. Out of all the manufactures I would say the LowePro PhotoSport is one of the best for compact size and proper ergonomics. I have access to B&H so I have looked over almost all the backpacks one can buy and on a whole the LowePro PhotoSport ticks off the most essential features most of all for comfort.

The Kinesis Journeyman is the most versatile as pack itself detaches from the harness and waist belt. The pack itself is an empty shell that you can adapt to whatever you want. There is a wide range of inserts available along with all the other lens cases and accessories that adapt to the harness and waist belt. Kinesis offers some of the best long lens cases and body holster cases that will attach to the harness and waist belt along with their lens pouches. For pack system to grow with your needs this is probably the best option due to the total adaptability.

I recently bought a ClikElite CompactSport and ProSport backpacks from eBay just to have backup packs going into the future. They are in new condition with no signs of any use. I have been using a CompactSport model for at least 15 years now. The harness and waist belt are completely fine and like the day I bought it. Even the zippers have held up. One reason the CompactSport works so well for me is the depth is short compared to most all other backpacks. It is around 7" inches which makes it ideal for urban use subway riding etc. You will be hard pressed to find a camera backpack with such a short depth. Only the LowePro PhotoSport comes the closest in size and shape. For the gear you want to carry the ClikElite ProSport would probably be better as the shape is the same but it is slightly larger. The ClikElite waist belt is very excellent. The ends of the snap buckle slide on a looped strap which cinches to the waist better than a simple belt. They both have hydration pockets that double for stuffing a jacket or sweater in there. The upper and lower compartments have a divider that unzips to open the interiors from top to bottom.
Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories 01-21-2024, 02:30 PM  
Gloves...
Posted By Rico
Replies: 15
Views: 846
Something that works well are winter Golf gloves.

This pair from Zero Restriction has Gore-Tex windstopper on the back of the hand with a leather palm for dexterity. They are pricy but windstopper does work against sustained wind.

This Foot Joy winter glove works well also giving back of the hand protection while maintain finger dexterity. At that price they are worth a try. Both brands can work in combination as a glove liner.

Over the years I have used both these gloves. They are an excellent compromise between keeping your hands warm while maintaining finer tactile touch.
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 01-22-2024, 09:47 AM  
Pentax K-3 MarkIII reveal - hacking
Posted By Rico
Replies: 76
Views: 4,571
Maybe you can program the touch screen to actually work like a touch screen to scroll through all the menus instead of having to use the buttons.
Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories 11-17-2023, 08:14 AM  
Hiking Backpack for Overnight Photography Trip
Posted By Rico
Replies: 23
Views: 1,123
Kinesis Photo Gear make serious pro modular stuff.
Forum: Pentax Full Frame 10-28-2023, 12:23 PM  
K1 II - not feeling the love anymore!
Posted By Rico
Replies: 76
Views: 4,985
The level of post processing needed is dependent on proper exposure which does not need 20fps. In the modern digital age post processing is simple and fast.
Forum: Pentax Full Frame 10-28-2023, 11:43 AM  
K1 II - not feeling the love anymore!
Posted By Rico
Replies: 76
Views: 4,985
Not sure how this is helping your cause. 20fps to shoot flowers? Wind blowing leaves? How about proper exposure and faster shutter speeds.
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 08-26-2023, 09:29 AM  
PC vs Mac for image processing: conclusion
Posted By Rico
Replies: 18
Views: 1,571
biz-engineer If you have a monitor and a keyboard you could get a Mac Mini. You can still run Windows or Linux on it. They are silent to run for the most part. Just get 512GB SSD and 16GB ram model. The M2 Mac Mini with these specs is around $1,000US. A MacBook Air has no fan at all and will also connect to an existing monitor and keyboard. I don't think you will ever look back to a PC machine. I have been using an M1 Mac Mini with 512SSD and 8GB ram without any problem with similar editing needs as yours.
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 07-17-2023, 12:28 PM  
Black and white printing service
Posted By Rico
Replies: 10
Views: 995
gda13 Duggal in NYC have special digital printers by Lamda/Lightjet that use digital files to print on traditional B&W Ilford papers. They also do HD C-Prints for color.
Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals 07-14-2023, 08:48 AM  
Amazon killed Dpreview
Posted By Rico
Replies: 386
Views: 20,262
It's clear DPReview are readers of PentaxForums.

After I posted at the beginning of this thread back when they announced they were closing that one of the main annoying things about DPR was how the main feed page was continually populated with staff faces holding equipment next to their heads. All you could see was their faces and the equipment was secondary.

Apparently the editors over there agreed because the feed page has been absent of staff faces ever since. Now it looks like a photo gear review site.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 06-07-2023, 07:44 PM  
Poll: Jpeg or Raw - ?
Posted By Rico
Replies: 94
Views: 5,375
I could understand this mentality 15 years ago but today when it comes to storage space you can get an 8TB spindle drive for $150. People post a lot of excellent images on Pentaxforum's sad to think there are no RAW files to back them all up.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 04-23-2023, 01:11 PM  
Poll: Jpeg or Raw - ?
Posted By Rico
Replies: 94
Views: 5,375
Which ever preference JPG or RAW I hope all the JPG users are capturing the RAW file at the same time. An out of camera JPG will never be able to do what the RAW file can. Over time as Adobe's ACR plugin has evolved you can go back to 10 year old RAW files and output much better images now than you could have done when the image was first taken. Around 2019 ACR introduced several new features Texture and Dehaze that greatly improve the output of older RAW files.
Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals 03-21-2023, 11:18 PM  
Amazon killed Dpreview
Posted By Rico
Replies: 386
Views: 20,262
This pretty much sums it up. About 6 months ago DPR was posting for new staff applicants as the staff they had was producing nothing. 90% of DPR content is images of DPR staff faces. Go scroll the main page right now the majority of images are staff faces with equipment held next to them. Who makes those kinds of editing decisions? Nothing against the DPR staff's faces I just got tired of having always to look at them. The first episode of the DPR TV was so unprofessional with the camera low to the ground pointed up with the soles of their shoes showing I never bothered watching any of them.
Forum: Pentax Full Frame 04-01-2023, 10:12 PM  
K1 and street photography
Posted By Rico
Replies: 34
Views: 3,081
Casul, Setting aside for a second your question is about the K-1 for street photography the GRIII and GRIIIx are much better suited for street photography.

Back to the K-1 I would skip the K-1 and get a K-1MKII. The Accelerator Unit in the MKII delivers a much better file. The color fidelity across the board maintains excellent hue and value from dark to light better still than the competition.

The A-series manual lenses work more seamlessly. The really good ones can be hard to find. The A-28mm ƒ2 is stellar. For a 50 the A-50mm ƒ1.4 has a lot going for it. The 8 aperture blades brings something extra to this lens. For fully manual lenses pre-A-series in the range you are looking the M-40mm ƒ2.8 performs great on the K-1 stopped down. I have been using this lens on the K-1 almost exclusively due to the small size. Just get a DA-40 lens hood for the M-40mm. Works like a charm.
Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories 09-19-2022, 11:01 AM  
Pentax M42 Bellows slide copier
Posted By Rico
Replies: 22
Views: 1,380
I don't have one of these bellows but it does look like there is enough room to move the bellows on the rail as far away as possible from the end the slide copier attaches with enough room to attach the camera and lens directly to the slide copier. This would be the simplest solution.

I do have the Nikon copier which works very well. I have used a light box and copy stand for larger format film. The K1MKII using pixel shift creates excellent files easier than using a scanner both on time and quality of results.
Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories 09-17-2022, 10:16 PM  
Pentax M42 Bellows slide copier
Posted By Rico
Replies: 22
Views: 1,380
Lloyd_Christmas you may be able to just attach the slider duplicator to a 50mm macro lens then attach the lens to the camera without using the bellows. The duplicator seems to have it's own small bellows this should be enough to get the right distance. With a 100mm macro you made need extension tubes.

Nikon makes this $60 slide copier.With the A-series 50mm Macro since it is not 1:1 you need to use extension tubes.
Forum: Pentax K-3 III 12-04-2021, 01:16 PM  
K-3 III bug in 2s self timer mode - Source of fuzzyness
Posted By Rico
Replies: 147
Views: 12,022
DPReview has taken down the DNG files for the K-3III in their studio scene comparison tool. I have sample images from a K-3III at B&H with firmware V 1.00 which show no signs of the blurry slow shutter speed shake DRPreview claimed they could only produce. Not sure how the firmware could fix something that did not really exist. At any rate DPReview removed the DNG files from their system which is the basis for their claim the K-3III has a slow shutter speed shake problem.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 09-09-2021, 11:12 AM  
Ricoh GR IIIx announced. new 26.1 mm lens (40mm eq)
Posted By Rico
Replies: 237
Views: 23,702
This camera is long over due. Unfortunately it comes with all the foibles of the GRIII. The wheel has got to go. It is rendering my GRIII near useless as it is skipping jumping not precious. The GRIII has all kinds of problems not yet fixed like the GA-1 adapter malfunctioning when power save modes are on causing the camera to drain the battery in minutes while heating up the camera at the same time. Same slow UHS-I bus and poor battery life.

I don't mind Ricoh using the same old sensor from the GRIII but keeping all things equal sans the focal length the GRIIIx inherits all the same failings
Forum: Pentax K-3 III 07-08-2021, 02:56 PM  
K-3 III bug in 2s self timer mode - Source of fuzzyness
Posted By Rico
Replies: 147
Views: 12,022
An alternative to using a scanner to copy slides at least is using a simple Slide adapter like the Nikon ES-1 for $20. I have successfully used this adapter on the K-1 with the Pentax A-Series 50mm ƒ2.8 Macro using a 49 to 52 step up ring to attach the adapter to the lens then ~30mm in extension tubes to bring the 1:2 of the lens to focus closer to 1:1. Works beautifully. With pixel-shift I don't think a scanner even a $10,000 scanner is going to do a better job. I find little to no adjustments are necessary.

Even only doing one slide at a time the results and ease of capture makes the experience less frustrating than having to set up a scanner to get proper color etc. I don't think I will ever use a scanner other than doing low res batch scans for review to choose those for K-1 pixel shift copying. Kodakchrome slides look top notch.

Pentax actually demonstrated a film copy stand/adapter several years ago. I don't know if it ever went into production. Ricoh wanted some outrageous price like 1,000 Euros. It did 120 film 35mm film and slides etc. The $20 Nikon ES-1 works equally as well for 35mm slides.
Forum: Pentax K-3 III 07-08-2021, 03:06 PM  
No K-3 III USB Connectivity to Mac
Posted By Rico
Replies: 10
Views: 1,057
Did you try using Apple's Image Capture app to see if the K-3III shows up? I have only ever really used Image Capture to download files to my archive from an SD card reader. Image Capture is made to see connected devices.
Forum: Pentax K-3 III 06-27-2021, 09:16 AM  
K3-3 wasted space around rear LCD monitor - why?
Posted By Rico
Replies: 20
Views: 1,240
Spock as Kunzite noted the K-3III LCD is similar to the GRIII. When the GRIII was announced it was hard to tell at first the size of the active LCD since the overall size is much larger. My impression with the GRIII the size of the overall LCD is the size we will see in some future more energy efficient OLED screen that will not deplete the battery as fast as an LCD screen of that size will.

OLED will bring a lot of benefits especially for fixed screens since OLED is easier to view at an angle. Like your phone the screen can go to the edge without a border. If the rear OLED screen has a rounded edge would eliminate the need for a DSLR top plate LCD as the data could be more easily displayed along the edge of the OLED than having to look at the top plate LCD.
Forum: Pentax K-3 III 06-02-2021, 07:29 PM  
Pentax k3 mark 3 - bad copy of the camera at dpreview - ??
Posted By Rico
Replies: 178
Views: 14,748
Here is a visual comparison to demonstrate exactly what DPR is doing with Pentax images uploaded into their studio comparison scene tool. These JPG's were created using the downloadable K3III ISO 800 DNG file. The first image is the saved JPG with the Image Settings applied by DPR. The second image is a saved JPG by putting the K3III DNG back to the Camera Raw Defaults.





The Image Settings applied by DPR staff clearly lift out a whole layer of detail that is persevered in the Camera RAW Defaults. DPR purposefully made the file inferior to the Camera RAW Defaults and not by a little. DPR has done this applying special ACR Image Settings as far as I can tell only to Pentax cameras going back to at least the K3II from the files I checked with similar results. Other brands DPR only outputs JPG's from each models Camera Raw Defaults. When you open RAW files from other brands downloaded from the DPR Studio Tool they are all in Camera RAW Default. No Image Settings have been applied. Do the same with KP K1 etc they are all set to Image Settings applied by DPR.

Seriously this is a little more than fishy. I have wasted enough personal time looking at this the more I do the more ridiculous DPR looks. It's clearly fraud.
Forum: Pentax K-3 III 06-01-2021, 11:12 AM  
Pixel shift performance of the K-3iii
Posted By Rico
Replies: 33
Views: 5,466
I am certain it takes the K-1 about 5 seconds before the camera is ready to take another image using Pixel-Shift so it is not good news to hear it takes the K3III 8.5 seconds. Sad news really.
Forum: Pentax K-3 III 06-03-2021, 11:35 AM  
Pentax k3 mark 3 - bad copy of the camera at dpreview - ??
Posted By Rico
Replies: 178
Views: 14,748
What is there to be confused about BigMackCam? The fraud is that DPR is baking in ACR settings that remove detail from Pentax brand cameras while claiming Pentax cameras have baked in detail removing noise reduction. Get it? It's not what I am saying it is clearly what DPR's own DNG files are showing. The beauty of RAW files you can reset the file back to Camera Raw Default i.e. what the camera originally captured in the file. When you do that reset the file to Camera Raw Defaults with all the Pentax DNG files at DPR turning off the baked in Image Settings applied by DPR you find a whole lot of detail restored to the image. Like I said as far as I can tell it is only Pentax brand they apply special embedded ACR profiles that bakes in the removal of details.

The K-1 ISO 100 Pixel Shift images are a good example. The first is DPR's baked in ACR detail removal. The second image is the file set back to Camera RAW Default:





The K-1 Pixel Shift image of the DPR Comparison Scene is a good reference point to see what it really looks like as to how each manufacturer guesses to what it looks like. The scene of the people and the Fab Four patch demonstrate this well. The cross hatching detail in the scene of the people only really shows up using Pixel shift. The figure on the left edge with the white apron there is fine cross hatching present clearly visible in the K-1 Camera Raw Default image. Without Pixel Shift this fine detail does not show up. But you can see how DPR's baked in K-1 ACR Image Settings lift out all those details visible in the Camera RAW Default image. All I am doing is turning off the baked in settings DPR is applying in ACR which reveals all kinds of detail DPR removed.

DPR has been doing this to Pentax brand camera files for more than 5 years.
Forum: Pentax K-3 III 06-01-2021, 04:16 PM  
Pentax k3 mark 3 - bad copy of the camera at dpreview - ??
Posted By Rico
Replies: 178
Views: 14,748
There is nothing conspiratorial here house it's just the facts. DPR only uses "embedded Pentax DNG ACR profiles" i.e. DPR alters the images in ACR only for Pentax cameras. As far as I can tell all the other brands they first are using the native brand raw format nef, CR3, RAF etc plus they just use the "camera raw default" settings from the camera for all other brands to output a JPG but for Pentax they use DNG instead of PEF then set their own image settings in ACR which completely alters the image striping details.

Again in the ISO 800 image I downloaded if you output JPG's using the DPR "image settings" and the "camera raw defaults" the image produced by the DPR ACR image settings stripes out all kinds of detail compared to the camera raw default JPG.

And the only way to really understand what the comparison scene really looks like you have to download or compare any Pentax pixel-shift image they created of the comparison tool scene to actually see what the objects really look like. A good reference is the print of the people looking at the painting on the easel to the left of the Fab Four patch. The Pentax pixel shift images render more faithfully what it really looks like more than any other brand. An example is the highlight on the woman's dress just right of the dog. There is horizontal cross hatching in the highlights which doesn't show up without pixel shift. Or the highlight area behind the people standing the wall behind them has detail that only shows up correctly using pixel shift. Fuji Canon Nikon Sony all just smudge out all the real detail because they can not handle the actual cross hatching in the print. They are all just a simulation of what it actually looks like.
Forum: Pentax K-3 III 06-01-2021, 11:02 AM  
Pentax k3 mark 3 - bad copy of the camera at dpreview - ??
Posted By Rico
Replies: 178
Views: 14,748
There is definitely something wrong with the color profile in the downloadable DPR RAW files they have marked in the Info button as ACR embedded. There is no way to completely mitigate the problems. You can go to the ACR Preset Tab to force the image tone back to Natural which is how DPR exposed the image. This helps correct the color so the magenta blooming goes away but not completely. When you do this the settings all change under the Basic tab. When you first open the files in ACR the exposure reads 0.59 and all the other settings read zero. When you change the color profile under presets to force it back to the embedded Natural image tone this changes all the values for Highlights Shadows Lights etc which shouldn't be the case. This is only happening because DPR did something with the color profile settings in ACR.

If you open and output the same files without changing anything in DCU 592 the color looks normal so there is something DPR did with the files in ACR to make the color so far off. Correcting the color in the ACR Presets tab back to Natural helps the images look better but there still is a smudged appearance to all ISO's. It doesn't go away at higher shutter speeds so the whole shutter shack narrative is really just a red herring.

There are several things I noticed in the DCU shooting information window first it looks like DPR did some sort of manual white balance when the images where taken. That is what the file is saying. This can drastically affect the image depending on what they did including making the images look unfocused. This manual white balance is probably why the color profile can not be corrected completely. They also have High ISO noise reduction set to Auto and both Lateral Chromatic Aberration Correction and Diffraction Correction set to On. I don't know how these settings effect the RAW file. They also used sRGB color space.

All the DPR K3III files have the same problem. It doesn't go away in the higher ISO and faster shutter speed images. What ever is causing the files to appear soft isn't the shutter. The color profiles/white balance settings mismatch is causing most of the issues.

What is clear it is purposeful on DPR's end to push a narrative. It's either purposeful or they are just that unprofessional. To set manual white balance you have to know what you are doing.
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