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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 12-23-2022, 07:55 PM  
Pentax announcement: Considering developing new film camera
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 692
Views: 46,187
I met a young motorcycle journalist earlier this year. He lives in Brooklyn, the epicenter of cool. He shoots film.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 12-22-2022, 09:55 AM  
Pentax announcement: Considering developing new film camera
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 692
Views: 46,187
I cannot remember the last time so many people were talking about Pentax. 1970?

Ever since Pentax committed to the SLR, this was a possibility. Smart move, Ricoh.

Long live the K-mount.
Forum: General Talk 05-19-2022, 10:25 AM  
Latest Marc Newson design
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 12
Views: 1,099
10 years later and the K-01 still looks fresh:

Pentax K-01 is in the house by John Flores, on Flickr

If the hotshoe fits. by John Flores, on Flickr

That's the test of good design.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 03-28-2022, 09:23 PM  
A modified Pentax 300mm f/4 heads into space aboard a nanosatellite
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 1
Views: 1,101
"The Pentax 300mm f/4 is the KITSUNE satellite’s primary imaging instrument. From an orbit of about 250 miles above the Earth’s surface, it has a resolution of 5 meters or 16.5 feet, which means that every pixel in a photo taken with the satellite records a 16.5 x 16.5-foot area of the ground below."

https://www.popphoto.com/news/pentax-300mm-heads-to-space/
Forum: Ricoh Theta 360° Cameras 02-05-2022, 10:22 AM  
Theta X review
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 4
Views: 1,432
Very thorough review and comparison of the new X. Looks to be the new champ for stills/virtual tours
















Youtu.be



Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 01-25-2022, 11:50 AM  
Ricoh Theta X
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 23
Views: 2,290
360 cams are popular with YouTube creators too. After starting with the Theta, I switched over to Insta360, which had much better video IS than my last Theta. I wonder how this new Theta rates for video IS?

I also got an Oculus 2 recently and so did many family and friends. There's a new outlet for 360 content now and with rumors of an Apple VR headset, it's only going to grow.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 12-20-2021, 11:52 AM  
History Video Won't Have All Cameras
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 25
Views: 2,933
What a fantastic project! Good luck with it. Looking forward to the results!
Forum: General Photography 09-30-2021, 05:13 AM  
USB-C standard well overdue...
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 71
Views: 2,668
I standardized on USB-C a couple of years ago and give preference to devices with USB-C. My laptop, phone, and action cameras are all USB-C. At this point, I won't buy a camera if it's NOT USB-C. And I won't buy Apple products with Lightning, not because Lightning is inferior, but because I'm trying to simplify my on-the-road charging setup.
Forum: General Photography 09-21-2021, 09:57 AM  
Pentax in the Movies and Media
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 646
Views: 154,038
Watched the motorcycle-centric movie "Charm City Kings" and was pleasantly surprised to see a young actress shooting with a Pentax
















You Tube




I enjoyed the movie thoroughly.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-25-2021, 04:27 AM  
Three new cameras under development?
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 266
Views: 20,860
Apologies for my contribution to the derailment. My thoughts on the three new cameras and the market in general.

The box store, mass market, palette full of dSLRs with two mediocre kit lenses, and a cheap bag is dead. Thanks, iPhone.

The iPhone and its ilk continue to swim upstream, with advanced processing, larger sensors, and multiple lenses. There are 1" sensor phones (Sharp?). There are phones with optical zooms and separate shutter buttons (Sony Xperia 1 iii). Someday, we'll have a 1" sensor with 200mm equivalent focal length, image stabilisation, advanced image processing - noise reduction, subject tracking, etc..., and instant sharing. That will kill the under $1000 ILC for good.

The "creator" market is booming. In recent surveys asking younger folks about career choices, "YouTuber" is frequently near the top of the list. So cameras that appeal to this market (Lumix G100, Sony ZV-1/10, DJI Pocket, Insta360 etc...) are going after a growing segment. Here, good 4k video and audio (multiple mics and/or mic jack) are important.

Not sure if Ricoh/Pentax have the chops to compete in this area, but I do hope that their newest cameras have some improvement in video/audio.

Theta and Vecnos has the potential to compete in this space, but they've fallen far behind Insta360 with regards to video, image stabilization, and app support.

It's more likely that they will continue to lean into their current direction, i.e., a poor person's Leica - quality, quirky, anachronistic (mirrors in 2021?!), ergonomic, jewels - and priced accordingly.

Personally, I'd love a revised GR with 4k video, a mic jack, and a wide-angle adapter (24mm?). I'd take it everywhere and shoot stills and b-roll and vlog with that.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-24-2021, 10:18 AM  
Three new cameras under development?
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 266
Views: 20,860
You do realize that the trips I listed were taken on bicycles, right?


Cinelli Hobootleg, loaded
by John Flores, on Flickr


On gravel roads in Vermont...
by John Flores, on Flickr



No, what I'm saying is that great gear != great photography
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-24-2021, 05:03 AM  
Three new cameras under development?
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 266
Views: 20,860
I've ridden...
  • The Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Los Angeles

  • The State of Colorado from south to north

  • The White Rim Trail in Utah

  • Through Glacier National Park and across the border to Waterton Lakes National Park

  • Most recently across the Green Mountains of Vermont with a loaded touring bike with rim brakes and bar-end shifters


This includes numerous centuries, including one with over 13,000' of vertical climbing. Most of these trips were on what would be considered entry-level enthusiast bikes, with low level componentry that "serious" bicyclists would turn their nose up at. I even medaled in a state duathlon on this type of bike.

And for the last 15+ years, I've been published in national magazines using camera gear and sensors that aren't allegedly professional equipment. I've had photos from the Pentax Q fill most of a two-page spread and produce photos that have others asking me, "How'd you do that?"

Why do you keep giving the bike and camera credit for your hard work and skill?

Pentax Q, a not serious camera

Ontario_RoadRUNNER_Jun14.pdf
by John Flores, on Flickr

Pentax K-5, terrible AF

Pentax K-5 shoots the cover of RoadRUNNER Magazine, Feb 2013 issue.
by John Flores, on Flickr

Pentax K-01, I can't believe Pentax made this piece of junk

Pentax K-01 gets two-page spread in RoadRUNNER Magazine
by John Flores, on Flickr

Micro Four-Thirds is Dead

2018-10-RoadRUNNER Cry of the Guanaco
by John Flores, on Flickr
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-24-2021, 03:26 AM  
Three new cameras under development?
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 266
Views: 20,860
That bike analogy is terrible and telling. The bicycles are doing nothing. They are not riding to the shop for a baguette. They are not riding a 100 miles a day. They are inanimate objects until someone gets on them and pedals.

The bike analogy gives all agency to the bike and none to the actual rider. Put a fit cyclist on a $200 bike and they could certainly ride 100 miles. Put a couch potato on a $2000 bike and they'd struggle to fetch that baguette. The $2000 bike did not make them a better cyclist although, to the undiscerning eye, they may appear to be.

And so it goes with photography too.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-24-2021, 02:32 AM  
Three new cameras under development?
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 266
Views: 20,860
I guess you didn't read the entire post.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-23-2021, 03:28 PM  
Three new cameras under development?
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 266
Views: 20,860
Some datapoints for consideration.

One
In 2018, I flew down to Ushuaia, Argentina on a motorcycle assignment. I carried a backpack full of camera gear...and my phone, a state-of-2018 Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. For one of the resulting stories, I submitted 40-50 photos of the trip. The editor chose 11 photos to illustrate my story without knowing which photos were taken with my camera gear and which photos were taken with my phone. Care to guess how many phone photos were chosen from the 11?


RoadRUNNER 2018-12 RR Patagonia Pt 2
by John Flores, on Flickr

Three. Not a bad percentage for an inferior imaging device. The key was that I was able to quickly pull it out of my jacket and snap a decisive and fleeting moment before it disappeared.


Martin takes a break
by John Flores, on Flickr

Tire repair on the Carretera Austral, Chile by John Flores, on Flickr

Two
I did a photography article about visual storytelling for the same magazine. All photos used were taken with my phone:


RoadRUNNER 2019-02 Photomojo column "Visual Storytelling"
by John Flores, on Flickr

Three
More recently, the creative director for the motorcycle magazine that I am Editor In Chief of noted that phone photos submitted for consideration have taken a big leap forward in the last year. He is now at the point where he's comfortable using a good phone photo on a full page and I think he's even used a phone photo on a two-page spread.

Are phones as good as "serious" cameras? No, but they're not high enough quality for publication. At the end of the day, it's the content of the photo that's most important.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-23-2021, 10:03 AM  
Three new cameras under development?
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 266
Views: 20,860
I've never had a problem with this. I respect the agreements that I have with my publishers and the smarter ones recognize that I'm helping to build their audience by talking about them on my platforms.

And it's still no excuse to post a mediocre photo and pass it off as top quality. All the pros that I know take high quality non-paid photos too.



Agreed. I love sharing my joy of photography. I love giving folks little composition tips and watch the lightbulb go off in their head when they see it and the effect that it has.

I was recently at an event shooting and a young Boy Scout came up to me and asked me about my cameras. He shoots with his phone and showed me some of his work. I gave him all the encouragement that I could.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-23-2021, 08:03 AM  
Three new cameras under development?
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 266
Views: 20,860
Since you're presenting your photos as professional and a paragon of quality...

That photo of the Porsche that you posted is quite pedestrian and could have easily been taken with a cell phone. To wit:
  1. It's a poor angle of the car, somewhere between a full-on profile and 3/4 rear view that fails to capture the evocative curves of the car.

  2. The upward pointing nose of the car isn't doing it any favors either, stuck somewhere between being a strong horizontal and a more energetic angle that implies movement/action.

  3. The car is pointing towards the edge of the frame and the least interesting part of the photo.

  4. There is no detail in the wheels - it's crushed by shadows

  5. There is no relationship between the car and the environment it's sitting in. It looks like it was parked in a pulloff and a snapshot was taken. That slightly turned front wheel suggests that there was no thought given to either it's position or framing and no thought given to how the car relates to the scenic landscape around it.


It's a shame really. It must have been quite fun driving that car on those roads and in that place, and it's certainly worth trying to capture that feeling with photography. There's a potentially nice photo here - from in front of the car pointing at the nose with the curving road behind it in the background, perhaps a short telephoto to compress the view. Or stepped back with a wide angle so that the car becomes smaller and interacts more with the landscape. Or reposition the car - maybe a rear shot of the car pointing towards the valley and where both the viewer and the car are admiring the landscape...that would add both visual depth and narrative depth to the shot.

I'm a magazine editor and a motojournalist with 15+ years experience. If that photo was submitted for publication, I would have asked, "Do you have a better shot?"
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-23-2021, 05:35 AM  
Three new cameras under development?
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 266
Views: 20,860
Are we gonna have a drag race?!
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-23-2021, 04:57 AM  
Three new cameras under development?
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 266
Views: 20,860
I used to think this about writing, after having met many people who wanted to write a book just to tell their story and say that they've written a book. Some were halfway decent writers. Others, not so much. Some had dreams of grandeur ("Maybe it will get on Oprah!") but most were realistic about their chances of success. To me, they seemed like so many Don Quixotes.

But then it dawned on me...you could say the same thing about most runners, another hobby of mine. Most runners aren't going to win Olympic medals or even national or local championships, but we do it anyway. Likewise bicyclists. Likewise so many other things humans do...playing in a band, performing in local theater, participating in a motorcycle trackday...and taking photos.

Why do we pursue these things knowing full well that we have no chance of reaching the top of the mountain, of being recognized as the best? To use the popular phrase, it's because the pursuit helps us become the best version of ourselves.

Full credit to those that try to see things differently and try to do things differently, from the sea of sameness will rise a few shining stars. But I no longer disparage folks for being out there. In the big scheme of this big world, they may not be the main character, but in their storyline...they are.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-22-2021, 01:20 PM  
Three new cameras under development?
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 266
Views: 20,860
It's so disheartening to see serious photographers give their equipment top billing over their own skill and talent.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 08-22-2021, 07:19 AM  
Three new cameras under development?
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 266
Views: 20,860
Are we still having the camera vs. phone debate? For 99% of the people 99% of the time, the phones have won.
Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals 06-12-2021, 11:12 AM  
MBP photo
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 22
Views: 1,677
I've had good interactions with them.
Forum: Pentax Q 04-26-2021, 01:07 PM  
Finally found a Q bag I like!
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 16
Views: 2,202
Looks like a lot of the GoPro/action camera cases that I've been looking at. Since the Q is about the same height as a GoPro, there may be other action camera cases that work with the Q.

I recently got this Tenba Tool Box 8 for my Insta360 cameras - https://www.adorama.com/tbtb8.html?

Never thought to use it with my Q gear but it may work!
Forum: Ricoh Theta 360° Cameras 04-21-2021, 04:05 PM  
Z1 Sold Out Due to Popularity
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 6
Views: 5,206
Wish they would improve the image stabilization and video performance. I switched over to Insta360 for those features.
Forum: Pentax Q 04-16-2021, 07:04 PM  
Mattias Burling: Ultimate All-round Camera Shootout (for my needs)
Posted By johnmflores
Replies: 12
Views: 10,827















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