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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
06-07-2020, 02:15 PM
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The short answer is that it is a useful focal length on 35mm film and FF digital and was the traditional longer lens for a three lens kit (wide, normal, and long). I would like Pentax to offer a modern version D FA 135mm f/2.8 at a moderate price point.
Steve
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Forum: Ask B&H Photo!
06-07-2020, 04:55 PM
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Well, this is "Ask B&H" so I assumed you'd like some help from them rather than just vent about poor service. Silly me.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
06-07-2020, 09:21 AM
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Watched this coyote for quite a while...
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
05-18-2020, 07:51 AM
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You might want to read the reviews of the old 500 4.5. It is huge and heavy but works well after some practice and can be had at a good price. It will also scare away bystanders and small children.
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Forum: General Talk
06-06-2020, 08:10 AM
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Today I went to Walmart to get a few things. I was feeling pretty good about it as I hadn't been out of the house in weeks. I was a bit surprised by the preventative measures being taken due to the pandemic; masks, gloves, temperatures taken....... Geesh!
When I was ready to pay for my items the cashier said, -"Strip down, facing me."
Making a mental note to complain to Corporate that they had gone too far with the precautions, I did just as she had instructed.
When the hysterical shrieking and alarms finally subsided, I found out she was referring to how I should place my credit card in the card reader!
They need to make their instructions to seniors a little more clear.
As a senior citizen, I do not get flustered often, but this time it took me a while to get my pants back on.
I've been asked to shop elsewhere in the future.
On a positive note, I still don't think I looked that bad!
I just need to wear underwear more often.
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Forum: General Photography
04-27-2020, 05:51 PM
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Is this achieved through moping, moaning and whining continuously through the day, or just one big sad outburst at the dinner table? Or is it better to go in stages over a week or two? ;)
On the more serious side, I think I'd consider buying a new camera if the repair would cost around a third of a new camera, depending on the age of the broken camera. If the broken camera was fairly new, then I'd probably get it repaired at up to 50% of new.
- Craig
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Forum: General Talk
06-04-2020, 02:39 PM
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Paddy and Shamus were hitchhiking.
"It's best if we split up" said Paddy.
"I will meet you in the next city under the town hall clock".
Later that night Shamus was waiting at the appointed place when Paddy drove up in a swank car.
"Where the hell did you get that?"
Paddy explained that he had just walked a little way when a beautiful woman picked him up.
She drove into the woods, got out and took all her clothes off.
"She said I could have anything I wanted, so I took the car." said Paddy.
"Good choice too" said Shamus. "You'd look ridiculous in her clothes."
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Forum: General Talk
06-05-2020, 12:33 PM
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I too have been very pleased with the Marketplace here.
However, and I did mention it earlier, I always check for "ongoing" prices/average prices before I list an item so I don't overprice it (them).
This time,it seemed a bit "too much disparity" between my asking price (at the ongoing rate for the quality of the item) and this "other offer".
I just might have to withdraw the item for a while and see what happens in the future ... we shall see.
---------- Post added 06-05-20 at 03:34 PM ----------
The universe has its own way of ruling things ;)
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Forum: General Talk
06-05-2020, 07:52 AM
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My wife uses a MS Surface Pro 6 laptop, which is about 2 lbs and has a 12.3" screen. She says that every Android app she runs on it works well, and she has effectively replaced both her old Windows laptop and Android tablet. Considering there are literally millions of apps available, so it stands to reason that there are folks who would find an emulator worthwhile.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-04-2020, 10:02 PM
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The Pentax 100mm macro is great for both FF and APSc, the extra working distance you get for true macro is very useful.
While the 35 macro is a fine lens, at 1:1 there is no working distance, you are constantly fighting your own shadow in the frame (the voice of experience here).
For me, even a 50mm has too short of a working distance.
do you have any other lenses already? For an inexpensive start into closer work, you may consider option, such as macro "filters" that screw onto the front and allow you closer focus, a set of 3 that can be stacked can usually be found inexpensively.
Extension tubes can be a good entry point too.
For both of these options, I'd recommend a prime lens rather than a zoom though.
The EXIF data on your image indicates it was taken with a Pentax 18-135, at 135, not a sigma,
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Forum: General Photography
06-04-2020, 05:22 PM
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Connection for the irrigation pipe for cleaning the sensor.
Oh.
Wait.
Never mind.
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Forum: Film Processing, Scanning, and Darkroom
06-03-2020, 05:07 PM
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If you like, I will write one. ;)
The reason why I bought my scanners was due poor quality lab scans.
Steve
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Forum: Site Suggestions and Help
06-03-2020, 09:37 AM
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Wow, that's kind of harsh! :eek: As another old Pentaxian who's put himself out to pasture, I'm feeling the OP's pain! :D
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
05-28-2020, 07:18 AM
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I got the 1.7x AF TC ast Monday, a lucky find on the used market.
My longest lens is the 60-250 (modified for full frame, shot on the K-1). There is no real reason to use it with a shorter focal length, so that will be my go-to setup if I'm satisfied.
Here are a few test results (all images are clickable to larger sizes).
Heavily cropped center of the frame
Nice detail in there.
Slight vertical crop to make a better picture, not a particularly exiting subject but shows the bokeh (no damaging effect vs the 60-250 alone) and details:
My favourite shot : the moon. Here is a B&W version:
To get this, I used 10-seconds timer and electronic shutter (that made a huge difference) and shoot RAW. No special processing involved, some sharpening and clarity enhancement, that's all.
Considering that we're under a heat wave, that it was not fully dark, and that I'm still learning the ropes of that TC, I'm quite pleased.
Previously my best moon shot was when I was testing the 150-450, in winter, with the K-3 (more noise so I used a lower ISO value) with a brighter and closer to full moon. The results are not too different:
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
06-03-2020, 05:16 AM
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At one of my favourite woodland seasons.
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Forum: General Talk
06-03-2020, 05:31 AM
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My doctor asked me if I smoke after having sex.
I said I don't know, I've never looked.
An oldie, but a classic IMO.
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Forum: General Talk
05-26-2020, 12:30 PM
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Forum: General Photography
06-03-2020, 01:06 AM
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There has been a widespread assumption made during all the recent discussions about the new 85mm/1.4 that it's going to be a great portrait lens, and that the reason why it'll be a great portrait lens is that you'll be able to get very blurry backgrounds with it.
And it's not just an assumption that people are making about this new lens. It's something that comes up again and again all over the internet when people talk about portraits. A portrait has to have an out of focus background. Creamy bokeh is all that matters. Who cares if the subject looks utterly bored and has got one eye closed? Just look at that awesomely mushy background!
So. . . this morning I've been looking through the wonderful photographs in the shortlist for the "Portrait of Humanity" prize, and I thought I'd share it here. There's some of the best photographic portraiture I've seen in a long time in this shortlist, and hopefully it'll get the point across that showing people in some sort of context, and having that context pretty much in focus, usually makes for much more revealing portraits.
selection – Portrait of Humanity (You might consider one or two of the photos NSFW)
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
05-29-2020, 05:15 AM
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so.... what do you do with your equipment?
I know - like me, you've kept your lenses and stuff in various bags or bins, even some of us have used cabinets, etc for storage....
kinda like me - I had a wall-mounted shelf unit that I managed to fill with bins and tubs of stuff:
 bins on a shelf by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr
and I hated it...
I labeled the bins, rearranged them, etc.... and was just never happy with it...
so, while working from home and looking at it (every day, day in, day out), I decided to find a better way to do this...
firstly, I needed a big box to house all the equipment in - so I bought a mobile workstation:
 big grey box by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr
this should be enough space for now and for future expansion/additions to my LBA.... but how to store the lenses in it?
you can't just have them loose and rolling around in the drawers - so.... buy some foam!
I bought two sheets of poly-foam (essentially upholstery foam) but then found the biggest hurdle in the project:
how do you cut circles out of foam?
we tried knives (exacto and others), scissors.... even a hole-saw mounted on a drill....
that went poorly:
 how to NOT cut holes in foam by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr
(hole-saw = bad idea)
I even bought a 'hot knife' - essentially, an electrically-heated blade that is for cutting foam, but had a devil of a time getting circles... plus, where it melted the foam, it left a greasy residue that was unacceptable...
back to the drawing board....
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Forum: General Talk
05-28-2020, 11:32 PM
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"Two antennas meet on a roof and fall in love. The wedding wasn't much but the reception was excellent."
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Forum: General Photography
05-25-2020, 11:45 PM
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Yep...I have oft times thought of a comparison to cars.
Vintage 1980s Ford, looks in great condition and seems to work ok, cant test it fully as I dont have a battery for it but steering wheel turns wheels and pedals go up and down. Dont know model as I dont drive. Comes complete with some cushions. Starting bids at £20k
Pictures would focus on cushions.
In fairness I have seen a few idiots selling cars in my time with ads like
Ferrari 308GT £37k, some damage to front, windscreen cracked. Oil leak and cam noise. Steering box broken.
Translation....its had a serious front end crash, spares only available from Ferrari and likey to cost ten quid short of a new one to have it fixed.
I saw an ebay ad recently stating ‘could be repaired if have the right tools and expertise’ hmmmmmm that would apply to almost anything other than an aircrash.
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Forum: General Photography
05-24-2020, 10:45 PM
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I had a work colleague a few years ago who was very technically minded. We were both looking at purchasing DSLRs at the same time and spent a little time comparing notes. I was set on the top level Pentax at the time (K-7) as I had several K-mount lenses. He was undecided and compiled a vast series of spreadsheets detailing features/price/weight of several different brands and models. it was painful for me to watch him trying to make a decision. Anyway the big day came and he turned up with a brand new Nikon of some description. A week or so later, I politely inquired if he could bring in some images so we could compare results. I was rebuffed with the excuse he had not even put batteries in the camera as he had not finished reading the manual and did not want to risk blowing something up.
Yes it takes all types.
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Forum: General Photography
05-24-2020, 04:11 PM
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I've found the FB group for my photos... :lol:
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Forum: General Photography
05-24-2020, 01:20 PM
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I think it sums up well all those who think that buying a "sharp" lens will make them a better photographer :):)
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