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Forum: General Photography
02-29-2020, 11:19 AM
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I personally lick all exposed surfaces of camera bodies and lenses, primarily to provide proof of ownership....
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-19-2020, 02:26 AM
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Most primes with focus lengths >=50mm show very low distortion.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
11-16-2018, 08:42 AM
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Hi All,
I've been writing a frequently Pentax-themed blog for over five years now, and also read his forum every now and then. I just produced a longer piece that I think might really be worth reading, so I'll for once commit the sin of self-promotion in the hope that the information is useful enough that I can be forgiven.
I tested 23 RAW converters for Pentax - if this generates some interest, there may be further parts to the series - part 1, see here:
23 RAW converters compared, including On1 Photo RAW 2019 – breakfastographer
And thanks for the times you've linked to my blog in the past!
Looking forward to your opinions and feedback
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
11-04-2018, 12:24 PM
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Lenscap-hack that I use: a STEP UP ADAPTER 27MM-49MM (fleebay) and a regular 49mm pinchcap. Another benefit is that the same 49mm Haida ND1000 I bought for the Ricoh GR now fits the K-70 with the 40mm as well.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
10-19-2018, 08:50 PM
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Recently we had a thread from a newcomer who was concerned about Pentax's future, seemingly thinking that the brand was lacking in some basic functionality that the competition have. Among a list of features mentioned 'touchscreen' came up, something I have heard other brands having and for sure Pentax doesn't (yet). The announcement of the new GRIII which has a touchscreen is interesting and perhaps this feature will be ported across to other models in the future... who knows.
I think touchscreens in general were not really well received by this Pentax community as being something that we urgently wanted, however it is this OP's opinion that a touchscreen would be a welcome addition (if that technology does not replace tactile buttons, but is an addition to the feature set).
It got me thinking, and I went to check something out on my K-1 (and then KP) and I discovered something that I didn't know the cameras could do before, and I bet a few of you are also unaware of this little trick, so I thought I'd share my findings.
Where I would value touchscreen technology on a camera would be times I am doing portrait shooting at very wide apertures (f1.4-1.8 etc), and what I am of course trying to nail correctly is that sharp pin focus on the eyes. By perhaps touching the persons face on the Live View screen, double tap to zoom in further or even perhaps pinch and zoom would I think be really helpful.
Currently (in LV mode) we have to press the 'ok' button which zooms into the middle of the screen, and we use the rear dial wheel to zoom in more and use the directional pad to change it's location (as not every portrait has a persons face centre in the middle). ZZzzz... takes too long... :(
Well... here apparently is the next best thing, which I can confirm works for the K-1 and KP at least. Here's what you can do;
1) Using Live View, select the Autofocus method to being 'Face Detection' (this is important as this won't work on any other AF mode).
2) Once you get presented with the YELLOW box/Face Detection, use the AF/Shutter button and get a lock on focus.
3) Now... once you have that YELLOW/Face Detection focus box you can press 'Ok' button (no need to be a long press either, just a quick press will do) and the Live View will zoom in on that location, even if that face is away from the centre of the LV screen)!
4) Now that you are zoomed in, with Quick Shift lenses you can fine tune that focus and get the eyes exactly how you want, with lenses that don't support this I actually just move the camera a tad closer or further away from me to get what I perceive to being sharper focus on the eyes.
Basically, this Face Detection AF option seems to be the only one whereby you can bypass the directional pad controls and instead it will zoom in on the face regardless where it is on the screen, it's a pretty streamlined way of getting a quick shot off with added fine tuning, not a bad compromise for lacking touchscreen :lol:
Who else knew the K-1/KP (and perhaps other models) could do this?
It seems that any other LV AF Mode cannot do this, the 'green focus confirmation box' will not zoom in like this, it will take you to the centre only. You can however using the AF directional pad method select where about you want to zoom (as I point out above), but that takes time... and it cannot recall that point between shut downs or mode skips. At least with Face Detection you can get an off centre quick zoom in feature between different modes and power downs/ups. Sweet! :D
Cheers,
Bruce
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
06-17-2018, 03:53 AM
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I purchased the last LR and PS that could be purchased, They serve me. Are there new features released for subscription users only that I might like to have, Yes. Am I tempted to subscribe? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Adobe's business model, to collect thousands of dollars for a product they once sold for a few hundred is disgusting. Wonder what their business plan is for upping the price of subscribing after a first year "special introductory rate?"
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
05-18-2018, 02:52 PM
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That is basically true except for the DA 50/1.8. Its design is planar-derived like the others as well as most Japanese fast 50s, but differs several from its full-frame cousins in the details of element curvature, thickness, and diameter. The result is a lens with significantly smaller image circle and an optical block with slightly smaller diameter front/rear elements and which is shorter overall by about 0.5 cm. Image rendering is different too, though not in the terms of being inferior or flawed. Both designs work very well and the DA 50/1.8 is definitely the value queen of the current Pentax line as far as I am concerned.
I have both the M and A 50/1.7 as well as the DA 50/1.8 and each has its place in my bag.*
Steve
* The A 50/1.7 on my Super Program, the M 50/1.7 on other cameras except when I want AF or P-TTL flash and the DA 50/1.8 for those last cases.
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Forum: General Photography
05-08-2018, 12:46 PM
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
03-30-2018, 05:11 PM
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This claim seems odd and is hard to believe as there is no supporting evidence in the article. Considering that a raw file format is simply a wrapper for unprocessed image data along with a bunch of metadata, if they're getting more DR from one file compared to the other, it mostly likely means it was just processed differently. Pentax doesn't currently offer lossy or "small" raw files as far as I'm aware.
There's no reason this should be any different than what we saw in the KP.
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Forum: Pentax Q
03-28-2018, 01:47 AM
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Horrendous absolutely Horrendous
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Forum: General Talk
02-26-2018, 11:40 AM
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The radioactive lens has been discussed in detail elsewhere here in the forums and you can use them for hours a day for years and you still received more radiation while flying to your favorite vacation spot.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
02-11-2018, 03:17 AM
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Canon is still churning out new rebels, Fuji comes with an XA-3 There are very good under $1000 camera's from all makers. The K-70 is the base line at the moment for Pentax. They will not leave the segment.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-27-2018, 12:33 AM
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I was lucky enough to cross this Snowy Owl today... It flew from a top of a barn to the top of a tree, where the moon filled the background.
I have to tell it's my lady that provided me the idea to position myself in order to cath them both in the frame... Thanks to my beloved! :-)
Handheld with Pentax K-3II + HD Rear Converter 1.4x + DA*300f4 (420mm)
1/800s, ƒ/13, ISO 1250
Le harfang et la lune / Snowy and the Moon |
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
12-13-2017, 03:55 PM
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If they can make sr correct for mirror slap and shutter shake it might be possible through a firmware update.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
12-20-2017, 12:13 PM
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I'm hearing that every year since the apparition of those mirrorless things. Every single year.
Don't you folks get tired?
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
11-15-2017, 04:40 AM
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Interesting that people ask "what's it for?" because in past times that FL was the default step-up from the almost universal "kit" 50mm. I still have my SMC Takumar 135/2.5 in M42 mount. I used it for all sorts of subjects from portraits to landscapes. Zooms have made us a bit lazy.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-30-2017, 08:58 AM
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When I replaced my DA 18-55 lenses (I had 2) it was for more range (DA 18-135) , or a wider opening aperture (Tamron 17-50). IQ was never an issue with my two copies. The two lenses I bought are both better, but I never had cause to compalin about the 18-55s for the images i took with it. Mind you that was back in the days of 6-14 MP cameras. They never did that well on my pixel peeping tests, but most of the time I'm oversampling by at least 2x, and that's not an issue.
I'm guessing you can print to 16x20 before you really need to upgrade, from an IQ standpoint, but that's just a ball park based on experience. I'd guess it could be even bigger if anything.
16x20 is 3200 pixels by 4000 pixels at 200 DPI, and there's not a chance in the world images taken from with this lens are going to look soft at that size, even starting with a 16 MP camera.
I've sold 20x30 canvases ( landscapes) taken with that lens, if it's good enough for the buyer, it's good enough for me. :D
A kit lens is what you use until you find you need something better in some way. That being said, a 17-50 2.8, 16-85 or 18-135 or 17-70 makes it completely unnecessary.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-07-2017, 06:12 PM
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I am hoping that this will turn out to be some kind of feedback situation - new users see what Metabones apparently sees, causing Pentax to take new look at Q family and therefore release Q-s2 {Q-s1 + evf]
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Forum: General Talk
07-14-2017, 02:37 AM
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Tamron 300mm f2.8 and 2x adapter (adaptall 2). That'll give me 600mm at f5.6 !
I already have a 1.7 AF adapter, so I'll have an autofocus of 510mm at f4.8 ! Can't wait for it to arrive. Starting to do some weight training now.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-13-2017, 09:29 AM
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JPT, thank you for providing this summarised translation. I would add a point that you left aside in your summary: the lens is a macro lens in the sense that its maximum magnification is 1:1 in terms of 35mm format.
At minimum focussing distance, which is around 14 to 15cm, Tanaka says the coverage is around 25 x 36mm. Hence the actual maximum magnification is around 1/4.6 or 0.22x.
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
03-08-2017, 05:14 PM
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PhotoKina 2017 may be too early for a full K-1 replacement to be announced, but some minor K-1 revision may be possible, I guess, depending on the work Ricoh may be doing in the lab. Kind of Nikon D800 vs D810, D600 vs D610, K-5 vs K-5II.
A Pentax 24MP FF would certainly be nice in 2017, with enhancements to SAFOX, video etc, tech which could then in turn be rolled into a K-1 replacement later on.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-03-2017, 04:46 AM
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That was posted on page 1.
This thread has gone 360.
How appropriate.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
04-04-2017, 07:34 AM
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I dislike software as a service and would rather pay once and be done.
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Forum: Pentax Q
02-25-2017, 12:40 PM
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Pentax should do a firmware update to allow pixel shift for Q cameras. Who's with me?
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