|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
08-14-2009, 08:21 PM
|
| |
In camera shake reduction on the K10D
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
07-03-2009, 10:17 AM
|
| |
Funny... I did the same thing, and I do love the K-m. (I bought mine on-line in Canada, so I have the K-m instead of the K2000). I think that I will probably sell the K-m after I get the K-7 , but for now I am really enjoying it.
|
|
Forum: General Talk
06-18-2009, 08:20 PM
|
| |
Cite you, sources for this statement! I for one am buying the K-7 in spite of the video. I doubt I will ever use the video capability.
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-03-2009, 04:49 PM
|
| |
I find it funny that even with the poll bias in the way the choices were phrased, the poll authors prefered opinion as reflected in the bias is in a substantial minorty of the responses. It is barely the top result in the polls of all selections, and far less than 50% of all the selection. My rant is against bad polling practices. Horses for courses, I guess...
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-05-2009, 01:11 PM
|
| |
No photos, but my experience is that the K20D sensor is about one stop better than the K-m sensor at high ISO. I will shoot with auto- ISO up to 2200 on the K20D, but only up to 1100 on the K-m.
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-05-2009, 12:26 PM
|
| |
Hi ManuH,
The lack of TAv mode is one of my two major regrets with the K-m. It is a great little camera, but it would be almost perfect with:
1. TAv mode instead of Sv mode. There are already two easy/ intuitive ways to change ISO on this camera, so why include a Sv node?
2. I hate to open the user-selectable focus points issue again, but this is really helpful for macro photography. Focus and recompose works fire for normal photography, but the depth of field is so narrow in macro that I sometimes have problems.
Add these two features plus the K20D sensor into the K-m body and I have my dream camera. I am fine without the top LCD or the second dial.
|
|
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-25-2009, 08:25 PM
|
| |
"New news" to me...thanks for the post. I own both in black and prefer both of these.
|
|
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-25-2009, 08:21 PM
|
| |
I like it more than my black one...and more than the white one too.
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
03-22-2009, 07:35 PM
|
| |
Maybe this question is better asked on a Nikon forum than on a Pentax forum.
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
03-14-2009, 11:30 AM
|
| |
I think you get about 1 extra stop with the K20D. I shot my K10D (and shoot my K-m) up to 1100 on auto-ISO. I shoot my K20D with auto_Iso up to 2200.
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-13-2009, 03:35 PM
|
| |
I looked for a long time until I lucked into one one eBay. It is tiny as a 200mm f/2.8 equivalent on a APS-C sensor. I will never sell mine :D
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-13-2009, 04:20 PM
|
| |
I have a used Da* 200mm for sale on eBay right now.
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-12-2009, 08:56 PM
|
| |
I never could get macro shots in focus when hand holding this lens. It was me, not the lens. That said, I still did not want a macro that I had to put on a tripod every time I took a picture. I sold it...
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-09-2009, 09:31 PM
|
| |
Hi farfisa,
About the request for 55mm DA* photos, I am afraid that I don't think I am setup to post pictures. I don't have an on-line account for my photos, and I haven't ever figured out how to post to this forum (or any forum for that matter) either with or without such an account. I know that is a lame excuse, and it is something that I want to learn to do, but I am so busy with work and other things that it is hard to even find time to take photos let alone getting them up on the web. Maybe when I take my next vacation I can find some time to look into this. Fortunately pictures are starting to trickle out on the internet, so there are more and more pictures from this lens available for review every day
I haven't even taken the time for "proper" photos with the lens, mostly just some low light shots of the pets and my wife around the house in the evening to test the lens wide open, or close to wide open. I bought this lens primarily for low light candid photography of live subjects rather than for traditional portraits or still lifes, so that seems a good test for my use of the lens. My observations are that the lens is pretty sharp wide open, but it not as sharp or close to as contrasty as when stopped down one stop. I understand that this is pretty typical of all f/1,4 or wider lenses, and this one is no exception. Still, I would not hesitate to use it wide open. I think that it is very useable wide open, particularly for my low light candid photography. I think the lens will render these kinds of images nicely in both color and b&w. Besides, sharp and contrasty is not necessarily always great for portraits anyway, and the lens is plenty contrasty at f/2.0 and beyond.
After shooting a test chart I did adjust the focus on my K20 as the lens has a slight back focus on that camera. I set it to +4 on the K20 and it is now tack sharp. I am not sure that I would have even noticed this in pictures, as the backfocus was maybe 4mm, or about 1/6 of an inch. If I miss focus wide open it is more likely that me or my subject (or both) I moved slightly between focus lock and actually taking the picture than it is that the camera or lens misfocused. I am getting in the habit of trying to snap as soon as the focus lock light and beep happen, and not pause and introduce the possibility of movement to or from the subject. It seems to work, as most of my shots are perfectly in focus, even at f/1.4. Depth of field is razor-thin wide open, but again that is part of the fun of the lens.
I know the lens is a bit of a specially lens, and is pretty expensive, but I think that I am going to have a lot of fun with it.
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
02-09-2009, 08:26 PM
|
| |
If I recall correctly, I noticed this same occurence the first time that I used my new K-m. I think what happened is that when you are in the Auto Pic mode - if it is dark the camera decides that you need the flash and it pops it up automatically. When I switched to other modes the camera did not try to automatically pop up the flash. I will not be using the Auto Pic mode, so it is not a problem for me.
In fact, I can't say for sure what happens in other modes, but I just checked the the on-line manual. On p 60 it states that when you are in Auto Pic mode, the camera will activitate the flash if needed.
Hope this helps...
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-08-2009, 03:51 PM
|
| |
I am a prime lens shooter, own the K20D, and am waiting for delivery of a new K-m. As a prime lens shooter it is difficult for me to cover all my needs with just 4 or 5 primes, so I have included zooms that either own or have owned, but which I find I generally do not use much, preferring instead my primes. I found as I was writing this post that one list would not suit all my desires, so I am cheating and including 3 lists. I own the lenses in bold text):
1). To cover the full range from wide to super telephoto, I think would choose the following Pentax lenses:
12-24mm (don't use it much, will sell when the 15mm DA* is available)
31mm ltd (for a high quality APS-C normal lens and low light)
100mm macro and for portraits (had it, sold it)
50-135mm DA* (had it, sold it)
300mm F* or 300mm DA*
2). For airline travel on holidays, my list includes the following Pentax lenses
17-70mm (planning to buy this before my trip to Napa in April
31mm ltd for low light
35mm ltd macro (not sure if I'll bring this)
55mm f/1.4 DA* for low light and portrait (I am quickly falling in love with this lens)
135mm FA for a moderate telephoto
3). My current list of favorite, most used lenses that I own
21mm ltd for hiking and landscapes
31mm ltd for a great APS-C normal and low light lens
40mm ltd for a really light weight walk around with my new K-m
55mm f/1.4 DA* - again, my new favorite toy for portraits
135mm FA for action photos of my dogs
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-03-2009, 06:21 PM
|
| |
Don't underestimate the difficulty in handholding the 100mm for macro shots. I could not get many pictures in focus handholding the 100mm. I exchanged the 100 for the 50mm and found that really easy to handhold. Since then I sold the 50mm and bought the 35mm limited macro. My macro shots are typically plants and flowers, so I don't miss the extra focal length.
Every time I see posts extolling the virtues of the longer focal length macros, I wonder how many of the proponents are using a tripod?
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
02-01-2009, 11:37 AM
|
| |
I tried carrying two cameras for a while to minimize lens changes, but didn't like it. I sold 2 K10Ds on eBay and bought a K20D, which I love. I just bought a K-m as a light-weight kit for hiking and airline travel, basically for when I don't want to lug around the large K20D. I didn't need the K-m, but I got it for a great deal on a ProDigital2000 eBay auction, so I figured "what the heck"; $355 including shipping. Unfortunately it had a pretty severe front focusing problem with all my lenses, so it is on the way back to Ontario for an exchange.
So mine is not a backup as much as it is a second camera
|
|
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
01-31-2009, 10:31 PM
|
| |
Pretty frustrating, huh? I hope they (Adobe) fix this sooner rather that later, but I am still waiting for them to get the correct codes to recognize the 35mm limited macro.
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
01-31-2009, 10:15 PM
|
| |
I returned mine to ProDigital for front focus. I am looking forward to my replacement, but this does seem to be a disturbing trend.
|
|
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
01-31-2009, 10:26 AM
|
| |
NorthPentax,
Were you shooting with your K-m? Light room doesn't recognize any of my lenses on my new K-m! Worse, it still doesn't recognize my 35mm DA limited macro on my K20D, and that lens was in production even before LR 2.0. Very disappointing!
I am on the latest version of LR, at least that last time I checked (earlier this week)
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-26-2009, 07:12 PM
|
| |
| |
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
01-26-2009, 06:57 PM
|
| |
I received my K-m from Prodigital on Friday. Unfortunately it has a severe front focus problem with all my lenses.. I am waiting to hear if they will exchange it for another. If not then I guess it is off to Pentax for service. I played with it enough to think that I am really going to like it if I can get a copy that focuses properly.
I got mine for $325 :D
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
01-18-2009, 02:31 PM
|
| |
The value in TAv is that I can set the high shutter speed to freeze motion, and the small aperature to increase depth of field, and therefore increase the chances of not backfocusing on objects moving towards the camera to the point where the desired focus point is blurred. AF-C definately helps with the focus accuracy, as does setting auto focus point selection to let the camera choose the focus point. I don't always remember to set both these values properly, so no doubt many of my missed shots can be attributed to user error. I posted this to the "other" forum also, where Roland Mabo suggested using the "action" picture mode combined with Auto ISO. I'll let everyone know how that works.
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
01-18-2009, 01:34 PM
|
| |
A few days ago I "won" a K2000 kit on eBay from ProDigital 2000. I am very excited about this camera, which is going to become the centerpiece of my light weight travel kit, along with the pancake primes and the FA 135mm. I have seen a lot of threads back and forth about some of the deficiencies and compromises with this entry level DSLR (no focus point selection, focus point doesn't light up, no capacity for a wired remote, etc.). I can live with these compromises.
What I have not seen anyone mention, which is the one things I am really going to miss from the K10D and K20Ds I have owned is the TAV setting. I really like using this when trying to record action. I find that being able to set a high shutter speed and reasonably small aperture, and let the camera adjust the ISO for correct exposure really helps overcome the much talked about deficiencies with the Pentax auto focus system when trying to capture moving subjects. I know, lots of you can post examples of where the camera does fine capturing moving action, and mine does OK for me sometimes, but when I try and take pictures of my dogs running directly towards the camera using a telephoto even as short as the DA 70mm, most of the pictures a focused 12 to 24 inches behind their faces. TAV really helps me get more keepers.
What I find particularly perplexing is that Pentax decided to include both the SV setting and a dedicated ISO button on the four-way controller. The dedicated ISO button seems to make the SV setting redundant. I think that the TAV setting would have been a much better choice than SV
I suppose that it is too much to hope that this could be addressed through a firmware change that would allow the user to change the function of the SV setting to TAV.
- Jed -
|
