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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
09-16-2014, 09:04 PM
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I like it. It looks very versatile with wifi, 4k video, viewfinder, and very useful 24-75mm focal length. I was a little disheartened there was no built in ND filter, but then I saw the max shutter is 1/16000. Top it off with the multi-aspect sensor...very nice.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
06-30-2013, 09:10 PM
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I had a K-r a long time ago where the pop-up flash stopped working. I sent it in under warranty repair and was told they completely replaced the flash PCB. That's a circuit board, so I don't think there's anything you can do about it unless you send it in.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
06-26-2013, 10:23 AM
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Lenses tend to hold their value better than most things (i.e. camera bodies, cars, etc...) as the material and tech doesn't really change that drastically. It also helps when manufacturers end up increasing the prices of existing lenses, which theoretically should help cement used prices (ahem...Pentax).
For me, if the price of a used lens is close to actual retail, I'll opt to buy new instead just to get the warranty for peace of mind. For example if a brand new lens cost $700 and someone is trying to sell a used copy for $625, I'll buy new instead.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-14-2013, 12:41 PM
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Eww...reminds me of my old K-x with no illuminated points. Fine during the day, but not so good for night or low light shots when you're framing in the dark. Not sure why they went this direction when the K-r had illuminated points (in addition to all the competition i.e. Canon SL1, Nikon D3200, etc.)
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Forum: General Talk
06-04-2013, 07:36 PM
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I've read the books, so I knew what was going to happen, but seeing the last episode being depicted was still very brutal. I think it hit home for me more so because I have a baby on the way. Hope I haven't given away too much...
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-04-2013, 07:13 PM
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I'd contend that Nikon's cheap primes are excellent and an awesome value for their performance.
From B&H's current prices:
Nikon 35mm f/1.8g $196.95
Nikon 50mm f/1.8g $216.95
Nikon 85mm f/1.8g $496.95
Pentax 35mm f/2.4 $216.95
Pentax 50mm f/1.8 $246.95
Pentax 77mm f/1.8 $1,046.95 (no 85mm currently manufactured, so this was the closest lens).
The prices don't seem that much different, but when you factor in that Nikon gives you a 5 year warranty versus 1 year with Pentax, it makes you wonder why Pentax isn't cheaper. And then you really wonder when you consider the Nikons above all have SWM for silent focusing versus the old fashioned screw drive of the Pentax lenses. Even DXO confirmed that these cheapo lenses (save the 35mm because it's crop specific) all performed as well as their costlier cousins when they tested them on a D800 here.
As for zooms, you do get what you pay for, but you don't have to pay full price. You can often get a $300 to $400 instant rebate on the fast zooms (14-24, 24-70, 70-200) when you buy them with a new body during the holidays. And if not that, the used market is plentiful.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
06-04-2013, 02:00 PM
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The situation is sad for the staff photogs, but like other people have mentioned it is what it is. Cameras are all over the place whether they be from smart phones or dedicated bodies. To me, most press photos look like snapshots anyway, but I argue there is still a great need for quality reporting. And although the internet has revolutionized how people get their news, it's still lacking in accuracy and quality reporting. Case in point, in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing, an innocent person was receiving the blame thanks to Reddit and Twitter:
Story: How Twitter and Reddit got it Wrong
Times are changing and both newspapers and photographers need to adapt, or they'll go the way of the dinosaur.
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Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
05-25-2013, 12:51 PM
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There are plenty of online outlets to get the usual sterile analysis, resolution charts, and detailed testing. That's not why I go to DigitalRev. If anything, it's for the entertainment as I enjoy watching an Asian guy with a British accent doing zany things in a field I love, namely photography. It was funny how in their recent London Special, there were people on the street who recognized them. I'd consider that a pretty big following and shows that their influence extends beyond the asian markets. If anything, for this latest K-5iis review, Pentax should be glad that they received the free publicity AND in a positive light no less. I had expected Kai to be his usual condescending self towards Pentax, but he surprised me by actually recommending it.
For others who have watched past shows, you can single out how Kai is infatuated with Leica and Canon (i.e. the majority of their "How to" series is done with Canon cameras). Lok, on the other hand, is an Olympus guy. Although he films with a 5D Mark III, he shoots with a PEN and gravitates to Olympus cameras whenever they do comparisons. I tend to believe the people who produce the show are trying to position it as the "Top Gear" of the camera world. It's just that Kai simply doesn't have the wittiness of a Jeremy Clarkson.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
03-26-2013, 02:02 PM
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There will instead be complaints about lens availability, pricing, auto focus, flash support, tethering, GPS modules, megapixels (too many too few), body sizes, controls, menus, etc.
In other words, all the same things that we continually go on and on about :D
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
01-30-2013, 04:39 PM
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Actually, I don't think YOU get it.
Jon seems to get it though.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
01-30-2013, 03:51 PM
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Then aren't all tablets essentially just laptops without a keyboard as you've described here? They all have the same basic ingredients, that is CPU, RAM, storage space, and an OS that runs the software or "Apps" if you'd rather.
My thing is, I like having a tablet to showcase my work, but tablets don't cut it when I'm traveling and require more refined post processing. Which means I then need to lug around a notebook. And if I'm going to lug my notebook, I'm either going to take a mouse or my Wacom tablet. What kind of photographer uses a trackpad to correct skin blemishes? One who likes to torture himself is what I'll tell you regardless of how good the trackpad is on the Mac. Anyhow, now i've got 3 separate devices taking up space and weight in addition to my camera gear.
If the Surface Pro can provide the functionality of what I normally use 3 devices for, how is that a bad thing? Of course the jury's still out on whether it can, but on paper it looks appealing to me especially for photography on the go. So yes, I will continue to compare the Surface Pro to both the iPad and Macbooks since the functionality and what I would need such a device for crosses platforms.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
01-30-2013, 10:58 AM
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Why can't the Surface Pro be compared to the iPad? It's still a tablet even though it encroaches on laptop territory. The disk space isn't that big of a deal to me when you can expand with either SD cards or USB drives. The thing that interests me most about the Surface Pro is the Pen/Stylus input. I've been using a graphic tablet similar to Wacom products for my work done in Photoshop and have become accustomed to the input. I'm waiting to see how the thing will run with full blown Photoshop and the digitizer before making a judgement against it as a photography tool. I currently have a 3rd gen iPad and Photoshop Touch just doesn't have the same level of refinement.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
01-24-2013, 05:41 PM
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I don't intentionally strip exif data, but the exif data displayed doesn't always tell the whole story. For example, some of my portraits may show that the flash didn't fire, when in actuality I used studio strobes.
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Forum: General Talk
01-21-2013, 12:51 PM
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I was in Oahu in November and it was awesome! We saved a ton of money by purchasing Groupons for the bulk of our excursions and meals. Some of the things we did:
sea kayaking in Kailua
snorkeling in Haunama Bay
Surf lessons in North Shore
sailing on Makani Catamaran
Scuba diving off Waikiki
Luau at Sea Life Park
If you go to Groupon's page and search for Honolulu deals, you should be able to see what's current. Just check expiration dates and make sure they coincide with the time you'll be there so you can use them. Lot's of photo ops in Oahu, but even better if you like water sports and have a GoPro or underwater camera.
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Forum: Sold Items
10-29-2012, 04:40 PM
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First bump in 2 weeks. DA 21mm and DA 50-200mm WR are still available. The WR zoom should come in handy for those currently in hurricane Sandy's path. Joking of course...best wishes to those out there, be safe :)
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
10-25-2012, 03:09 PM
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If you want smooth and snappy, then you'll need a quad-core processor (Intel Core i5 or better), at least 8GB ram, and a solid state hard drive. A good video card is a bonus, but the other stuff should make things much faster. Components have come down in price considerably if you're not averse to upgrading/building your own PC.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
10-25-2012, 02:47 PM
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You don't need much "horsepower" if you're just basing it on the the minimum requirements. Most PC's built in the last 3 years meet the recommended requirements versus the minimum requirements.
Windows requirements for Adobe for CS5.5
Intel® Pentium® 4 or AMD Athlon® 64 processor (Intel Core™ i3, i5, or i7 or or AMD Phenom® II recommended); Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Phenom II required for Adobe Premiere Pro; Processor with 64-bit support required for Adobe Premiere® Pro and After Effects®
Microsoft® Windows® XP with Service Pack 3; Windows Vista® Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise with Service Pack 1 (Service Pack 2 recommended); or Windows 7; 64-bit edition of Windows Vista or Windows 7 required for Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, and the Subscription Edition of Master Collection
2GB of RAM (4GB or more recommended)
24.3GB of available hard-disk space for installation; additional free space required during installation (cannot install on removable flash storage devices)
1280x900 display (1280x1024 recommended) with qualified hardware-accelerated OpenGL graphics card, 16-bit color, and 256MB of VRAM
Adobe-certified GPU card for GPU-accelerated performance in Adobe Premiere Pro; visit Movie editor, DVD editing software | Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 - Tech specs for the latest list of supported cards
Some GPU-accelerated features in Adobe Photoshop® require graphics support for Shader Model 3.0 and OpenGL 2.0
Some features in Adobe Bridge rely on a DirectX 9–capable graphics card with at least 64MB of VRAM
7200 RPM hard drive for editing compressed video formats; RAID 0 for uncompressed
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Forum: Sold Items
10-12-2012, 09:33 PM
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Thanks to everyone who have made a purchase with me thus far. Lenses are being shipped tomorrow. The 50-135mm has been withdrawn from sale for the time being, but the 21 and 50-200 remain available.
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Forum: Sold Items
10-10-2012, 02:15 PM
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All PM's responded to. On items with multiple inquiries, sales are in order of time PM was first received. Thanks.
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Forum: Sold Items
10-10-2012, 12:08 PM
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All prices include shipping in the U.S. Please add $10 for items shipped to Canada. I accept Paypal or Amazon Payments.
K-5 body $725 Sold
DA 12-24mm $625 Sold
DA L 55-300mm $150 Sold
DA 18-250mm $325 Sold
DA* 16-50mm $700 Sold
Tamron 1.4x Pz-AF MC4 $200 Sold
DA 21mm Limited $420 Sold
DA* 50-135mm $750 Withdrawn
DA 50-200mm WR $150 Sold
All items are in "Excellent" condition and come in box with all original accessories unless otherwise noted. This means lens hoods, bags, front/rear caps, boxes, etc. The item I would refer to as in "Good" condition would be the DA 18-250mm. Please see descriptions for further detail. Anyhow, since there are so many lenses, I didn't post photos for everything. I stand by my descriptions as I have 100% feedback here and intend to keep it that way. Should you not be happy, you have 7 days to return the item for a refund. Return shipping is on your dime and items are expected to be returned in the same condition with all accessories.
I've also included image samples at the bottom of each description. What better way to see how a lens performs than to see the final output from it :)
DA 50-200mm WR $165
I'm the original owner, purchased this lens on a whim from Dell.com during a bad case of LBA and thinking I would shoot a lot in the rain. The lens has never been subjected to conditions requiring the WR. I was messing around with it in studio and was surprised at the detail I managed to get when combined with the K-5.
Shot with DA 55-200mm WR
Piggies by T.Dō, on Flickr
**The below have all been sold and are no longer available**
K-5 body $725
This is my third copy, as I kept buying and returning them when I discovered issues. I'm happy to report this one has no problems that I could find. 7484 actuations according to PhotoMe means a ton of life left on this great camera. The camera has never been exposed to inclement weather conditions. It comes in the original box and includes all original accessories except for the white cheap plastic body cap. It was lost some time ago, but I've since replaced it with a different cap as seen in the photo. I'll also include a spare 3rd party battery in addition to the original.
DA 12-24mm $625
First owner, purchased from Amazon, and one of my most beloved lenses. I was debating whether or not to keep this versus a 15mm Limited, since the 12-24 is pricey and never in stock at B&H or Adorama.
Samples:
Tomorrow's Past | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Wheel of Reflection | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Leap of Faith | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
DA* 16-50mm $700
I've tried to hate this lens from all the negative reviews, but I can't. It's just so versatile and the output is awesome. I'm the original owner, purchased in late 2009 or early 2010. It's my workhorse, used in weddings, studios, and landscapes. Silent focusing with no SDM problems. Never used in inclement weather.
Samples:
Light Leaks experiment | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Here comes the Bride | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Sky | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Noelle | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Casa del Prado Theater | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Super Grover rides again | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
DA* 50-135mm $750
Ditto on everything I said about the 16-50mm with this lens. This is my de facto portraiture lens. There appears to be a tiny piece broken off from the thread of the hood, but it is not problematic or really visible unless you're looking for it. The hood still locks into place in the reverse or normal position.
Samples:
Portrait Sessions | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Furry thingy... | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
DA 18-250mm $325
I'd say this lens is in "Good" condition. I bought it used off of Craigslist, so I have no idea how many owners it's been through. There's dust behind the front element, as is common for superzooms, but it does not affect the image output. It's a bit difficult to attach the lens hood in reverse, but it snaps on fine in the normal position. Lastly, this lens is a creeper (i.e. prone to lens creep), which I believe is a known issue for this series. I've never had a problem with it, since I use the lock switch when carrying the lens around. The lens is surprisingly sharp for a superzoom and has now become a Pentax rarity. This lens comes in original box, with hood, front, and rear caps.
Sample:
Trinidad Elk | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
DA L 55-300mm $150
I'm the original owner and received this lens as part of a K-x combo, my very first Pentax. Like all DA L's that came this way, there is no original box or hood. I've since purchased a knock-off Pentax PH-RBG hood and will include it in the sale along with front and rear lens caps. I've had several successful Pentax Photo Gallery submissions thanks to this lens.
Samples:
San Diego Zoo Series | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
San Diego Zoo Series | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
San Diego Zoo Series | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Tamron 1.4x Pz-AF MC $200
Excellent condition and I believe I'm the second owner. Good teleconverters are hard to find in the Pentax system and the upcoming one from Pentax will probably be more expensive. I've only used this a handful of times coupled to the DA 55-300mm. It's slow to focus, but works well with all lenses including SDM ones. The glass is clean and clear. It comes in it's original bag, box, with front and rear caps.
DA 21mm Limited $420
I'm the second owner of this lens, purchased used. There's a small nick on the metal hood that the guy didn't tell me about, but I wasn't fussy about it. Aside from that, the lens is in excellent condition. The build build quality is great like all the other limiteds. The lens comes in its original box, with front/rear caps, and bag.
Shot with DA 21mm:
Das Boot | Flickr - Photo Sharing! |
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Forum: Sold Items
10-09-2012, 11:21 PM
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
10-05-2012, 11:59 PM
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I love the output of what I've seen from the X-Pro 1. If the X-E1 is exactly like it in terms of image quality, I'm very tempted to make it my new travel cam. The bundled kit lens (18-55mm f2.8-4) makes a great all around lens which I think would be perfect for street shooting and travel. Slow AF I can deal with, but I'd like to see exactly how slow and how well the evf performs. So now, it's just a matter of waiting for the reviews...
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
10-05-2012, 11:36 PM
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Took the survey. Gave them my google voice number and PMB address if it happened to be fake.
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
09-26-2012, 11:15 PM
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Well, a whole day done with the D600 and 24-70mm walking around Disneyland. My back is sore, my feet hurt, but I had a lot of fun using the D600. I can't put all the blame on the D600 for a sore back, as that occurred even in past trips with the K-5. Anyhow, neither camera can be considered small or stealthy when matched with their respective fast aperture zooms (f2.8). Just a couple samples here, I'm tired now and will post some more later. All are .jpg as I currently don't have the raw converter on my laptop. Full sized versions by clicking on image to get to flickr:
Exposure 0.006 sec (1/160)
Aperture f/3.2
Focal Length 52 mm
ISO Speed 100
Exposure 0.013 sec (1/80)
Aperture f/2.8
Focal Length 56 mm
ISO Speed 6400
Exposure 0.001 sec (1/1600)
Aperture f/4.0
Focal Length 58 mm
ISO Speed 140
Exposure 0.008 sec (1/125)
Aperture f/2.8
Focal Length 26 mm
ISO Speed 1600
Nothing tests high ISO like Pirates of the Caribbean. ISO didn't register for some reason, but I think it was on Hi 2 which I believe is 25,600.
Exposure 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture f/2.8
Focal Length 70 mm
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
09-25-2012, 01:46 PM
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Same here. I'm waiting for Adobe to update camera raw and keep hitting the update button every day :) I'm going to Disneyland tomorrow, looking to do a lot of shooting with the 14-24mm f2.8.
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