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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
13 Hours Ago
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Ooooh the hood is different on the WR. Okay. I have a rbc hood so I need to find an rba hood.
Yes the white ring is removable.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
11-22-2012, 10:09 PM
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I just picked up a K-01, and suddenly my neglected Tokina 500mm mirror lens has a whole new life. The focus peaking really makes focusing a breeze. No longer do I have to zoom way, way in and take forever to make sure it's focused, just to find out later it was off just a little bit. Focus peaking allows me to see when the exact area I want is in focus. Because the DOF is so narrow with the mirror lens, it's a piece of cake to make sure my target is right in the center of the focus peaking effect.
Here are a few shots (resized for the web)
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax Mirrorless Cameras
12-26-2020, 11:09 AM
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I still have two original Q bodies (one black one white) but snagged a Q7 and an 06 lens a while back, and that's a great combo for me. Ended up with photoshop too. I take the Q system with me on motorcycle trips, because it packs small and still allows me to be creative with my shooting. I really love the fisheye and pinhole lenses, but the 06 and 01 combo are my normal go-to lenses for the Q. I'm happy with the whole setup. I still like my K-01 better, but it takes up so much room in a saddlebag, especially with my Tamron 28-75, that I don't often take it into the wilderness on the bike. And it's so heavy I never, ever taking it hiking. The Q comes for that too.
Sometimes I wonder if I might have been better off with a Pentax MX-1 or an Olympus XZ-2 for lightweight travel, though.
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax Q
10-11-2018, 09:29 AM
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I don't have problems with my batteries in use. They all last about the same, Pentax or otherwise. However, what I do notice is they do not hold a charge in storage. I'll charge them up, and in a month or two use the camera and the battery is showing 75% on the meter. The aftermarket batteries are worse, showing 50% or less. Charge them up and they last for a whole day of usage. But they don't store well.
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax Q
10-11-2018, 09:36 AM
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So Rokinon makes a 300mm mirror for micro four thirds. I wonder if it's similar in size.
Charles.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
12-19-2019, 08:35 PM
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Get replacement light seal kits. They're inexpensive, they work, and they'll last you 20 years or more. Don't hack it, do it right.
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax Q
10-12-2018, 08:28 AM
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Okay, got that. It's unfortunate that the smart effect filters themselves can't be edited. I like the vintage colors, for instance, but I don't like the softness built in to the filter. I want sharp images, not soft images. But I've got it sorta set up as I like it now.
I'm liking the fish eye on this, compared to the original Q. There's considerably more fish! The camera writes faster and just feels a lot faster to use. The Q7 in RAW+ mode feels faster than the original Q in JPEG mode, as far as write speeds and menu responsiveness go. It's a good upgrade. I can't wait to take them both out and take comparison shots in difficult lighting conditions and see what kind of results I get with the Q7 over the Q.
Also... I have a Q7! WOOOOO! That's 3 Qs in my collection :)
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax Q
07-10-2018, 11:48 AM
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I suppose I should do my part and buy an S1. I've got two original Q bodies, and would like the faster operating system and bigger sensor. Probably time I just go ahead and bite the bullet.
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax Q
01-16-2018, 11:17 AM
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I just snagged an 07, and I must say I'm quite happy with it. It gives very Holga-esque images. It truly is a toy lens! It's slow as balls and works best in bright sunlight. I like the images it makes, especially after bumping contrast in post.
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax Q
01-12-2018, 11:32 AM
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I'd take a Q7 or a Q-S1 :)
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax Q
01-08-2018, 10:46 AM
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I've had the 01 standard prime, 02 standard zoom, and 03 fisheye since the system debuted. (Yup, I have the original Q body. Two of them, one new and unopened, even). I toyed with an auto 110 adapter and a 50mm lens, and was impressed with the reach of such a small lens... but not the sharpness. I've had the 06 on my radar for a long time, but due to lots of issues (girlfriend, job, family) I have almost zero time for photography anymore. But.... someone spied that lens on my amazon wish list, and it made it into my christmas stocking this year!
So far I'm really, really impressed. I've always loved the 01 standard prime, and just sort of tolerated the 02 standard zoom. I thought the 02 was nothing special. Not particularly sharp, but not bad. Images from the 01 lens seemed to pop, and something about the 02 just left me flat. The lens makes technically good images, but I just wasn't impressed. But the 06 lens... wow, that's what I was hoping for! It reminds me of the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 in image quality. I don't have to try very hard, and it makes sharp images with decent bokeh (for the Q). It's fun to handle and fun to use and it focuses nicely in low light too. I'm really, really pleased with it so far. The only thing I don't love about it is the minimum focus distance. I'd love to find something Q-sized that works for macro photography. (I have adapted k-mount lenses that work almost like microscopes on the Q, but nothing that's hand-holdable in the field)
Anyhow, I'm really digging this little lens. It's rather revitalized the Q platform for me, and I'm thinking of using it more often. Maybe even snagging a Q7 to take advantage of the larger sensor and wider FOV.
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
10-18-2016, 01:07 PM
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I really miss mine. I gave it to a girlfriend, who is now an ex-girlfriend, sadly. Would love to get it back... but I do have a K-30, K-01, two Qs, and a couple manual cameras now, so I don't *really* need it. It was super small and portable and fun though. I do miss it!
Charles.
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
12-20-2016, 11:32 AM
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GoPro Hero 4 Session doesn't support external microphones.
The Nest camera looks awesome, but it records continuously and everything is uploaded to the cloud. We would have to manually split the videos for the sessions we wanted to save, and that's a lot of extra work. What's more, the servers at nest are not HIPAA compliant, so that's removes it as an option entirely.
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50
12-06-2016, 11:02 AM
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After spending nearly a month of back-and-forth to Ricoh representatives, and continuing to climb up the chain of power, I finally got some resolution. They really stick to that warranty period, not budging on the repair price. But eventually I wore them down. The message that did it was saying something along the lines of how I've been reading all the problems for the K-30 aperture block on the pentax forum, and also reading up on Canon and Nikon forums. I see all these happy Nikon customers who had their cameras fixed way out of warranty whenever the problem was due to a Nikon manufacturing defect. I was hoping to have a similar story to share on the Pentax forum, but instead I'll be posting a displeased review. And... well, they caved a little. I got 30% off the repair. That came to $144 and some change. Precision did the work the next day, and I had the camera back three days later (today). I've been playing with it and everything works so far. They replaced my focus screen and upgraded the firmware as well. I'm just playing with the settings now, to get it back where it was before reset it and then sent it in for repair.
So, I'm not thrilled about $144. But it's way better than $206. Since it's a manufacturing/design defect on their part, I was really hoping they'd cover the full cost. I would have been very happy if they split it 50/50. 30% isn't as nice as 50%, but it's better than 0%, so I took it. And... well, I'm not thrilled about it, but I'm not pissed off either. They worked with me a little, and that's better than I actually expected they would do. I was fully prepared to pay the full price and be disgruntled about it :) One thing that did disturb me a bit is that nobody up the entire chain of command could tell me if the new aperture control block would be a permanent fix. They just ignored the question. Told me they'd call me back and never did. If it happens again, maybe I'll try the guy out in California next time. I wanted to at least try Pentax/Ricoh before going that route, since my shutter actuations were so low. I'm really glad they finally worked with me, even though I had to essentially threaten them with bad press. I really didn't want to take "screw you, guy" as an answer. :)
Charles.
PS: Everyone I talked to was really nice, and really wanted to help, but were bound by rules. They talked to manager and a managers above those managers, until finally contacting corporate in Canukistan, and then had to escalate it there as well. It was a long, drawn-out process. Everyone was really nice, and I wasn't a dick or anything. I just was bound and determined that they were going to make it right by me. :) And I'm okay with the resolution. Not jumping up and down for joy, mind you, but okay.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
03-12-2015, 08:42 AM
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I'm doing spring cleaning, and I've got pentax gear that I need gone. I've had no luck craigslisting it, and I don't want the eBay hassle. So it's free if you come get it this weekend.
Included:
Pentax ME with new light seals. Works flawlessly.
Pentax MV (all black) with acceptable light seals
Early Honywell Spotmatic (no hot shoe) in dire need of light seals, meter does not work.
Tokina 500mm mirror lens, converted from Contax mount
Spiratone Rapid Rails bellows, with T-mount to K-mount adapter. I bought it new and used it twice.
All this is free if you pick it up by Sunday afternoon. EMAIL me, as I don't always remember to check my messages.
My userid is choppercharles, and I use gmail. Put that together and you have my email address.
Charles.
PS: If this is not kosher to list here, I apologize.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-29-2013, 06:02 PM
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Vivitar MC 50mm f1.7 focuses as you wish, and they're dirt cheap on eBay. M lens, no A setting, with a 52mm filter. The Pentax-M 50mm f2 is sharper and all around better, but the Vivitar is close and a little faster -- and usually cheaper. (They're rarer though, so you might have to wait and watch. I picked up mine for $20)
That being said, I love my F50 1.7. It's easily my favorite lens. Absolutely beautiful colors, very sharp even wide open, and has buckets of personality.
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax Q
12-15-2014, 09:53 AM
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Here are a couple of shots from my recent trip to LA. First two with the 02 lens, last with the 01.
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax Mirrorless Cameras
08-06-2014, 06:02 AM
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Well, no help here, but at least it keeps you from taking awful HDR photography.
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax K-01
01-02-2014, 04:39 PM
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When I first unboxed my K-01, I was extremely disappointed. The focus speed was glacial, and getting it to actually lock focus in a room with reasonable lighting was actually very difficult. I had only paid $346 for it, but that's a lot of cash for a camera I was now sure I hated.
But, I figured before I returned it, I'd at least update the firmware. I didn't think the entire nature of a camera could change just from a firmware upgrade, but it did. The K-01 became fast enough (I had never expected PDAF quickness, but I did expect quite a bit better than K-x LiveView focusing), and it locks even in very low light. With the focus assist light on, it focuses even in darkness, assuming the lens isn't really slow.
I can run some tests later, but only one of my lenses doesn't work well with the K-01. (28-210 Phoenix superzoom. It has trouble locking focus in LiveView on my K-30 too, though). Everything else is either adequate or fast.
I will say, despite it being a little slower overall, it is by far my favorite camera (I have two Qs, a K-x, a K-30, ME Super, and an SF-1). I use it more than any other, I take it with me often, even when it's inconvenient to. I'll often take my Q but then not take any photos with it. If I take my K-01, I almost always end up using it. It's just more fun to shoot with than any of my other cameras.
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax Q
12-21-2012, 11:06 PM
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Not so much reach... but my 100mm f3.5 macro is now a 558mm f3.5 macro, and I managed to snag this lovely shot of the grooves of a 45rmp record.
Had to desaturate the green in front of the focal zone and the purple after it, but left a little in because it looked too plain without any color at all. Almost no sharpening in post (just a very teensy bit, and it wasn't really needed). Some contrast, and a bit of cropping to bring more attention to the in-focus area. Not sure, but I think the red is the reflection from the Christmas tree lights in the room. Either that, or there is red in the vinyl that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
Promaster AF 100mm f3.5 macro with 1:1 adapter, 1/13 second, ISO 250, f3.5 (wide open), hotshoe mounted Sigma EF610 flash, aimed into the clear plastic turntable cover (which spread the light nicely). -2.0 flash compensation.
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50
01-29-2014, 02:04 PM
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Here's my first test of the weather sealing. :)
Kit 18-55WR lens, f/16, 10s, ISO 320.
It almost looks like something out of a video game. Grand Theft Auto or a racing game or something :)
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-30-2014, 11:16 AM
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My most-used lenses are a Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 continuous and a FA 50mm f/1.7. That's where I'd recommend. Low light and small depth of field are lacking from your current AF roster.
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax K-01
10-23-2013, 01:49 PM
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I started out with a K-x several years ago. Then I purchased a K-01 and two Qs (black with the 02 zoom and white with the 01 prime). Now I just recently jumped on a K-30 because I wanted the weather sealing, multiple lens microfocus adjustment, and star tracer capability.
After all of these, the K-01 is still my go-to camera. It's the camera I enjoy using the most, the camera I have the most fun with.
If I'm going to shoot low-light action events, I take the K-30, that's a no-brainer. If I'm going on a motorcycle trip, I take the Q -- because the entire Q kit with 3 lenses, 3 batteries, charger AND waterproof otter box takes up less space than the K-01 with a lens attached. I'll also take the Q hiking, because I don't want to lug around a heavy camera bag all day.
But for daily excursions or just general shooting, my K-01 sees more duty than any other camera in my arsenal. Even with a big honkin' flash attached, it's the most pleasant-to-use camera I own. Just beyond pleased. I really should snag a second body...
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax Q
01-21-2013, 11:47 PM
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I'm adapting my 50mm f1.7 now, and it has to be stopped down quite a bit to eliminate purple fringing. It's also huge. I'd trade it for a tiny f2.8 that has no purple fringing. I'm really only interested in hearing from people that have tried it though...
Charles.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-02-2013, 02:43 PM
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I just built this today.
It's made out of three old Pentax bodies. All the bodies work, but they're all in need of an overhaul. The light seals are all bad, and the MX light meter doesn't work so great. That being said, this lamp is COMPLETELY non-destructive. No cameras were harmed in the making of this. If I wanted, I could take it all back apart and put film in each of the cameras. (of course, with bad light seals what good would that do...)
I used hot-shoe adapters to hold the cameras together. The adapter slides into the hot-shoe mount, and it has a tripod screw sticking up, as well as a thumbwheel to tighten it. One of these:
Between the camera and the thumbscrew I put a modified lamp crossbar (part of it cut off), to secure the camera to the brass pole at the back. Pole is secured to the wood with a full crossbar, and it's a snug fit into the wood as well to make for a nice sturdy lamp. No wobbling at all.
The lenses are junk, except for the Spotmatic lens. That's a good lens, but I bought it for under $20 shipped... The top 50mm f2 has the aperture stuck wide open, and something that's causing the focus ring to stick horribly. The bottom lens is a crappy sears (Ricoh pin) 135mm f2.8, which is soft and fuzzy and craptacular.
Here's a shot of the back:
Some of you are going to cringe, I'm sure. But it looks pretty slick, it's a good conversation starter, in in theory I could put film in it and take shots of my living room from time to time, during parties and such. And then pull the film out in a few years/decades and see what I've got.
Charles.
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