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Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
04-29-2012, 11:49 AM
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At my job I use a Canon 7D and pocketwizards for my flashes. I really like the setup and would like to do wireless flash with my Pentax K5 but as far as I know there are no such devices that exist that transmit the PTTL information to the flash.
I recently descovered this item from Aoketc that is supposed to come out
Aokatec - Products
but it has been over a year I think since it's announcement and I haven't seen any news for months it seems.
I was stumbling around the net and came across this thing by Satechi
TTL Wireless Flash Trigger Remote Control Transceiver for Canon EOS 60D, 300D,450D, 550D, 600D,1000D,1100D, Digital Rebel XT, XTi, XSi, XS, T1i, T2i, T3i & Canon Powershot G10, G11 & Pentax K7 Digital SLR cameras
Has anyone heard of this and used it? It says it is for the K7. Is the K5 that different that it wouldn't work?
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
04-17-2011, 11:59 AM
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cool thanks for the picks. It helps a lot.
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
04-16-2011, 10:31 AM
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Any good recommendations for an inexpensive folding flash bracket
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
04-16-2011, 04:31 AM
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I have a new k5 and I was wondering if I get a compatible flash (pentax or Metz) do I still need a sync cord if I attach it atop a flash bracket?
At my real job I use a Canon 7D that we migrated from a rebel XT and we are using a sync cord with a canon speedlite atop a flash bracket for simple portraits . I inherited the photo tasks so I never really question this setup.
I would like to replicate similar results I get with my personal k5 but wonder do I really need either a bracket and/or a sync cord?
Flash brakets
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
04-16-2011, 04:21 AM
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I have two cable releases from Opteka. One is just a standard button and slide lock and the other has the extra feature of an intervalmeter. Both work great and I haven't had any problem with them. I have used for my K200D and they tested fine with my K5.
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
02-26-2011, 10:57 AM
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I have been saving my nickels for a K-5 for it has some features that is on par if not better for a modern camera. My K200D is fine but the ISO and burst rate falls behind my Canon G9. I am also interested in trying to mess with off camera flash.
Is the K-5 support only wireless flash with Pentax flashes? I know there are radio poppers and hot shoe wireless triggers, but I would like to avoid another extra expense. It seems Pentax flashes have mixed reviews and Metz flashes are praised a lot. Flash is not something I am too familiar with all the nuances.
I was looking at the Metz 50 AF-1.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
02-01-2011, 08:43 PM
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Have you looked at all at squarespace? Very easy to setup and you can then get under the hood when you feel more comfortable.
I recently opened a smugmug account to feed part of my squarespace site and add the ability to sell my photos down the road. I have found the two different beasts with different purposes.
I initially thought about going wordpress and hosting through somebody but seemed to me like a lot of signing up at different sites and self maintenance.
I got my domain initially from network solutions and bought an addition one through godaddy when they were running a sale. Squarespace made all the other issues (hosting, maintenance, and security) less if a hassle because it is all there. Smugmug does this too and both have excellent customer service.
If your thinking about setting up a blog, squarespace can handle that. If your thinking about selling your photos, then smugmug.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
11-16-2010, 03:58 PM
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I have the Tamron 10-24mm and it is my favorite lens. At first I was a little concerned that it felt too light or was made out of plastic but it has been very durable and has help me compose great landscapes.
I will say that like most wide angle lens there is some chromatic aberration in some situations but ACR can compensate in post processing.
This is my only Tamron lens. When it isn't on my camera I tend to have Sigma. One reason I went with it was to try and save from buying another polarizing filter. It's 72mm thread matches my Sigma 70-200mm.
Keep an eye on that lens hood if you do decide to go with it. It is a bit awkward to fit in a bag and I lost mine already.
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Forum: General Talk
10-31-2010, 04:39 AM
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Will there be a gallery to post to? I was there. Mostly have pictures of signs. Was between the 1st first aid station and in front of the second set of jumbo-trons to the right. Very restricted to movement due to packed crowd. Stayed to take pictures at night too.
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Forum: General Talk
10-21-2010, 04:05 PM
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In a past post a user asked the credibility of Abe's of Maine and gave my full support. In the past I had ordered 2 lenses from Abe's with no problem. Sure I had to deal with the up-sell call but my orders shipped and there were no problems. i have been very happy with these lenses.
In the past year it seems the practices at Abe's has changed and there are many dissatisfied customers you can find just doing a simple Google search (just go a few pages in after their paid placement links) and today I join them.
Last Saturday I put in an order for a Pentax p-da 55-300mm lens that I expected to have to play around with this coming weekend. I immediately got a call the next day (Sunday) to confirm my order. The website and Phil the sales guy confirmed that the lens was in stock and would ship as soon as possible and more than likely Monday.
Well there was no tracking number sent to me Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. I checked the status of my order online on Wednesday and it finally read "sent to warehouse." I checked the website to see if Abe's even still carried the lens and now reads "backordered."
Abe's customer service hours have changed since I last ordered. They are now 10am to 6pm Eastern Standard Time. I do live in this time zone, but it doesn't even state that and for a world wide online retailer, they should . If you work during the day and don't have time to make calls 10am-6pm is most of your working day.
I went to check my online account to see if my card had been charged and sure enough it was on Sunday the 17th with no tracking number sent to me!
I called today to see what was going on. An Alfred confirmed that the lens is backordered and it was up to Pentax to send them new lenses. He gave no indication as to when these lenses would be in stock. I have asked to have the order canceled and my card promptly reimbursed. Alfred said that depending on my bank that can take a few days. I will keep checking my account but it is a headache I didn't expect.
Again I am not the first this year to see these changes occurring at Abe's but I have recommended Abe's to people on this forum and would now strongly discourage ordering anything from them today. $10 less then B&H or Adorama is just not worth it.
I hope one day they get their act together but I rarely every go back to an online retailer who exhibits these type of practices.
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
10-14-2010, 06:22 PM
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There are a couple of devices out there. I use one by Gisteq and Sony makes one too. You just need to remember to turn it on. Carry in your bag and go. Most last 12 hours or more and you just need to hook it back up to your computer and sync the photo date time to the tracks recorded (usually the take a reading every 3 to 5 sec) there is free software for Mac and pc out there.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
10-13-2010, 02:56 AM
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Just a side note you can keep track of prices from Amazon and be notified when a product reaches your ideal price through an email or twitter alert by using www.camelcamelcamel.com.
It is pretty slick and gives you a graph of how a product has gone up or down over time. Could help when around what time period to buy your K7 in the year.
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Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
09-25-2010, 03:44 AM
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I have a k200d and use a canon 7d at work. I'm hoping that the K5 continues in the functionalities that I'm used to. The 7D is a physically bigger camera and feels very sturdy.
There are some minus in the 7D when coming from the perspective of using my k200d. I can not find in the wide arrange of settings on the 7D, a way to set an ISO limitation like I can on my Pentax (100-1600, 100-800, 100-400, etc.) Maybe it just my length of time with using a Pentax, but the controls on the Canon are not as intuitive and even though it is bigger I swear some of the button feel smaller. Growing up the line from the D*st to the K200D it was a nice gradual transition which I hope the K5 continues the trend. The 7D has been clearly to me like driving a friends car.
The pricing of comparable lens (just going on range and f-stop: a canon 55-70mm F2.8 vs a pentax 55-70mm F2.8) and when you include IS for a lens on the Canon you save a bit more money with the Pentax.
Because I have so much invested in my existing lens and the reasons stated I going to graduate to the K5.
I think if you ask the same question on a canon forum you will find bias there towards canon. If you can find a way to borrow a 7D for a few days and compare it with how you shoot with the Pentax, it probably would be the best form of judgment on what you should buy.
Experience with one brand over the other and how much effort you want to put into jumping tracks is what it comes down to. Some longtime Mac users have difficulty being forced to use a PC and vise-versa. I think it it is little bit of the same thing here.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-19-2010, 07:56 PM
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I see the posts about lack of Pentax as seen as a real professional camera and the posts about the "vast" diversity of lens for pentax. I know these are somewhat two different topics but in a weird way to me, they are related.
Don't get me wrong, I love my K200D and look forward to the specs of the K-5, but I do feel often at photowalks and events with other photogs (and I hate that name too) like it is grade school with the conika crowd looking down at me and making sneers. I do find when I come across other pentaxians that it is a 50/50 chance that they are either an old curmudgeon who has dealt with the same issues, pushed it aside and says f-u to the world or a shocked and pleasantly surprised fellow enthusiast who welcomes a conversation to band together and fight the empire.
I got my first film pentax while in college because A) it was the best camera my folks could afford to give me for my courses and B) it was the one camera the camera shop (remember those things?) was pushing. Gradually I added another lens, apart from the kit lens and remained with pentax. Then digital came about and pentax, from what I read, was the only camera maker that was going to allow you to use old lenses. So I saved my pennies and got the D*st DL. I added yet another lens and was becoming more intrenched.
To this day I have yet to find these mythical yard sales and eBay offerings of old pentax lens for pennies on the dollar. Maybe I'm just not looking hard enough.
However one disturbing tend I saw over at planet5D is conikans looking for pentax glass.
I read planet5d because we have a canon 7d at work to shoot video and stills, I couldn't recommend pentax for work because it wasn't considered a "professional" camera by those above my pay grade making the budgetary decisions and getting a pentax potentially serviced locally was an impossibility.
Back to conikans looking for pentax glass. It seems that pentax lens are so well made and much more affordable that they just buy custom ring mounts to use our glass! This was news to me and if you do an eBay search for Canon pentax lens adapters and you will find them. Same is true for a nikon search. From the few pentax shooters I have found and the forums, I don't hear anyone buying canon or nikon glass to mount on a k7. So the rarity and price of old pentax lenses goes up.
So on one hand I snicker at the fact that my camera and it's lens are so well made a conikan wants the lens for his/her film project and on the other, frustrated there is this attitude by the very same group of holding their noses in the air of self indoctrinated superiority. Sorry, but the multi-color kx never helps my argument of pentax not being a toy camera with these folks either. I know not all are bad, they are just not ed-u-ma-cated. I am possibly not hanging out with the right crowd.
It is encouraging that a Pentax only store does exist in NYC but I don't live there and it sounds too much when you refer to it like saying "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn."
I will go back now to trying shoot quality pictures and get off my rant.
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Forum: Monthly Photo Contests
08-01-2010, 03:58 PM
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I'm sorry but I'm new to posting for contests on this forum. With the monthly contest and the B&H contest I have been thoroughly confused as to what rules and where to post.
If your just coming into the site from the outside with no link regarding the B&H contest (maybe it is just me) you can not find the gallery of the B&H contest. That path is PentaxForums.com > Pentax User Photo Gallery > PentaxForums.com Events > B&H Photo Contest
This one is PentaxForums.com > Photo Sharing and Galleries > Monthly Photo Contests > Contest Voting > Contest Poll Contest #47 Voting (Decay)
There seemed to be a different set of rules for each contest and that is understandable but just is not very clear when your posting where to post and for what.
One contest has a set of rule watchers and they voice there concerns which are vaild for that contest, but not for the other. The other contest also has a set of rule watchers and they voice their concerns which appear the opposite of the other contest. Nobody is going to be perfectly happy I think.
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Forum: Monthly Photo Contests
07-25-2010, 04:39 PM
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Was actively looking for something for the contest during my vacation.
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Forum: Site Suggestions and Help
06-29-2010, 05:09 PM
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My suggestion would be life within the inanimate. How do you see life or beauty in within the still or inanimate. Left to interpretation.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
05-30-2010, 01:55 PM
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Just wanted to pass along some info if your an NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals)
I was using the web site to get my free shipping from B&H and I have been eyeing to get Photomatix Pro, knowing that NAPP offered a discount.
Just to check how much it was I noticed the offer end tomorrow (5/13/2010) NAPP members get 25% off which is almost $30 off the pro version which has a plug-in for both Aperture and Lightroom.
I know there are some HDR and timelapse interested folks on the board.
I figured I would get it now before I started kicking myself for missing the deal.
Not trying to be SPAMIE and in no way related to HDRsoft or Kelby Media.
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Forum: Photographic Technique
04-18-2010, 07:14 PM
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That is a shame. Would have been a nice breif side trip.
I guess Golden, CO is better known for Coors than the North American HQ of a Japanese camera company.
Thanks for the info
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Forum: Photographic Technique
04-18-2010, 10:17 AM
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I'm going on a trip in July to see the the Southwest and I start off flying first into Denver Colorado and then driving south towards Monument Valley in AZ.
Does anyone know if the North American headquarters located in Golden Colorado (some 35 miles away) has a show floor or store? Is it just all corporate.
I might be fun just before I get going to get the seal of approval from home base. Is it even worth it?
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-12-2010, 04:49 PM
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I completely agree. One of thefew things I wish the K200D had and whatever incarnation replacement gets is the ability to shoot teathered to a computer. The k20d has this but I love the AA battery aspect of the K200D.
The next iteration will have to have a larger ISO range to shoot in low light. Movie mode like the K7 would just be an added bonus IMHO.
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
04-10-2010, 08:56 AM
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Do you mean something like a trekking pole?
I found one by promaster ( model 6923 ) at a camera shop. It has antishock. I added a small ballhead ( Giottos MH 1004 ) and it works for me.
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
04-10-2010, 05:16 AM
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Well I purchased the 2138 plate and an Acratech base clamp from B&H. I'm gradually moving towards a whole arca-Swiss system.
The plate works great but now I don't have a D ring to attach my Black Rapid camera strap to. I would like to be out and about using my tripod with my new base clamp on occasion. I was using the Manfrotto camera plate but of course while having a convient D ring it isn't arca-Swiss style.
One solution might be to buy a Black Rapid connector ring and another arca-Swiss type clamp with a tripod thread. Connect the connector ring to the second arca-Swiss clamp and attach that setup between my camera plate and my camera strap. This seems to me to be now three connection points between me and my camera when it isn't on a tripod. I'm too sure if that is a good idea.
Is this the only solution currently? Is it a safe solution?
This arca-swiss migration is proving to be a little more expensive than I thought.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-28-2010, 03:43 PM
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Well I just got back from a Cleveland Cavaliers game and I was able to get in with my old Phoenix/Samtang 70-210 f4-5.6 attached to my K200D and it just barely met the criteria.
Security ask you to extend the zoom on the lens and actually have a marker on a table that let's them quickly know if it is ok.
So the new dream lens would have to be under 6" extended, equal to or greater in zoom than 210mm, minimum of f4 ( but would prefer faster, ) and under 3" in diameter.
My old lens is junk compared to my modern Sigma and Tamron lens. The extending tube does not lock and is difficult to keep a fixed focus because so.
Everyone's suggestions have Bern most helpful.
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