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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-01-2010, 07:57 PM
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I have had a similar experience it is way to easy to get into taking photos and not see the wave coming in. Two years ago I lost a camera to the ocean in a very similar experience. One minute I'm taking a photo, the next I am covered in water and my camera is sitting in a tide pool two feet under water. Fished it out but it never operated correctly again. That experience is the primary reason I got the K7.
My K7 thankfully has not gone for a swim yet, so I can't say it would suvive after sitting underwater; but it has gotten very wet in the rain and heavy splashes while shooting waterfalls and I have covered it in mud in a Carolina swamp. I've cleaned it up each time and it keeps coming back for more. I am sold on the weather sealing of the Pentax!
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
10-18-2010, 11:04 AM
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Thanks everybody, especially KxBlaze and Johngs for the help. I tend to agree with what others have said here for some reason the resourses for Photoshop just aren't very good. I have gone to the bookstore and read several of them trying to decide. Some books assume that a person has never operated a computer before and are way to simple for my needs. Others assume the reader is a PhD Engineer who is fluint in COBALT and can write UNIX code for grins.
I know that PS5 like any other complex program takes time to get used to, I hope the suggestions here will help me start to bridge the gap between knowledge of Elements and the options in PS5.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
10-14-2010, 11:09 AM
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What I did was start with Photoshop Elements (I think my first version was 2 or 3). I upgraded to newer versions as the product got better and my knowledge increased. Finally this year I made the jump to Photoshop CS5.
There are some really good free editing softward programs out there (Picasa or GIMP come to mind). But in the end I think that Elements just does a better job and will help you to start building a fund of knowledge that can grow with you into full blown Photoshop if you do ever get to the point where you need it. I wouldn't upgrade Elements every single time a new version comes out, only when the new product has a feature you really need.
Just my two cents.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
10-14-2010, 11:02 AM
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How do you know when a drive is going south?
When it start's making a "whrrrrrrrr ya'll" sound followed by the sound of Banjos. Sorry couldn't resist. And this from a man who lives in South Carolina.
Actually my experience was that I could hear my hard drive going bad. It started being louder as it worked. At first it didn't make odd sounds. The normal sounds were just louder. Eventaully it did start making a slight whine and would spin and spin for a long time before it ever found the data i was trying to retrieve. Eventually the sound got really loud and it would just spin and never retrieve anything. I don't know if my experience is typical, but that's what I experienced.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
10-13-2010, 11:52 AM
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Wjax
Thanks for you input. I had considered Lynda.com and may end up doing it. Its hard to imagine there aren't any good free tutorials.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
10-12-2010, 08:10 AM
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Recently purchased SC5 (upgrading from Elements) and I am trying to get up to speed on how to use the tool most effectively. I am very interested in suggestions from people on regarding the following:
1. Suggestion regarding the best print manual to buy. I have purchased several manuals in the past (Missing Manual, For Dummies, ...) most of them to be honest aren't worth the money I spent. I am fairly literate with computers and have used Elements for years. What suggestions would you make to use the SC5 for photos (more than just the basics).
2. Does anybody have a link to any free online video tutorials that are available and good for CS5. I have Googled this topic and find some on line tutorials but most of them aren't great, they either cover simple stuff like how to open a file (which I already know) or they charge an arm and a leg for the useful tutorials.
I would greatly appreciate the input.
Thanks
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-27-2010, 12:36 PM
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I just got into a Corvette and it was amazing it was so much faster than my Ford Focus. I was amazed!
I know I'm being a smart a** here, but it really shouldn't be any surprize that any DSLR camera even a base line model would out perform a camera attached to a cell phone. If for no other reason think about the glass. Your cell camera has a 1/4 inch wide lens that is probably made of hardened plastic. A DSLR has a much, much better lens.
A camera on your phone is fun for snap shots or to attach to a text.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-21-2010, 05:52 AM
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I had a very poor experience with my repair to my K7 this summer. I posted about it at the time in the furum so I won't rehash the experience. In short, poor communication from Pentax and their contract provider and rude customer service were the hall marks of my experience. I will say that they did get the problem fixed correctly, so in the end my camera works.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-15-2010, 07:04 PM
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Leo
Thanks for helping to clarify the information I gave. I learned alot from that seminar and have used that info to take some really good mood and star field shots, but you certainly have more knowledge than I do and helped explain the parts that I didn't understand.
I see you are in CN, if you were closer to SC I would be hitting you up for a visit to your observatory to see what you are doing. I did visit a really good observatory operated by the Charlotte NC Astronomy club and loved what I saw. It was really cool to get the opportunity to look through the telescopes and actually see the rings of Saturn and to see a nebula. It's one thing to see them on TV or on line and another to actually see them in a telescope!
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-14-2010, 10:31 AM
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If its called a pro-model it "Must" be better and therefore will have a price tag that reflects the "pro-model" status.
I know of pro photographers who use all kinds of camera brands and models. So in reality I guess if I pro uses it its a pro-model.
From what I have read in several magazines and on line the K7 is often considered as one of the models of choice for outdoor, landscape and nature photographers.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-14-2010, 05:57 AM
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Ah so the Earth is the center of the Universe. I am much happier now!!!!
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-13-2010, 09:13 AM
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What the Earth isn't the center of the Universe? I am crushed!
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-12-2010, 08:14 PM
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I use a k7 and have the 18-55 kit lens. I don't find any problems with focus at 100 ISO at infinity but I have noticed that my lens at 18 mm does have a slight tendency to product images that are slightly darker on the corners. The darkening is minor and I am able to fix in Photoshop no problems.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-12-2010, 08:09 PM
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Personally since I tend to shoot landscape and nature shots of objects that most of the time aren't moving around (non action shots) for me more auto focus points is nice but not really a huge factor. My old Olympus had three focus point and I rarely if ever found that I coudn't auto focus fairly quickly on one of those three spot and then re-compose my shot to how I wanted it. My K7 has all that I will ever need.
In fact with so many spot I sometimes have trouble in auto focus because the camera tries to focus on something that isn't the subject. So I generally prefer to have the auto focus locked on the center spot, position the spot over my subject to lock focus then move reconfigure the shot the way I want it to be.
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Forum: Sold Items
09-09-2010, 08:08 AM
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-09-2010, 07:48 AM
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I am also interested in astro-photography so I attended a siminar put on by a guy who does some really serious stuff.
From what he said any good DSLR without any adaptations can take reasonable shots of the moon or star fields or even star circles. Simple process of using a tripod, playing with the exposure settings and in some cases using Photoshop or other software to stack the images. He suggested that for star feild photos use the widest angle lens you have that is not a fisheye, set the ISO at 100, use as wide open F stop as you can (stop down to a crisp focus) and use long exposures. He also said that moon shots are really easy with a good telephoto lens. He also said good planetary images (mars, satern) isn't really possible with a zoom lens.
He said that planetary images and more complex star images were also possible with any good DSLR if you attach an adapter mount and use a telescope that tracks with the sky.
He then said that for serious deep space photography you need to have your camera adapted for that special purpose. It had something to do with de-activating or hyper activating the infrared sensor capabilities of the camera. He further said that Canon was the best camera brand to purchase for a camera to convert to this purpose. As I remember what he said, it had something to do with how that camera is designed that makes it much easier to convert. This was all well above my head and I quickly realized that I was unwilling to spend that kind of money to buy and convert a camera into something that could only be used for space photography (I think its cool but I'm not into it that much).
I can't vouch fore everything the guy said but his images were really amazing so obviously he knows what he is doing.
I have personally taken really cool shots of the moon and star fields using my K7 on a tripod. I have taken some fairly effective shots of shooting stars during a meteor shower. From my experience clear cool nights are best. I set the camera at ISO 100 and shoot for up to 1 minute exposure. The noise level is acceptable (with cleaning in PP) and at one minute the stars are still nice and crisp without obvious movement.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-02-2010, 09:50 AM
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I love this feature as well. I am impressed that it actually works correctly when you tilt the camera to either side.
I guess it I was annoyed with it I would suggest the previous solution of simply turning the lcd off when shooting and/or turn off the photo review option so you don't get a sideways camera data or a sideways photo on the screen
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
08-31-2010, 05:48 PM
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I would recommend that you don't crop your photos while in the camera. IMHO it is far better to crop them on your computer. There are lots of easy and many times free editing software programs that can crop much better than you can in camera and they will allow you to do thing like correct the horizon and reduce the image size for posting online. The forum even has a free editor online that you can use for this.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
08-28-2010, 10:03 AM
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Got it, now what menu is that specific option on in case this happens again.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
08-27-2010, 07:01 PM
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Just wanted everybody to know that as I rethought the process I decided that whatever the issue if its a setting thing I could always reset everything and that would fix it. Well that worked. So it must have been a setting that I have no idea how to set got changed. I would still very much like to know where that setting is found.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
08-27-2010, 06:48 PM
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Following is a short description of the problems, just in case there is a simple solution that I have overlooked:
When I try and take a picture the first time I press the shutter button all the way down the shutter appears to partially process taking a picture but it seems to stall and not take the photo. During this I can't see through the view finder and no matter how long I wait nothing happens. I have to press the button a second time to get the camera to take the photo and to reset for another photo.
Additionally the shake reduction system doesn't appear to be working.
I have my camera set to shoot in RAW and have a standard setting on just about everything on the menu. This problem happens in every mode except the Green Mode.
One thought I have is that the camera has some sort of a setting that allows for two step photo shooting where first shutter release the mirror flips and then on the second shutter button the photo takes. I am not sure where that particular feature would be hidden on the menu, but I know that I didn't change it on purpose if there is a setting for that.
I have looked through every menu on the camera and have tried everything I can think of to see if some setting has accidentily been changed that I was unaware of, but everything seems normal.
So does anybody out there have any idea if this issue is some sort of two step shutter release mode (if so how to I change it back). Or does everybody think that this is problem that needs repair.
Thanks
PS I really hope its a simple newbie thing not knowing that function. I hate looking stupid, but that's much better than a warenty repair!:o
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
08-27-2010, 08:43 AM
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I had no idea we had an online editor on the Forum site. That is way cool and very useful. A couple of weeks ago I needed to do some simple editing of a photo while at work but didn't have any editing software on my work computer so I had to wait to do it at home.
I am glad to know this for the future.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
08-27-2010, 08:28 AM
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Yep, those faces (and hands) sure look stiff, they must be camera shy.
I agree with the posters that the Air and Space Annex out at Washington Dulles is well worth a visit. They offer shuttles from Air and Space on the mall out if you are really patient you can take public transit. I think I had something like four transfers from Metro and bus to get from my hotel Crystal City out there but it was so worth the trip!!!
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
08-23-2010, 07:41 PM
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JohnBee-From what I can tell from the Ad its the complete PS5, I know its not the PS5 extended package, but it appears to be the full boat Photoshop.
Michaelina, I don't have any experience with Lightroom, but I currently use Elements 8 (which is why they sent me he add for PS5). I really enjoy Elements, I like the organizer and the editor does probably 90% of what I want. But there are some things just as really refined layer work and 16 bit color processing that Elements just can't do.
Thus far I have been using the RAW converter in Elements to load images into the editor. I have been reading about processors such as Noise Ninja and other clones as an option for really fine work.
I Haven't made up my mind on if i am going to go for the PS5 offer or not. It seems like a really good price point to jump up to the best editing software there is. And I know some in the forum would disagree with me, but I find that I get a lot of real enjoyment out of working with my photo in post production.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
08-22-2010, 06:23 PM
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I posted the photos to the member galleries and then linked them here, so will the image wide feature work there too?
I tried to edit the post to make this correction and it appears I am still missing the syntax correctly. could somebody please give me the exact keystoke I need. Sorry for the newbie question.
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