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Forum: Pentax Forums Giveaways
12-13-2014, 09:15 PM
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I can still let people know where to shop for happiness if they are confused... ;)
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Forum: Pentax Forums Giveaways
12-10-2014, 01:30 PM
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They must not shop where I shop... ;)
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
11-01-2013, 07:19 PM
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Thank you.
I found it. I'll mention it and few other things for others in the future; I couldn't find another thread relevant to the AF500 by searching.
There are three long thin screws through the metal plate from the top, into the hotshoe. Awkward to see and get at. Once I took a brief break and came back, it was clear.
before reinstalling the new unit, I recommend chasing the threads of the new hotshoe with the screws before assembling it. Mine had a lot of plastic flash in it and were really hard to screw in in place. I disassembled it and did that, then it went together much better.
Note the lock ring is directional top/bottom - it will screw in upside down, but then won't lock down. The curved bottom of the thumb tab is towards the bottom.
Also, take out only the four screws (2 top, 2 bottom) on the BACK half of the case. The front ones hold a stabilizing bar in place and don't do anything towards disassembly.
Be careful routing the wires to the swivel flash head when reassembling. It is easy to kink them then pinch or sever one when rotating it. If it has the slightest resistance when you try to swivel it once back together, stop, disassemble, and try again. Guess how I figured that one out. ;)
And, Importantly, say to yourself:
I will never transport my camera with the flash unit attached again.
I will never transport my camera with the flash unit attached again.
I will never transport my camera with the flash unit attached again.
I will never transport my camera with the flash unit attached again.
I will never transport my camera with the flash unit attached again.
I will never transport my camera with the flash unit attached again.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
11-01-2013, 04:27 PM
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I thought there be an old thread on this, but can't find the relevant one to this model -
How do you get the shoe housing out of the metal cradle?
I got a replacement shoe from USCamera, and opened the housing, but the metal cradle is still firmly attached to the front 1/2 of the housing with no obvious way to remove it. Anyone btdt?
Thanks!
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
08-19-2011, 09:57 AM
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A few reasons:
1) from a distance in the dark, fine embroidery is hard to capture with any conventional lens.
2) It was MEMORIAL DAY (see the title of the post).
You are quite welcome to take your own photos of your subject matter, I promise I won't drop by your posts and dump on your choices like a churlish child.
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Forum: Monthly Photo Contests
06-16-2011, 09:51 PM
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Long Beach, Washington. JWF Fineza and Stevi Deter.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
06-16-2011, 09:02 PM
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This was my favorite shot from the Lipizzaner Stallion exhibition. It was a bonus it was Memorial Day weekend this year. The Takumar 135mm/f2.5 has it's limits, but it nails the shot sometimes.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-07-2010, 09:26 PM
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What batteries did you install? The correlation with problems and new batteries should be the first thing you rule out. I have read/heard here on the forum of slightly sub-standard batteries causing ills. Did you put in fresh CRV3's or NiMH rechargeables with a full charge? If not, I'd do one of those two things after letting it sit w/o batteries for a period.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-04-2010, 08:11 PM
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Somebody should hit that BIN price. That's a good deal. If I did not have two of those, I sure would.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-04-2010, 07:54 PM
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I have been going through this same thing for a little while now. I have been using an ist D and lately and ist DS for a few years, and lazily the kit zooms and an FA zoom telephoto. I was always less than thrilled with my pictures. I had old pentax lenses from years ago, and I finally dug them out and also bought a few others. I can't believe I was so lazy for a few years.Your product is so much better with the fixed lengths. Here are some observations I've made. I'm not expert, this is just what I've observed so far trying to do what you are thinking.
1) 50mm's - I have made a series of shots with a pair of M50/1.7's and one A50/2. I can find no real difference in the contrast and image between any of them. For the price and slightly more functionality, I'd get an A50/2 to start. I think they suffer only from the lack of cachet of not being "sub-2." Seems like an excellent lens to me. If I get a good deal on an A/1.4 or something, sure, I'll step up, but that A/2 works really well.
2) I just got a K50/4 macro. OMG. This is one amazing lens. Sharp. I have done no head-to-head tests yet, but from the first results I don't see a huge difference vs. the other 50s above f5.6 in contrast and image. The sharpness is amazing, and the macro feature is so much fun. As a daytime camera it's really, really neat. The sharpness also pays off in the viewfinder. It is nowhere near as hard to focus as the others. You know when it's on even without an aftermarket focusing screen. I want to get a doubler for this so I can use it in macro and telephoto and extends its usefulness. This is going to be my 80% of the time lens, the one married to the camera. You can't do those narrow DOF creative shots with this, but boy does it do everything else well.
3) I have two Pentax 28s (the 2.8 and 3.5). They take great pictures but I still prefer the 50s for walking around. I grew up with SLRs and I just expect to have to move about to frame a picture. Sometimes you obviously can't do that, but an inexpensive 18-55mm kit zoom is not bad for those situations.
4) The off brand zooms (Hanimex (Cosina oem) and the branded Sears, (Toyo I think it is oem the one I have) etc.,) are not impressive - about the same quality as a kit zoom or other autofocus zoom in my opinion. I would not bother with manual focus zooms. I am sure there may be something exceptional out there from the top-flight makers, but I would not mess much with a zoom that closely overlaps your kit. It likely won't outperform it.
5) I like a fixed telephoto, and 135mm is good for that on digital. At the moment, I just have cheap Hanimex 135/3.5 and it works well for the occasional time I use that. I used to have a Pentax M 135/3.5; don't know what happened to it. Eventually I will get a Pentax and compare head to head. But for as cheap as these are, just get an off-brand 135mm to play with.
So I would say grab a Pentax-A 50/2 first. They are incredibly easy to find and much cheaper than most others. If you ever find a K50/4 macro affordably, grab that.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
09-02-2010, 10:43 PM
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Not to hijack, but I would like to find one of those. I have had little luck in the US. I used one from c. 1980 to 1988 and liked it. I don't recall what happened to it. I would like another, and if it came from Japan that would be really neat. Currently I am using a generic Hanimex 135mm, which works well, but I would like an M/135mm.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-02-2010, 10:26 PM
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From my chemistry experience, it appears to be buffered isopropyl. That would explain the streaks with pure isopropyl. The delayed evaporation time gives you a chance to swipe it.
Basically any short-chain alcohol cleaned with a safe cloth.
God I loved it when we could swipe laboratory ethanol. That was fun. ;)
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-02-2010, 10:20 PM
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I have not been in the industry analysis end for a while, but my memory was that was the cost c. 1997, building in developing countries. I don't want to imagine what a plant in the US, Japan, or Europe would cost today. I would imagine at least 3bn to 4bn.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-02-2010, 10:10 PM
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Yep, that's what I see. It seems like KEH prices are REALLY good. I was a "market" guy in the 90s, I worked in capital markets in sales and trading. Markets are efficient. It seems KEH is paying more than average Ebay prices. So, presuming they pay what they say they will, that makes me think they get premium prices on the sales end for having inspected, graded, and then assured their buyers. Unlike taking a risk on Ebay or elsewhere. So they seem to be the "premium" reseller.
Looking on some ebay ads and local craigslist, I assumed some of my SLR bodies were worthless - maybe $10 each. Heck, I could get to Vegas for a weekend on what KEH is willing to offer for them. Whoo Hoo! (No, I'm just kidding - while the prices are real, I'm not the "weekend in Vegas" kinda guy. Just making a comparison - but I could get an auto-focus prime with the money. Whoo Hoo!).
I find this interesting, and it also compels me to want to watch their inventory and find the one or two odd old primes I want. It's easier, and unlike ebay you apparently won't be surprised and you will be pleased with what you get. Interesting. Rarely does someone in a transparent market get to set their own prices like that. I'm impressed.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-01-2010, 11:06 PM
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I have been meaning to consolidate my lenses and get rid of old film bodies. I have a bunch of nice used Pentaxes from c. 1980 to 1990-ish, K1000, ME, ME Super, KM. Two I bought, one I "inherited," another I was given. All were ones I used then, not things I've collected since.
But the fact is I won't go back to them, and thought I might roll the money into some more nice primes for the DSLRs than the K, M, and A ones I have (which I got/used with those bodies). So, I've been trying to pay attention to the review prices, get a feel. The other day I saw a poster mention selling to KEH, a place I was unfamiliar with. I looked up some prices there for their used purchase prices and was shocked. Many of their prices suggested for the grades of lenses/bodies I have were much more than I thought. Are those accurate reflections of what they pay for working items in the conditions listed? It would be awfully convenient to mail everything to them. But also, if the marketplace yields similar prices, it might be more sporting to pass it along to other forum members directly instead.
I would like to know how KEH operates and also any pointers about getting rid of multiple bodies/lenses.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-28-2010, 08:43 PM
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I have used it on an ist D and ist DS. I have had no problem at all at any f-stop. I have not used a newer model yet.
Thanks, Phil. I was thinking of that accessory already. I guess I may get it sooner rather than later.
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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
08-28-2010, 02:31 AM
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This is a terribly mediocre photo, I only had a second to snap a photo after plating it before having to serve it, sorry. But the story behind it is funny.
All last summer, a mushroom was growing in the corner of my horse's stall, well fertilized, of course. I never touched it and let it go until the fall. Finally, I picked it and decided to make a sauce aux duxelles out of it for a steak. I carefully got online and classified it before serving it to make sure it was edible. I really let this sauce work - maybe 1/2 hour of reduction, hydration, reduction, etc. - it was enormous but I reduced it down to just the tiniest fractions. I used a really nice vintage Sandman's port. When I was all done, there was really only enough as you see in the picture, which I gave to my girlfriend and I ate my mine with Dijon. :( She was blown away - I did get her to give me a taste; it was amazing, by far the finest steak sauce I had ever had (and I used to live in NYC, and had a lavish expense account!). I told her where it came from 1/2 way through and she about died laughing. Thank goodness!
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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
08-28-2010, 02:13 AM
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I am more a dog person, but cats are SO much more fun to photograph. I'll do some of those later, but since the limit is one a day, let me introduce not only another species, but an entirely different Order altogether. Perissodactyla. Horses have huge memories, comparable to elephants, and enormous emotional ranges - vastly more than dogs or cats in my opinion. Once you know a horse thoroughly, you can read their faces as clearly as humans. I can't read all horses, but I can mine. This expression is the horse equivalent of striking a pose. He knows I'm paying unusual attention to him and he's trying to look sexy. He actually thinks like that; he is a bit vain. But unfortunately he's also drop-dead sexy, so it's a dangerous combination. That classic line "he's got muscles in places others don't even have places" is completely accurate. BTW, his name is "Oro" and that is why my forum name(s) are that. We are quit close.
Joe Watt Wilderness, southwest of Thorpe, WA, c. 6/2008:
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-28-2010, 01:41 AM
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OK, I can add two things:
1) I'm not sure what "pre-set" means? I'm only from the K/M era forward and never had a screw mount that old. Is that where you twist one ring to the desired aperture, but then another to actually set it?
2) That is damn pretty. It is actually one of the prettiest lenses I've ever seen. I am the kind of guy who will pay a little bit more for "pretty" and that seems a fine price to me (have been shopping another fixed 135 myself).
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-28-2010, 01:36 AM
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-28-2010, 01:26 AM
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When you say "blown away" what are you comparing it to? A kit lens? Or another 50mm? I don't have an apples-to-apples comparison for you, but I will in a week. I have a K 55mm/1.8 on the way, and I have two M 50/1.7s and an A 50/2. These I have had for almost two decades, though only know really using on DSLR and comparing critically. I also have a K 50/4 Macro on the way.
This is what I am finding as I grow my 50(-ish, counting the 55) collection.
Between the two M50/1.7s I have no difference. Between the M 50/1.7 and the A 50/2, I see no difference, just like what m42man just said - I see nothing special in the M 50/1.7 and I have two copies I've tried. It's good, very good. But no different vs. a 2 except the f-stop. But based on "buzz" I am really excited to see what the 55/1.8 does and the 50/4. From what I can extrapolate the 55/1.8 should be much more interesting than the 50/1.7.
As to metering, I find my A 50/2 and M50/1.7s meter exactly the same in AV for the A and stop-down with the M. I have run some tests on that at every f-stop. Maybe there is something peculiar about the 55/1.8? Anyway, I am going to do some head-to-head comparisons in about a week.
I am betting what I will eventually do is get an A 50/1.4, and keep that and the K 50/4 macro, sell the others. I bet I will keep the 55/1.8 for novelty value. That is my bet now; we'll see how it plays out in a month's time and lots of tests.
I feel that way, too. I bet in a year or two I will spring for one and be overjoyed.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
08-28-2010, 12:48 AM
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OK, well I would like to pull out all my school boy latin and say mea culpa.
I have taken a number of other photos both with that lens, and an M 50/1.7. Everything is coming out fine. I think I am learning Marc's point (and others) about getting tricked by the apparent DOF. Also, I was not fully aware of the focus verification and am now using that to double check myself, but it is not demonstrating that I am making many errors. Yes I wanted to shoot it at F2 to just hightlight the "BB", the "22" was a typo.
I also re-set the diopter with my glasses and I only shoot with my eye correction on (glasses or contacts) and the diopter set to that. I really appreciate all the comments and went through each one to follow the point and double check myself. I just blew this, probably moving like tibbitts said, or getting fooled like Marc and Lowell said.
Also, to do photos like this better, I bought a proper M 50mm/4 macro lens which I am looking forward to getting and playing with, and also I will be installing a slit focusing screen.
Technically it is a pre-70, but yes with the '70 series barrel/bushing and thus the "BB" code. It is one of the very last ones made in June of 1970. And yes, the "BB" is there because it is one of the random 1,000 production proof/test guns they sprinkled in the last few thousand of those prior to rolling out the full '70 series in July. I am a collector of '70 series/collet bushing Colt GMs. I actually have two of these particular "BB" pre-production models; definitely the rarest example of anything I own in that regard. If you are curious or knowledgeable about them, send me a pm or email, I won't force others to read (much) more of my non-photo ramblings! I appreciate your skilled observation. Here is a better pic of the gun and I have all the original documents that came with it, too. I have not owned it long; I just found it recently though I had been looking on and off for a number of years. I was dumbstruck when I found another one within a week later; it is arriving tomorrow. As you can see, I blew this photo, too - either that or photbucket has degraded it because I recall it looking much better on my computer after I cropped the RAW file... It was on a tripod, also. I am going to re-shoot some of it and the new (to me) one in the next few days and with a macro lens.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
08-28-2010, 12:26 AM
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Dang you drink some pricey beer! ;)
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
08-28-2010, 12:20 AM
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I love Pentax because:
1) It is what I learned film photography on starting about 1980. (I took a long sabbatical from SLRs from c.1992 to about 2006 - woke up like Rip Van Winkle as I explained before).
2) They invented SLRs and the modern camera, basically.
3) I have a box of old glass I can now stick on my DSLR and take great pictures (I was stupid to use zooms the last few years).
4) They aren't a monolithic corporate giant.
5) I like being loyal to a company that serves its passionate customers.
6) Glass.
7) Glass.
and lastly,
8) Glass -- oodles of quality, cheap glass.
4) The look, feel, and handle great.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
08-28-2010, 12:07 AM
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I would say spring $40 to $60 or whatever for an A 50mm/2 or an A 50mm/1.7.
I have an older DS, but it is with that same 18-55mm lens. It is a good lens, useful and efficient. It is not brilliant. But I would never get rid of it, like RioRico said. A month or two back I rooted out some old 70s/80s vintage primes I had and wow, what a difference. I am kicking myself for wasting several years using the kit lens and 80-320 FA zoom! I got very frustrated of always having only "average" photos when I knew I should be getting better results. There may be some zooms that can equal the optical quality of those old M, K, and A lenses, but I can't afford them. Get a 28 or 35mm if you want something with less magnification than the 50mm, but I find the 50mm units very workable as a "standard" lens even on digital. And they are cheap and plentiful. There is a lot to be said for cheap and plentiful. If only you could get _____ cheaply and plentifully! (insert whatever you would like in the blank. Maybe we should have a fill-in-the-blank contest!)
If you want "reach," I'd say keep using the kit, and get a 135mm fixed length. I have seen some stunning deals on these if not Pentax brand - there are many decent though not brilliant third part 135mm fixed lengths ("primes") going back decades. I had an M 135/3.5 back in the 80s and it was a very useful lens (I don't know what happened to it!). Keep in mind that is more like 200mm when on digital if you still think in film magnification like I do. My little "go" pack is a modest fanny pack with a 50mm, the kit, a 135mm and flash. By far the 50mm is the 85% of the time lens now. I am installing a split/matte old-school focus ring next month. I am going to grind my own from a vintage ME of mine that died a noble death. You can buy an inexpensive one from China via Ebay for $20 to $30 and it will make your manual-focus life easier. I'm just going to grind down my own to both a) save $30, and b) salvage some part of that old ME; it will be very satisfying to have some late '70s vintage parts now "improving" my DSLR. I saw how to do it from some excellent posts by forum members here - which is one of many reasons I paid to be a "supporter."
But by far the biggest leap for me was taking off the kit and sticking on the A 50/2. Wow what a jump in image quality and my personal satisfaction. Keep in mind if your Kx is like the DS, there are a few tweaks to using it off the "A" setting. I also agree with RioRico's point and if I could afford an FA 50/1.4, that would be my everyday lens. Maybe in a few years. I am thinking I will pick up an A 50/1.4 when I find a good deal. I have not used an FA 50/1.4 but boy would I like too!
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