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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
07-30-2014, 12:14 AM
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Well, Cactus cannot fix the (artificial) limitation of Pentax DSLRs.
They could try fake the presence of an HSS-capable flash with the V6, but Cactus like to keep their gear brand agnostic, so they would have to perform that trick for Canon, Nikon, and Pentax.
Cactus are aware that users appreciate the ability of brand-specific equipment to enable HSS timing, etc. automatically.
It wouldn't hurt, though, if Pentax users visited the "V6 suggestions" thread on their community forum and told them about their needs and wants.
It is pretty remarkable that they did not stop at Canon and Nikon support, but cared for Pentax as well, so I think it would be good to signal to them that Pentax shooters use their stuff and would like to see further development.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
07-22-2014, 06:23 AM
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That's not possible.
The sync-speed is determined by the shutter mechanics and you cannot influence the latter through firmware changes.
It would be possible, though, to make the camera emit a trigger signal independently of the shutter speed. That would help quite a bit to fire HSS flashes like the Cactus RF60 off-camera, without requiring an HSS-capable flash connected to the camera. And as a matter of fact, this hack would be rather easy to accomplish (once one has located the right place in the code, which will be the major challenge).
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
03-17-2014, 04:18 PM
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
03-04-2014, 11:25 AM
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Just to clarify that this optical->radio conversion works for triggering (including HSS) only.
The V6 will not fully preserve all optical signals and convert them to radio waves. The Akoatec AK-TTL do that but they need some bulky contraptions to accomplish this.
The Akoatec AK-TTL make more sense for the flash systems of Canon and Nikon that actually have some support for controlling multiple flash setups. When considering P-TTL, however, I feel that the V6 covers it very well with its ability to remote control the power of flashes and trigger them.
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
01-20-2014, 02:03 PM
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Yep, I'm seriously considering picking up a 600D/T3i just so I can use Magic Lantern! It would be great if ML was available for Pentax :D
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
01-20-2014, 01:56 PM
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the number one thing any camera manufacturer can do these days is to document and publicize the APIs that control all functions within the camera. This way third parties can "enhance" the behavior of the system in ways the manufacturer could never dream of. Think what would happen if you could only by Apple software to work with your laptop or iPhone. And witness the "success" the Canon ecosystem is having with hackers "opening up" older Canon models to new features -- it appears that rather than hurting Canon such hacking has instead become a reason to choose Canon! Camera companies are failing precisely because they aren't seeing their systems as "open".
Michael
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Forum: Winners' Showcase
10-08-2013, 06:09 PM
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My image of the Great Orion Nebula and Running Man Nebula. I re-uploaded/attached it as I didn't think it fit with the contest size rules.
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
12-10-2013, 03:22 PM
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
12-05-2013, 12:13 AM
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Ok, my wish list, to make the K-3 actually desireable:
- Video SR like in the K-5. Meaning it uses the sensor. Give both 3 options, off, sensor based SR, electronic SR. Maybe a 4th, sensor + electronic SR. At off and sensor based the crop has to be off, I want the full sensor to be used for video. Different settings for the SR would be good. For example fine tuning how strong it is, what the goal is (smooth motion or no motion). Having the ability to detect pans so that it won't correct as much along the panning axis --> no rebound when the pan is finished. The ability to turn this on and off.
- Higher bitrates for h264, eventually also MJPEG support. 10 bit h264 support would be nice too, with true 10 bit files from the sensor. 4:2:2 video files perhaps?
Nice to have features:
- Sensor shift based braketing. Quickly take photos with the the sensor in different positions to cover the biggest possible area. If the SR system had enough range this could even simulate a full frame sensor. No need for processing in the camera, there's PC software for that. Also, being able to combine it with other braketing options would be great.
- Fokus stacking braketing. Again, no need for in camera processing, just let the camera consider the aperture and take as many photos as necessary to get everything in focus.
- DEP mode (high end Canons used to have this) in a more sophisticated version. Basically you focus on the closest point you need to have in focus, then you focus on the furthest point you need to have in focus, and then the camera does the rest. Pick the right focus point and aperture so that this area is covered. The software can also consider that at too small apertures everything gets blurry again, can warn the user and recommend focus stacking instead to have this area covered.
- API for control over WiFi/USB. Basically I want software developers to be able to write ANYTHING. Many features mentioned here could be realized that way. These are more studio/tripod based features anyway, being able to control the camera on a tablet or phone with touchscreen would be preferable anyway. You could also script complex things, have the camera do time lapses with the sensor slowly shifting (i.e. like a slider, just in camera), ... plenty of awesome stuff could be dreamed off there.
- Using the API there could be an app/application that lets you do all the settings on a computer/tablet. Not as fumbly as having to dig through menus on a small screen with a few buttons.
- USB host support. Plug in an external hard drive to backup/move photos/videos on the go.
Science fiction that probably requires different hardware:
- USB 3.0 is there... what about being able to output stuff to an SSD instead? That way you could get the write speeds necessary for CineDNG video, for 4K video, ...
- Pixel binning. That would be HUGE. AFAIK have this are the Panasonic GH2 and GH3... and they are loved for it. Basically normal DSLRs take every 10th pixel or so and use that for video (as they have 16+ MP, and FullHD video is 2 MP). You get horrible aliasing, moire, poor low light performance, ... as a result. But pixel binning takes ALL pixels there are, and scales them down to create a 2 MP picture. That way you get vastly superior video quality.
- Focus peaking during video capturing. It is an extremely helpful feature while recording video. Much more useful than AF for example.
Another video related wish: Hold white balance button. Often times my K-5 gets the white balance right, better than what I can do with manual white balance. But then it may drift somewhere else during shooting... And that's what I usually would like to avoid (not always). So like the AE-lock function that for WB would be great. Perhaps by pressing the WB button while recording?
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
11-11-2013, 05:02 PM
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
10-28-2013, 07:19 AM
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I wouldn't go that far. If you are working at the limits of light and your equipment, 1/3rd of a stop would make a difference. I don't, so it isn't important to me.
When Pentax announced their WR flash units someone said that they couldn't imagine a situation where a WR flash unit would be required. I was in one yesterday. So to not see a situation where that faster sync speed would make a difference may be a lack of imagination.
And yes, it can be worked around. Photography is in large part working around the limitations of the device we have in our hand.
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
10-28-2013, 08:09 AM
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Well me for one. But the lower X speed of Pentax cameras is a disincentive for Pro's to use them as I'm sure Pentax is well aware of, hence the inclusion of 80 ISO in the K5 (possibly?), what other reason is there for 80 ISO?
Pro's put up with the unreliability of Canon, the expense of Nikon, why they aren't using a $1300 camera that has great image quality, lower noise, is far more reliable, weather resistant etc. etc. is another question you'll have to ask them.
I suggest one answer could be depth of field, if you want full frame and the narrow DOF that goes with it, you have to go with Canikon. The slower X speed limits the narrowness of the DOF as you have to use a (slightly) smaller f stop when using flash, along with the APS sized sensor which widens DOF, it all adds up for people who have to sell their images where narrow DOF can make a difference between your shot being chosen for publication and the next guy's. There are no image quality reasons for full frame anymore, but there are DOF reasons which is why I would love to see a Pentax FF camera. Combine all those things and you can see why Pro's tend to go for Canikons with all their faults and cost. If Canon can manage of 1/500th of a second X speed on their full frame cameras why can't Pentax on their APS cameras, don't they both use Seiko shutter mechanisms?
The opportunity for closing the gap between Canikon and Pentax has been missed - again, it's a small thing, but a few small things add up to a big difference. I hear time and time again from colleagues in the industry that Pentax doesn't cater for the needs of Pro photographers and, to be honest, I have to agree with them, having a few Canikons of my own. That's why Pentaxians on here and in other forums are pulling their hair out year after year, because we know that Pentax make great cameras, good enough to fill the number one slot as they did a few decades ago.
Amateurs want the camera the Pro's use in the mistaken belief that they will be able to take Pro images, wrong we know, but that's how it is, that's why a Pro level camera is necessary in the Pentax line up, the K3, great as it, innovative as it is, is not it, it's these little things like the slow X speed that limit market share for Pentax especially where it counts, in the Pro arena, camera market share is a top down thing, and it's a shame, I'll still buy one though.
Sorry, this turned into quite a rant.
Chris
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
10-26-2013, 05:17 PM
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Or, as the wikipedia article highlights, an outdoors scene illuminated by a 'bright' Aurora borealis or Aurora australis.
Indoors -3 EV happens a lot when you are shooting live music in dim pubs or venues, for example. Being able to meter down into shadowy darkness, and get focus, will be extremely useful, especially as a lot of venues don't allow flash use.
It also means K-3 users won't have to use the annoying AF assist lamp to help us get focus. I hate the AF assist light, and always have it turned off.
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
10-25-2013, 05:24 AM
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Phooee I remember 'B' as the flash sync option :)
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
10-24-2013, 03:57 AM
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As I mentioned further above that is quite easily solvable (by Pentax R&D that is). If the flash is kept in HSS-PTTL mode (from the settings on its panel) than it can behave as HSS/non-HSS P-TTL/Manual exposure based simply on what the camera sends to it. It all exists already in the communication protocol, both wired and wireless. It just needs to be added to the menus. No changes needed deep down in the firmware of the camera and no changes at all in the flash. It is just at the level of the user interface that changes need to be made - the rest is all already there, even in earlier models such as the K-r.
The manual would of course need to tell you to leave the flash always in HSS P-TTL mode as the camera would have no way of knowing if the flash is not. But that is nothing new as the camera doesn't even know whether there is a wireless flash at all, let alone what mode it is set to, and you need to set it to remote anyway.
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
10-23-2013, 12:28 PM
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:( high speed sync not available with the built-in flash P.86
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
10-20-2013, 04:33 AM
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I think all we can hope for is that someone with influence from RICOH is reading these posts, and they understand that those of us intending to use
the K-3 as a serious video cam are horrified at the possible implementation of software based SR.
Personally, I've experienced it in the K-01, and shudder at the thought it could make its way into this so-called professional implementation.
I imagine we all hope that sensor-shift based SR is "switched on" for the final release.
Please make it so, RICOH San!
Then again, maybe it was always going to be released with sensor shift SR. If so, thank you very, very much.
AB
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