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Forum: Monthly Photo Contests 02-02-2013, 12:18 PM  
Essence of Summer
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 0
Views: 600
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 10-01-2010, 07:59 AM  
Helios 40mm or Zeiss 85mm/1.4 T
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 29
Views: 10,135
I'm remiss as to where I've saved my lens diagrams, but the CY and ZK differ. The ZK is slightly reworked, but appears similar in rendering. I think the new coatings help contrast somewhat, but there seemed to me to be more CAs. Either way, I enjoyed the ZK and now have a Leitax'd CY (after finding the ZA for my Sony A900 to be lacking by comparison).

Further, I would suggest in owning each the Biotar 75, Helios 40-2 and Zeiss 85 CY that all three have found a reason to continue to exist in my possession. I really had hoped for financial reasons that I'd find an easy victor, but this hasn't been the case. The Biotar perhaps may find less use since the arrival of the Helios. It is 'cleaner', sharper wide open and with better contrast than the Helios, who's bokeh and diffusive glow wide open I enjoy more often. The Planar is in a different class. The CYs and ZKs are both more modern with higher contrast due to better coatings as a result, better corner to corner sharpness from wide open and with 'normal' bokeh of a high order. For a paid gig, you'll want the Planar.

K.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 10-01-2010, 07:46 AM  
Helios 40mm or Zeiss 85mm/1.4 T
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 29
Views: 10,135
Got your PM, it seems like you have been given a good place to start adjusting the focus screen and diopter. Let us know how it goes from there. My first question is can you hit focus at all? I recall from shooting my K20 that the focus screen was not totally accurate as to what was in focus, as in, at 1.4 DoF being as shallow as it was, I often burst shot through targets slowly adjusting focus as I did so. I found perfect focus was somewhere just before it appeared to come into focus on the screen. Focusing with live view is the best way to know if you can hit focus or if the lens is sat too far away from the sensor to hit inifinity at all at that aperture. It sounds like it's not too far off as by 2.8 your DoF is enough to encompass the focusing error, so it will be a very minor adjustment.

Kelly.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 05-20-2009, 09:56 PM  
Zeiss color vs. Pentax color
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 9
Views: 7,554
Hello Brian, James, all.

Well said Brian - of course I agree :) I do miss my Voigts and the manual Zeiss I had. No matter how good I have it, I'd used all the lenses I did for a reason, and even similar lenses I use now are different. If I had unlimited funds I'd be tempted to get a K7 and a Nokton, just for those sort of shots.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 05-19-2009, 08:24 AM  
Zeiss color vs. Pentax color
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 9
Views: 7,554
Just a side note re: the Zeiss badged, Cosina manufactured Z series is that the glass is still produced and QC'd by Zeiss, then shipped to Cosina for assembly. Not sure about the Voigt glass, as Voigtlander does exist still as well in Germany.

On the original topic, I'd chip in my 2 cents that the FA31 I had, vs the various Zeiss lenses I've used proved very similar. On the K20, I found my outdoor shots to be uniformly well toned and contrasted. I stress the 'well' part with these as with both the FA31 and various (modern) Zeiss, I often noted less blow-out/fade than with my Sigma lenses for example.

Thats the limit of my frame of reference however. Ironically in the year and a half I owned Pentax cameras, I only ever had the FA31 for any length of time.

K.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 04-13-2009, 09:20 PM  
LBA: Voigtlander 180mm f4 Apo Lanthar SL II
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 10
Views: 7,002
Glad to see you are enjoying the 180 James! (And Brian the 90!) The 180 is a great 'pocket' tele. Close focus allowed its smooth bokeh to shine, true APO gives a very clean image, so sharp and so small! And the build quality is top notch. Hard to beat the combo unless AF is a necessity. I miss the lack of Voigtlander for the A900, I've been adjusting to my new glass and focusing on new discoveries to fill the gaps.

Still have a couple 180 shots on my zenfolio page from that lens -



Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 04-10-2009, 07:19 AM  
Should I buy Cosina 55/1.2 PK? Must know by 10am PST, 10 April!
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 17
Views: 4,967
Generally speaking one can convert lenses designed for cameras with longer registrations to shorter, but not the other way around. Canon being 44mm and Pentax 45.46 means you'll be missing infinity by a fair bit. Its also why there are so many Canon converters for lenses (including K) out there.

Fwiw, I wouldn't bother unless you have a specific love for the lens in question or got it free. There are several f1.2 options available to the K-mount shooter which give decent performance, not the least of which are the Pentax A and K 50/1.2's. For cheaper (and tying-in with the OP), the Cosina 55/1.2 is a good lens and is only cheap because it is native K-mount. The Tomioka Yashinon 55/1.2 which shares some lineage (and performance) with it, but is a native M42 lens goes for double.

K.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 04-08-2009, 06:58 PM  
fast wide angle lens
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 15
Views: 5,229
Good suggestion and good advice above. Fwiw, I just got my Sigma 24/1.8 today (for Sony) and it's very good. It also has the advantage of being able to focus to 1:2.7 life scale which opens a lot of possibilities. I used a Zeiss T*25/2.8 Distagon with my K20 previously and really enjoyed that lens but its $$. The Sigma will do a fine job of filling the role for my purposes. I read a lot of reviews questioning the sharpness of the Sigma at wider apertures, but I have to really wonder if some folks aren't forgetting that the Dof is quite narrow at these settings and can be easily misfocused. My early experience is that the lens is a solid performer. It does show some distortion, and vignettes under f4 on my A900 (full frame). This would be less notable on APS-C. PF and CAs seem fine and IQ is quite good, recommend. As Quicksand mentions however, for best performance shooting architecture, a tripod and stopping down are the best bet.

Kelly.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 03-27-2009, 07:57 PM  
Green Pentax Km is not coincidence, this is why..
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 41
Views: 11,688
See, the camo really works. Can't tell a Pentax from an Oly from a tree now.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 03-26-2009, 08:42 AM  
DA15 limited
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 5
Views: 3,341
haha . . was this random or do you intend to get one someday? How curious.


K.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 03-26-2009, 08:24 AM  
Announced: Tamron 60mm f/2.0 Macro
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 18
Views: 6,430
I've recently read Sony have a majority stake in Tamron Corp. They rebadge some Tamrons for their economy lenses, kinda like a Tokina - Pentax deal, except they still produce Tamrons in Sony mount.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 03-26-2009, 08:15 AM  
A hard fall makes me reconsidere my lens buying.
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 33
Views: 5,021
Thanks for sharing, I hadn't considered this, admittedly. I'll be looking into it further before my upcoming Mexico trip, but do you mind if I ask what you're getting for a deductible on this?

K.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 03-23-2009, 09:43 AM  
Poll: DA★60-250mm Opinion poll
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 25
Views: 4,976
Well.. . maybe the additional material required for the extra size justifies the cost, hehe :D



It kind of proves his point better assuming the correct image is linked. Having said that, all these lenses are hand holdable, so it's not too damning I think. I'm pretty sure we'de find the 60-250 still a bit smaller than a classic 70-200/2.8. Of the newer Tamron and Sigma, I'm not sure, I'm a bit short on time atm to check.

K.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 03-22-2009, 02:51 PM  
Poll: DA★60-250mm Opinion poll
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 25
Views: 4,976
Hi Brian. The primary reasons I can see for Pentax to maintain the f4 aperture would be to continue with compact sizing and to manage price. The range seems to simply try and edge past the classic 70-200 margins of general zoom, but this is all curiously comprimised with the pricing being near or at that of f2.8 zooms from other makers.

Generally speaking, I'd say for weather seal alone as a distinguishing advantage, paying this premium is a lot to ask at its spec considering the competition (further, it may or may not work on a future FF body and will probably follow suit with modern Pentax releases being manufactured off-shore in the Vietnam plant leaving QC suspect). I had considered one myself in past as a high quality, general telephoto option as my need for this focal range is varied and sporadic, yet where quality is still expected.

Value for money was a Pentax forte and one of the reasons I started there, but that is drying up instantly. To illustrate (as many before me), I was able to purchase Sonys just released 70-400/4-5.6G flagship zoom for 1650CAD. The classic 70-200/2.8G is available for the same price. They also offer a lighter 70-300/4.5-5.6G for 800CAD. Note these are all Sony 'G' lenses, equivalent to the DA*, robust, solid performers - yet guaranteed full frame and made in Japan.

Obviously Pentax need to charge more as everyone does to make ends meet in the current market, but they seem to be swimming a little close to the mouths of larger fish at this price point.
Forum: General Talk 03-15-2009, 02:52 PM  
Pepper Spray used on Photographers
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 64
Views: 9,143
Its rather strange that the one fellow is allowed to stand over/behind the police and shoot while those in front are getting the hose. While it seems completely over the top to be using the pepper spray on a group of camera wielding photogs, one wonders what the story was here. With the one guy actually wearing a gas mask and helmet, it stands to reason that the response to what was transpiring was predictable.

Theories -

I've consulted the local sporting arena to determine what a 'pro' camera is as they allow some cameras and not others during NHL games. Basically, if the body and lens can fit in the palm of your hand, you're good. Maybe Icelandic police have a similar rule so they don't have bad looking skin in the press.

Maybe it was a trade show for something other than Nikon, it seems like only the Nikons are getting wet. Its almost understandable then. Kidding.

An argument for FF? Since they are so huge and bulky, the photogs would not even have gotten a sniff of the spray when shooting with them.

hmm... I'm out. Any more?
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 03-12-2009, 06:20 PM  
Do I want FF or not?
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 47
Views: 7,232
This white paper Canon issued a couple of years back on the difference describes what you're getting and not getting with 24x36 sensors and an interesting description explaining the cost factor behind them. Mind the Canon marketing speak.

http://usa.canon.com/uploadedimages/FCK/Image/White%20Papers/Canon_CMOS_WP.pdf

or

http://www.robgalbraith.com/public_files/Canon_Full-Frame_CMOS_White_Paper.pdf
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 03-10-2009, 08:22 AM  
Some thoughts...a reaction.
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 56
Views: 11,279
To the OP,

As a consumer, I bought Pentax because it offered bang for buck. Good quality for my money, thats how they got me in the door, but I knew what I wanted eventually yet hoped to stay with a company having this philosophy. I read the speculation fervently for a year, and like Samsungian, I felt let down and eventually went somewhere else to have my needs met, its natural. Brand philosophy is a good indicator of intent, but a brand is not loyal to you. It just does what it needs to survive, like you should.

I read a lot of opinion in this section - some of it very impassioned - about what Pentax needs. Really, like any major competitor, it needs a complete product line, but since it can't afford that, it gets creative working under its limitations. It must and does tread careful and cautiously to market so as not to get trampled under the foot of Canikon (or even Sony now) and pressure even comes from the compact side now too - possibly even Samsung itself with its NX. Pentax will do something. It will be cost effective, available when the technology is affordable enough to meet its bang for buck ratio. This pace may appeal to many, but its not for everyone.

If you are well satisfied with your kit and wonder for nothing, one could ask why even wander this hall of rumours at all? Pentax might have what you seek someday, and when they do it will be a good value ratio. Yet, if you hope for something that seems ever more unlikely and this disappoints you - go look at what is out there already that does what you want and know one way or the other, they're just cameras after all. The only right answer is that you are the consumer, the market is there to meet your demands. Get whatever it is that that suits you.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 03-09-2009, 08:48 AM  
improving bokeh
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 35
Views: 12,553
Very nice shot! Good example for the OP.



Perhaps you'll enjoy to try this technique more in future. It is for results such as these I would disagree with the bolded part of your statement, unless you are looking only for MTF scores. These sorts of shot are the bread and butter of my fast lenses.

K.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 03-09-2009, 06:34 AM  
improving bokeh
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 35
Views: 12,553
The type of shot she is showing with overwhelming, yet articularted bokeh is relative to lens choice, proximity to subject and most importantly, background selection. Most of her shots aren't (as pointed out here) 'macro' (ie 1:1 life scale). Working near the minimum focus distance of fast lenses will be the first step to this type of result, and exploring the world of fast lenses can be a fun yet expensive journey. Starting with older manual lenses and adapters is a great way to see a lot different bokeh for a reasonable price.

There have been topics about this which will give you some more detailed thoughts and samples.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/31244-bokeh-ma...ggestions.html

My favorite lens for bokeh -
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/18979-voigtlan...-4-review.html

K.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 03-08-2009, 10:15 PM  
FF K20D is almost done!
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 80
Views: 15,851
I think there are very few left here who feel a FF Pentax is imminent for many reasons, including myself (who bought the A900). Given the state of current technology however, SR on FF perfomance is not likely one of those reasons, as explained by Falconeye (interesting test result btw).

K.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 03-08-2009, 09:24 AM  
FF K20D is almost done!
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 80
Views: 15,851
Source, link?



SSSI functions with any lens and turning it on or off does not visibly affect vignette. It functions effectively, as advertised.

K.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 03-07-2009, 10:26 AM  
FF K20D is almost done!
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 80
Views: 15,851
Sony SSSI (super steady shot inside) offers equal effectiveness to Pentax in-body SR, rated at 2-4 stops effective.

My original point being that the obstacle of stabalizing a FF sensor within existing 35mm format image circle has been accomplished.


K.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 03-06-2009, 04:40 PM  
FF K20D is almost done!
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 80
Views: 15,851
Are Sony/Minoltas 'FA' (traditional full frames, like the 50/1.4) somehow larger than Pentax? I ask because the A900 has in-body SR and works fine with any lens, just the the k20.

K.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 03-05-2009, 08:28 AM  
Are they talking of full frame?
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 35
Views: 7,598
EVIL segment in general, rather than sensor size. Seems wise that rather than to pit APS-C and 4/3 against FF in the 35mm DSLR segment that they make use of the smaller sensor size to its advantage with compact bodies and lenses in a new segment which shows promise. Samsung, with their larger sensor, seems to have seperated themselves even from Oly and Panasonic though, which I personally think is smart but risky. They are the 'FF' (so to speak) of EVIL, but won't be sharing existing APS-C or 4/3 consortium glass. Thus I think NX probably has a long ways to go before its a viable solution, but its certainly representative of the smaller form factor, changeable lens segment that could capture a lot of market share in the future.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 03-03-2009, 10:32 AM  
Any other new DSLRs at Photokina
Posted By thePiRaTE!!
Replies: 98
Views: 15,965
Yeah, 50 in APS only is odd. Makes me quietly hope the Zeiss Planar 50 will find its way into ZA, eventually.

Speculation is that 28-70/2.8 is a late addition as a kit lens for the A900. The 18-55 and 55-200 replacement kits for the APCs. You might be right about Tamron rebadging for all of these, Sony own a majority share in that company. Easy way to bring things to market I suppose.

I put my fiances 18-70 on my A900 and it automatically adjusts to use it in APS-C mode (11 mp). There is also an APS-C mode bypass control in the menu I assume is to use the lens as it is, vignette and all. There are APS markings in the viewfinder to frame with, but I'm told the Nikon actually greys out the unused portion of the viewfinder, which seems more intuitive. I wasn't aware of the Canon deficiency in this regard, a bit surprising actually. Wonder why it won't work for them.

K.
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