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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-27-2024, 11:37 AM  
Poll: It's a total eclipse, but is it art? Best of Pentax Forums Feb. 21 poll
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 31
Views: 1,716
My wife and I planned a road trip vacation with the eclipse in the middle. The vacation softens the disappointment of cloudy weather on eclipse day, but I'm prepared to relocate early AM to chase clear skies while most people are sleeping.

I already have the gear I need including a tracking mount that will follow the sun. I can pay minimal attention to the camera freeing me up to visually observe the sun. Here's some photos from the 2017 eclipse:

Eclipse Diamond Ring with Prominences by jvsperoni, on Flickr

Solar Corona by jvsperoni, on Flickr
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 06-05-2023, 12:44 PM  
Is there an internal battery?
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 6
Views: 1,303
Try to do a full factory reset to see if that helps. It's buried somewhere in the menus.

Note that you will have to redo all of your custom settings afterwards, including any painstaking lens calibrations you've done. You can take a cellphone video prior to reset as you cycle through every menu page to document the current settings.
Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50 04-30-2023, 04:25 PM  
Dull or dark image - K30
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 4
Views: 1,293
What mode are you using: auto, Av, TAv, etc.?


"Dark" suggests the shutter speed is too fast. That could be caused by accidentally setting exposure compensation.

"Dull" suggests lack of color. If you are using JPG mode, did you accidentally pick a different color mode, such as previously being in "vibrant" mode and then changing to "natural"?
Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands 04-28-2023, 12:41 PM  
Very rare migrating birds
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 2
Views: 615
Thanks for sharing


My first thought for these photos was: those look like geese and seagulls. Rare!? Then I saw the last photo and realized I need to take a closer look at the smaller birds in the earlier photos.
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 04-19-2023, 08:12 AM  
Need New Windows Desktop Computer for Editing Images
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 39
Views: 1,944
[lots of snipping for brevity]



I agree. Building a PC is a hobby unto itself. If someone just wants to do photography or gaming they shouldn't build their own PC. Build a PC if you are interested in, well, building a PC.

There are good reasons to buy a prebuilt computer but don't buy it from a bad company. If the system builder won't say what motherboard model they use, they may be using a crappy proprietary motherboard. I suggest avoiding Dell and HP because of proprietary parts and unwanted software forced onto the PC.
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 04-18-2023, 11:07 AM  
Need New Windows Desktop Computer for Editing Images
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 39
Views: 1,944
Micro Center, already mentioned in this thread, is my favorite computer store whether in-person or online. I use them for parts to assemble my own PCs rather than buying prebuilt PCs.

"Powerspec" is Micro Center's house brand of prebuilt PCs. I have zero firsthand experience with Powerspec, but I did some research in August 2022 and they seemed okay at the time.

The bigger assemblers like Dell and HP left me disappointed long ago. Maybe they have gotten better, but here's what steered me away 20+ years ago:
  1. They often used non-standard parts that I couldn't replace later.

  2. The original manufacturer of parts was hidden. Take power supplies, for example: were they buying supplies from good companies or bad companies? It was a secret.

  3. They added a lot of garbage "bloatware" to their Windows installation. This slows down the computers, creates complexity, and reduces security. I prefer a clean install and I'll add the software I want.

  4. Bad case designs with poor airflow, noisy fans, and overheating.

Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 03-27-2023, 09:43 AM  
K-70 vs KP for Astrophotography?
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 17
Views: 1,828
@RandomWindowArt , Bob makes a very good suggestion. I'll add that there could be additional learning to do before photo processing such as camera settings. New astrophotographers often get distracted by gear (because we can read the web 24/7) when what they actually need is more practice (which is too often limited by weather and needing to sleep).


The astrotracer (or a motorized tracking mount) allows longer exposures of the sky but the foreground blurs a little during tracking. That can lead to taking multiple exposures, some with tracking on others off, then merging later; it gets very complex. The astrotracer IMO is easier to use when the foreground is not illuminated and some blur doesn't matter.


What shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and focal length did you use for image #1?


How do you feel your current K-50 is limiting you? What lenses do you have? What processing software do you have? How many hours per month do you have to practice night photography, and process photos later?
Forum: Product Suggestions and Feedback 03-23-2023, 12:32 AM  
Optical Adhesive...homemade solar filter...
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 11
Views: 947
Check manufacturer recommendation for the specific film you buy. Glue might not be recommended. Many solar films need to be installed loosely to allow for some expansion/contraction as temperatures change. A little waviness won't hurt optical performance, but do avoid wrinkles.

A common technique for homemade filters is to sandwich the film between cardboard. There are many samples shown on this product page AstroSolar® Safety Film OD 5.0 (ECO-size, 20x29, 100x50, 117x117 cm) - Whitelight - Solar

Here's one that I made using foam posterboard. If I did it over again I would have used thinner foam and cut an octagon or circle (instead of square as pictured) so the filter would be less bulky to store.
My Eclipse Camera by jvsperoni, on Flickr
Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals 03-22-2023, 02:45 PM  
Amazon killed Dpreview
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 386
Views: 20,232
Amazon is so large that any sale of DPR isn't worth the trouble. Small companies can't pay enough money to get Amazon's attention. Large companies are competitors that might not want to cut deals with each other.


Similar things happen with Google. When they cease a service they often kill it and take a loss, rather than sell to Amazon or Microsoft.
Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals 03-22-2023, 02:35 PM  
Amazon killed Dpreview
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 386
Views: 20,232
DPR steered me towards a Pentax Kr when I got back into photography. They had detailed reviews of many camera models and the Kr seemed better (especially in low light) than similarly priced Canons and Nikons. I miss that old DPR. I won't miss what DPR turned into in recent years.

(I didn't even know PF existed when I bought my first DSLR. Searching for more info about how to customize Kr settings led me here. The Kr was my gateway drug to K5 and K1 upgrades.)

DPR is doomed.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 02-15-2023, 09:27 AM  
Focus-On-Stars
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 23
Views: 1,455
Yes, this is a very good way to do it. I'll add details for the benefit of the OP.

Find a bright star. Aim the camera at it. Go to maximum live view zoom (info button on K-1, other models differ) and get the star as small as possible with manual focus. Re-aim at your target, taking care to not change focus as you handle the camera.

More details to consider, some of which have been mentioned by others:
  • Some lenses can have field curvature with uneven focus across the frame. Instead of focusing on the exact center of the frame, shift the target star around 1/3 of the way to the edge of the frame for focusing.

  • Some wide lenses have strong coma distortion as you move towards the frame edges. There's not much you can do about this except to use a different lens or crop later.

  • You can try liveview with the focus peaking feature on and off, to see which works better for you.

Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 02-13-2023, 12:34 PM  
Brick & Mortar ??
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 19
Views: 1,217
Don't feel guilty about buying and returning. Ricoh Pentax and online sellers set their return polices and prices accordingly. Check for restocking fees before ordering. I haven't ordered in a while, but I had good experiences with both B&H and Adorama.


Interestingly, the list of authorized dealers has not been updated since 2019. Given the trend of general brick&mortar closings, plus covid, it's likely that a few dealers are no longer in business.

Note that "Amazon" is not on the authorized dealer list. Ricoh might not allow warranty repairs nor even permit out of warranty work if you pay on your own.
Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II 01-27-2023, 02:19 PM  
Ultra Wide for Full Frame lens?
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 50
Views: 4,193
My ultrawide experience:

Pentax 15-30 has good image quality and versatility. It's my main lens any time I need to go wider than the 28-105. Its bulk+weight is a limiting factor for travel. It also doesn't take easy thread-on filters but I can live with that; circular polarizers give uneven results at ultrawide angles, anyway.

Samyang 14/2.8 was a good lens and less bulky, but I usually left it home because the 15-30 is so much more versatile. I eventually sold the lens because it wasn't getting used not because it was bad.


Samyang 24/1.4: This lens had so much potential for astrophotography because it gathers 4x as much light compared to f2.8. Both copies I tried had to be returned due to inconsistent assembly; elements were decentered or tilted in different ways between the 2 lenses. I've seen some other samples that show the lens can give great results if you're lucky to get a good copy.


Pentax DA 15 Limited. Not the most obvious choice for FF. I'll sometimes pack it when I don't expect to do wide angle that justifies the 15-30 weight, yet still want something very wide in case an unexpected scene presents itself. In crop mode the DA 15 gives an effective 22mm wide view.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 01-25-2023, 10:20 AM  
Advice please, to stay or not to stay
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 71
Views: 4,140
Good luck finding a more reliable camera brand. The main manufacturers of consumer cameras seem(*) roughly equal, and most have customer service that gets worse over time. Customers want to spend less, manufacturers want more profit, so it's a predictable decline. Quality can also fluctuate from model to model, year to year, because they of 3rd party components that can have bad batches.

IMO if you change camera systems every time something break you'll end up wasting a lot of money over time. If some other system offers different features that you need, then that's a good reason to change, otherwise stick with Pentax/Ricoh.

(*) I say they "seem" equal because manufacturer don't release much sales and failure rate data. We rely on anecdotal evidence.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 01-06-2023, 03:16 PM  
Noise Reduction
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 5
Views: 1,023
What image format do you use, JPG or raw DNG? What's the maximum ISO you normally use?


"High ISO NR" is applied to JPG files. It can make images look less grainy at the expense of losing some detail. The effect is similar to applying noise reduction during post processing.

"Slow Shutter Speed NR" applies to both image formats. I don't recall exactly how slow the shutter speed has to be to trigger this feature, but if you take a 30 second photo the camera will take another 30 second "dark frame" with the shutter down, then use that 2nd dark frame to erase noise from the 1st photo.

"Slow Shutter Speed NR" can be helpful for city skylines at night or astrophotography. If you are taking a lot of photos, though, you might find you're wasting too much time for dark frames. An alternative is to take all of your light frame, then take a single manual dark frame of your own with the lens cap on, then use that dark frame with Photoshop. The dark frame needs to be at the exact shutter speed, exact ISO, and near the same sensor temperature as the light frames to be usable.


I suggest starting with both settings off. If noise becomes objectionable then turn one or both features on.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 12-30-2022, 02:36 PM  
Stuck K mount lens
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 14
Views: 865
I removed the pin from one lens. It was a "Sears" 50mm lens made for their rebranded cameras ~1982.

Pin removal was easy without instructions and with minimal surgery. I unscrewed the mount ring that the pin was sticking through, and with that ring off I could fully remove the pin and its associated spring. If disassembly was more difficult I would have cut/snipped the pin off flush with the mount.
Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II 12-27-2022, 02:55 PM  
Bad RAW Pentax K1-II
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 23
Views: 2,218
Has it always happened with the same SD card? Set that card aside as possibly damaged and try a different card. If the problem goes away either discard the old SD card, or experiment more with the old card at the risk of losing more photos.


My only failed SD card was many years ago with a K-5. I'd occasionally get a raw DNG that was horizontally ok for part of the frame but solid magenta for the rest of the frame. JPG format was less likely to be hit by the problem because it uses less space on the card, and perhaps the nature of JPG is such that a memory glitch is less catastrophic than with DNG.
Forum: General Photography 11-15-2022, 03:41 PM  
Artemis I - Night Launch Settings?
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 14
Views: 1,108
I hope you check the forum one more time before going out to photograph. I just saw this article https://www.space.com/artemis-1-moon-rocket-night-launch-visibility-map

"The agency says the fiery plume of the SLS moon rocket will be visible for up to 70 seconds". That's less time than I expected. One 60 second exposure will be good. Listen to the NASA livestream (if you're photographing from somewhere with good internet signal) or find a radio broadcast to know when it launches, then start your photo a few seconds later since the initial liftoff will be below your horizon.
Forum: General Photography 11-14-2022, 03:54 PM  
Artemis I - Night Launch Settings?
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 14
Views: 1,108
At that distance emphasize the rocket arc rather than rocket details. Expose for the sky background and don't worry if the rocket trail is perfectly exposed. That approach will let you take some practice exposures prior to launch.

Yucky complication: the rising Moon. The moon will be rising at 20 degrees above the eastern horizon at scheduled launch time. You might need to adjust your composition or exposure length to avoid bright moonlight washing out the photo. Or use a longer lens to limit your field of view, perhaps sacrificing part of the rocket's arc in order to avoid getting the moon in frame. If you can visit your planned photo site 25 hours prior to launch the moon will be in roughly the same position and brightness as it will be at launch time.

The arc will look best if you live north or south near the Atlantic coast. If you are inland west of the launch pad you might get more of a vertical arc than a wide arc, and will be aiming more directly into the moon.

If you are at all familiar with photo processing, use raw DNG mode so you can tweak your exposure settings and white balance later. A single 5 minute exposure would show the arc in a single frame but you can't go so long while the moon is up. As a more complex alternative, set your camera for 30 second exposures in high-speed continuous shutter mode (in order to minimize gaps between frames) then combine them (with photoshop-like software or in-camera if your specific model offers that).

At 50 miles a 35mm FF lens (24mm APS-C) should keep the top of the arc in frame, especially since the rocket will be moving away as it climbs. You can lookup the vertical FOV angle for a lens then do some trigonometry to estimate how many miles altitude you'll cover from 50 miles away to verify the arc fills a reasonable part of your image. Right Triangle Calculator

The attached photo is not mine. The photographer states they were 24 miles from the launch site. The linked article mentions camera settings and other tips Night Photography: Rocket Launch! - Photo Masters Workshops

Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 11-10-2022, 01:09 PM  
GRii flaky controls
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 6
Views: 808
Your problem might be as simple as one bad button that is partly stuck and activating randomly. I think the "Disp" button would cause most of the problems you mentioned, but other buttons could cause it and there's still the chance of multiple controls having problems at the same time.


Electrical contact spray cleaner might help you. Carefully spray it into the camera around the buttons. Don't use too much.


Some buttons on my GR (model i, not ii) became overly sensitive after my camera got wet. I waited several days for it to dry but merely moving the camera could trigger random button presses. My problem improved over time, I guess continued use of buttons scraped off whatever residue was left behind by the water.
Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service 10-17-2022, 09:58 AM  
Precision Camera Repair - For Real?
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 118
Views: 8,798
I didn't know Harbor Freight was in New Zealand ;) They are the USA home for junk tools, but their new stuff can cost less than renting a tool for one day from a rental shop so they serve a purpose.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 08-31-2022, 09:51 AM  
Need help identifying lens in picture
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 14
Views: 982
+1 that the middle lens is filthy and has high risk of fungus. Save yourself the trip to inspect it unless the seller is selling for very cheap.

The knobby grip on the other lens to the left looks like it's decomposing. That doesn't affect lens operation but depending on how bad it could be a sticky mess to use. You may need to cut the grip off and rewrap the barrel with grip tape.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 08-19-2022, 12:09 PM  
Camera charging in national parks
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 36
Views: 1,673
The 12 V lighter plug common in USA cars can charge a camera battery. Here are a few options depending on what you already have:

1) If your existing battery charger is compatible with USA household plugs, you can get a "lighter plug 12 V to 120 V inverter". Plug the inverter into the van, plug your existing charger into the inverter. These inverters are sold in many USA stores and roadside truck stops, but covid and recent events have disrupted the availability of everything so try to buy it in advance of your trip

2) If your existing charger can be charged by USB, you just need a "lighter plug to USB" converter like you'd use to charge a phone. Pick a converter that has a connector that matches your existing USB cable, or buy a USB cable as needed. Commonly available in stores.

3) Buy a new charger that has a 12 V lighter plug option. Search for "wasabi pentax charger" or similar. This one I linked is the closest thing to what I have for my K-1 amazon.com : Wasabi Power Battery (2-Pack) and Charger for Pentax D-LI90 and Pentax 645D, 645Z, K-01, K-3, K-5, K-5 II, K-5 IIs, K-7 : Digital Camera Batteries : Electronics?tag=pentaxforums-20&
Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II 08-19-2022, 11:32 AM  
Which small town walkaround lens would you choose?
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 31
Views: 2,320
Your thread title says walkaround but some of the things you said make we wonder about what type of photos you have in mind. Do you want to take photos of whatever you happen to come across, or closeup photos of strangers, or slightly wider streetscapes of buildings plus people?

The K-1 body is fairly large so the choice of lens may be secondary to how "unobtrusive" you are. Anticipate that photo subjects, ignorant security guards, and potential camera thieves will sometimes notice your camera.

When I'm doing general "walkaround" photos I like the 28-105 for its versatile zoom range and it's fairly small size (for a zoom).

28mm is still a good focal length for stealthy street photography "shooting from the hip". I pre-focus around 2 meters away, set the aperture to f/8 or f/11 for good depth of field, relatively high shutter speed to freeze motion, use TAv mode to let ISP drift as needed. This can be done with the K-1 but IMO works even better with the tiny Ricoh GR. Going as wide as 28mm often gets clutter within the frame so I crop for composition later.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 08-14-2022, 01:22 PM  
Travelling with a K1_2 and landscape photography lens selection
Posted By DeadJohn
Replies: 52
Views: 2,073
How long will you be travelling for?

You are planning to bring way too much stuff IMO. The way you described it you'll be staying at a base with family, so once you arrive you'll be able to just bring whatever gear you need for smaller photo trips, but think about the hassles of traveling internationally with multiple cases of fragile, bulky, expensive gear. I'd only bring so much if your trip will last several months.

I also don't like buying many new lenses at the same time, because I'd be inexperienced at using all of it. It takes a while to master new lenses and astro mounts.

Here's a more modest gear recommendation than what you were planning:
  • Landscape: Your Pentax 28-105 is a versatile landscape lens. Sharp, compact, contrasty, etc. Add one wider lens, discussed below under nightscape.

  • Nightscape: You said you were thinking of an Irix 15 and 30. Good choices and an alternative is the Pentax 15-30. The Pentax is heavy but offers the versatility of zoom and a single lens.

  • Astrophotography: The same Irix'es or 15-30 for nightscapes will be good for wide field astro. Learn and use the astrotracer with your Irix 150 for narrower targets. Forget buying a physical tracking mount for this trip; it takes time to learn quirks of astrogear and your trip might be done before you learn how to maximize new gear.

  • Macro: Irix 150.

  • Wildlife: You already have a plan for the Nikon D500 and 600mm zoom.

  • Travel: Already covered by all the other lenses.

  • Cityscape: Already covered; if it can do landscape or nightscape it's probably good for daytime cityscape.

Filtering: Add a CPL for the 28-105. 28mm wide is plenty for many landscapes, and if you want to go ultrawide 15mm it's often fine to skip filters because CPL can create uneven sky color at wider angles. Optionally add ND filter(s) if you like daytime long exposure.
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