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Forum: Sold Items
04-06-2012, 03:56 AM
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K5 isn now sold. For the moment, the Zeiss is still available
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Forum: Sold Items
04-05-2012, 07:57 AM
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Whoops! Check your inbox!
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Forum: Sold Items
04-04-2012, 10:52 AM
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Indeed. I have decided to move to Full Frame and am headed over to a D700.
Honestly, Pentax has been fantastic as a crop camera.[COLOR="Silver"]
---------- Post added 04-05-12 at 08:47 AM ----------
Pictures of the K5 and Zeiss are now up.
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Forum: Sold Items
04-04-2012, 05:06 AM
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31, 43, 50, and 17-70 now sold. Zeiss and K5 still available.
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Forum: Sold Items
04-03-2012, 03:34 PM
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Selling off my Pentax gear.
I'll post pics a bit later, just getting the listing out there.
Pentax K5 with EE-s focusing screen and O-ME53 viewfinder magnifier. $950 SOLD
Camera is in overall excellent condition, and is set up with what I would consider the perfect setup for both manual and autofocus: the O-ME53 and a custom cut Canon EE-s focusing screen (there is a lengthy thread about it). Includes all original accessories, manuals, and box.
Not sure how to check, but I'd guess the shutter has around 10k actuations.
[Pentax 31mm f/1.8 LTD - $850 SOLD
I'm the original owner of this lens, purchased from B&H. The lens is optically magnificent and produces stunning results. Lens cap itself has been dropped and has marks. Includes box and lens pouch.
Pentax [43mm f/1.9 LTD - $525 SOLD
Lens is in perfect condition and is extremely sharp wide open. An excellent copy. Includes box and pouch.
Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 - $900 SOLD
This is hands down the best lens I have ever used. The quality of bokeh it produces is outstanding. The lens is in perfect shape and includes the box and metal lens hood.
Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 - $220 SOLD
A surprisingly stellar lens, much better than the 18-55 kit lens. An extremely versatile lens due to the combination of range, sharpness, and close-focus ability. Comes with lens hood and box.
Pentax A 50mm f/1.7 - $50 SOLD
Very sharp, well built, and small. This one comes with a rear cap only, though the glass is in great shape. I'll be sure to package it to protect the front element.
Shipping
I'll go flat $7.50 shipped to the CONUS.
I'll ship anywhere in the world at cost to the buyer.
I apologize for the quality of the pictures. Selling my camera has left me without appropriate equipment to take pictures!
BD5CBB98-180D-47F8-ADCE-E6B2B022AA70 by B.Feil, on Flickr
A4627954-4E4D-48DE-B94B-1DE6A8735358 by B.Feil, on Flickr.
58A1E341-1411-48D3-BE3A-F240182503D0 by B.Feil, on Flickr
B50BA0A3-7B7F-4A2B-B8CC-9516707F5B8A by B.Feil, on Flickr
21E0466A-5341-4E9F-AE47-BDBBAB342CB6 by B.Feil, on Flickr
2BEA23E8-54A8-40C4-8352-4C7A2F977FE5 by B.Feil, on Flickr
F3BFEDBE-BB81-4674-A37B-1B6619EBC726 by B.Feil, on Flickr
And a couple taken at 1.4 with the Zeiss
IMGP7165 by B.Feil, on Flickr
Eli and Great Grandpa Lee by B.Feil, on Flickr
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
02-08-2012, 12:54 AM
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I would highly recommend adobe Lightroom for all image work,including raw conversion. It is probably the easiest, most robust application out there all things considered. There's a public beta right now for version 4, so you can try it free and see if you like it.
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
02-04-2012, 07:55 PM
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I'd recommend the npt-04 triggers. They are dirty cheap and work well. You can find them on amazon. I use them with good success.
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
02-04-2012, 07:37 PM
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Nice collection. Welcome!
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Forum: Photographic Technique
02-04-2012, 07:35 PM
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Well, what do you have available? I think the answer will depend on what you can control. Having of-camera flash will be a different game than moving lamps or using available light.
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Forum: Sold Items
02-03-2012, 07:20 PM
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Holy h*** this is a good price. Someone will be lucky! Best to you!
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Forum: Sold Items
02-03-2012, 07:13 PM
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Why does this lens always show up immediately after I've spent my lens savings?!?
A truly superb lens!
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
02-03-2012, 10:28 AM
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Is this same character present when stopping down? This effect where focus is achieved but haziness is present must be due to light being scattered within the lens. As you have identified, haze/fungus are frequent causes. Could also be caused by many fine scratches, poor lens coatings, or anything else that might scatter the light. It can also be caused by spherical aberration, sometimes intentionally as in soft focus or defocus control lenses.
What is the actual model of lens? Pentax did made an FA 28/2.8 soft focus lens.
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
02-03-2012, 08:02 AM
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To be honest, I think the only benefit of pttl is high speed sync. Fill flash outdoors on a camera with a max sync of 1/180 is quite a challenge. Beyond that, I see little value in it.
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Forum: Sold Items
11-22-2011, 07:47 PM
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Forum: Sold Items
11-21-2011, 01:43 PM
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Voigtlander is sold.
Ricoh is pending.
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Forum: Sold Items
11-19-2011, 11:31 AM
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PentaxForums.com Marketplace Listing
Item for Sale
Ricoh 55mm f/1.2 (no Ricoh pin!), Voigtlander 40mm f/2 Ultron
Asking Price
425
Item Location
Wisconsin (United States)
Item Description
Ricoh XR Rikenon 55mm f/1.2 K-mount - $425 [SOLD]
Excellent condition, comes with front and rear caps.
Glass is clean. There are a couple of specs of dust on inner elements that don't affect picture quality.
This is a pretty rare example of the Ricoh 55mm/1.2 as it is in vanilla K-mount. No dreaded "Ricoh pin" to get the lens stuck on. This particular copy is very clean, snappy aperture blades. This lens is optically identical to the Cosina 55mm/1.2, has 9 (not 8) aperture blades, and produces that weird/beautiful bokeh.
Voigtlander Ultron 40mm f/2 PK - $320 [SOLD]
A spotless copy. Comes with original box, lens caps, hood, and the original close-up lens.
This may be one of the sharpest lenses I've used. Nice close focus ability and mechanically wonderful.
Selling both lenses as I have my heart set on another lens from the big Z :).
Are you the original owner of the item being sold?
No
Are you selling or trading this item?
Selling
Item Condition (Key)
Used
Like New
Shipping Destinations
Worldwide
Shipping Charge
Buyer pays shipping
Shipping Services
USPS
Accepted Payment Types
PayPal
Return Policy & Additional Details
All prices listed are net to me. Paypal gift prefered. Non-gift add 3%. Actual shipping charges paid by buyer.
Please send me a private message if interested in the item!
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-16-2011, 10:38 PM
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I'll agree that each may have his own technique. I think some combination of the methods you describe is necessary. Depending on the position of the target relative to other positional references, it can be difficult to judge just exactly where the focal plane is :).
I wouldn't take my statement as a generalization. More a bit of tongue-in-cheek storytelling about my experience:).
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-16-2011, 07:46 PM
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deejjaaa, you are correct, there is a microprism array in the center. What I was speaking about in the quoted text was the rest of the screen. The area around the microprism center extending to the edges I have called the "matte" area. It is this area that sets this screen apart.
If you look at the two links I posted in my original post, you'll see up close images of the Ec-A and a couple other Canon screens, including the EE-S. The EE-s and other modern DSLR focus screens have the "matte" area made up of an array of tiny hexagonal lenses. The Ec-A has a very fine, irregular finish to it's matte area, very similar to that of ground glass (used in waistlevel viewfinders in medium format cameras, for example) though it's actual material is still plastic.
The hexagonal lenses direct incident light toward the eye, giving greater brightness, but a less direct impression of what is in focus. The very fine, ground-glass-like finish of the Ec-A is dimmer for slower lenses, but gives a much more accurate impression of focus. Most modern DSLRs use the hexagonal array type screens to better accommodate slower (read: kit) zooms. Most older SLRs used a ground-glass texture as faster prime lenses were more popular.
The difference between the Ee-S and more standard screens is the precision with which the array is formed.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-16-2011, 03:43 PM
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Here's a couple diagrams to offer some help.
The first shows the relative positions of each relevant part.
The second shows the flange where the spacers get placed. The screen is then placed on top of the spacers (assuming you are holding the body upside down).
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-16-2011, 03:25 PM
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The K5 is great from a feature standpoint. As mentioned above, metering is a snap, even with older lenses, thanks to the green button.
That being said, the F part of MF is really critical. Regardless of the body you choose, you will absolutely want a focus screen. I would highly recommend a focusing screen cut from the Canon Ec-A screen. Focusingscreen.com sells them. Of the couple that I've tried, it gives the best impression of what is and what is not in focus. There's a post with more information I created here over here: The Great Focusing Screen Revelation.
I believe someone also recommended the OM-53 viewfinder magnifier. It is quite helpful in seeing that last little detail.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-16-2011, 02:22 PM
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JP, have a look at this link, which explains (in rather broken english) why shimming may be necessary and where the shims go.
Basically, the distance light travels when it enters the lens and hits the focusing screen must be identical to the distance light travels when it enters the lens and hits the sensor (when the mirror is up) in order to indicate accurate focus. Placing spacers (shims) to adjust this distance is likely necessary to get the distance just right.
The screens from focusingscreen.com come with 2 small rectangles of clear plastic that sit between the screen and the flange the screen sits on. The stock screen has a metal spacer that must be removed and these two spacers put in its place (at least in my case, both were necessary).
Placing the spacers and the screen isn't too difficult. The problem is that the spacers can slide when you snap the screen into place. The result will be that the edges of the spacer are visible in the view finder. Fixing it isn't much of a big deal, just pop out the screen and adjust them. I find that holding the camera upside down and setting the screen on top of the spacers helps.
The reason I say it's the most challenging part is that any time you take the screen out, you risk a spec of dust landing on the screen. This is where the rocket blower comes in. Put the spacers in, give a couple light blasts of air, place the screen in, snap the holder down, and blast a couple of more times. Works effectively. In reality, you may repeat this process a couple of times to get things just right, but after the first time you put the screen in, taking it out and making adjustments won't feel like that big of a deal, just a bit fiddly.
For those that cut their own screen, you can place scotch tape as a spacer on the very outline of the screen and then trim it so there is no extra tape extending past the edges of the screen. A couple of layers would probably work. This would probably be easier as the tape won't slide around.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-16-2011, 11:59 AM
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JP, I've had great results with 2 of the 3 lenses you mention (I have the Zeiss 85 (great lens by the way), and the Ricoh 55/1.2, which is fundamentally identical to the Cosina). The 3rd i haven't had experience with, but if you can accurately hit the 55 and the 85 wide open, the 135 will be easy.
The focusing screen has no impact on autofocus. There is a separate sensor used to detect focus that does not depend on the screen. As a result, you could theoretically put a black piece of plastic in for a screen and still achieve auto-focus.
Your success in metering properly will depend on the max aperture of the lens. Specifically, lenses f/4 or faster will likely not experience any ill-effects (based on my test, f/5.6 starts to cause issues). All of the lenses you listed above are f/4 or faster and shoudn't have an issue. Lenses slower than f/4 will require exposure compensation.
As far as installing it, I would say the thought of opening up your camera and fiddling with the internal bits is much more nerve-wracking than the actual experience. In reality, there is one tab you push and the focusing screen pops right out. Probably the most challenging part of the ordeal is shimming the screen to provide proper focus. This isn't difficult if you use thin strips of tape on the very edges of the screen, but if you use clear plastic spacers like those provided by focusingscreen.com, alignment can be a challenge. All in all, its not to difficult. I'd recommend a rocket blower to get the dust out.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-16-2011, 07:41 AM
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The microprisms do not affect spot metering as long as the lens is f/4 or faster. I've found that at f/5.6, the screen causes over exposure, likely due to the darkening of the prisms. This is not a substantial issue with frame-averaging metering.
I wish I would have done a more scientific study on exposure with the stock screen. I could swap and do an experiment, but my shims are placed perfectly and there is no dust on the screen at present :).
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-16-2011, 07:36 AM
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I can't speak directly to the EE-S screen as i have not personally used it. That being said, the links i posted above (the last line of the original post) have some more detailed information about both the EE-S and EC-A screens (someone over at dpreview had done extensive research into both). Fundamentally, the EE-S screen has a very uniform honeycomb-array of small, domed, hexagonal lenses cut into the surface. The EC-A has a very fine ground-glass texture to it.
That being said, the matte area on the EC-A is the best way to focus my f/1.2. I can reliably get spot-on focus from the impression using the matte area (I find microprisms more useful for quickly focusing, matte area for precision focusing). With the K3, there was simply no way to get reliable focus confirmation at 1.2.
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