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Forum: Lens Clubs
07-28-2019, 04:38 PM
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edom31, you're making me want a macro lens!!! Stop this at once! :)
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Forum: Lens Clubs
07-28-2019, 04:34 PM
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The sun patch right in front of her annoys me, but ugh, w/e. Friend's kid! Didn't have a reflector on me, just a quick semi-candid.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
06-30-2019, 08:13 PM
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Just joined this club! :D Sooo grateful to step down size-wise from my 70-200 for a while.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-29-2019, 07:41 AM
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Ahh, well a cutie nonetheless!
The lens got here! Thanks again!!!!!
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-25-2019, 09:40 AM
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Ah, interesting! I'll keep an eye out for curiosity's sake/the future, but for now I did find a used copy of the FA 85 online and think I'll grab it, so thanks again for the recommendation. :) Also, your dog is beautiful!
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-25-2019, 09:18 AM
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Did you mean 1.2, or will the DFA 85 F1.4 be much different than the FA 85 F1.4 Ltd? No, I think the FA 85 F1.4 Ltd will probably be fine! Just sucks to have to deal with canceling the order and waiting longer for the new lens and whatnot. Lesson learned about FULLY READING all of the specs charts before ordering, lol.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-25-2019, 07:55 AM
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Thank you, friend :') I really wanted the f/1.2 but I might have to settle for f/1.4 if there just aren't any other options—I think the FA 85mm 1.4 is probably best for me out of those. I'll keep looking around, but ugh. I really, really, really wish they'd just make an AF version. I'd happily pay extra, I just don't want to pay Canikon/Sony levels of extra. :|
Ha...yeah. A fool's errand, I agree :(
Edit: Whewwwww I sure will have fun finding a copy!!!
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-25-2019, 07:14 AM
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EDIT: For now I'm going with the FA* 85mm 1.4 Ltd thanks to pschlute!
Warning: Backgrouond rambling. I'll bold the important parts. :)
Hi all! I haven't been here in a hot minute, but I'm an ex-equine photographer now only shooting my own animals for fun (namely my 4-month-old puppy). In another life I muddled along with a Pentax K-r and Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8, often doing a lot of compensation work in post given that my gear isn't technically pro level. I stopped shooting for $—honestly stopped shooting almost completely, because burnout—a while back and have long since taken my website down (and am at work without access to the actual files), but I threw some examples off Facebook/my phone here—please excuse the compression/horrible IQ, I know. I pretty much stopped paying attention to photography, what's available, gear, ANYTHING, until I got my dog.
Well, I'm sick of hauling the old 70-20mm around to shoot her; I'm a short lady with puny arms, the dog is a LOT closer to the ground than horses are (I had to lie flat on my stomach in gravel to get several of the ones in the example album), and there are no arena fences to rest the camera on anymore (tripods and monopods restrict my mobility too much and I hate them). The puppy wants to be close to me, and a stay from across the yard (for portraits with the 70-200) is a lot harder for her than a stay from a couple of meters away.
In view of this, and the fact that my K-r is slowing down after years of abuse, I decided to finally bite the bullet and get a smaller lens—and upgrade to a K-1 while I'm at it, since I'd really like full frame (I'm sure you all can spot a few places in my example album where it would have benefited me, sigh, but I'm not April Visel/Wojtek Kwiatkowski and never charged those prices, and my clients were always happy). I really like a lot of background separation/nice bokeh, so I thought a 85mm f/1.2 would probably be the best fit for my needs based on my experiences with my 50mm f/1.8 AF (which is an OK everyday lens, but it seriously struggles in low light and I wanted the extra aperture for that, too).
I google, I find seemingly the only 85 f1.2 compatible with the K-1 (the Mikaton Speedmaster), and I order it. All hunky dory.
And then I see on a spec list, AFTER ordering, that stupid me, being exclusively a zoom lens shooter in practice, didn't think to check the autofocus ability/lack thereof...and it's manual focus only. I know how to use manual focus; I have countless photos of beads, laptop keys, very still-sitting humans, landscapes, whatever I was shooting while playing around learning how to use a camera. You cannot shoot animals in manual focus. Not really. You can shoot a dog in a reliable stay or a sleeping cat, I guess, but anything with movement is going to get ruined. Even "easy" shots like this one, where she had walked up to that plant and stopped for 0.5 seconds to sniff it.
I'm familiar with a thin DOF; 200mm at f/2.8 has gotten me many a nose in focus with blurry eyes. I'm used to compensating. I don't think I can compensate in manual, because my reactions are NEVER going to be fast enough to keep up with a sudden 2" shift that will throw my subject's face completely out of focus. I'm now freaking out a little bit. I don't want to have to return the thing once it gets here, but I do not have money to blow on a lens I essentially cannot use.
Now, I did find a SMC Pentax-F 1.7x AF Adapter. Does anyone know if this will work with the Mikaton Speedmaster 85mm f/1.2? (Edit: I see someone saying that it'll essentially turn it into a f/2.8 lens at best, which kind of defeats the purpose...)
Failing that, do I have any fast prime K-mount (ideally no wider than 70mm) options for shooting moving animals that DO have autofocus, so I can switch to something that is more portraity than a 50mm but won't murder my damn arms like the 70-200 does? Please, esteemed colleagues, lend me your knowledge, for I am desperate.
Thank you so much in advance!!!
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Forum: Lens Sample Photo Archive
04-07-2016, 05:35 PM
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@northcoastgreg - Thank you! And ahh, that makes sense - our otter tank's underwater viewing area is indoors. :( It was really dark in there, kids up against the glass blocking most of the shots etc. I'll have to try again at some point (and possibly find a larger zoo, lol).
Baby pics from this past weekend!
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Forum: Lens Sample Photo Archive
04-02-2016, 12:59 AM
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Ummm, so it turns out otters are REALLY fast and hard to photograph, especially in low light, and you just made it look easy. MY otters were godawful, so I'll have to offer up a still-cute and much slower bobcat instead.
And, well, more horses, because those are what I'm best at. ;)
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Forum: Lens Sample Photo Archive
03-23-2016, 05:10 PM
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Thank you!!! Not gonna lie, your otters helped push me over the edge! ;)
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Forum: Lens Sample Photo Archive
03-20-2016, 06:34 AM
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This thread has inspired a trip to the zoo for me in the near future. And purchase of a Tamron 70-200mm from a forum member. :P Took these in my "test shoot" with it yesterday!! Focusing was rough at first, but I'm getting the hang of it.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
03-17-2016, 03:38 PM
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Personally, I don't sell my full-resolution digital files, ever, as I've gotten plenty of repeat business from clients wanting later multiple copies of photos and also can't stand the idea of not being able to control the quality of the prints before they're released into the world, lol. In that case you're not really pricing for a print, you're pricing for INFINITE prints. I include a social-media resolution copy of the photo upon purchase of a print of that photo (as they'd just be scanning it or taking a picture of a picture and putting it on Facebook anyway). If they insist that they only want the digital (social media resolution, not printable) copy, then I charge a flat $25 per photo (my minimum print price).
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Forum: Sold Items
03-15-2016, 08:05 PM
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I'll take it off your hands! Sending a PM :)
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Forum: Lens Sample Photo Archive
03-12-2016, 02:10 PM
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Thank you, Tamia!!! I'm partial to them, big goofs that they are. And I LOVE that first shot of yours! It would look fantastic as a great big canvas, IMO! :D
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Forum: Photo Critique
11-22-2014, 10:25 AM
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Yeah, Na Horuk, I learned that lesson (diffraction) lol. :( This scene was just so bright, I guess, because of the sun/sun reflecting off the water that to get a slow enough shutter speed to smooth the water out at all (0.6 is as slow as I could get it), which is what I wanted to do, I had to let as little light in as possible. I would have preferred f/11 or so with a ND filter which is what I'm going to try to do in the future :D LensBeginner, that's good to know!!! Makes me feel better about my ND purchase decisions, haha. I only have one CPL.
Thanks everyone for the input again ^____^ Next time I'll def use the 3s delay in addition to getting NDs :P
edit: by the way, here is a test shot I snapped while I was fiddling around with my settings to show you the difference in the water at a faster shutter speed o.x this is why I wanted to slow it down lol. I much prefer the smooth milky look that a longer exposure gets :D (edit 2: flickr oversharpens a bit; I apologize)
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Forum: Photo Critique
11-21-2014, 11:44 AM
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Yep, I actually ordered a graduated ND filter specifically for sunsets. Aaaannnddd it's not going to get here before my trip, they took too long to ship it. :| So it looks like I'm going to get to buy one locally last-minute and have two, lol.
And nope, this is 0.6 seconds at f/22! I have one at 2.5 seconds at f/22 and it's CRAZY blown out. Like if you take the exposure 100% of the way down in camera RAW, 3/4 of the sky is solid or patchy blown-out white. I assumed 2.5s or so would be adequate (was playing around in manual/guessing) and saw it and was surprised and just kept inching my shutter speed up until I got one with an exposure I was happy with. Here's the histogram:
Attachment 246091
Mirror lock up = I don't think the K-r has this, it DOES have a 3s delay option which I could use (but didn't because I'm stupid and I was rushing and my remote was acting up >___< I think the battery is dying, gotta get a new one before I leave). Tripod was secure, it WAS a bit windy but that shouldn't affect things like the boats stacked on the dock (the ENTIRE image, even totally stable features, looked a bit blurry to me :|). It might've been a bit of camera shake, I'll try the delay next time.
+ It's actually not cropped at all - I was going by the rule of thirds (+had the divider lines on my live view) so peerrrrsonally I wouldn't want to crop any sky unless I could get 2/3 water, which I couldn't here because of the bridge railing ;P I might try a different angle sometime when I have the forethought to park at the actual park near the lake and walk down and poke around well BEFORE sunset, lol.
Thank you for the input!!!
edit: (And thank you, Mr. Bassie!!)
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Forum: Photo Critique
11-21-2014, 10:38 AM
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Oh, sorry, I DID use a CPL, forgot to mention. :)
And thank you very much!!! <3
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Forum: Photo Critique
11-21-2014, 09:38 AM
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(edit: Huh, it's not showing it on the post. Shot at f/22, 0.6sec exposure, ISO100)
It came out actually slightly blurry :| (I did sharpen in PP). I heard that can be a problem with this lens when you stop all the way down, but I was trying to do the longest exposure possible to smooth out the water (still hate how choppy it is on the left). I used a tripod+remote obviously. I plan on picking up a ND filter soon but I didn't have one for this shot (edit: I DID use a CPL). I'm about to go on a trip and plan on doing a bunch of landscapes there so I'm trying to practice before I leave.
Shot from the side the road over the railing on a bridge that crosses this lake :P
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Forum: Photo Critique
11-21-2014, 09:19 AM
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 | Landscape creek
Posted By
Elisha |
Replies: 11
Views: 929
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Personally I think the last version is TOO light and processed-looking. I think the middle version is just right re: the colors/lighting. However, it looks obviously horizontally stretched? I looked at it next to the first version posted and I'm definitely not crazy/seeing things, lol!
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-14-2013, 06:53 PM
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Thank you guys for all the suggestions, I am filing them away :D
Fuent, I PMed you a question :)
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-14-2013, 11:47 AM
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Yes, thornburg, I rarely drag out my tripod and thanks for the warning - good point. :|
I think I mentioned renting/borrowing once - I would definitely have to do it online since my local camera place doesn't have rentals on ANY Pentax stuff. I will look into it :)
I know a couple of equine photographers, one of whom primarily uses a tripod, I could ask her about the weight thing - I could just get a very short tripod, hahahaha.
Unfortunately can't worry too much about it at the moment since my horse decided to slip/fall and butcher his knees yesterday... looks like my last job and the one I have this coming weekend will both be going into vet bills.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-13-2013, 09:11 AM
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Pacerr, I'm well aware of how DOF works, and regardless of the subject's distance from the background, I am unable to get the background separation with this lens I would shooting at a wider aperture (ex. in the shot I posted where the horse was right up next to the fence, I would not expect the fence to blur - but all that junk 100ft behind the fence, yes) without a certain level of zoom. I have experience shooting at all apertures and am pretty aware of the lens's limitations at this point (have been using it for 2+ years). I can get background separation with the DA55-300 but not the kind I'm after - fine for hobby photos of my own horses but if I'm getting paid I want to do a better job. There are also instances where I cannot control the subject's distance from the background ex. shows (I was as far away as I could possibly get for these, on the opposite side of the arena kneeling and shooting through the fence)
vs. at the same show with closer zoom:
I love this lens for headshots and close-ups of the horses working but for full body shots I'm pretty confident at this point that I need something faster. :|
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-12-2013, 09:41 PM
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AHH!! Noooo, the pressure! :P
thornburg, that's awesome, and you should definitely try your hand at it (and share here). :D Horses are amazing creatures if I do say so myself.
I feel like mine is especially hard to photograph because he's so full of, erm, personality, it's very rare to get a shot of him where he is not making some utterly ridiculous face or throwing his head way up in the air or galloping in some weird way with his head turned around BACKWARDS, etc. If I get one of him looking "normal" I pretty much have to just take what I can get LOL. They are a ton of fun.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-12-2013, 07:00 AM
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Lowell, it is true that if you're doing something like jumpers, which is fairly predictable because you know exactly where the horse and rider are going to go (it's a pre-set course), it would be possible (if difficult IMO, since I've seen the result of pre-focusing on the fence vs following the horse with AF and it's not really pretty). Even if I could shout at the owners to ride only in the same spot of the pasture back and forth - but with loose horses/riderless galloping around, there's no way XD
Out the door to the barn, hahaha - will look up the other lenses when I get home, thank you guys!!
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