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Showing results 1 to 12 of 12 Search: Liked Posts
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 07-14-2012, 07:04 PM  
Why do lenses have a beyond infinity focus setting?
Posted By lytrytyr
Replies: 18
Views: 5,599
The lens needs room to let the AF mechanism go back and forth around the exact focus point.
So if the exact focus is at infinity, the lens will go beyond and out of focus,
signaling the mechanism to bring it back.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 06-30-2012, 07:23 AM  
Sharpness
Posted By joe.penn
Replies: 7
Views: 1,100
When used properly, you will almost always get sharper photos when using flash, this is due to better contrast breaks (crisp detail highlights, etc..).
Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II 08-26-2011, 01:48 PM  
K5 Mirror Flops - Smoking Gun Found
Posted By toooldtocare
Replies: 410
Views: 87,005
SS, this is an overkill, it scares people away from a great product. I too have spent my entire career traveling the world, working as an engineer in extreme weather conditions on all types of equipment. The camera I used when I started my travels was a Pentax Spotmatic that I bought new in Thailand in 1968. In 1986 after thousands and thousands of shots and dozens of domestic and overseas assignments the camera simply wore out. It was replaced with K1000 that I still have and use from time to time, that camera has also seen most of the corners of the world.

Neither one of those cameras ever saw a repair shop, but they saw hard use. Several years ago I purchased a Pentax istDS, my first DSLR. That camera is still going strong, although I sold it to a friend. I then bought a Canon 5DII, but that camera was like carrying around a slug, hard to pack, hard to hold. I hated it so much that sold it to buy the K5.

My K5 is the first camera I have every had a problem with. I also a film user (Leica M6, Hasselblad, Mamiya C330f, and the K1000). Being an engineer, first aerospace and later medical equipment, I know about designing and testing products for consumer and military use. Sometimes things just get by or are over-looked. Sometimes a vendor changes a component without telling the customer such a Pentax. Sometimes engineers just do not think of everything. But, all products go through development that includes initial design, tests for system performance, torture tests, and product life cycle test. I bet Pentax can tell you to the 10th decimal place what each component in the camera cost down to each screw, nut and IC, as well as their MTBF (mean time between failure). They, like all companies, weight the advantages/dis-advantages of using a cheaper vs more expensive components to build the best products for the cost. When compared to my Canon 5DII, the K5 surpasses it in all categories except sensor size and mega-pixles, and it costs about 1/2 as much. I cannot tell the differences in my photos and I have cropped them and blown them up to rather large sizes. With the Pentax I am using my film lenses instead of the L-series Canon and Zeiss lenses I used to own with the 5DII. Think about it, a 50mm 1.4 Pentax lens from ebay for less than $100 vs a 50mm 1.4 Zeiss for $800+.

Even the Leica M9 has problems. Here is a German camera that retails fro $7,000 for the body alone. They had problems with their sensors (cracking, stains, dead pixels) SD card issues, other electronic issues, parts such as lens preview levers falling off. A top German company producing extremely expensive cameras, also with a bugs. I had a Leica M9 on order and I cancelled it because of the initial problems, but I have considered ordering another one since the bugs are worked out. Trouble is, the K5 is just as good as the Leica is for my uses, so I probably won't.

Give Pentax time to work out this bug, it seems to affect only a small number of users. From what I have seen on this site and others, CRIS may already have a solution. If they don't, you will know about it and then you can look at a Canon, Nikon, or what every you like.

Wayne
Forum: Site Suggestions and Help 08-19-2011, 07:26 AM  
Question Donation of lens
Posted By G and T
Replies: 4
Views: 1,554
I have an unloved Sigma 70-300mm DG Macro given to me by a friend who turned to the darkside (Canon). It's in its box and is in pristine condition. I believe its only use was when I put it on my K7 to test it.(5 or 6 shots) My question is it possible for it to be sold and the proceeds go to the forum.
Forum: Post Your Photos! 07-27-2011, 03:44 AM  
Nature A trip to the zoo
Posted By RobG
Replies: 6
Views: 1,517
Here's an example of noise reduction and curves adjustment. I've reduced the noise a bit too much because detail in the duck's plumage has been lost, but you get the idea. I've used curves to make the shadows a little darker which also hides some of the noise.

Let me know when you've looked at this, then I'll remove it, because it's your image, not mine.
Forum: Monthly Photo Contests 07-01-2011, 12:11 PM  
Poll: Expired Contest Poll Contest Voting: "Black and White"
Posted By bluebronco
Replies: 53
Views: 24,202
Photography is art. Art is subjective. A photo that you think is a "snapshot" could be award winning by someone else. My advice is to listen to your instincts and submit what you think is great. Don't listen to "them."
Forum: Post Your Photos! 04-04-2011, 08:46 AM  
People Lydia at the Panama Hotel
Posted By doublepower
Replies: 11
Views: 3,231
Another great effort!

I have to say I'm a little confused by some of the feedback you get vs. what I see in response to other threads here. I'm always intersted to check out your stuff because you seem to try (not sure the right way to describe this) to create images that are different or innovative. The subjects, poses, compositions, post-processing - it seems like you're pushing for something more than just a successful exposure. And then they nick you on technical details that, to my eye, matter less than the whole. (There's another recent thread, 'Simply Alluring', with a great shot that totally missed focus, but no one seemed to have a problem with it. Go figure.)

I'd agree that the focus could be crisper on some of the shots but for the ones where it matters (like #5) it's there; the ones where it doesn't, with the hazy light and muted tones, I don't miss it.

Anyway, that's my $0.02. Keep posting (and that's not just because you're a fellow Seattlite)!
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 05-24-2011, 08:47 AM  
Sharpness
Posted By Wombat
Replies: 22
Views: 3,553
I have a friend who was taught by Ansell Adams. He shoots large format and knows a thing or two about sharpness. It was very interesting, therefore, to hear him say a few weeks ago that we've become too obsessed with sharpness. If you're a bird photographer then yes, you can't be too sharp, but for most photography I do believe that we often miss the point of taking a photo, which is to create an emotional connection with the viewer, to tell a story, to present a view of the world, express an opinion. It's not about making an image so sharp you can cut people's eyeballs with it. May I suggest you have a look at some photos from years ago that aren't particularly razor sharp but which have impact, which speak to you. Try Cartier-Bresson, Erwitt, Capa. Ask yourself whether that's what you'd really like to aim for. There's nothing "wrong" with a sharp photograph, but there's a lot more to it than mere technical proficiency.
I hope that's helpful.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 05-29-2011, 09:14 AM  
Noobiest Question Section
Posted By interested_observer
Replies: 7
Views: 1,720
This is a very good question indeed. I shot my nieces graduation last year, in the evening on the football field. I used everything prior to her appearing as an opportunity to get setup. Preparation is the key as jatrax and Jellyfish alluded to.
  • A fast shutter speed to freeze motion requires light.

  • A wide aperture to obtain light, results in a very thin depth of field.

  • So you are forced to a high iso to increase the sensor's sensitivity to light which results in noise.

  • So you need to set a range of ISO with a relative high top value.

  • You need to set the shutter speed just fast enough to freeze motion, while getting as much light as possible.

  • You need to stop down to get a reasonable depth of field, while still getting in sufficient light.


Its all a compromise - therefore the preparation gives you the experience with the opportunity to make the adjustments so your ready when the opportunity comes. Also some good noise reduction utilities do come in handy. Also, shooting in RAW helps you recover items and have a wider opportunity for adjustments.

:cool:
Forum: Photo Critique 05-19-2011, 05:54 PM  
Nature Lily
Posted By Oso
Replies: 4
Views: 2,046
I sometimes find it difficult to critique someones artwork (other that obvious technical errors), so all I know is how an image moves me, makes me feel or think, pulls me into another direction.

Composition is so esoteric, since everyone has had a different experience, so they bring their differing values to their critique.

I don't think your composition is off by too much; all I know is the image feels a bit awkward to me. The colors are beautiful, as are the lines of the petals of the flowers. But me eye is drawn to the out of focus areas in the background, and maybe I have to hunt around just a bit too much to find the joy in the subject area of the image. Does this make sense to you?

Other than that, it's just beautiful to look at.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 05-23-2011, 03:22 PM  
Am I wrong? Waiting for my K-7 to arrive.
Posted By GoldenRGuy
Replies: 49
Views: 11,033
I have a K7 and have complained about noise in low light, but after reading a zillion posts, have changed my mind. I love the K7 compared to my K100D. The sound and feel makes me "feel" like a pro. One thing I gleaned for the zillion posts, is that this camera is a Pro-sumer camera. It's not a point and shoot. I have been reading and reading and have found that if you understand how the camera works with light and exposure and after a lot of practice ,am starting to figure it out. Adam posted a high ISO fix that works quite well. Just do a quick search.
Love your K7! I do!! Play with it a lot!!
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 05-23-2011, 11:15 AM  
Am I wrong? Waiting for my K-7 to arrive.
Posted By Designosophy
Replies: 49
Views: 11,033
I moved from the K-x to the K-7, and I did notice that the K-7 is noisier. But I also preferred the K-7's color and contrast. The K-7 is a good camera, and is better than the K-x in many ways. Unless you do lots of high-ISO photography (what you consider high ISO depends on your own preferences), you will be quite happy with the K-7.

You can compare noise between different camera bodies at this site:
Imaging Resource "Comparometer" ™ Digital Camera Image Comparison Page
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