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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
04-08-2024, 01:25 AM
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Sadly an only-too-common tale these days.
I started out repairing cameras and lenses back almost 50 years ago since I had difficulty even then of finding anyone reliable. Plus it was a way of getting hold of otherwise unobtainable ,but faulty, equipment , doing it myself, and having the satisfaction of learning as I went along. I have worked for camera dealers both in the past and now, but have never agreed set up a business since this has always been a 'hobby', and I'm able to pick and choose what I do.
These days I still do the same thing, and also work for a limited number of people who I've known for decades, but I don't advertise because I do it for pleasure rather than a business-it keeps the grey cells going! In fact I've just passed on having my name added to the PCCGB list of approved repairers since I do not want to be inundated with work, and although I charge very little for what I do, it is still enjoyable. Too much work and it would no longer be attractive.
However I'm lucky in that I don't have to do this for the money, and I can sympathise with anyone who tries to make a living doing the work, which is very time-consuming, as well as being occasionally frustrating given the lack of spare parts available for both vintage and modern equipment these days-most of mine come from 'dead' cameras and lenses. Plus I will not touch anything electronic , above sorting out metering issues and the occasional electro-mechanical problem-usually modern equipment is just not made to be repaired or serviced, and if it is, specialist equipment and parts are needed. parts which are often restricted by the manufacturers willingness to make them available outside of 'approved' ( i.e. expensive) repairers.
So if you get frustrated in finding a reliable repairer, have a go yourself. There are a number of helpful books out there that will start you off, and with a modicum of care you may surprise yourself as to what you can achieve. Plus there are also a number of camera-specific repair articles on this forum which are invaluable. You will also have the satisfaction of having done it yourself,as well as knowing it HAS actually been done as well. Plus it won't cost you anything but the cost of a set of relatively simple tools, and your own time. Just be prepared for some failures, learn from them-and anything that can't be repaired may well prove a source of parts for a future project! Go-on, have a go.....
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
04-01-2024, 01:20 AM
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When I started my film journey I was shooting with a spotmatic but dreamed of an MX. Thanks to eBay, that dream soon became a reality as I handed over my £43 and took delivery of a really nice silver model. All seemed fine bar the fact that it hated the cold and wouldn't shoot when the temperature dropped below 5°c.So I did my research and selected an engineer with great Pentax credentials. £135 for a service seemed a lot but it is what it is. When the camera came back it wasn't noticeably different but to be fair, it was pretty good when it went away. The cold issues persisted so it went back. It was never resolved but I just assumed it was one of those things. Twelve months later it started capping! I contacted the engineer who said it wasn't part of the service and would cost a further £75 so it got dispatched to the back of a cupboard in disgrace and was replaced buy a very good KX that I paid £25 for. Twelve months down the line, I now had several nice cameras, but it still annoyed me that my most expensive one was unusable. I decided to bite the bullet, then I saw an advert on eBay of all places for an MX service for £67.99. I contacted the guy and told him what had gone before. He said he replaces all foam and resets the camera, including the shutter as part of the service. I had fallen out of love with the camera so didn't see it as much of a gamble so I sent it off. A couple of days later he called me to tell me that in his opinion it looked like nothing had been done to the camera for years. The foam inside was sludge, and there was grease and detritus in the camera. As for the shutter, it was a mile out!
 IMG_20240116_114257_resized_20240122_083641360 by Peter Kay, on Flickr
 IMG_20240116_115038_resized_20240322_114445264 by Peter Kay, on Flickr
I couldn't believe the engineer was going into such detail and taking such care, given how little he was charging. As we talked I was more and more impressed. He loves Olympus but works on all makes and is especially fond of the MX. He also is one of the few engineers that is happy to work on an LX. The MX came home last week and is absolutely beautiful. When I got it back from the first engineer I couldn't see a difference but I really can this time. While I can't prove what engineer #1 did or didn't do, I am delighted with the work of engineer #2. The MX is just fabulous and I feel supremely confident that it will now outlive me. As for the good engineer, he has faith in his work, gives a twelve month warranty and gets really angry with people who have a different opinion as to what constitutes a service! I have deliberately avoided naming names because I cannot prove what was or wasn't done by engineer #1 for my £135, but am more than happy to pass on details for the good engineer if you send me a DM
 PKKP2724 by Peter Kay, on Flickr
 PKKP2725 by Peter Kay, on Flickr
UN54+ in 510pyro
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
01-05-2024, 02:26 PM
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I have a K10 which refuses to accept the fact that a battery is installed - the battery indicator just sits and flashes, does so even when using the mains adapter. I'll try this (with insulated wire, I think !) outdoors during daylight. Thanks for the suggestion.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
07-16-2020, 03:10 AM
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A webpage dedicated to explaining "What Pentax Values Most in Future Cameras" has just been released.- We design new cameras through sheer devotion.
It is our intention to produce cameras that will be the preferred choice for photo enthusiasts, because we love photography and have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of cameras.
- Our goal is to produce cameras with the power to capture images that allow for direct communication with the subject.
We intend to design cameras that create memorable images, that make us feel as if we're connecting directly with the subject, capturing our imagination and captivating our senses.
- We design cameras that allow our users to enjoy all the processes involved in taking a picture.
We pursue every essential element involved in the joy of photography. From looking through the viewfinder to composing the image, focusing on the subject and releasing the shutter.
- We pursue a level of quality and performance that can’t be measured by numbers alone.
We produce our cameras not only by pursuing higher performance based on numerical values, but by integrating our designers’ sensory feedback into the design and development.
- We respect and value the photographic experiences of our users and view this as an invaluable asset.
We want to share all the inspiring experiences of our users, from the hardware to the shooting processes, creating and viewing the images.
It is a big committent to optical viewfinders and the principles that led to the FA Limiteds (rendering over benchmark performance).
I like it. :)
At the end of the page, a ~30min video is featured:
You Tube
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
08-23-2023, 12:04 AM
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I had an opportunity to visit Pentax Clubhouse on Aug/21. Last time I went there (about a year ago) it was still new and my visit was limited to 30 minutes. This time there was no such limitation, and I only saw two other customers during my ~1hour visit, which meant that I had more time to chat with the staffs there.
I first asked for cleaning and checking my K-3III, which was supposed to be JPY 3300 (there was a nice report by @ongaku99: Pentax Club House to open in Yotsuya, Tokyo). Even though I knew my K-3III sensor was in a good shape, I just wanted to experience what the service was like. To my surprise, the service staff looked at the sensor using a loupe and immediately said "Mr. kwb, the sensor looks pretty good, not many dusts, certainly no large ones. I'll still check things, but I won't charge you unless I clean the sensor. It will take about an hour." What? He'll work for an hour anyway, right? I won't complain if I'm charged JPY 3300 just for his time!
While waiting for the checkup, I saw a K-3III Monochrome (probably Matte Gray version) with 40mm Ltd on the display counter. I asked one of the staffs behind the counter if I can try it out, and he told me that I can put my SD card in the camera to keep the data. Cool, I thought, but the next thing he said was even cooler. "There aren't many subjects here, please feel free to go outside if you'd like." Maybe that's because he knew that my camera was still in the shop and they have my order form (for the cleanup work) with my name, cellphone number and address, but I was still struck by the trust they had on their customers. I left my backpack there (nobody told me to do so but I felt as if that was a fair "exchange") and went outside with K-3III monochrome. I didn't feel comfortable enough to go too far from the Clubhouse, so I stayed within ~100 meters (~110 yards) radius for maybe 10 minutes or so, but that was enough to have a lot of fun.
After coming back in, I continued to talk with the person who let me handle K-3III Monochrome. (Below is based on my memory, any errors are on me.)
Me: K-1 successor?
Clubhouse staff (CS): Working on it, but no news. Film compact might come first.
Me: Is there going to be the successor of DA* 60-250?
CS: Haven't heard of a plan for that, at the moment we're pointing customers to D-FA 70-210 or D-FA* 70-200.
Me: Is it really true that the development of DSLR and lens are NOT affected by the Film Project?
CS: It's true, film project is not delaying development of digital. They're different beasts and not much overlap.
(I actually had much longer conversation about the film VS DSLR, but I'll just skip it here except that I felt as if the K-1 successor is NOT something that could be brought to the market earlier by throwing person-power at it. That means, at least to me, that we won't see the next K-1 for some time, certainly not this year, but I could be wrong.)
There was one thing that was bugging me for some time, that is, the youtube video titled "What Pentax Values Most in the Future Cameras" was made private at some point. That video was released at the same time as the Pentax brand statement (and the Five Principles of Pentax). You might remember a thread about that (What Pentax Values Most in Future Cameras). If you click the link to the video, you'll see "video is private" error message.
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Is that because Ricoh's direction is not well aligned with the video any more, or something else that is somehow a sure sign of an imminent Doom? :) I didn't say that to him but I simply asked why the video was pulled. Another (third) staff was pulled into conversation and apparently this was a surprise for both of them.
After a while, one of them said "oh, it could be the model release issue". Model what? He asked me if I remember that the video featured a white male model posing with a camera in his hands. OK, I did remember that. He told me that there was a poster featuring the same model, and that poster had to be pulled because the contract for the model was only for a limited time and RI didn't extend the contract. He said there could have been the same issue for the video, too, and Ricoh could have chosen not to extend the contract as the video has served its purpose well to deliver the message to the intended audience. Though I've never imagined that the model contract could expire in just 3 years, it sounded convincing to me, and I was happy to know that this was not a bad omen at all.
At this point the first (service) staff came back, saying that my camera was good. He cleaned the camera here and there, removed small dusts from the sensor (but he didn't charge me, so I guess he just blew them off using blower?). He also checked focus of the camera with my DA* 16-50 PLM (which was good) and updated the firmware from 2.00 to 2.01. That's a lot of work for no money charged! I was a happy customer.
I bought two D-LI109 batteries for my KP (I also wanted to buy Q batteries but they don't have any in stock), thanked them all, and left the Clubhouse. That was a great experience.
Attached are some of the pictures I shot with K-3III Monochrome. The first one is the wall of the Clubhouse displaying monochrome prints shot with K-3III Monochrome. The second and the third are where they were demolishing a small building, the way rubble and things are neatly contained and the way they're working in a tight space looked very Tokyo-like to me.
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
02-13-2017, 01:05 PM
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SMC Super Tak 135 f2.8
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-09-2021, 09:35 AM
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A quick test of the SMC Takumar 105 f2,8 shot wide open on he Fuji GFX 50r
Seems to be quite acceptable, I will be working my way through 28/35/50/55/105/135 taks to test
 Cabin at Sunnybrook Park by Eddie Smith, on Flickr
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
06-20-2018, 06:07 PM
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K-1 Mark II
Super Takamur 50mm f/1.4
4X4 Pano ISO 8000 f/2 (I think) 10 seconds per shot
 Arches 50mm Pano by SirTomster, on Flickr
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Forum: Lens Clubs
06-14-2018, 05:06 AM
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Thanks Tim. I've been through a phase of trying out modern AF lenses over the past few months, but now I've learnt the error of my ways and returned to the true Takumar faith. Here's another one with the 20mm:
 You can lead a horse to water. . . by David Holland, on Flickr
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-14-2010, 06:05 PM
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WARNING ! To All you guys that are screwing Nikon lens on Pentax body.
You are gravely mistaken to think the old Nikons "fit" on the Pentax SLR bodies.
It's just barely staying together(not "fitting") with lots of potential damage to your camera or possibly the lens. You see ...the Nikon lens screws on the it's camera in the opposite direction from the way a Pentax lens screws on to a Pentax body.
The parts of the Nikon lens that are holding is the back end of the treads to the THIN tail end of the treads on the Pentax body. If you bump or in some cases snug it a little more to tighten it up, just a little , you can damage or warp the thread fins & bayonet mount on your camera . You will then not be able to get ANY Pentax lenses back on your new Digi Pentax SLR. In some cases the aluminum bayonet threads just break .Continuous use will definitely start to fatigue and crack your bayonet threads the more you try to match the Nikon to the Pentax mount.
Many people have already done it. It makes the repair shops happy . They do need the extra income in this destroyed economy though.
If you feel compelled to attach the Nikon lens to the Pentax buy the adapter off the .NET and deal with the extra glass to compensate for infinity. Or have the bayonet ring on the lens replaced with a Pentax. This will require a tech that knows how to drill the precise holes and thread for new screws. Oh yes, you wll need a very thin spacer between the ring and lens to match the "lens registration" distance. This is coincidentally about the thickness of 35mm film.
Be careful my fellow Pentaxers
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Forum: Lens Clubs
03-23-2018, 04:06 PM
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Leena the mid 30's aunt [ extreme close up as she sits next to the ( dirty ) glass on her 55 gallon plastic drum ]
( she will pound on the glass if I don't take her photo now, she also may give kisses if you put your check up to the glass )
and Bumi the 5 year old nephew playing on the donated used fire hose [ - after a set period of time,, the fire department must " retire " the hoses and replace them, they are nice enough to give some to the zoo where they are " recycled for various purposes, the white object is a " puzzle jar " where treats are stored to entice the Bornean Orangutans to figure out how to get the hidden treat ]
photographed through the window of the enclosure at the Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
05-21-2018, 02:38 PM
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K 15mm 3.5...at f....oh I cannot remember
gosh I am loving this thread !
---------- Post added 05-21-18 at 10:43 PM ----------
FA* 85mm 1.4 at f11
---------- Post added 05-21-18 at 10:48 PM ----------
M150 f3.5
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
05-19-2018, 01:59 AM
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Forum: Lens Clubs
05-26-2018, 01:47 PM
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Some of my first good shots with my new-to-me Tokina SZ-Z 4.5-5.6 80-200 follow.
I've actually taken several shots that seemed a bit soft, even some that were at f8. I decided to take off the skylight filter that had come on the used lens, having inspected it and cleaned its exterior before, and in the process of removing it discovered that the ring holding the front element was a little loose! It isn't now, and the filter is off.
These shots are all with the lens two half-stops closed from wide open.
The first is a direct ooc jpeg, but the other two were slightly underexposed and needed some tweaking. Camera is K10D.
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
05-19-2018, 10:44 AM
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As Photographers flock to Mirrorless and New Technology, I fall further in love with my K1. It's a camera that makes sense to me and allows me photograph the way I like to - Slow, Deliberate and concentrating on the subject. I don't need the latest and greatest and the K-1 is more camera than I will ever need - My Photographic Gear is complete. I might need the occasional visit to the Chiropractor :lol::lol:but I love my Pentax gear. I have no need to upgrade to the Mark 2 as the K-1 is all I need - Brilliant ergonomics, built like a tank, Incredible IQ, Built in Shake Reduction, A Menu system that is intuitive and a body that is a pleasure to hold in the hands. The three lenses I own are just magical - Pentaxian from the Late 70's and a Pentaxian for life
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
05-17-2018, 02:25 PM
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Oh, go on then, here's a few (cross-posted from other threads):
A 15/3.5, pixel shifted
M 85/2
M 120/2.8, pixel shifted
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
05-15-2018, 07:29 AM
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There is a world of easily adaptable lenses out there, but I suggest some home work first, cause not all of them are really interesting for practical use.
T-mount and Adaptall/Adaptall-2 have been already suggested. IF YOU HAVE/FIND the right adapter there are T-4, TX, YS lenses that were available with M42 (and in some case PK) mounts.
Some early Enna, Komura and Tokina objectives had their own kind of T-mount, with different shape/diameter. Late Komuras had interchangeable UNI AUTO adapters, functionally similar to the TX.
If you are not attracted by old preset lenses with beautiful bokeh, but you have access to some sharp, expensive lenses with compatible mount, including Zeiss ZF and ZF2, you can order a Leitax mount, as already suggested. I have two Leitz Canada optics (Summicron 2/90mm and Tele Elmarit 2.8/135mm) that were compatible with Visoflex. I found the accessory helicoid for Viso, a Leitz Viso to R adapter, and I leitaxed the latter. Minimum focusing distance is rather limited, especially with the 135mm, but a least I can use these two nice examples of my Leica M arsenal (that otherwise are of no practical use unless you have a mirrorless).
Reporting about brands and models, even briefly, would take pages... Google is your friend :)
I just propose my take on this subject.
Why experiment with adapted lenses?
Not because of sharpness, most of the times.
Because of what you don't get from modern optics: speed, (more or less controlled) aberrations, bokeh, tamed contrast for B&W conversion, cheap extreme macro.
When I use the word bokeh I don't mean just beautiful circles of confusion from OOF highlights, but also a pleasant, smooth transition between focus planes.
Cheers
Paolo
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
05-14-2018, 06:14 PM
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An adapter and it works just fine.
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
05-16-2018, 11:26 PM
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Hahaha, quite a long time. From the end of the seventies, but I kept myself sane for long periods :)
I used to collect large format lenses (more, and more valuable than those for Pentax), and I've been very interested in the history of photographic lenses. It's a very fascinating field.
My first large format lenses were used for work, when I did still life with a Linhof Technika and Linhof Bi-System (and also a Pentax 6x7).
After I switched from cameras to computer, I turned to larger formats (8x10" and bigger) as a hobby, and I re-started to acquire LF lenses, especially Petzvals, soft focus, or historically relevant optics.
Unfortunately I stopped using large format (and analog in general) because I moved abroad. No wet darkroom, no studio lights/strobes/equipments, no large tripods...
I don't like to buy lenses if I have no chance to use them, so after a while I re-started acquiring Pentax glasses. I already owned some very nice ones bought during the eighties (like three A Stars, the A 2.8/20mm, the Zeiss/Pentax A 3.5/15mm and K 2/28mm), so at first I acquired a few modern AF zooms.
I never sold my beloved film lenses even if they made little sense on crop format, and after I had filled the gaps with some "sharp" objectives, I turned to some vintage ones I always desired, slowly buying one after the other.
With the release of the K-1 I reached the peak. Old lenses could be used to their full potential!
Now I have many optics to experiment with. I still have a "wanted" list in my mind, but almost all of them are out of reach, so I try to be patient and wait for a great deal that might never come.
I don't sell a lens since very very long. All of them were bought for a reason, and I pet all of them :)
If I want to finance some new acquisition I have to sell at least the duplicates. A few of them are very interesting, and I would like to see them in good loving hands.
Unfortunately selling on this forum takes some time, and when I tried I had no time left for the first "bump" cause I had to leave the country in a week...
Next time I fly home I will try to communicate beforehand, letting people "book" in advance the lenses they are interested in.
Of course only duplicate lenses will be on sale... I guess I have a psychologic block that prevents me from going any further :) :) :)
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
05-15-2018, 12:14 PM
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Buying the K-1, just because I had so many great old film glasses, has given me back the pleasure to take pictures.
I'm enjoying this camera immensely.
Well, better to add a couple of pictures... after all it was me who started this thread :)
Two funny snapshots at dinner with friends
Meyer Primoplan f/1.9 58mm wide open
 K_1_4379 by spaulein, on Flickr
Soligor C/D f/2 135mm wide open (or barely stopped down)
 K_1_4387 by spaulein, on Flickr
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
05-05-2018, 12:06 PM
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I like to vote this thread to get sticky :)
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-04-2018, 10:15 PM
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 Untitled by Andrew, on Flickr
K-30.
Super-Takumar 50mm f1.4 (8-element).
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-01-2018, 05:16 AM
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SMC Tacumar 50/1.4
S-M-C Tacumar 85/1.9
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Forum: Site Suggestions and Help
05-05-2010, 10:40 PM
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PentaxForums.com Feature Tutorial #1 (Finding Threads) Over the course of the following weeks, I will be posting a small series of tutorial threads outlining the main features of our forum software here on PentaxForums.com. Many of these features have been tailored for exclusive use with our site, and as they are quite numerous, I'm not sure every member is aware of their existence. After reading these handy guides, you might just happen to rediscover our site! If this tutorial was helpful to you, please let me know by leaving a comment via the reputation system- just click the  icon beside my username or the [Add to Reputation] link directly above this text!
Viewing The Latest
Tip #1 - Log in when browsing the site rather than browsing as a guest! Only logged-in members have access to enhanced search and filtering features.
Tip #2 - Use RSS. We have a global forum RSS feed found at https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/external.php! In addition, each individual forum also has its individual feed, and you can also mix&match by combining the forum IDs the the external.php URL. For more individual RSS links, see our site map here: PentaxForums.com Site Map.
Tip #3 - Use the 'newest posts' and 'today's posts' features. This is the number one way of finding and posting in the threads want! In fact, this feature is so useful that links two it are found in not one, not two, but three places on every forum page, and also in the User CP. Refer to the screenshots on information how to access these features.
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Tip #4 - Use the 'unread threads', 'my threads', and 'my participated threads' features. Want to help answer unanswered questions? Remember posting in a thread, but lost the URL? Have no fear! These links will come to the rescue. They are found in the forum and search dropdowns, respectively, and pictured above.
Tip #5 - Subscribe to your favorite threads. Want to get email notices about your threads, or have a centralized place to track them? Simply click the green check mark at the top of each thread. You will then be able to choose how you'd like to be notified of updated to the thread. You can also opt to auto-subscribe to all threads in which you've posted- see your options page (second panel) for that.
To view a listing of subscribed threads (or forums, which can be subscribed to from the forum tools dropdown pictured in the next post), visit your user CP (link pictured above).
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