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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 02-01-2023, 03:09 AM  
Game Single in February 2023
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 100
Views: 2,769
I havent been involved for about 8 years, but here I am again in a different country, Ireland. I have so many lenses to choose from, most of which I want to sell because I am 75 and lazy nowadays. I will probably use my K3 and Sigma 17-50.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 10-08-2015, 04:27 PM  
Trying to decide
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 40
Views: 3,225
So far I have bought: K5, K30, K-S1, and last of all K3. (So far, but I am worried that I might want the FF eventually)

The only one I ever use nowadays is the K3. I bought the K-S1 because I wanted a lightweight setup, but the K3 is so perfect for me ergonomically that I don't notice the extra weight, even though it is equivalent to carrying an extra lens.

The K-S1 uses the same sensor as the K-S2, and I can vouch for the quality of the IQ, it gives lovely results - but when I played with the K-S2 in the shop the camera didn't feel very good to me - too light, and too many areas where I felt paranoid about wear and tear.

The K3 is superb, it feels robust, and gives very good results, quickly and quietly. Only last night a friend showed me his new Canon 5D mk III, costing 4 times the price of my K3, and I didn't feel envious at all, the K3 held its own in comparison, but with the bonus of saving nearly 2000 dollars to spend on lenses!

TL, DR - The K3 is a super bargain.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 09-21-2015, 07:37 AM  
DA 40, 20-40 or DA 70 ?
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 41
Views: 5,846
Hmm... I don't see the need for f1.8 or f1.4 for your intended usage. It is useful for a brighter viewfinder image maybe but I think the dof would be too narrow, especially as your kid grows and becomes more mobile.

So, if your budget is enough, get the 20-40 AND the 70 - but I think you would be much better off with the Sigma 17-50 f2.8.
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 09-20-2015, 04:34 PM  
why I won't buy a k3 (Warning: Satire Thread)
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 102,909
Views: 4,785,288
Please don't mention the Republic of China - me and my Chinese wife live in China, and we are so very fed up with the revision of history that goes on.

Nuff said, OK?
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 09-20-2015, 08:28 AM  
High shutter speeds are a waste of time?
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 36
Views: 4,051
Don't forget that the shutter is a slit - so if the moving object is ''thinner'' than the slit then there will be less apparent distortion. Also, I would have thought that panning would helptoo, depending on the direction of movement of the shutter.

Whatever, I'm just making this up as I go along, really.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 09-19-2015, 05:24 PM  
Pentax 1.4 teleconverter and Pentax 18-270 mm?
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 8
Views: 1,595
Sorry, I don't even think it was designed with the 55-300 in mind. To me it is an expensive but highly desirable item best suited to high quality, LONG lenses with wide-ish apertures. I sometimes see people ask if it would be usable with their 35 or 50 lens. NO, that's silly! You are buying a 600 dollar auxiliary item that means you have to take two steps to obtain a 70 or 100, when there is a perfectly adequate 70 and 100 prime lens costing less than the teleconverter? I don't get it.

I really really want the teleconverter, it's my next planned purchase, but I will use it with my 100 f2.8 macro to make a 140 f4 macro, and with my 70-200 f2.8 to make a 105-280 f4.
Will I use the zoom at 105? I doubt it - my second body with the 100 mounted is a much better choice, I reckon.
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 09-18-2015, 09:12 PM  
Substitute for Lightroom - open source?
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 41
Views: 4,775
Fast stone, Pentax DCU?
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 09-17-2015, 10:44 PM  
Game Single in September 2015
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 758
Views: 39,899
Aaah Mr HDR... I posted a somewhat critical comment on his website, and he deleted it very quickly indeed.

It's such a shame that we see threads of shots from history, where people have to struggle to restore the images from old negs or slides from decades ago, yet nowadays people give praise to shots from only last week or so that show colours that are obviously ruined by the post-processing. For example, I have never been to Sedalia, but I absolutely KNOW that the sky could never be that particular blue, and the buildings aren't two-dimensional and illuminated from behind.
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 09-15-2015, 04:22 PM  
New to DSLRs : should I buy K3 or K50?
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 49
Views: 7,258
I have the k30, k5. K-S1, and most recently I bought a K3. I like the K30 because it is a nice shiny blue, the k5 because it is solid as a rock, and the K-S1 because it is so very light and with a DA21 it is a near-perfect street DSLR.

But the K3 at its current ridiculously low price rules them all. I have never owned such an enjoyable and capable camera, and I have been using SLRs since the 60s.

Don't worry about its suitability for beginners, as all modern SLRs can but setup as glorified point-and-shoots, but when you learn more, the K3 will be ready to help you do what you want to do.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 09-13-2015, 07:13 AM  
Is this a good price?
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 6
Views: 1,059
I am selling mine in about six weeks time if anyone is interested in buying it...
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 09-12-2015, 04:51 PM  
Game Single in September 2015
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 758
Views: 39,899
It's under the sink.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 09-10-2015, 05:01 PM  
Honest reactions to the DA* 60-250.
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 29
Views: 3,347
It's best to not mention the 60-250 on this forum as it usually starts a fight!
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 09-10-2015, 04:12 AM  
Game Single in September 2015
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 758
Views: 39,899
Flash, ah aah, you saved every one of us!
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 09-06-2015, 07:05 AM  
Should I sell my Pentax gear?
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 41
Views: 6,073
Maybe someone who is colour blind needs a monochrome Leica?
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 09-02-2015, 07:11 PM  
Game Single in August 2015
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 640
Views: 33,176
First I have to apologise to everyone for not commenting on their shots since about the 18th Aug - I will try to catch up this month. Now I will catch up on my lens rreviews, but they will be fairly brief because I have been "off" photography for a couple of weeks, dunno why.

Firstly, the lens I used for the first half of August, the Tamron 70-200 f2.8 (lotsa letters here). It's a very capable lens, nice and sharp, and very versatile. It seemed to focus quite quickly, and the noise didn't bother me to the extent that I can remember it making much of a noise - maybe it would frighten birdies away, but then so would me crashing about in the undergrowth anyway! The image quality seemed good, and I was pleased with the bokeh, when bokeh was part of my intention. My copy of the lens might backfocus a little bit, especially when closer than 3 or 4 metres, but I am too lazy to do much about that. I was very pleased with the results it gave, but really dislike how heavy it was, so abandoned using it when photolady gave up on using her 55-300.

Secondly, the 55-300, which I used, or intended to use, for the latter part of the month. I don't know how many shots I took with it, but it was far less than I intended. It is a cheap lens, and I got it as part of a 2 lens kit when I bought my K-r maybe 5 years ago - so it is not the latest WR version of the lens. The shots I took show that it is very good value for the price, and it gave good results. For the price... I think it was a bit cool in its rendition, but it was quite sharp enough for me. However, I found that most of the time I was using it at 55mm, so perhaps I was exploiting its best points. I took a flower shot at 300 mil, but it wasn't as sharp as I would like, but it was windy and handheld, so I can't fully blame the lens for its blurriness. But for me the built quality was a major factor. I am a bit of a gearhead (ok, maybe a lot) so I found that I got no joy at all from handling the lens, or from owning it, which may explain why I hadn't used the lens much at all in the years leading up to this month.

In short, the Tamron 70-200 f2.8 is well worth buying, but take up weight training or steroid abuse before you do, and the Pentax 55-300 is damned good value etc etc but I want to get rid of mine.
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 08-23-2015, 07:04 AM  
Game Single in September 2015
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 758
Views: 39,899
Sandy said that the DA21 isn't as sharp as it could be so I will probably use that on my K3 and carry the K-S1 with the 100WR just in case. So much for having a light kit...

On second thoughts maybe S1 with DA70, that's always lurking in the bag anyway.

Anyone wanna buy or trade for my 40XS or my non-wr 55-300?
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 08-22-2015, 11:52 PM  
DIY SDM repair!
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 232
Views: 114,693
This thread seems to have a very long lifespan! I just had a thought - wasn't there a court case in the UK some time ago where someone had a faulty washing machine or something, outside the one year guarantee period, and the legal system ruled that the ''expected lifespan'' of an expensive item should exceed the stated warranty period? As a result I believe Costco in the UK were repairing or replacing machinery several years after purchase.

Surely the SDM problem is a similar case? Start small claim court actions against Pentax or the retailers and something would be done quite quickly, I reckon.
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 08-21-2015, 05:00 PM  
Game Single in August 2015
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 640
Views: 33,176
When I started in SI, the PF stated maximum was 1Mb max, or 1024 by 1024, using PF's own gallery system, so I just stick to that nowadays. For a while I was posting at a maximum of 700Kb, but I have no idea where I got that figure from.


https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/12-post-your-photos/6-how-upload-link-pho...tart-here.html
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 08-21-2015, 02:45 AM  
Game Single in August 2015
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 640
Views: 33,176
Listen up carefully, boys and girls, because Uncle Pete has a story to tell. Several years ago I found a wonderful dentist here in Chengdu, the best dentist I ever encountered in my life. She is a tiny woman, trained in the USA, and when I had one of my front teeth removed, I didn't feel a thing. Literally, not even the entry of the anaesthetic needle. Splendid, because I am a total coward.


However, her prices are very high for China, and as me and HY are saving money to emigrate (except for LBA, that doesn't count) we asked around to find another dentist, gentle but cheap! A friend recommended a specific dentist who worked in an ENORMOUS practice on one of the busier streets downtown. About 2 full levels of a complete block. This was rather intimidating, because it suggested that the prices might be high there too. However, the dentist and all his staff were charming and very capable, and the work he did was almost totally painless.


The reason I think this story is notable is because of the surroundings. Here they are:




Isn't that wonderful?

All shots taken with the DA21, which is why they are here not in today's thread. Also, I was forbidden to take photos, which explains the tilt.

I think the whole place must once have been a monastery, or is trying hard to look like one. When we walked into the reception area we were quite alarmed, because the level of luxury looked very expensive. Also, there were so many staff around - a girl at ground level to usher us into the lift, 2 male and 2 female greeters on both floors, and each room had a greeter outside it. Each female greeter in salmon-peach or lemon-yellow party frock, and her job was to convey us to the dental nurse. 2 dental nurses for each dentist, dressed in white. The X-ray technician had 3 nurses. One thing that was very surprising was that there was a cake shop in reception, I presume they are trying to encourage tooth decay!


And the total price of my extraction? $26.59. That's right, twenty-six dollars fifty-nine cents. (equivalent)


btw, please don't think I am mocking religion in any way - the only reason for this post is because I think this place is totally anachronistic in China.
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 08-16-2015, 05:23 PM  
Game Single in August 2015
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 640
Views: 33,176
Well done Sara, but not surprising really - I reckon you would have a good shout at some sort of recognition in any photo competition or exhibition you entered.
Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands 08-14-2015, 09:22 PM  
K3ii vs Fuji XT-1
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 21
Views: 8,689
I have a K5 and a K3. The K3 is much more responsive in every way than the K5. A year or two ago, before I got my K3, I was asked to take a shot using a Canon plus standard/kit zoom lens, and I was impressed by how quiet it was, but didn't see much difference in the speed of focus. Since then I bought a Pentax 18-135 and a Sigma 17-50, and they both seem just as quiet as that Canon setup.

But the K3 seems to be quiet, nippy, and very responsive. I think we worry too much about technical quality, and not enough about fun, joy of ownership and usage. I liked my K5 a lot, but was jealous of my wife's cool shiny blue K30. But I love this K3, so the fact that it gives me better results than any camera I have ever owned, since 1960, is just the icing on the cake!
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 08-14-2015, 08:12 PM  
Game Single in August 2015
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 640
Views: 33,176
I am also going to change lenses midstream. I am going to take up the slack after photolady's enforced change, by using my copy of the 55-300. I really like the lens I am using at the moment, but it is too heavy for me really. In general I like to take a few lenses out with me, take my SI shots with the specified lens then change to whatever lens I fancy using after that - but the Tamron 70-200 f2.8 is so heavy and large I have to use a totally different bag, one that is more uncomfortable, and I have to leave most of my DA ltd's at home. I think the Tamron is more of a specific-trip kind of lens, preferable using a tripod - definitely not a walkaround!
Forum: Photographic Technique 08-14-2015, 04:29 AM  
Macro How to get cool macro shots like you guys?
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 31
Views: 3,866
Hmm I will go check


You are totally right, Na Horuk. Unfortunately.


Just a thought though - is there a way to cover some contacts with insulation so the lens registers as manual, because it does have quickshift focusing.
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 08-13-2015, 05:41 PM  
'Lines' on image.
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 11
Views: 1,118
Careful! jatrax says "you have to lift the mirror to do this". YOU should definitely not lift the mirror, use the mirror lock up option in the menus instead, before using a rocket blower.
Forum: Photographic Technique 08-13-2015, 05:30 PM  
Macro How to get cool macro shots like you guys?
Posted By Bagga_Txips
Replies: 31
Views: 3,866
There is also a double benefit to catch-in-focus, with the macro lens and camera body in manual focus mode.

You set your focus point, then slowly, SLOWLY I said! Slower than that! Slowly move the camera towards the flower. At the point of near-perfect focus the camera will itself decide to take the shot.

Why a double benefit. Firstly you have to be slow to make sure that the camera is

---------- Post added 08-14-15 at 08:31 AM ----------

Not moving at the time the shot is taken. Secondly, because you are moving so slowly you are much less likely to frighten the bug.
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