Forum: General Photography
03-03-2023, 04:16 PM
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For my default aperture, check my user title, underneath my name. That, plus ISO 400 and Aperture Priority, is how I walk out the door during daytime.
Changes are, of course, made as the situation warrants, mostly for low light and/or fast motion. No setting is sacred.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
02-24-2023, 09:29 AM
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Every time I look at this image, I keep slamming into her eyes.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
12-16-2022, 01:00 PM
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And we're off again -> -> -> ->
:):lol::hmm:;):eek::eek:
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Forum: General Talk
08-16-2022, 12:21 PM
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-11-2022, 04:06 PM
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I also suspect the surface of your baffle. I made my baffle with high-quality coarse sandpaper (doesn't shed granules) spray-painted with ultra-flat black. This is an old method common in user-built astronomical telescope equipment. I see none of the problems that you are experiencing. Sticky-back velvet paper is also available from astronomical sources, to add to your current baffle, but may shed more than the sandpaper method.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-07-2022, 10:21 AM
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Forum: General Photography
11-30-2021, 01:31 PM
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STC Optics makes clip-in filters for a number of camera brands, INCLUDING Pentax. As the clip-in is behind the lens, the angle of incidence of the light on the filter is reduced so that wide-angle lenses can be used. Make sure that the rear lens element does not physically crunch the filter when the lens is focused to infinity. The explanations for their filter passbands are in the section for their round filters that go on the front of lenses, not with the clip-ins, but the filtering action is identical.
Their Astro-Multispectra filter would probably the one you are looking for, as it blocks out mercury and sodium lamp wavelengths quite well, and is quite similar in this blocking to many light pollution filters. The newer LED lighting that is becoming more popular for cities is not filtered so well, however, as it has a much broader band of wavelengths that it emits. This a problem for pretty much all light pollution filters, not just STC's. But mercury and sodium lamps are still in broad use, so light pollution filters are still quite useful.
For getting stars over a city, you'll need to get 2 shots - one short one for the city and its lights, and a second longer one for the stars (ranging from getting stars as dots to star trails). Then the 2 images are combined in post-processing, with masking to select only the desired parts of each image.
Experimentation is required.
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Forum: Photographic Technique
07-24-2021, 10:50 AM
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Yep, space in a sailplane is quite limited. Swinging a telephoto around risks impacting the canopy, especially when a "bump" occurs, which will bring on a severe reprimand from the pilot.
Trying to stick any camera out the vent is going to be awkward. You will almost certainly NOT be able to look through a viewfinder (the vent will be lower than your normal head placement), and loosening your straps to get your head low down (it would hardly be comfortable) will bring on another severe reprimand from the pilot.
You WILL be in the front seat - it has a FAR better tourist view than the back seat. At my old club, we ALWAYS put guests in the front seat. If they were light weight, we put a lead sheet under their seat to get a proper weight and balance.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
07-18-2021, 04:12 PM
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Somebody missed the ";);)". Guess I needed a full :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:.
And did you check the name "TedH42"?
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
07-18-2021, 03:06 PM
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What's this 42 crap? ;);)
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Forum: Sold Items
05-18-2021, 10:51 AM
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
04-08-2021, 12:23 PM
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-21-2021, 02:54 PM
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What are we talking about here? :confused::confused:
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Forum: Photographic Technique
03-13-2021, 05:15 PM
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Your Bahtinov mask will work fine on your 70-250 if you keep the focal length no shorter than about 100mm for APS-C. The Bahtinov pattern becomes too small to use with wider lenses, including all those that you list on your "wide side". So what to do for those wider lenses?
On your KP, set it to Live View, get a fairly bright star in the center, push the "OK" center button to get into magnify mode, and rotate the rear wheel to get to at least 8X magnification (16X is better if the seeing is steady enough and the star does not wobble back and forth). Get the star into the center with the right, left, up, and down buttons. Focus manually (AF is useless here) carefully. Get right to the best focus by rocking the focus ring through the smallest star image on both sides. Gradually decrease the rocking to either side of that best focus until you have a feel of where that "best" focus point (smallest star) really is, and set the focus precisely there. Do not allow the focus ring to move after that. If you can apply tape to secure the position of the focus ring, without rotating it AT ALL, do so (and check focus after the tape is applied). Otherwise, leave it alone at the focus point.
Press the "OK" button to drop back to 1X magnification. Get out of Live View (saves your battery and is not needed now).
You can reframe your composition to whatever you want to shoot.
I haven't used the O-GPS-1, as I use an astronomical equatorial mount for my astro images.
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Forum: General Photography
03-07-2021, 03:22 PM
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Truly stunning images. The underwater caverns I'll never see in person, but I don't have to miss their captivating beauty because of these images. Thanks for sharing.
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Forum: Sold Items
02-03-2021, 01:14 PM
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Forum: General Talk
12-15-2020, 01:50 PM
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Hoping to visit this summer, with a 2-week group tour, and an additional stop at the ancestral home in North Ayrshire.
We'll see. Perhaps a little later. :):hmm:
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Forum: General Talk
12-13-2020, 12:47 PM
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Just opened a new Laphroaig last evening. :):)
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Forum: General Talk
10-31-2020, 12:59 PM
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We all knew that this was inevitable. Enjoy your own copy of one of the Pentax Master Lens. :):)
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
10-27-2020, 09:53 AM
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This is my estimate also.
If I do an African Safari for the big animals, I'll be taking one of these cameras for sure. And a DFA 150-450 too.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
10-02-2020, 09:38 AM
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I have had K100D, K200D, K-5, K-3, and KP (also K-1ii, which has similar IBIS to KP). The IBIS has continuously, and quite noticeably, improved through this series. When I got the KP, and using it with lenses up to 300mm (the DA 55-300 PLM is a favorite), I just got the feeling that I could throw away my tripod (I actually didn't, but the additional freedom from the tripod for lower shutter speeds was wonderful).
In addition to better IBIS, the KP also maintains better noise characteristics to higher ISO values, which permits higher shutter speeds, also reducing the effect of shake.
Pentax IBIS technology has steadily, and significantly improved over camera generations. My personal expectation is that K-new IBIS will be at least better than KP/K-1 level, which far better than K-5 capability. And it will have better higher ISO noise characteristics than the K-5iis, so your shake experience should be noticeably better than what you have currently. But it won't be cheap. :):)
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-07-2020, 06:22 PM
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The snow (and rain) will slow the fire down some, but will almost surely not put it out. The branch going directly into RMNP might get stopped by mountains above treeline. But I think that the smoke will continue (not sure how bad it will be - it's bad right now. I can't see mountains 8 miles away, and I'm over 100 miles south of RMNP), and any wind from the north around to the west will send it into RMNP. High smoke columns can be quite spectacular, while low smoke haze (such as I've had today) can totally destroy any decent photo opportunities, unless it's an orange sun over trees/mountains through the smoky haze. Be ready for lousy breathing, however. The rangers can certainly help you out with good places to go.
If smoke is not going into RMNP, you're in luck.
If you do end up with fire coming at you, the rangers will again help you, but the main idea is to GET OUT pronto!
Best of luck.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-07-2020, 03:31 PM
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Update: the Cameron Peak fire has greatly expanded to 89,312 acres, 4% contained as of Sept 7 afternoon. It has entered RMNP on the north side.
Official info is at: Cameron Peak Fire Announcements - InciWeb the Incident Information System
A significant snow storm (6" - 12", winds to 40 MPH) will be hitting Monday into Tuesday (9/7 - 9/8)
Best of luck to you. Still wishing you a great trip. Could be spectacular.
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