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Forum: Photo Critique 10-13-2020, 06:55 AM  
Nature Please provide your feedback !
Posted By madphys
Replies: 5
Views: 916
Please don't take it to heart - but I call such type of shots - "I shoot what i see". There is nothing wrong with it (good for simple documentation of facts which might become relevant many years later) but from an artistic standpoint they are lacking.

1ist image - not a good composition - too much "empty space" while the "object of interest" is small. The subject itself could be made interesting - a long focus lens from a lower vantage point could do a better trick. If the truck was stationary - a different angle - more form a side would provide additional interest.

2nd image - Just a deer - a bit soft focus and funky colors. I understand that it is hard to control a deer and such - but here a "portrait" (headshot) would be more interesting - one side of the head is kind of in the shadow while the other is light up. In this whole-body shot - the attention is taken away by a bright tail.

3rd image - flat lighting. Flowers don't "sparkle" - in this case you could improve the situation only with an external off-camera lighting. Composition - a fence of flowers. In this case the "impact" would have been to zoom in on one flower or to find a perspective where flowers line up towards the vanishing point - somtehing like that.
Forum: Photo Critique 12-30-2019, 01:17 AM  
Landscape Winter Barn
Posted By madphys
Replies: 42
Views: 1,971
Overcast day in a winter - not the most interesting lighting. This subject screams for some early morning/golden evening sunshine. Due to flat lighting - the "leading line" is not well pronounced and might be overlooked at first glance. Furthermore, I think the subject (barn) would become more interesting from different angles / different framing. For example, given an optimum lighting - I would try out a telephoto framing of the barn.
Forum: Photo Critique 12-29-2019, 03:33 PM  
Abstract Yes, it's a standard tourist shot, but I'd like a critique anyway
Posted By madphys
Replies: 31
Views: 2,216
This could have been a great shot with tilt-shift lens., where the focus is on the boat.
Construction in the upper corner would not have been an issue, if playing with depth of focus/blur in post processing is considered.
The obvious is that I would have gone with higher shutter speed in favor of wider aperture. F11 is too much. If it is not macro or something very specific - I wouldn't go past F8, as typically this is the boundary for "sweet spot" for any lens.

But yes - I would have gone with wider or even much wider field of view and real or faked tilt-shift appearance for this one (you can google tilt-shift Niagara - there are some pretty nice looking examples with this very same motif).
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 11-30-2019, 02:24 AM  
RAW batch processing with Auto settings
Posted By madphys
Replies: 10
Views: 1,425
Greetings!

As of lately I have encountered a problem, where I have a lot of raw files. I shoot in raw - just in case. So I have a problem - how to process and convert them in batch mode. The problem is that they would need an individual approach, thus I am looking for a batch raw processing software option that could handle this.
Maybe you could suggest something and point me in the right direction?

The vast majority of files doesn't hold any particular artistic value, but they are personally important (sentimental). Nevertheless, I don't have a time to process everything individually. Thus I am looking into maybe "AI" based solutions, that can automatically analyze scene - correct horizon, crop, apply some basic corrections etc. Is there something on the market that could do that?

A big thanks in advance!
Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50 08-22-2019, 12:07 AM  
For the engineers out there-- aperture block , or battery failure?
Posted By madphys
Replies: 40
Views: 5,587
I can ensure you - at lest the swapping out the solenoid is a permanent fix. In my K500, when I changed out the solenoid, I used it a bit afterwards and then when I shortly after that got a k3II, I have neglected it - just gathering dust for ~2 years. Recently I started it up again - works just perfect. I cannot vouch for the filing method, as the filed down green solenoid went back into the K100D flash compartment (where it still works) - but that is not a corect evaluation.

Hope this helps
Forum: Photo Critique 08-21-2019, 11:31 PM  
Night water fall
Posted By madphys
Replies: 21
Views: 1,712
Maybe I exaggerated it a bit too much - it is terrible only in comparison...
Forum: Photo Critique 08-21-2019, 11:34 AM  
Night water fall
Posted By madphys
Replies: 21
Views: 1,712
K100D is terrible camera for night time photos, especially long exposure and high ISO. Newer models with 16MP sony CMOS sensor are so much better.
I think this subject could have benefited from HDR stacking approach.
Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50 08-20-2019, 05:09 AM  
K-50 black frames (but not aperture-related)
Posted By madphys
Replies: 6
Views: 1,138
Try updating firmware, if possible.
Forum: Photo Critique 08-19-2019, 04:39 PM  
Still Life Short Stack
Posted By madphys
Replies: 8
Views: 1,260
Looks like it is detached from the table - and eye shifts from the part in focus to this "boundary".
IMHO a dark tablecloth would improve the presentation. Definitely worth playing around with lighting.
Forum: Photo Critique 08-19-2019, 04:18 PM  
Nature Help settle a dispute.
Posted By madphys
Replies: 38
Views: 2,583
The photo lacks light... It is "flat" looking because of the lighting. There are times, when natural light cannot provide that "interesting" look, the pop of details, the interplay of highlight and shadow. In such cases you turn to artificial lighting - like a flash with or without light modifiers, the only thing is - you have to get it off the camera (via wireless trigger or a curly cord).
If what I am saying doesn't make sense to you, take a look at














You Tube



, and what effort he puts in, to stage his mushroom photos.

Also - you could bring a mister bottle with you... Sometimes might be useful.
Forum: Photo Critique 06-14-2018, 11:46 AM  
Nature Sandhill Crane
Posted By madphys
Replies: 19
Views: 1,351
I would say there is too much space which draws the eye away from the main subject. A tighter (most likely vertical) crop would add to the overall presentation of otherwise great capture. Maybe a slight tweak with contrast, selective saturation would also be beneficial.
Overall very nice capture.
Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service 05-22-2017, 11:39 PM  
Pentax K-3 shutter issues
Posted By madphys
Replies: 4
Views: 1,344
Pentax is loosing its quality....Sad...
Forum: Photo Critique 05-18-2017, 12:13 AM  
Misc 2017 Fair contenders C&C requested
Posted By madphys
Replies: 34
Views: 3,431
Ok - just remember - i provide my personal opinion.

1) The content seems too casual, yes there are some eye catching lines, but overall I could say - it is too casual (for a contest at least). Plus the yellowish look of the artificial light doesn't add to the appeal of the shot.
2) Overall nice but the framing is not as good. The right part of the frame - a car, parking lot, concrete bankside - destroy the harmony of the frame. In this case I would have went with a higher focal length and a vertical shot to exclude distractions.
3) I really like it - not match that can be added - maybe in post the foreground could be brightened up a bit.
4) The mood and colors even if they are slightly unrealistic are quite appealing.
5) Overall good shot but the noise and color rendition brings it down. I suppose it is a handheld shot...
6) Also really nice shot - I like the moment, choice of the focal length but something is off. I can't even put into words why it seems a bit off...I would say - vantage point is not the best, horizontal centering of the moon also seems odd to the eye plus the foreground road signs (the vantage point thing and framing) also are not flattering.
7) Astro star trails - the ground scene is too boring - there is nothing going on. If there have been at lest some reflections in the water (super calm water) then it might have turned out a little better.
8) Nicely done but the motive has been seen many times. This one though is better than the previous.
9)Interesting place. Background buildings don't quite belong in this frame - a different angle and experimentation with DOF could have produced "better" results
10) Not much to say -nice shot - just the horizon is few degrees off.
11) Very nice - basically I can't find anything worth mentioning
12) Very nice blossoms - I like the look - not much to say
13) Tiger eyes - not much to add - fine
14) Jellyfish - lacks sharpness a bit
15) Birds - rather central composition - imho not the best choice for this scene
16) Many colors, many shapes - overall nice - I don't have any worth mentioning remarks.
17) Nice spiral geometry - in a sense classic but well executed.

I hope this heps
Forum: Photo Critique 05-17-2017, 09:55 PM  
Misc 2017 Fair contenders C&C requested
Posted By madphys
Replies: 34
Views: 3,431
All of them are very nice...I particularly like No 3 and 4. Do you want some remarks regarding each frame?
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 05-17-2017, 11:05 AM  
Switch?
Posted By madphys
Replies: 21
Views: 2,738
You will never await fast AF with old technology - screw drive lenses will never be fast - no matter what you do. You can choose K1, KP or whatever - never gonna happen (slight improvements only).
In the future we can expect slight improvements in regards to phase detect sensor and algorithmic approach of focusing and object tracking. True AF improvements can be achieved only with improved drive technology. For example as it has been shown with the PLM 55-300.
Forum: Photo Critique 05-17-2017, 07:57 AM  
Landscape Please improve - After sunset
Posted By madphys
Replies: 11
Views: 1,403
My suggestions:

After sunset means that the light is becoming scarcer thus overall look of the image should be darker.
In this particular case (in the unchanged version) it seems that the sky is slightly too bright in comparison to the ground scene.

1) Overall exposure should be slightly decreased.
2) WB might be slightly slightly warmer - to make the lightest area in the sky more orange (you know the look).
3) Apply curve adjustment to bring out details in the sky with aim to improve contrast. Using gradient mask (or I don't know what is available in the lightroom) apply this adjustment just to the sky part of the image.
Forum: Photo Critique 05-17-2017, 07:32 AM  
Abstract Astrophotography
Posted By madphys
Replies: 11
Views: 1,735
1) You can easily up the iso up to 1600 or even 3200.
2) Go with exposure at least 15 seconds - 20 or 25 are even better.
3) Milky way (or stars in general) NEVER looks good without at least some post-processing. Thus I would suggest find an easy post-processing tutorial for milky way shots. For example














You Tube



one is ok.
Forum: Photographic Technique 03-24-2017, 04:33 PM  
Tips for shooting 1 year old's birthday party
Posted By madphys
Replies: 48
Views: 4,235
1) Acquire a better lens - for example a second-hand DA70 limited
2) Put emphasis on candids and diversity - it is useless to take 50 pics of a child with the same facial expression each time he smiles. Candids from a safe distance with a telephoto (70 lim should provide plenty of distance outside) imho is the best approach for children and also adults.
3) Don't forget to take some posed pics of the family in different combos, when things quiet down - for this an off-camera flash would be very advisable - cheapo light stand, cheapo shoot-through umbrella, cheapo manual flash with optical slave.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 03-24-2017, 04:04 AM  
In the crossroads of a new body
Posted By madphys
Replies: 6
Views: 1,240
1) The KP isn't on the table because locally the price is ridiculous and I don't like the looks of that camera and the feature set seems odd...It is like with women or cars - if you have an irrational feeling that its not yours - just pass.

2) I am strongly leaning towards K3ii...again locally the price difference between K3 and K3ii is around 50 euros...not a huge gap. Maybe I even could consider K3 but as I remember there was a recall on these bodies or something....what was it? So I am a bit wary.
Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50 03-23-2017, 07:42 AM  
Battery: 1400mAh or 2100mAh?
Posted By madphys
Replies: 6
Views: 1,441
For K50 you can get an off-brand AA adapter for $2 and eneloops - one of the best solutions.
Regarding off-brand Li-Ion...don't go with a high-capacity noname - they tend to bloat - 1) it is dangerous, 2) it is hard to extract the battery from the compartment if it happens. For Li-Ion I would go with Ansmann or something along those lines - they are lower capacity and more expensive but you get a quality product. No more cheapo Li-Ions for me - they just bloat.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 03-23-2017, 02:04 AM  
In the crossroads of a new body
Posted By madphys
Replies: 6
Views: 1,240
Hello!

So an intro, I guess, will maybe help understand my situation better. I have had K100D since it was released, then some years ago I also acquired a sony nex system with 16 MPx sensor I decided I like the image so much, I need the same sensor for k-mount. Didn't need any major features - so I went with the cheapest version - K500. Boy, that was an improvement over K100D. So happily shooting for couple of years - black frame plaque got me...DIY approach - changed solenoid form K100 - rolling again. But this time also coincides with my first child coming into our family so logically I tend to shoot a bit more - swept the dust off my FA 50 1.4. And my disappointment - It is impossible to get the focus where I want it.. It constantly front focuses....I focus on eyes, tip of the nose is sharp or some details on clothing. Fine - I grab my focus checking chart - mount everything on a tripod - huge front focusing...Adjustments -10, better but still obvious front focus. I check with other lenses - the same. First thought - I have messed something up while changing the solenoid but then a light bulb went off in my head - I looked through my older images - they all had the same issue. And I remember when I thought to myself this is a better camera but often times I get unsharp images - like in some mild macroish situations in the best light possible. So I guess this could explain it...

Now I am in the crossroads - what to do? Ok - I can probably fix the front focusing issue by taking the camera to mech. but still I have a feeling the AF on K500/K50 isn't reliable. I want to obtain good pics of my child + I have received some proposals to shoot other people as well. So I am thinking and upgrade...
I even considered changing systems but really I have too many lenses to make this rational. So what are my options? I am thinking K3/K3 II or maybe K70. I don't need a built in flash as I typically use off camera flash so K3 II seems more attractive but it is already a somewhat older design and judging from DXOmark sensor scores there isn't any worthmentioning improvements over K50 (unfortunately no data for K70 - so I can't compare). K70 - shutter life not as impressive, unknown approach of aperture control - weather solenoid or stepper motor but the added bonus is a built in wifi which interests me as the option of remote control and remote framing. I don't consider KP as an option but still what the future/near future holds for Pentax APS-C ? Will they come up with really improved AF system? Will the High-ISO performance improve or what else to expect? So I am in a loop on deciding what to do? I really don't think Pentax will come up with a really good AF system but if they do...that would be an ouch moment.

Comments, speculations, suggestions, criticisms - all very welcome!

Thanks!
Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50 03-03-2017, 11:54 PM  
K-30 / K-50 Aperture Block Failue - Repair Solution available
Posted By madphys
Replies: 1,050
Views: 212,182
This becomes anecdotal...Color - I suppose manufacturer can make them pink as well - color of plastic doesn't mean anything.
Regarding metal corrosion (wear) - that is because of metal on metal action and is a clear indication that the metal itself is different in the so called "green" solenoid.
Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50 02-27-2017, 06:43 AM  
K-30 / K-50 Aperture Block Failue - Repair Solution available
Posted By madphys
Replies: 1,050
Views: 212,182
That's the one - you have removed it exactly from the aperture control mechanism on the MZ50 - the mechanism hasn't changed substantially over the years btw.
I suppose it will be a direct replacement.
Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50 02-26-2017, 10:55 AM  
K30 overexposure problems
Posted By madphys
Replies: 21
Views: 2,988
Ok - you bought it new or second hand?
And what happens when you switch between metering modes?
Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50 02-26-2017, 04:08 AM  
K30 overexposure problems
Posted By madphys
Replies: 21
Views: 2,988
If the camera (the brain) suggests long (unreasonable) exposures and it executes it accordingly then there shouldn't be mechanical problem. Something is wrong with the metering.
When did this start? Has is started recently and abruptly? Has the camera experienced shock prior this revelation?

What changes when you change between spot, center, evaluative metering? As suggested above - what is your exposure comp value?
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