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Forum: Pentax Full Frame
09-09-2023, 11:07 AM
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For my use, the benefits of full frame come down to two factors:
(1) Some full-frame cameras have a bit better low-light performance than even the best APS-C cameras. The K3-III is perhaps the best APS-C camera in this regard--to the point where it is superior to some older FF cameras--but it still lags behind the best FF cameras in low light. Having said that, the difference is not large, and modern noise-reduction software has helped to further narrow the gap.
(2) It is easier to find ultra-wide FF lenses that have filter threads. By "easier to find" I mean that there are many more options. The DA 11-18mm has filter threads, but that's about the only option, and at its widest the lens has a FOV equivalent to a FF 16.8mm lens, which is not very wide.
If I didn't shoot much in low light and did not use ultra-wide lenses I would just use APS-C. As it is, I use both.
Dan
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
09-09-2023, 10:37 AM
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Leica are not part of Nikkei's market share report because they are not a Japanese company.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
04-10-2023, 10:14 PM
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We already have a teleconverter at π^(1/π). The army of π should be happy about that!
---------- Post added 04-10-23 at 10:19 PM ----------
No, they are planning to hang in there until the Tony and Chelsea show gives up the ghost. THEN they can call it quits.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-31-2023, 09:36 AM
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Well, I'm an old guy and I can hear it just fine. Maybe you need to increase the volume! :D
As for the noise while zooming, I just checked my PLM 55-300 and it also makes a noise while zooming in and out, although the frequency is a bit lower than what I am hearing in the video. Of course that could have to do with the sound quality of the video, or it could be that the sound is a bit different on the 16-50. The PLM technology is extremely quiet--almost completely silent--while FOCUSING, but the PLM motors have nothing to do with the zoom function, which is manual, and which is noisier than focusing. I wouldn't worry about it unless you are also hearing a noise while focusing.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-28-2023, 02:00 PM
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One thing to keep in mind regarding film winding is that it is not necessarily an "either-or" proposition. Every film camera I owned had a manual film-advance lever, but most of those cameras also allowed you to attach a small (or not-so-small) motor drive that could be used to fire off rapid bursts when necessary. When given the choice I would typically use the manual film advance lever, but it was nice to have the option.
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
12-21-2022, 11:14 AM
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I have two K-70s, both of which have been trouble-free. Overall, I think that the K-70 is an excellent camera. But this is one of those rare cases where I agree with the Northrups. The main "innovation" with the KF is the large price increase. The camera is a gift to critics who have been saying that Ricoh is no longer serious about the continuing development of DSLRs. A system that does not continually evolve will eventually die. Hopefully Ricoh will release a new-and-improved K-1 (or something else) and prove the naysayers wrong.
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
12-21-2022, 11:44 AM
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Cameras are imported goods. The value of our currency--the U.S. dollar--has RISEN over the past year against most currencies, including the yen and the yuan. For example, year-over-year, the value of the dollar is up 16 percent versus the Japanese yen and almost 10 percent versus the Chinese yuan. Many of the imported electronics goods that I buy on a regular basis are actually cheaper now than they were a year ago. As for general consumer price inflation, the examples you give are cherry picked and are not a representative sample. U.S. consumer prices overall are up an average of 7.1 percent year-over-year.
The price of the KF is 46 percent higher than the current price of the K-70 based on street price, and is 31 percent higher based on the official retail price. This cannot be explained by changes in the value of our currency, by the rate of inflation for consumer electronics, or by the general rate of consumer inflation.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
05-12-2022, 11:41 AM
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I guess that Olympus is not a very popular camera. :-) Search for "Yashica T4" on eBay, a decent little camera with a very nice 35mm f/3.5 fixed lens. Working copies sell for about $500. I used to have one of these, and now wish that I had kept it. Needless to say, they sell for a lot more now than when they were new. I think I paid $150.
Dan
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
10-29-2020, 10:51 AM
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That's a feature of your phone, not your camera. The way it works is as follows: When you take a photo the time at which you took the photo is embedded in the EXIF info. As you walk around taking photos your phone's GPS tracks your location and saves it as a track log, which shows where you were at each point in time. The geotagging software on your phone then matches the time you took the photo (as recorded by your camera) with your location at that time (as recorded by your phone). This allows the software to create a geotag for each photo. So you see, you don't need any sort of geotagging functionality built into your camera. All you need is a really smart phone!
Dan
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-17-2021, 09:50 AM
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Your take on Canon's situation is completely at odds with their recent corporate reports for their imaging division, for the fiscal year ending Dec 2020. In spite of reporting a sharp drop in unit camera sales, this division continued to be profitable, which they attribute to two factors: sales of their new high-margin Canon R5 and R6 cameras and continued profitability of their inkjet printers including consumables (such as ink cartridges). Indeed, not only did profits remain positive, they actually INCREASED this past year which they attribute solely to the new products:
"income before income taxes [in the imaging division] increased by 43.1% year-on-year to ¥71.1billion thanks to improvements in profitability due to the effect of new products."
(source: https://global.canon/en/ir/results/2020/rslt2020e.pdf)
The only new products that they discuss in this context are the EOS R5 and R6. So not only are these new cameras profitable, according to this report they are sufficiently profitable to offset an overall decline in unit camera sales. Their outlook calls for unit sales to finally stabilize this year. We will see, but given the success of their new product offerings Canon is not the camera company that you should be worried about. In spite of declining sales of the Rebel.
Dan
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-14-2021, 09:57 AM
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You do not seem to understand the concept of sunk costs. Businesses will often sell a product that loses money if the revenue from sale of the product exceeds the variable costs of production, even if the revenue is insufficient to cover the sunk costs. The development costs of the K3iii have already been incurred and cannot be recovered by dropping the project. At this point the decision to produce the camera will be based not on whether the project is profitable, but on whether they can earn enough revenue to cover the marginal costs of production. If they can manage that--which seems likely--then they will lose less money by bringing the camera to market than they would lose by dropping it.
In short, even if they have determined that the K3ii is a loss-making venture they will almost certainly bring it to market, simply as a strategy of minimizing their losses. It may be that they should have never started down this path, but at this point it is too late to avoid the very substantial costs of development.
Dan
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-25-2021, 08:05 PM
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That seems about right, as it works out to about $1,740 in the U.S.
How did I come up with that number?
The current price of the K-1 Mark II in Japan (at Ricoh Imaging) is 258,500 JPY.
The current price of the K-1 Mark II in the U.S. (at Ricoh Imaging) is $1,800 (USD).
Assuming that this same ratio applies to the K-3 III, a price of 250,000 JPY works out to approximately $1,740.
That's very close to what I have been expecting. It seems reasonable to me that they would price it at the same level as the Fujifilm XT-4, which is a premium APS-C camera, and which sells for about $1,700. If the K-3 III performs as expected then this is a very fair price. Sure, it is about the same price as the full-frame K-1 Mark II, but then again it has much newer technology, including what appears to be superior image quality at very high ISOs, and better AF. So the price strikes me as right on target.
:)
Dan
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-17-2021, 08:52 AM
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It depends on what you mean by "real money". All of the major mirrorless manufacturers offer affordable entry-level options, which I define as well under $1,000 (U.S.) for APS-C or well under $2,000 for full frame. Most of these are new or recent introductions. Let's look at some examples:
- Fujifilm just introduced the new and very capable XE-4 at a price of $850.
- Sony just introduced the very compact full-frame A7c, at a price of $1,800.
- Canon has a couple of full-frame mirrorless cameras, the RP and the R, that retail for $1,000 and $1,800 respectively.
- Nikon recently introduced the full frame Z-5 (with dual card slots, IBIS, and weather sealing) at a price of $1,300. They also offer the APS-C Z-50 at a price of $750.
Companies like Sony and Fuji are NOT just focusing on the high end. Moreover, third-party manufacturers such as Tamron have really stepped up their game, offering some good lenses at affordable prices, and promising more to come, in a wider variety of mounts.
One could easily argue that from the perspective of price-to-performance there has never been a better time to buy a new camera. My first digital camera was the *ist-D, for which I paid $1,250 (body only), and which had 6 megapixels, poor autofocus, and no shake reduction. At that price it was easily affordable--particularly in comparison with most of my other hobbies--but from a value perspective the current situation is rather incredible. Recent and future offerings may not be affordable for folks who are poor, but they are well within the reach of middle-class consumers.
Can these super good values continue? Probably not at these levels, but I expect that the surviving companies (such as Canon and Sony and maybe others) will continue to offer affordable options as a means of luring people into their systems. Entry-level gear plays an important strategic role in marketing. Such gear may not add directly to the bottom line, but it is important as a means of cultivating a base of users, SOME of whom will go on to buy more expensive gear. Of course most people who dabble in Canon or Sony will not become long-term customers who buy a lot of gear, but it is necessary to cast a wide net to create that loyal base of customers who will continue to spend. Dropping entry level gear does not strike me as a workable long-term strategy. Having said that, success in the long term relies on more than simply attracting users with low entry-level prices. While offering entry-level gear may be a necessary condition for success it is clearly not a sufficient condition.
Dan
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-15-2021, 05:49 PM
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Well, I think that I know the difference, but my definition seems different from yours. My definition is not based on being able to discern motives, and it is not limited to cases where users of one brand criticize another brand.
By my definition, someone who makes specific, disparaging comments about a camera manufacturer without providing supporting evidence is engaging in bashing. Some examples:
If I say that Pentax makes crappy cameras because the autofocus system can be expected to fail within a year, and if I provide no evidence that this is true, then I am engaging in bashing. On the other hand, if I say that I don't like the autofocus system in a Pentax camera because its ability to track is not up to my standards then I am simply expressing an opinion, since adequacy is a matter of opinion.
If I repeatedly spread negative, unfounded rumors about Pentax then I am engaging in bashing. On the other hand, if I republish profit data showing that Pentax is losing money and I express my concerns about that, then I am not bashing, since the profits are a matter of record, and whether or not one should be concerned is a matter of opinion.
Finally, if I harp endlessly about a shortcoming of a particular camera system, and if I consistently exaggerate the problem (in the manner of an internet troll), then that could also be considered bashing, simply because the excessive emphasis and exaggerations can create a false impression of the underlying problem.
All of these forms of bashing are quite common on camera forums. I appreciate the freedom afforded to posters to express themselves as they see fit. At the same time, I can easily understand why some people might find it annoying, since the net effect is likely to create false impressions about a brand.
Dan
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-15-2021, 02:06 PM
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In my opinion people should feel free to express their opinions--regardless of the content--and then those who disagree should be free to push back by providing counterarguments. But that is just MY opinion, and it is definitely NOT the policy of the vast majority of forums, including this one. Forums place restrictions on speech, because unlike me, most people do not enjoy a free-for-all. Restrictions on posting are designed to create what some would consider to be a more civil environment, which in turn leads to a more successful forum. Forum owners have every right to be concerned about these matters, and to place restrictions on speech so as to enhance the success of the forum.
Bashing a specific camera manufacturer runs counter to the rules of this forum. What constitutes bashing? Ultimately that is for the forum administrator to decide. But it seems to me that repeatedly suggesting that a manufacturer is lying about the reason for delaying a camera, especially when that is tied (implicitly or explicitly) to the impending failure of the brand, constitutes a form of bashing. Even more so when no evidence is provided.
I realize that people don't like being told that their opinions are not welcome. But the simple fact is that not all statements of opinion are welcome, and that applies not just to this forum, but to other forums as well.
Dan
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-14-2021, 10:59 AM
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You don't expect people to be sensitive on the internet? :lol:
Duty calls:
xkcd: Duty Calls |
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Forum: General Talk
02-25-2021, 01:31 PM
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I have received both doses of the Moderna vaccine. The first dose left me with a bit of soreness at the injection site and a moderate headache. Following the second dose I just had the soreness at the injection site; there were no other side effects. I feel very fortunate that I made it through the queue. There are many others in our area who qualify but have not yet been able to get vaccinated due to a shortage of the vaccine.
And yes, as others have pointed out, the science is clear. These COVID vaccines are both safe and effective.
Dan
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
02-19-2021, 07:55 PM
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Actually the mode DOES make a difference with the K-70. (I have two of them.) I had exactly the same problem when I first set a K-70 to AF2. It worked "correctly" in the mode where I set it to AF2, but the behavior reverted in other modes. I had to change it in other modes as well, although I seem to recall that some of the more automatic modes were "bundled together" and changing it in one changed it in some others. Of course none of this is explained in the manual. I appreciate the added layer of customization, but it would be nice if it were better documented.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
01-28-2021, 08:46 AM
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Irix has its headquarters in Switzerland, with manufacturing facilities in South Korea and Japan:
About us
The lenses are assembled in South Korea, using glass that is manufactured in Japan. The people who design the lenses are from Switzerland, Poland, and South Korea.
Dan
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-17-2019, 02:41 PM
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On full frame the 11-18 is more like a prime than a zoom, given its extremely narrow usable zoom range. It's essentially a 15(16)-18, versus a 15-30. Of course the 15-30 weighs more, but with the 11-18 you will need to carry an extra lens or two to cover the same range.
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Forum: Pentax Price Watch
11-28-2020, 01:07 PM
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Not quite. The Adorama gift card is $100, not $150. Not a bad deal, as you do save $100 relative to the pre-sale price (assuming that you have a use for the gift card).
So far the best sales of this holiday season were from Amazon, on Prime Day.
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Forum: Pentax Price Watch
11-27-2020, 09:06 PM
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Those B&H deals didn't last long.
The price of the 11-18 is now $1397 (not $1247), which is the highest it's been in a while. And the gift card is now $100 (not $150), so the net price is higher than the pre-sale price! The 15-30 is now $1447 (not $1297). I didn't check the other prices.
Bah humbug!
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-13-2020, 12:29 PM
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Right there in the spec sheet it says that both SD-slots do NOT accept the latest types: "UHS-II is slot 1 only"
I don't care about this personally, but I am sure that there are some who will complain.
Dan
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-20-2020, 03:12 PM
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This is a difficult question to answer without knowing the features or specifications of the new camera. My guess is that I will be willing to pay somewhere between $800 and $1600. I'll need to know a lot more about the camera to narrow it down. I'm hoping that they will knock my socks off, and that it will be worth almost as much as a K-1 II.
Dan
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-11-2020, 02:34 PM
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I have a K-S2 from the "early" production run (which supposedly has a higher failure rate than later production runs) as well as a K-70, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend either camera. From everything I have been able to gather, the absolute rate of failure is very low--much lower than with the K-30 or K-50. Both of my cameras have functioned flawlessly, and statistically they are likely to continue to function flawlessly. I find that most of the people who are gun-shy regarding these models had a bad experience with the K-30/K-50, and are extrapolating from their experiences because the basic design has not changed. That is not a statistically valid approach. You may think that you are doing people a favor by recommending that they stay away from the K-70, but you are actually doing them a disservice.
Dan
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