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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-15-2020, 10:04 AM
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What are you even talking about here? Not sure what your point is. So let me get this straight, someone who is a competent photographer, can only be so if they stick to their old system for what? 10, 15, 20 years? Give me a break. There's nothing brave or impressive about someone sticking to a system and never ever switching. There's more to the user experience than just pointing the camera and releasing the shutter and getting a high quality image.
If you want to fiddle around with a sub-par auto-focus system when systems exist out there to make it easier and more painless, go for it. If you want to lay down on the ground to get the shot you want instead of just flipping a screen up, go for it.
You sound like you are old, stubborn, and stuck in your ways so I'm not sure it matters to you, and that is fine. Like I said, that's up to you. I don't see any logical reason for not wanting to see Pentax adopt what are clearly popular, functional improvements that other manufacturers have implemented in their systems over the years. What are you so scared of, exactly?
Either way, you're throwing an awful lot of shade for being someone I've never heard of. You have art hanging in what gallery? Before you start chirping about other people's photographic abilities and their desire to have improved cameras, get some respect on your own name. You clearly wanted to go to battle, so here's your battle. Get this man a snickers.
---------- Post added 05-15-2020 at 01:07 PM ----------
The criticisms of Pentax AF compared to other platforms isn't anecdotal and it's not conjecture. It's reality. Sure, people can shoot action just fine on Pentax. But there's easier, faster, better systems out there for doing the same thing. That ends up being a huge user experience issue. I've shot using Sony's AF system, and it's cheat mode in comparison. Nikon and Canon haven't even caught up to Sony's Eye-AF. These three are so far ahead, maybe everyone is right - there's no point in Pentax trying to catch up. Which is fine - for some.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-15-2020, 07:45 AM
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It's perfectly fine and normal for those invested heavily into the Pentax ecosystem to be excited for whatever the K-New camera is.
Here's the thing though, Pentax absolutely has to innovate or at least start playing catch up.
No matter what you are using, any modern day body with high quality glass is going to produce great, high quality images. So the difference comes down to the other factors. If you have a user who's use case is shooting fast action in addition to portraits and landscapes, why would they choose Pentax when the auto-focus is completely blown away by the competition? Many more people are vlogging and creating video content, and just recording video in general these days. Why should they buy into the Pentax ecosystem and have to carry around a second dedicated device for video when they could have it all in one package?
These are legitimate questions - questions that are absolutely fair to ask of a company producing products that we have bought, and want to continue to buy. But if we want products to be developed well into the future, these shortcomings need to be addressed. The writing is on the wall. Do you not want the Pentax community to grow?
I've used my Pentax system, I've rented bodies and lenses from just about every other system out there. I'm sorry but all things being equal the image quality is excellent no matter what you choose. So then you have to decide, well which ecosystem has the best quality of life improvements and continues to innovate? What is going to make my job easier? Again, these are fair questions, and clearly questions consumers are asking.
I'm not trying to knock Pentax - I know it probably seems that way - but not everyone is content with buying a body and using it for 10 years and being satisfied. Just as it is your prerogative to do that, it is other folks prerogative to look for the shiny new thing that has quality of life improvements and technology that makes their photography experience either easier or more fun. Neither side should be judged, but understood.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
02-24-2020, 11:21 AM
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The whole auto-focus debate/analysis/process whatever it is, is what has me clamoring for an updated APS-C flagship (hopefully with improvements in this area).
Yes, we can all advance our technique and find the optimal settings, but even then to me it still feels like a struggle sometimes. Others have probably been at it longer so it's just muscle memory for them and that's great. But the technology is out there to make it simpler and more intuitive.
Case and point, I borrowed a friends Sony A7 iii over the weekend to shoot the birthday for my 3 year old triplets. The difference in auto-focus performance just blew me away. I know it's not a fair comparison, because Pentax hasn't released anything to compete with it - but that's sort of the point here.
Maybe we don't all need latest and greatest sensors and auto-focus mechanisms, maybe they are a crutch. Who knows. What I do know though, is that I had a far more time enjoying when I didn't have to worry if I had the exactly right buttons pushed at exactly the right times while predicting the next movements at the exactly right times all of the time. It made me enjoy shooting more, and made me enjoy the festivities more.
To me, new technology isn't about being lazy or losing touch by letting the computers do all the work. It's about knowing that if I'm not on point or performing 100% myself, I at least know the camera is going to do something more to help hold me up a little bit.
Again, I love my Pentax gear and I'm heavily invested in some of the best glass they have to offer so I'm still holding out hope on what's to come, but I've walked on the grass on the other side of the fence and it felt good on my toes.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
02-20-2020, 07:59 AM
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I understand the need to be patient, and it's not unreasonable. However, I personally find the lack of information or willingness to share details on a new APS-C camera a bit frustrating when I see Nikon, Sony, FujiFilm, Canon all making consistent, regular upgrades to their full lineups on a more frequent basis. I get that Pentax has a smaller market share, and maybe less funds and resources to follow suit.
Many folks have invested heavily in the Pentax ecosystem, and many like the APS-C format. It's not unreasonable to expect more from a platform we have put a lot of money and effort into to expect - at the very least - some information on what's coming. If I feel the need or desire to upgrade my camera (for any reason), Pentax shouldn't put me in a position where I have to throw my arms up and say screw it, I'm not waiting for something that I don't even know is coming, with improvements that nobody knows will even be there, when I can get something better right now from a competitor. I get we as consumers can be impatient, often perhaps going for the latest and greatest without necessarily needing it. But if we want to do that, that's our choice and there's an expectation that those whom provide those products keep up with those desires.
I'm not trying to come off as trashing Pentax - I've gotten great use out of the cameras I've owned and the lenses I have. But from a brand perspective and community engagement perspective, I just don't like being left in the dark when I see the competition being far more open and straight forward. I would think the writing is on the wall here and someone would say, "Hey, don't jump ship just yet, we've got his coming and you're going to love it because it's going to have x feature and y feature." I find it hard to believe they don't have many of the details worked out on their new APS-C flagship by now - and if they don't... that's very telling and very concerning.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
02-14-2020, 12:28 PM
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I think from a consumer perspective, having top notch AF tracking is something that is highly desirable and marketable. I mean, sure technique and user skill can compensate for lack of the latest and greatest AF tracking technologies but I think for most people they don't have the time to spend honing those skills. Some folks, like me, just want to be able to take my camera out and have some confidence that the technology in my camera is going to help me as much as possible so I can get those extra 10 or 20 action shots that are keepers.
It's correct that many do not need advanced AF technology and tracking - but when the competition is doing it, why not join the party?
For me, the one big thing I'm hoping the next camera has is a massive improvement in AF abilities. It might be a crutch, and one might still have to rely on human technique and skill, but there will also be times when it saves me the trouble.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-17-2020, 10:05 AM
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Are these patents new enough where this technology probably isn't in the K-New camera? Or is it not really fair to try to deduce that just from patents alone?
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-13-2020, 07:09 AM
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Do we anticipate CP+ 2020 is when we might hear some more definitive information regarding the camera? Or does Pentax not usually make much noise at these conferences?
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-25-2019, 05:18 AM
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I'd say AF improvement and low-light improvement would get me to move to this new camera in a heartbeat. I find I'm photographing a lot more of my kids and sports and while I've been able to adjust my technique and get better through those means, (plus picking up the 55-300 PLM lens), if the camera can do more to help me out in the AF department that would be a huge, huge plus for me.
I'm excited for this camera and what it might have to offer, even though we can't really be 100% sure of anything just yet.
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Forum: Photographic Technique
08-21-2018, 05:14 PM
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I borrowed a Spyder LensCal from a buddy of mine and have been taking a look with it. With my 77mm, I absolutely cannot discern much of a difference at all in focus point at the recommended 50x the focal length. I found another guide online that said to use 10x the focal length, and at that distance I can definitely see that I had to make an adjustment on my lens.
Is there any definitive stance on what distance I'm supposed to be from this thing?
Edit: attached image is taken at 7 feet with my 77mm set at 0 AF correction.
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Forum: Photographic Technique
08-20-2018, 04:15 AM
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Awesome, thank you all for the advice. I really appreciate it! I'll double check the calibration on all of my lenses, and also I think a little more practice shooting the little ones will help as well!
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Forum: Photographic Technique
08-19-2018, 06:19 PM
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Hrm, no I've never calibrated the auto-focus with any of my lenses. I'll look into that.
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Forum: Photographic Technique
08-19-2018, 04:56 PM
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My woes with Autofocus on my K3-II continue to baffle me. I've read numerous threads with suggestions and best practices but I seem to still just be having issues.
My primary issue is this - I'm photographing my children, so naturally they move around, but there are times when they aren't really moving all that much or that fast, and I know that I've focused on their face, but when I look at my photos in my editor after, it is clear as day that the auto-focus locked onto something else, often part of their clothing near their head or something next to their head in the background.
Most recently today outside, I had nice lighting so I could use a really fast shutter speed and everything so really felt like I could play with auto-focus to figure it out. I tried AF-S, AF-C, single point focus, full point focus. I always seem to have an issue where a ton of my shots are just locking onto something else even when I know I've got it centered right on their face.
Is it me? Is it an issue with my camera? I'm fairly new to shooting things that move, so maybe it's something I'm doing. I've always been more of a landscape and still-life kind of guy. There's been lots of threads out there about this but two and two is obviously not going together for me, unless there's a possibility of an issue with my camera. I just don't know.
Here's an example attached to my post: AF-C, single point autofocus. I have little doubt I had this shot pointed center of his face as I was tracking him and he wasn't all that mobile. Looks to me like it locked onto his sleeve.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
07-25-2018, 02:08 PM
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My bad, it's not necessarily that I'm doing both low light shooting that required fast AF. I've been doing a lot of night photography (landscape/street) and have started doing astrophotography. I also shoot local sports that sometimes play in the evening and/or under the lights which isn't a huge problem, but the AF does come into play there sometimes. In that case I guess sometimes I do shoot stuff that is AF heavy that is also somewhat low light.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
07-24-2018, 03:11 PM
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So if hypothetically I did decide to move to FF, and my two non FF lenses being the ones mentioned here DA15 and 55-300PLM, I assume being quality lenses a consideration would be to keep the K3-II and use them on that body when needed if I were to keep them, being that the DA15 and a FF body won't mix too well? I suppose my concern would be, as much as I like the DA15, if I had a lens for the FF that covered my needs from a landscape shooting perspective, there might be some redundancy there. Not necessarily a bad thing. It's a tough decision for sure.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
07-23-2018, 07:10 PM
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Wow awesome advice so far, I love it! I definitely have some thinking to do.
I guess if I did go to FF, I would definitely sell off the 15mm and the 55-300, and quite honestly I have not used thee 55-300 nearly as much as I thought I would when I got it. I'm not certain I need that kind of range.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
07-23-2018, 06:32 PM
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Thank you for the info - to clarify, which of my 3 lenses I believe to be FF is actually APS-C? Based on the lens review database, I thought all three of the 40mm, 77mm, and 100mm were. Just want to make sure there's not an error there. :)
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
07-23-2018, 05:07 PM
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I've had my K3-II for a few years now, and it has performed well, however I'm considering making a change to a K1 or I suppose K1 Mk II but if the improvement in the areas I'm concerned about aren't huge, I am willing to wait for the next FF model.
There's two primary areas it sounds like making the change now might be good:
I've been doing substantially more nighttime/low light shooting in the past year and expect this to continue.
I've been doing more shooting that requires good auto-focus performance. Not that i think the K3 II is bad at this, but it sounds like the performance of the K1/K1 II might be a decent upgrade in this regard.
Also, I believe 3 of my 5 lenses are FF compatible based on looking at the Lens Database. Here's what I have in my bag:
HD Pentax-DA 15mm Limited (APS-C)
SMC Pentax-DA 40mm Limited (FF)
SMC Pentax-FA 77mm Limited (FF)
SMC Pentax-DFA Macro 100mm WR (FF)
HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm (APS-C)
The funds aren't an issue to step up as I've been setting aside a little fund thinking ahead to future camera/lens purchases, it's just hard making the decision on my own I think :)
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
05-13-2017, 10:34 AM
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FA 77mm 1.8 was delivered today. Super excited to give this lens a try. Everything I've ever heard/read about it and the photographs I've seen taken with it make it seem like a stunning piece of glass!
Any tips/tricks regarding this lens from people who have used it?
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Forum: Photo Critique
05-06-2017, 11:26 AM
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My first real shot at doing something at night/dusk. I'm so intrigued by beautiful night shots - to me it seems so challenging yet so rewarding. Still learning a lot about exposure times at night and the best way to capture a balanced composition.
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Forum: Photo Critique
08-23-2016, 10:54 AM
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I do appreciate the candid feedback and explanation behind it. Perhaps my message was worded improperly. I wasn't necessarily trying to PP the image to make it look abandoned, and perhaps I should have said I just wanted to capture the...perceived isolation of it as the truck was sitting on a plot of land that was starting to become overgrown and was alone by itself with not much else around it in the way of man-made structures. Just had a lonely feeling to it is all.
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Forum: Photo Critique
08-22-2016, 04:28 PM
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Thank you for all of the suggestions and examples! I really appreciate the feedback. I can definitely see the power of a good crop! I am planning on adding a new lens soon to better capture those moments when I want to fully capture more of a scene hopefully minus the confusion as to what I'm trying to focus on :) Will play around
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Forum: Photo Critique
08-22-2016, 04:49 AM
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Thank you for the advice! I do have some shots that focus solely on the truck. With this one I was trying to capture more of the surrounding area to highlight the isolation of it... Sort of show how it's being reclaimed by the forest. Perhaps backing up or using a different lens would have given me more room to play with in capturing the surrounding scenery better.
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Forum: Photo Critique
08-21-2016, 05:08 PM
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This is my first attempt at taking a photograph and really trying to do some post-processing work. I'm generally pleased, however I'm a little concerned with how the tops of the trees appear especially the tall ones in the top left, though that may just be my eyes. Any advice would be appreciated. I tried to focus on trying to get the rust on the truck to stand out a bit.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
12-09-2015, 07:31 AM
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Thank you for all of this great info everyone, I really appreciate it!
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
12-07-2015, 11:27 AM
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Thank you for the suggestions!
I don't know if this information is known yet, but if I were to go for the Full-Frame, is it expected these DA-Lenses would be compatible with that as well?
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