|
Forum: General Talk
04-02-2014, 05:28 PM
|
| |
Any updates, or is my money gone forever?
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-r
01-17-2014, 04:56 PM
|
| |
Just to be clear, this is not the lens that came as part of the K-r kit. The model in the K-r kit was the DA-L 18-55 and it has a plastic mount. As kit lenses go it's OK, but as already been noted, just about any other Pentax lens, including the metal mount DA 18-55, will be better.
The one DA-L kit lens that is pretty decent is the DA-L 55-300. It is identical to the standard DA 55-300, except that it has a plastic mount and does not include a hood. I got the DA-L 55-300 as part of my K-r kit and surprisingly, it is as good as or better at the long end than my Tamron SP 60-300. The Tamron is just a touch sharper, but the Pentax has less CA and flare.
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
12-21-2013, 10:49 AM
|
| |
Like some others, I had a Pentax SLR and lenses from the pre-digital era. I loved that a Pentax DSLR would not only allow me to keep using those older lenses, but that I would also get the benefits of Shake Reduction, even with adapter. No other DSLR manufacturer could offer that. I also wanted good qaulity high ISO & low light performance. Those requirements made the K-r an easy decision for me and I haven't regretted it for a second.
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-r
12-21-2013, 10:31 AM
|
| |
I like my K-r and have no plans to replace it anytime soon. That said, if I were buying a camera today I would not even consider a new K-r if I could find a used K-30 within 20-30% of the price of the K-r.
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-r
12-21-2013, 10:19 AM
|
| |
The vast majority of my shooting is outdoors, so I always shoot RAW+, with the JPG setting on Landscape. Memory cards are cheap and swapping them is quick & easy, so I don't understand why everyone, except maybe pros, don't shoot RAW+.
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-r
12-21-2013, 10:12 AM
|
| |
I'm also happy with my K-r. I've picked up a number of older lenses, some K-mount, a couple M42, and they all work great with my K-r. Unless I become a pro or catch a winning lottery ticket, I don't see any reason to replace it.
|
|
Forum: General Talk
12-12-2013, 02:52 PM
|
| |
When will the 2014 shirt designs and pricing available for order? I still have a balance from the 2nd 2013 shirt that I didn't receive and may want to apply it to the 2014 shirt.
|
|
Forum: General Talk
04-01-2013, 11:18 AM
|
| |
Just ordered two, one XXXL focus scale and one mode dial, both in black. :)
|
|
Forum: General Talk
10-29-2012, 12:17 PM
|
| |
:lol:
|
|
Forum: General Talk
10-08-2012, 03:38 PM
|
| |
| |
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
10-05-2012, 04:02 PM
|
| |
I never thought I would want a colored camera, until I saw the K30 in blue. Absolutely gorgeous and I would love to have my next camera in that color.
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
10-05-2012, 03:51 PM
|
| |
I have a number of K & M lenses, so count me in as well, for both de-crippling the K-mount and restoring TTL.
|
|
Forum: General Talk
10-05-2012, 09:35 AM
|
| |
| |
|
Forum: Photo Critique
10-04-2012, 11:45 AM
|
 | Abstract Blue
Posted By
Lupine |
Replies: 8
Views: 990
|
|
I love the color and composition, very nice shot. 
Can you describe how you set this up?
|
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
10-04-2012, 11:37 AM
|
| |
Great creativity and nicely captured! :D
|
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
10-03-2012, 10:41 AM
|
| |
| |
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
10-02-2012, 12:24 PM
|
| |
Chaparral is a native species, fire is part of it's life cycle and it does not displace other native species.
Honestly, I'm surprised it's 'only' 20%.
Neither do I. However, I do think that eliminating invasive non-native species is a good idea, even if they aren't more fire prone. They displace native species and provide absolutely no benefit to the environment or people. In the case of eucalyptus, they are actually a negative, because of all the flammable debris they produce and because they displace native pines, oaks and redwoods.
It's not hard for the experts. While they agree that they fire would have been bad under any circumstances, they also agree that eucalyptus trees aggravated the severity of the fire. Link - Claremont Canyon Conservancy
Audobon Magazine Link - America's Largest Weed
 Quote: Of the many eucalyptus species that evolved with fire, none is more incendiary than blue gum. "Gasoline trees," firefighters call them. Fire doesn't kill blue gums. Rather, they depend on fire to open their seedpods and clear out the competition. And they promote fire with their prolific combustible oil, copious litter, and long shreds of hanging bark designed to carry flames to the crowns. Blue gum eucalyptus doesn't just burn, it explodes, sending firebrands and seeds shooting hundreds of feet in all directions. Living next to one of these trees is like living next to a fireworks factory staffed by chain-smokers. Just to be clear, I am well aware that native species also cause problems. Monterey pines have been introduced into a lot of areas where they aren't native either, and not surprisingly, they also cause problems, although not to the scale of eucalyptus.
|
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
10-02-2012, 11:49 AM
|
| |
The causes of the Oakland Hills firestorm are fairly well established. However, I didn't blame the fire itself on the the Eucalyptus trees, I said it was fueled by them. Most resinous tree species are very flammable, including coast pines. However, eucalyptus has a characteristic that pines don't have; they have a tendency to blow up when they burn. That spreads flaming debris fire over a much larger area than a pine or oak that burns w/o blowing up. As a result, eucalyptus fueled fires can spread much quicker and over a wider area than it would have under the same conditions, but the trees had been the native redwoods, oaks and pines. Eucalyptus also 'sheds' much more heavily than native CA trees, so they generate a much greater amount of highly flammable ground debris, which also significantly increases the fuel load.
So my concern isn't that eucalyptus trees cause fires, neither they nor any other tree causes a fire to start. However, once a fire has started, eucalyptus are just about the worst possible trees to have in the fire zone.
|
|
Forum: General Talk
10-01-2012, 11:06 AM
|
| |
IIRC, there was some use of swastika-like symbols by various Jewish groups over 3,000 years ago. In parts of Asia a swastika is still used on maps to mark the locations of Buddhist temples and is some places it is the symbol for eternity.
However, that does not change the fact that in Europe and North America it has become a symbol of hatred and bigotry.
|
|
Forum: General Talk
09-29-2012, 12:48 PM
|
| |
Oh, please! 
Of course he said he can win PA; if you asked him about CA he would say he can win there, too! Romney may not be the best campaigner in the world, but he's not stupid enough to publicly concede a state that he might be able to turn around before the election even begins. If nothing else, he can force Obama to spend resources and time defending his lead in PA. :fedup:
|
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
09-29-2012, 12:25 PM
|
| |
Sorry, eucalyptus is a terribly invasive species and a major fire hazard. The 1991 Oakland firestorm that killed 25 people and destroyed almost 4,000 home was fueled largely by eucalyptus trees. Just wave a match near a eucalyptus and it's likely to burst into flame because of the very high and very flammable oil content. Eucalyptus is a major contributor to many of the wildfires that plague California and it displaces more fire resistant native species.
Link
If I could, I would destroy every eucalyptus in North America.
|
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
09-26-2012, 03:35 PM
|
| |
Are redwoods as detested in Australia as eucalyptus trees are here in the USA?
|
|
Forum: General Talk
09-26-2012, 03:27 PM
|
| |
| |
|
Forum: General Talk
09-26-2012, 12:03 PM
|
| |
If the only payment option allowed by the seller is Paypal then I agree, the fees should be rolled into the purchase price. However, Paypal is not the only way to pay for something on-line. More than once I've posted a something for sale on a worldwide site, then had a local buyer pay cash.
|
|
Forum: Post Your Photos!
09-21-2012, 11:40 AM
|
| |
Fly-over of the Space Shuttle Endeavour from the parking lot where I work. This was taken as it was circling around from NASA-Ames/Moffett Field in Mt. View, CA. It was not a great location, the lot is surrounded by trees and it went almost directly over me, so most of the shots I got were of the bottom of the 747 carrier plane. This was the best of the few oblique angle shots I was able to get. I thought it was pretty neat that I caught the ventral clearance light flashing in this shot.
 |
