Forum: Monthly Photo Contests
02-02-2017, 11:18 AM
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Enjoy! |
Forum: Ricoh GR
06-20-2015, 05:56 AM
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Hi,
I've discovered this forum almost two years ago and found some helpful information, which lead to buying a Ricoh GR. I used the camera quite a lot and thought I could share my impression and some photos.
What I like about the camera: - Its image quality. There are enough tests available that prove it. But I am still surprised about the quality of the GR-images. (Besides the GR I own a Nikon D7100 with some good lenses, but I wouldn't call the quality significantly superior.)
- Its size and weight. Since I have the GR I made most of my good photos with it, and not with the Nikon. The reason for this is simple: The GR was in my pocket with me and the Nikon wasn't, because I preferred to leave it at home with all the heavy lenses. The GR doesn't feel any bigger than a smartphone in my pocket.
- Its handling. The access to all the functions I use is very easy. The manual focus is really nice to have for me. For its size, the ergonomics are very good.
- Its sturdiness. I use the camera a lot for outdoor activities and I don't care too much about its protection. It got a little wet and dirty on a few occasions but with a shutter count of 14000 it still works like on day one.
What I don't like: - The sensor-dust. It's no big issue, as the two dust spots on my sensor are easy to remove in lightroom. And as mentioned above, I'm not the user, who carries the camera in an safety case and only uses it in good weather.
- Besides that, I wouldn't ask for any improvement. (Of course a 24MP sensor and a lens with better edge sharpness at f2.8 would be nice, but it's nothing I really miss.)
So If the camera stopped working today I'd immediately buy it again.
Here are 10 of my favourite pictures I took with GR: sunrise bettelwurf by Philipp Medicus, auf Flickr sunset above the clouds by Philipp Medicus, auf Flickr foggy forrest from above by Philipp Medicus, auf Flickr jump! by Philipp Medicus, auf Flickr treeshadowsnow by Philipp Medicus, auf Flickr autumn morning by Philipp Medicus, auf Flickr landing by Philipp Medicus, auf Flickr ground fog by Philipp Medicus, auf Flickr railways 2 by Philipp Medicus, auf Flickr growing salad - aerial view by Philipp Medicus, auf Flickr
Cheers,
P.
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Forum: General Photography
06-20-2015, 04:53 AM
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Tomorrow being Father's Day in the USA I want to pass on something he taught me about vacation photos. In 1993 we took my parents on a trip out west. We drove out to Denver and they flew out. We had a tent trailer and they stayed in hotels and motels. Showed them Rocky Mountain Nation Park, Custer Battlefield, several old western forts, Yellowstone, Dinosaur National Monument and some place in between. I noticed my father taking snapshots of all the information signs at the places we stopped at. It seems he used them to help remember where and what the various stops were.
Capital idea I thought, And in this day of digital imaging even more so. So if I am at Yellowstone and take a photo of a thermal spring or geyser, I always make a shot including the name of what I am looking at and any plaques giving additional information of what we are looking at, Then I take the "money shot". It's a great way recall what is what and where you were.
Late in his life I found that my father had wanted to become a photographer. He went into the Navy in March of 1941 to learn the skill. The Navy had other plans. Two new battleships were being commissioned and they needed crews for them instead. He did wind up taking shots, but as a gun captain on a 16" gun for the next 6 years. He never did get any training as a photographer.
When Kodak came out with the Disc camera system he thought it was the greatest invention ever. A small camera he could keep in his shirt pocket and take all the photos of his grandchildren that he wanted. He loved it. Probably ran 500 or more discs through it. He had a pretty good eye for composition too. He passed away in 1999.
So dad, Happy Father's Day!!! And yes I found the latest coin you left me.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
04-04-2014, 06:18 AM
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Quick shots of my film gear.
Been thinking about slowly letting them go but can't figure out the right prize for LX with accessories and lens. If anyone cares to advice (via PM's, perhaps), i would be grateful.
-Heikki
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Forum: General Talk
04-01-2014, 01:27 PM
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M35/1.4 for $20 on Craigslist.
Chris
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
03-21-2014, 02:21 PM
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Just put togther a collection of 35 mm lenses on some bodies that corresponds to the periode the lens was "active".
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Forum: General Talk
03-20-2014, 02:31 AM
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Yesterday I flew down to Ft. Lauderdale to visit family. This morning I noticed that the drain in the bathtub was broken. I strongly prefer baths to showers because it's hard for me to stand for long periods. The drain had a central post but no cover. I thought of things I could use to close the drain that I had in my luggage. I needed something the approximate size of the drain area. After a long period of thinking, I remembered that I had brought my camera equipment. The rear lens cap was the perfect size! I thought it was a long shot though, due to the fact that the lens cap wouldn't provide much suction to stay on the drain. I started by covering the drain and allowing the tub to slightly fill, I then lifted the cap straight up an immediately put it back to create a vacuum under the cap. Surprisingly, it worked! So glad I brought my camera equipment!
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Forum: Pentax Price Watch
03-14-2014, 07:55 PM
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-03-2014, 07:05 PM
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I think if you want a lens in this focal length, the two lenses to think about would be the FA 31 limited or the Sigma 35mm f1.4. Both are quite sharp (Sigma maybe a little more so), I think the out of focus rendering is a little better on the FA limited and obviously the FA 31 is smaller.
Anyway, I am sure if you don't like it, you won't lose much on the resale. These lenses really have kept their value well over the last several years. Leaf 1 by Vincent1825, on Flickr
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
02-14-2014, 12:27 AM
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I made a concerning post recently regarding water that got into my Pentax K3 when exposed to light rain. This happened on Sunday - 5 days ago.
On Monday I contacted the camera dealer "Camera House" in Noosaville, Queensland, Australia. (The salesman was Ian Hodgkinson. He has an excellent knowledge of photographic equipment and an encyclopaedic knowledge of Mac computers). I emailed Ian and sent photos of the water ingress on the Sunday. I spoke to him on Monday and he said he'd get right onto it. I expected it would take weeks to get this problem sorted out. - Worse, (and irrationally) I entertained paranoid thoughts of warranty issues.
I needn't have worried. On Wednesday morning, there was a new camera waiting for me. The faulty one had been picked up by C.R. Kennedy (The importers of Pentax) and a new one dropped off. How good is that?
Any camera Leica, Nikon, Canon etc can develop a fault. A professional needs to know that their down time is at a minimum. An amateur isn't going to lose income but there is a frustration factor with a camera being away repaired. - But 48 hours. That's got to be some sort of record.
So there you have it. I had a problem. Camera House and C.R. Kennedy sorted it out immediately. One can ask for no more. I doubt if there would have been as excellent a response from any other manufacturer's dealer.
Before you buy your grey import or try and save a few dollars by buying on eBay, think about this. Sometimes the more expensive option is, by far, the less expensive option.
Can a professional now buy Pentax and earn a living from this equipment? If my experiences are anything to go by, the answer is an unequivocal yes.
Can a professional save money, without compromising quality, by purchasing Pentax? - Again, the answer is unequivocally yes.
Kudos to C.R. Kennedy.
Kudos to Camera House. To purchase anywhere else would appear to be illogical.
Ian Rivlin
PS. I have no professional association whatsoever with Camera House. I am a family physician and am purely an amateur. I have always believed credit where it is due.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
02-06-2014, 02:39 PM
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If you're looking to upgrade your firmware but don't know how to go about it, here's a video tutorial that we've just put together: You Tube |
src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GzIBDx9LKPU?controls=1" allowfullscreen> |
The latest firmware updates can be downloaded here: Pentax Firmware Updates - PentaxForums.com Homepage Blog
Subscribe to the RSS feed to stay on top of the updates as they come out: Pentax Firmware |
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
12-30-2013, 02:40 PM
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Um.. I don't know much about Canon.. but there are some general DSLR steps you can take..
Charge up the battery and leave it outside for a couple hours. Maybe even try a different battery altogether, batteries can often be the cause of odd problems.
Update the camera firmware to the latest one.
In the menu, there is probably a "reset to factory defaults" function - try this, it might fix settings you didn't know were in effect.
Other considerations: Is there a lot of static in the environment? Is there a universal remote being used nearby? Is the shutter button damaged/wobbly? Interval mode or timer disabled?
Also, make sure your kid is not playing tricks on you to get you to buy him a Pentax :p
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
12-07-2013, 02:20 AM
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An exploded view of my 500C/M. It took hours to suspend the parts by threads and align them. I cloned them out in post |
Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
11-17-2013, 04:20 PM
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I'm pretty sure I haven't posted this photo before. |
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
11-05-2013, 09:55 AM
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Hey guys,
We've tested the K-3. Enjoy the fruits of our labour! You Tube |
src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/obRn__ZBq2A?controls=1" allowfullscreen> |
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
10-07-2013, 05:18 PM
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How awesome is my wife? I've had money put aside for this new body for a while now, but she recently got some money through an insurance settlement and insists on buying it for me as a gift! Told me to spend my money on "lenses or something." Is she a keeper or what?
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
10-05-2013, 02:56 AM
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
10-05-2013, 01:58 AM
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Forum: Pentax Mirrorless Cameras
11-28-2012, 02:59 PM
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I have a K-01 on order, due to arrive next week. I guess that officially makes me a Pentaxian. :lol: I've been mulling over getting a large sensor cam for some time now but nothing had compelled me to make the jump until the K-01 dropped so much in price. That and I was waiting for the new version of the K5 to come out to see if it would be worth spending the extra $$.
So why K-01? I thought it would be a good way to dip my toes into Pentax waters and maybe next year pick up a couple lenses while waiting to see what fruit the Ricoh/Pentax marriage brings. A nearly identical sensor to the K5 is another reason. I'll actually have to use the thing for a while to get a feel for it's design and ergonomics but I don't think it will be much of a problem. And it sounds like the new firmware fixes most of the AF and other glitches so I finally came off the fence.
It was also heartening to hear some people remark that it reminds them of the K1000. The first SLR I ever got to use was a K1000 in yearbook class back in the early 90's. Slap an older manual focus lens on the K-01 and I suppose it will be like "coming home" for me.
Can't wait for my present to show up on my doorstep!
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-26-2013, 10:40 AM
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-26-2013, 10:43 AM
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awesome!
Not much difference! WIFE WON'T NOTICE!! :lol::lol::lol:
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
09-25-2013, 07:24 AM
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This topic contains most (if not all) Pentax K-mount lens roadmaps since 2005 which were collected by a fellow Dutch forum member (Frederik9111), so credit should be given to him. Don't know if such a collection already exists on this forum. I will ask a moderator if this topic is worthy enough to be a sticky.
From new to old:
14. February 6, 2013
13. November 7, 2013
12. October 9, 2013
11. August 28, 2013
10. September 25, 2012
9. February 2, 2012
8. March 24, 2009
7. March 3, 2009
6. September 22, 2008
5. March 18, 2008
4. October, 2007
3. Fall 2006
2. Spring 2006
1. Fall 2005 |
Forum: Video Recording and Processing
09-16-2013, 02:36 AM
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I made this film as I recently discovered the curious properties of ferrofluid and sodium thiosulphate and wanted to film them. http://vimeo.com/74613572
Almost everything is shot on my Pentax-A 100mm f4 macro, with a few very close up shots using a reversed Sigma 24mm f2.8 super wide II, which gets about three times the magnification with a consequent reduction in depth of field, which is so thin at those levels as to be almost useless even at f11 to f16.
I used my k-5 for tests and stills, but used a Canon 600d with Technicolor cinestyle installed for the actual shoot, as the dynamic range is greater, and it has manual controls. The lenses are attached using a canon-pentax adapter, which can be bought from Ebay for £10/$15.
To get closer I used a set of 50mm extension tubes, and sometimes used the Canon 600D’s 3x digital zoom (which is still full 1080p HD, a useful feature and no extra depth of field loss!)
The film itself is rather light on narrative; it’s just a progression of – hopefully! – interesting shots.
Hope you like it. I’m happy to answer questions on how I did specific shots and it’s always good to get feedback.
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Forum: Pentax K-r
09-14-2013, 03:09 AM
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You get 2 spikes per blade. But when the number of blades is even, the spikes overlap and appear as a single spike. Odd blade numbers tend to produce sharper spikes because of this.
So on a lens with 6 blades you get 6 spikes
with 7 blades, 14 spikes
8 blades 8 spikes
9 blades 18 spikes.
You can get starbursts from about f5.6 onwards, but you need a bright light source relative to the rest of the picture. The DA15 and DA21 tend to produce the best starbursts I've seen and will do them in daylight off any shiny surface.
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Forum: Pentax Price Watch
09-12-2013, 03:50 AM
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