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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
12-24-2013, 12:35 PM
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"They need to discontinue the K-5. At the price it now is it will surely be affecting sales of both the K-50 and K-3"
It's still a damned good camera and the more choice there is the better!!
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
11-29-2013, 12:05 PM
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Hi Jatrax, my apologies for the confusion. I actually have sitting on the desk next to me, [on loan], a SMC M F.4 100MM, a SMC M F2.8 100mm, a SMC FA F.2.8, and lastly the DFA F2.8 WR which is what I should have been talking about but wasn't!! I'm in the market for a 100mm macro [Pentax of course] and the local Camera Center who know me well have loaned me 3 of the 4 lenses and the SMC M F.2.8 is on loan from a friend.
I managed to use the DFA WR F2.8 a week ago and then unfortunately had to go into Hospital for an op but I'm back on my feet again. I have a reasonable collection of various Pentax old glass and have a lot of respect for them but have no objection in buying new glass if it warrants it. It didn't take me long in using the WR to find that the AF is somewhat slow and hunts, I do like aperture rings on lens and there ain't on on the WR, there's no Focus Limiter, and no AF/M switch. Yet I have a Tamron SP DI AF 272E 90MM Macro and it costs less new and has those things. I'm not disputing the the DFA WR is a fine lens, I'm just saying with the addition of those things it would be a step forward. I'm not a Pixel Peeper so I go on what my eye tells me regarding IQ and it gets to a point when it's very hard to tell any major difference between lenses regarding IQ as everyone's eyes and brain seem to interpret the renditions in their own way.
Hi thibs, welL, I think it's previous obvious what's missing right now........a longer range Pentax branded remote control.!!
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
11-28-2013, 03:45 PM
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Hi gazonk, no, I'm not greedy, although HD would be nice!!. But the build quality is questionable [but then I'm not a fan of plastic] and current or not it has PF problems, and although I don't use AF in macro mode, the AF is not brilliant. I have several macro lens in my collection Pentax 50mm F4, Tamron f2.8 90mm macro SP DI 272E, Tamron f2.5 90mm macro.etc and although it's a matter of debate I find little difference in the IQ of those and the 100mm. So I just think there's room for improvement, but that doesn't mean I'm not considering one for my next lens!!
Hi thibs
Well, I seem to have caused a couple of ripples in asking for improvement in kit!!! I think I have, hopefully, explained my thoughts on the macro without denigrating it as it is a good lens with great IQ but, for me, it could be better..
The Ringflash is fairly recent but again I'm just saying it could be improved. I'm also not happy that third party manufacturers don't seem able to produce a compatible reliable working Ring Flash.
I notice nobody has questioned my highlighting a better more long range remote control..........now why would that be??!
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
11-27-2013, 02:40 PM
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A new macro 100mm lens would nice, but even more welcome would be a longer range remote control, and a new up-graded ring flash to cure some long standing problems in that area. But we definitely don't want Pentax churning out a new camera a month that differs very little from the previous model as is the habit of Canon, Nikon, etc.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
10-25-2013, 08:10 AM
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You're so easily pleased, Clinton!!!!
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
10-20-2013, 04:08 PM
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Hi jatrax, Define "lots"?? Well, I wasn't just confining the word to this Forum as I'm a member of several Photo Clubs and also other Photo Forums and, to be honest, the Fashionable aspects and the "Pentax won't be/isn't Pentax anymore" fretting seems to run through all of them. When someone looks at me and tells me their fashion sense and sensibilities are offended and they are talking about a great camera then, to me, they've left the arena of photography.
Actually I don't understand that!!. I drive a Ford and know when it's rolling the brand name is prominently on the back, front, and sides. I buy tools with the brand names on and am quite happy to still use them, in fact in certain cases [like Pentax] i see the brand and I am reassured, even given a bit more confidence. I also recognise that fashion and "statement" issues are important to some people but I find it bewildering that will become seemingly more important than the abilities and quality of the K3. Shirts of quality that I buy don't have brands stuck on the chest, my casual shirts and so on can have whatever they want on so long as they keep me covered!!
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
10-20-2013, 03:38 PM
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Hi Vylen, you're right of course. I would though seriously doubt that Ricoh would abandon the Pentax name due to the almost magical value of a long established quality global brand especially as the present management seem to have their sights set on the future and raising standards using the Pentax image. I think what was irritating me was that here we have a long awaited major step forward with the K3 and there are worries about the Ricoh name appearing in a less than prominent place, the fashionable aspects, the look at me I've got a Pentax [swoon, gasp, admiring glance!!] posing, the suggestions of deliberately defacing an expensive high grade tool because it offends the proprieties of those who want to keep the exclusiveness of Pentax. Me?, I look at the K3 and think "WOW" what a great camera, what an advancement. I see sensors, resolution, great firmware, a well built tough body, the ability to use so many great lenses with even more WR lenses being introduced, controls laid out just as I want them........I see Pentax.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
10-20-2013, 03:00 PM
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Am I missing something here? Lots of people seem to be worried/offended about the Ricoh name being on the back., the colour of the camera body, etc, to the point of wanting to deface the £1100 body of the camera just so the Pentax name reigns supreme. I've been a user of Pentax gear since 1967 and for me it's the best around. But are there some of us treating the K3 and it's predecessors like a Fashion statement, a camera not to be violated with the name of a company that appears to be not only keeping to the essence of Pentax but actually investing, planning and building a better future for Pentax??.
I'm not going to walk around smugly with a K3 when I buy one in the next year using it like a fashion piece and trying to look superior. It's a camera for taking high quality shots, a major step forward, something we have looked forward to for years, but it's still just a camera and a tool. If you look at the K3 it's a great step forward for Pentax, for the camera and for us, while still retaining the quality and character of the Pentax image, The fact that the name of the company that is taking the name of Pentax to greater heights, and for that I say "Thank You" to RICOH, appears discretely on the camera is irrelevant. If they want to stick their name on the back of the K3 it doesn't, for me, take away the Pentax character and essence and in fact if it wasn't for RICOH the name Pentax might well have slowly sunk into oblivion. The K3 is a great camera so let's use it as such and not fret about fashion or keeping the name of Pentax on a dusty pedestal where it had no future. I'll be able to use it with all the old lenses I've collected and when I pick it up I'll grin and think "Yeah, what a great camera" and then start taking shots with it in the hope of getting that perfect shot like I always do.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
10-10-2013, 02:35 PM
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I bought the K5 last year and within months they brought out the K5II and then the K5IIs but since there is very little difference in the performance between the three of them I'm extremely happy [nay, more than that, I pick up the K5 and the World looks better] with the K5. I can understand peoples impatience and the rush of some to pre-order the K3 since, to me, it's a major upgrade that will outclass other brands despite some of the minor technical criticisms expressed in earlier posts.. But I will wait a year and see how the K3 weathers the experience of the different kinds of photographers [in experience, ability, outlook and demands]. I've also got a feeling that Pentax will modify the K3 quickly should any upgrade, however unlikely that might seem, be required as I don't want to buy a K3 however superb it is to find a K3II or K3IIs appearing on the scene after buy it.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
05-05-2013, 10:56 AM
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I've bought the Hahnel Combi Remote Control for use with a Pentax k5 and so far I'm disappointed with it's performance. I bought it as an alternative to the Pentax WP Remote Control which has too short a range and also requires line of sight to operate it. The Hahnel marketing blurb quotes range figures of up to 100 feet so I was looking forward to being able to use a remote control at a greater range and from near enough any direction to the camera, but to be honest I'm finding it's around the same range as the Pentax WP Remote Control, I've made sure that the jack points are all secure and new batteries are installed but it has made no difference to the disappointing range. Has anyone any suggestions [apart from binning the Hahnel] as to what could be wrong, or perhaps suggest another more effective, longer range wireless remote control?
I would be grateful for the benefit of other members experience>.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
02-27-2013, 09:31 AM
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I've been reading through this thread, slowly but surely, with great interest and it's really good to see the different, and sometimes diverging. opinions of everyone and the different experiences and experimenting that's taking place. I've been using the Pentax 80-320mm on my K5, and while it might sound quirky I like using manual mode more than leaving things to the camera and had some good results but had the "itch" to move up slightly for some months. So I've just received a 150-500mm Sigma in the post today. I've just done some test shots with it today, using different focal lengths, shutter speeds, and apertures, and I have to say that I'm surprisingly pleased with the results as the shots are sharp even at 500mm. So hopefully it looks like I been lucky enough to get a good copy of the Sigma. I'm just a average guy who likes his photography without getting too technical, arty tarty, or pixel peeping, and the purpose of stepping up a size to hopefully take some decent shots of wildlife in the area where I live. Thanks to you guys I feel more informed and forewarned and to be honest in admiration of some the of the shots on show here, so I'd like to say thank you for all the input that's in this thread.because it's been a great source of food for thought for me.
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Forum: Maintenance and Repair Articles
01-14-2013, 01:52 PM
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Thanks for the very detailed and useful strip down instructions, TT72, I've just bought a second hand F.1.4, which is in the post, and no doubt when I get it and inspect it it will need a strip down and clean. Brilliant.
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Forum: Site Suggestions and Help
01-02-2013, 09:50 AM
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I live in West Cheshire less than 10 miles from the North Wales border and married a Welsh girl [one of the Jones's!] and we had many an expedition across the border. She spoke the Welsh and when the locals would recognise me as English and started talking in Welsh she would tell me what they were saying. It's a beautiful country with some great Coastal and Mountain scenery, well worth taking the camera.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
01-02-2013, 06:43 AM
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This mindless act of violence shocked the UK and evoked a wave of sympathy for the relatives and friends of the victims who were the bravest of the brave.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-02-2013, 06:39 AM
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Again,thank you, Frogfish and Pacerr, for your thoughts and advice regarding use of filters on my 80-320mm lens. Obviously the priority of any photographer, including me, is as good IQ as possible and I can see that putting even a thin filter glass in front on a lens can, possibly, affect that. I live in the UK and our skies are not as blue, we've just had the wettest year on record after being told we were going to suffer a drought, as I believe as your's, Frogfish, or your's Pacerr so we tend to stick a UV or Polariser filter on first and then think later!! Plus the marketing side has influenced people into thinking a filter is essential for the reasons already mentioned. I think the best solution for me is to heed your combined advice and find a hood for the lens and use it primarily, and also buy good quality UV and Polariser filters for those situations where they might be needed. Your point about falling and perhaps damaging a filter etc is a good practical one which I will face when moving through the English forests. I think I'm on yet another learning curve regarding the use of long lenses and also the art of taking wildlife shots, so this year is going to be interesting.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-01-2013, 07:35 AM
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Thanks for the welcome, Frogfish, and your advice is most welcome. I must admit I am surprised at not putting a filter on the SMC Pentax FA 80-320mm lens though, but I do see the logic in it slowing down the shutter speed and my needing a fast a speed as possible.. It;s just that after years of photography [I bought the Pentax Spotmatic when it first came out] one's first reaction is to get a lens filter if not for any other purpose than lens protection. But I will take heed of your advice for sure. One of the factors of choosing that particular lens was of it's size as I tend to wander around on a photo expedition wearing a Body Warmer with BIG pockets and having at least a fast 50mm lens, a 24mm lens, and a Telephoto of 200mm stuffed in them. So the more compact 80-300mm lens should fit nicely in one of the pockets should I need to change lenses. I do usually set out with a subject in mind, but photography being what photography is I like to be able to have a lens on hand to other purpose, no doubt this new lens will lead me deeper into the woods and Nature Reserves, and be with me while I fish. Thanks again for the great advice which I will follow.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
12-31-2012, 04:30 PM
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I've been working my way through this thread slowly and with great interest, but not even up to page 100 as yet!. There is such quantity of great information regarding the art of using a long lens, plus a great education on the different birds, that it's taking me a bit of time to let it all sink it, having said that it's a great thread. Also the standard of photo's is incredibly high and I'm going to have to spend a life time getting to that standard.
I've got a K5 and 9 [Pentax and 3rd Party] lenses ranging from 24mm to 210mm but decided to try the longer range so to start me off gently I've bought a SMC Pentax FA 80-320mm F4.5 - 5.6 which is still in the post. I've read the reviews of the lens in the Forum and they don't seem to speak too badly of it, and I understand that, with the K5, I'll get the equivalent of 480mm. I just wondered if anyone has had personal experience of the lens and if they would be good enough to pass on any tips regarding it. I read somewhere a guy stating emphatically NOT to put a filter on it......which doesn't sound right to me. I've got quite a few Nature Reserves around me so I'm looking forward to some reasonable weather and taking a few hundred shots and, going by what been said so far in this thread, getting one out of them!!
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
12-14-2012, 11:51 AM
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As a follow up to my last conversation regarding Silkypix 4 where I downloaded the most recent version after suffering crashes by the Disc loaded V.4 and suffered the same result. Being a persistent and curious so and so I have just down loaded the most recent version V.4.0.70.0. I immediately tried it out, while waiting for the frustrating inevitable crash, ..................and no crash. Whatever updates, amendments and fixes have been included in the new version it appears that the unreliability problem seems to have been resolved. I will be trying it out again over the next few days and will post again to confirm, or not, that the crash problem has been cured. I have bought Lightroom 4 and have been using that as the mainstay but it will be nice if Silkypix can at least be looked on as reliable/
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Forum: Pentax Lens Articles
12-06-2012, 12:29 PM
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This is a great reference as I know I will be doing this job in the future no doubt. Thanks for the very clear and concise explanation.
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Forum: Pentax Lens Articles
12-06-2012, 12:14 PM
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A great, clear and very useful Thread. Thanks for taking the time and effort to do it, it's much appreciated.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
12-01-2012, 10:14 AM
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Thanks everyone for the swift replies, it is much appreciated. Yes, that's the lens, Paulh, I have, in the mad enthusiasm of being a Pentax owner again, readevery] review of all the lenses including the third party lenses to try and catch up with everything. But that was why I asked the question about the date of manufacture for that particular lens as in the reviews that wasn't mentioned. Reading the opinions and experiences of people using the Pentax Manual lenses was very interesting and enlightening to say the least. Anyway, thanks to you both, paulh and baro-nite for helping an over excited returnee to the Pentax Fold. Womble, if there's a knock on your door, it's me scrounging a jar of very nice looking Mincemeat!!
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Forum: Lens Clubs
11-30-2012, 05:39 PM
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Hi everyone, I've been wading through this thread [on page 78] and been enjoying it immensely and admiring the great photos taken with the different M lenses. I bought the K5 some months ago, along with the Kit Lenses, 18-55AF and 55-200, but I do like using manual mode, and love the old lenses, plus I have to confess that I owned a Pentax SLR back in the 70's. So I've bought, initially, the SMC M f2 50mm and the SMC M f2.8 28mm. I've also got the Tamron CF Tele Macro F3.8 80-210MM , Tamron f3.5 28-70mm. Sigma f2.8 24mm Super Wide II, and lastly for fun a Makinon f2.8 24mm. But it's the old Pentax glass I intend to pursue so I also intend to buy the f1.4 M 5Omm, f1.7 M 50mm, f2.8 M 135 mm in the New Year along and then later add to the collection. I was looking through the fairly comprehensive list of Pentax lenses posted in the Wiki and to my surprise the f2 M SMC 50mm wasn't listed although the 55mm's were. I wonder if anyone would be kind enough to tell the date Pentax started making the f2 M SMC 50mm, it's always nice to know the history of the lenses. I live in the UK and I'm afraid we don't have the Moose, Bears, or colourful birds that some of you guys are able to take shots of, but we do have the scenery, and our light is not so blue in intensity!!
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
11-21-2012, 09:20 AM
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Hi Christo, Well, I downloaded the latest update for Silkypix 4 and then tried it...............it immediately crashed!!!, with Windows 7 saying "Silkypx 4 has a problem and has stopped working. Windows will close the program". So enough is enough I think and I'll get either Lightroom 4 or spend a bit more and get CS6. I do think however that Pentax/Ricoh are not doing themselves any favours by bundling a Software that is not reliable with their Cameras. I have to say that with regard to the K5 the more I handle and use it the more I know I have got the right camera for me and I'm having a hard time finding even a petty fault with it, and even Silkypix can't take the gloss off that!!
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
11-20-2012, 11:47 AM
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Thanks for that, Alto. I checked the thread as you advised and, to be truthful, it wasn't very confidence inspiring as even Silkypix 4 seems to have some issues. Which makes me wonder why the "hanging" and possible compatible problems haven't been ironed out before releasing it for use. I did see some conflicting opinions, isn't there always!, regarding the user's like or dislike of it. I actually like the format of Silky 4 but it's frustrating and disappointing to have it stop working mid processing and that alone will drive me on to get either Lightroom 4 or CS6. I'm not a computer buff or professional photographer but merely a reasonably serious amateur photographer trying to enjoy, and understand, the full potential of the Pentax K5 and finding that Silkypix 4 isn't really the tool to help me do that because of the unreliability issues, which is a shame. I'll try up-dating it to see if there is any improvement and give it another try, if not I'll move on to Photoshop.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
11-20-2012, 07:45 AM
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Hi all, I've installed Silkypix on my Computer [64bit Windows 7] and, while not having any problems loading it, I am having problems when using it. It opens okay for a while and then in mid processing a window appears saying "Silkypix has stopped working" The system then goes on a solution hunt to the problem but basically shuts Silkpix down, which is not good news if you've just got a image to how you want it!!! I'm running Bullguard Security program plus one or two free security programs for cookies etc and Registry/Disc cleaning programs.and i was wondering if they were clashing with Silkypix?? I am planning on moving onto LightRoom 4 or CS6 but I'm wondering if I'll have the same problem after a substantial outlay.!! Has anyone else had the same or a similar problem.???
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