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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-22-2009, 03:24 AM
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[ "Wake up buddy, it's not 1937 any more.
If you really want to go back to the dinosaur days of flash bulbs and unreliable shutters, that's certainly your perogative. Some of us look forwards to what we can do today, not backwards to some happier, simpler time when the sun was dimmer and fill flash was easier." ]
I was looking through this thread to see if there was any info on whether the K7 has rear-curtain sync? Haven't seen it listed anywhere. Does it?
As for the comment above and the mood of this thread, I can only suggest that you guys actually go back to the 1930s and look at the photography of Harold Edgerton. He's the dinosaur who invented flash and with his crappy old cameras he could photograph bullets speeding through an apple at 1,000,000th of a sec. (and measure it). He also invented radar.
In fact, what you may not know is that you can take a photo with the K7, or indeed almost any camera, even a pinhole camera, at speeds of 10,000th-25,000th of a second etc by turning the flash power down to its lowest setting and firing in bulb. The flash acts as a shutter in effect by freezing the action at the flash speed, not the shutter speed. And flash speeds are very fast. By shortening the power output you are actually just shortening the flash speed. A vivitar 283 flash (a 1970s antique) works nicely...
You ought to check out some history before you go knocking it. Most of the masters have done it already and what you want to do with your camera can be done already. But I wonder if you understand things as much as you think you do.
Harold Edgerton - the master of flash. check him out then tell me what you think of dinosaur photographers and equipment. Then see how the K7 might do something that ain't in the manual or this forum...
Amen. :)
PS I admit I'm biased. I like the quality of pictures from the 1850s. :D
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-07-2009, 05:33 AM
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I look forward to the K-9. The camera with bite!!
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
04-21-2009, 02:24 AM
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I can highly recommend steve anschells book the darkroom cookbook (3rd edition is vastly updated!!!). Realise also that you can use different developers for different films and get lots of different results. Rodinal is great for slow films up to ISO125, and I also use two stage developers, as well as D76 1:1 and T-max dev @1+7 for more tonal scale.
Start shooting by adjusting your iso to 1/3- 1 stop below suggested ISO. Develop normally for the manufacturers ISO. Enjoy!!
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
04-21-2009, 02:15 AM
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Try the Kodak Portra negative films - especially the NC for portraits. It is superb!! Another thing to do is rate your film 1/3 - 1 stop under the suggested ISO. Then get it processed as normal. Gives you more shadow detail. And gorgeous colours. Straight out of the camera. Better than anything digital can do. No noise and no post processing time. Just pure pleasure!!
I only shoot film using cameras from 1920-30s, and others, but mainly in B&W. Medium format is great to use, good luck and keep with it.
cheers,
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-09-2009, 04:54 AM
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Looks like Voigtlander have a new lens - a 20mm f3.5 in pentax K mount.
SL-IISeries Lens
seems they are doing more to keep pentax alive than pentax.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
02-26-2009, 12:29 AM
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-27-2008, 07:50 AM
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What about turning it to B&W?
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-27-2008, 07:45 AM
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forget the sigma zoom 50-500. Why? Look at the aperture of the lens. It's f6.3. Way too slow. And at 50mm - imagine taking a photo at 50mm f6.3 - yuck!
Look for something second hand at f5.6 or f4.
A pentax 500mm f5 or f4.5 in M42 mount can be found for a few hundres dollars. But really, you can't shoot good photos from the stand - even if you had a 600mm, f4.
Otherwise, if on a budget, maybe try a tokina 80-400, f5.6.
Faster lenses are always better, even if shorter focal lengths - then just try and get closer. But slow is slow wherever you are.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-13-2008, 02:12 AM
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For IR you are best off focusing in manual mode. Stop down your aperture too.
At different times of the day there is different amounts of IR light. You cannot see this light, so an auto focus sensor and your eyes can only see the visible spectrum of light. An auto focus camera will not focus properly with IR filters.
effective ISO drops too. For Rollei IR film the ISO drops from 400 to 3 with an R72 filter. For digital you might need to adjust your exposure index to compensate for the loss of light through an IR filter.
Different IR filters use and block different amounts of light in the spectrum, so results can vary there too.
experiment and take notes.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-08-2008, 11:01 PM
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I'm a pro photographer using film only - but that option wasn't given for the poll. I don't own a digital camera. But looking and waiting, for use for colour work. But 90% I do is B&W, so film is the best for me still.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-08-2008, 09:28 PM
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Maybe they just shot the thing on film and scanned it in!
The obsession with megapixels amuses me when with film you can easily get almost as many megapixels as you want. Want an upgrade? Buy a better scanner, or get a new film.
Yesterday I scanned some film and got 9000 x 6000 pixels @ 300 dpi. So put film in your hands and you can go 54 MP.... I could go higher, but no point
I'm more interested is what other features a pro camera may bring. Until then I'll stay with the the good ol' way.
cheers,
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-13-2008, 04:19 AM
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That is - as bluesman Roy Bookbinder would say - a single entendre! :p
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-13-2008, 04:11 AM
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using manual flash...
if you know the guide number (GN) to a flash gun or in camera the formula is as follows:
GN = aperture x distance; OR GN divided by aperture = distance; OR GN divided by distance = aperture.
Normally you know two of the three things so you should be able to work it out.
So if you know the guide number to be 32 and your subject is 4 metres away, set aperture to f8
or if GN is 32 and you set aperture to f11 your subject should be 3 metres away GN32= 11x3
So what I do is work out what aperture I want and then the flash to subject distance I need to be for the flash to be right.
The thing to remember is aperture controls flash exposure; shutter controls ambient light exposure. Use a slow shutter speed for the sunset, aperture + flash for the foreground etc etc!
It's worth mucking around with it with a roll of film and testing yourself. It's actually not too hard once you start.
Be careful using old flash guns though or you might fry the electrics of your DSLR.
For those using manual flash with their DSLRs it would be worth using rear curtain sync and a slow shutter speed for some creative results. But for the flash exposure use the above formula to work out your aperture and subject distance for correct exposure.
You don't need TTL etc if you understand what you're doing and make the camera work for you.
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Forum: Photographic Technique
06-08-2008, 06:38 AM
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If the photos are for a commercial use (advertising), you'd need a model release, but for Fine Art/exhibition use you can display it and sell it. It's history and you took them. But like someone said, some bands might offer you more than you think if they are really good and they want it. Good luck!
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Forum: Photographic Technique
06-08-2008, 06:29 AM
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best place to start would be to look at WWI era photos. You will find lots of amateurs taking photos - but not with 35mm SLRs obviously.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
06-08-2008, 06:23 AM
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So it can focus PAST INFINITY! That's good!!:D
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-08-2008, 05:50 AM
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...and for those of you who cannot afford their LBA (Lens Buying Addiction) + GAS, well that's known amongst my friends as Gear Envy!! :)
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
03-06-2008, 04:29 AM
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Digital cameras don't use film, hence there is no grain.
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
02-29-2008, 02:23 AM
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Hi,
When using Flash, automatic or manual, the Aperture controls the Flash exposure; the shutter controls the ambient light exposure.
So if you're in auto flash mode and your exposures are wrong, two things might be happening. First, the metering is not right (look for a midtone subject at the same flash to subject distance). Secondly, your aperture might therefore be too small.
First thing to try is open up a stop with your aperture. See the difference. (if flash is at maximum power, dialling in +1 etc will do nothing, as seen by your poor results).
The other thing to know is the guide number of your flash gun. If you do, you can use this little formula (it works!), and then fine tune your results from this point on: Guide number (GN) = aperture x subject to flash distance.
So, if GN is 32 and your subject is 2 metres away, you set your aperture to f16 for correct exposure. 32 = 16 x 2
If GN is 32 and your subject moves to 4 metres away, then set aperture to f8. 32 = 8 x 4
It's worth learning how to use Flash properly. And like most things, if you shoot in manual mode and you know what you are doing, you will get better results than auto everything because the camera will be doing what its meant to be doing.
Your shutter speed has to be set at the flash-sync speed or slower. The slower you set it, the more ambient light you let in.
Make sense? When using Flash, adjust your aperture to adjust flash exposure.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
02-26-2008, 03:54 AM
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Hi,
Using film is a great joy to me - cause photography my passion. Among many things, its greatest quality is its archival abilities.
There are photo libraries now who when obtaining digital photos are having them copied to film because digital is still not archival. I've had jobs doing archival work for libraries and they still want film.
Indeed, a colleague was telling me that NASA take their space photos digitally and transfer them to colour seperated negatives so that in a 100 years the photos can be seen and used without any problem.
Film photography is a niche now, but it is proven, reliable and delivers the results.
Some of the most interesting photography being done in the art world is largely film based. So don't be put off by those who think technological advances is the same thing as progress. If you want to do fine art photography, film is definitely the way to go.
I just like old cameras and they use film. And as the old saying goes - Film makes good cameras better!!!
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Forum: Lens Clubs
02-23-2008, 03:44 AM
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Try warming the lens up in your hands if it is very cold. DON'T heat it or do anything silly. I've heard of people doing that with other, older lenses and it gets the movement back. worth a try.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
02-19-2008, 04:49 AM
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I understand the K20D has internal filters for B&W. Which are these? And are they equivalent to the standard Kodak/Wratten filter numbers (like #25 red, #47 blue, #58 Green etc etc)?
Does it matter? well yes. A #25 red is different to a #29 deep red.
What could it be used for? Normal B&W photography. But also Tri-colour seperation (digital) negatives for hand-made prints.
Any info, thanks.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
02-17-2008, 04:31 AM
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Hi,
It seems there are lots of wish lists going on about the features of a future pro-K body for Pentax. A lot of features of the point & shoot brigade also seem to turn up in the DSLR that are coming out. Live view, for example.
I notice that a lot of compacts have "face recognition" technology, and even a "smile recognition" button. (good grief)
Well, my version of this, would be for face recognition to be NOT in the taking of a photo, but in the REVIEWING of a photo.
If you are shooting pro, you should know how to use the camera without idiot features. But being able to do a quick check of faces, zoomed in, to see if anyone blinked etc. and doing it fast, would in my opinion be a useful feature that wedding and other pro photographers could use.
Pentax want to appeal to a niche market, so maybe this sort of idea would be good.
I haven't heard of any cameras that do this - do they?
It's an idea. Maybe if a good one it might turn up down the line. What do you think?
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
02-17-2008, 02:27 AM
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I recently attended a seminar on RAW converters. They had the same photos from one camera processed through Capture One, Lightroom, etc etc. The difference was amazing.
So when reviewing digital cameras - usually on the web - what are we actually looking at? There are so many conclusions made by people looking at JPEGS. It means nothing.
The best way would be to scan some film at 14MP resolution, print it at 300 dpi. Then take a digital photo at same, equivalent, resolution AND PRINT IT. Then you've got an idea.
It's the prints guys. Make a print. Do a print. Then decide.
As for the review at Pop photo - it sounded pretty favourable to me. But what are they looking at? I'd want to see a print. But I don't believe any advertising or reviews. It's all hype. Every digital camera approaches the 'quality of film' - until the next year where it 'now approaches film'. Oh, right! Hmmm.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-17-2008, 02:03 AM
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"Their lenses are MF only"
That's manual focus - not medium format.
"Most of the old series SL lenses are no longer being built and stocks are depleted if not exhausted at most retail outlets. They are currently engaged in producing a new series of Carl Zeiss lenses which bear and similar resemblance to the Voigtländer SL lenses."
The Zeiss lenses use different optical formulas to the voigtlander lenses. They are metal bodies and just top, top, quality. They are similar, if not the same, as the Contax SLR lenses of a few years back with the T-coating lenses.
The thing I love about the 125mm Macro is it is a true macro, magnifying at a 1:1 ratio. It has exposure compensation markings on the barrel so you can work out manual exposure at macro levels. ie when you focus close, the lens moves away. As it moves to a 1:1 magnification you need to compensate loss of light. It also has a square metal lens hood which attaches via bayonet. I also use it for portraits and as a tele-photo lens.
The thing to also realise is that most of the stuff that Cameraquest sells is about Voigtlander rangefinder cameras. I think the site is fantastic, and has lots of good information. But their are other places to buy like MainlinePhotos in Australia or Robert White in UK.
The Zeiss lenses are positioned above voigtlander in price and quality, and a bit below Leica in price - but not quality. But for value, the voigtlanders are superb value.
Voigtlander has a long history, predating photography itself, with optics being made from 1756. There motto is ".... because the lenses are so good". Thankfully this stuff is now becoming available in Pentax K mount and M42 screw mount.
Just make sure you don't try and buy a rangefinder lens for an slr camera. Once you start using top quality glass though, its hard to ever pick up a zoom again.
Cosina is run by Mr Kobayashi. He is an old style fanatical photographer and he knows about cameras. That's why Cosina is making such fantastic gear for us when the digital age dumbs everything down with gimmicks and buttons. They even made the first digital rangefinder camera with Epson.
Have fun.
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