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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 4 Days Ago  
The CCD Sensor Cult. I mean Club...
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 4,621
Views: 257,730
Nice. I look forward to seeing your journey with it.

I don't think I'd get one because I'd have to get Nikon lenses... but it sounds like a good, professional, fun camera.

At this point I'd say, having a CCD APS-C camera that I like (K200D) and another I might get back to easily (K10D) has killed my GAS for now. I find that the other bodies might be a bit different but not necessarily better... and if they're better at something they might not be better at something else. So it's almost splitting hairs.

Well I guess that's not completely true, I do have GAS for a small pocket CCD camera, but I've had that forever and now that prices of little CCD point and shoots can be far more expensive than CCD APS-C bodies, I've just stopped looking for now...
Forum: Photographic Equipment for Sale 5 Days Ago  
For Sale: Pentax K-3 with OEM battery grip
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 2
Views: 316
So much PentaxForums history with that camera! Good luck with the sale!
Forum: Pentax K-3 III Monochrome 5 Days Ago  
best wide angle prime for the Monochrome ? .......
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 16
Views: 476
If you can afford the DFA 21mm f/2.4 Limited and it's the focal length that you want, no reason to look elsewhere, based on your stated needs.

If you can find a good copy of the Samyang (also branded Rokinon) 16mm f2, that will be equally impressive in terms of sharpness, and a bit wider. I think there's still some new copies with warranty around in stores, though it has been discontinued. Because of its faster aperture and wider focal length (16mm vs 21mm is a lot of difference) the lens is quite a bit larger. But the lens is very good optically.
Forum: Visitors' Center 03-11-2024, 07:18 AM  
Pentax optio A10
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 1
Views: 129
These batteries don't last as long as larger DSLR batteries. My RZ18 battery stopped holding charge as well.

I don't think you can buy original Pentax batteries for these older models but ebay and Amazon have third party replacements.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 03-04-2024, 04:44 PM  
Pentax K5?
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 22
Views: 1,031
The price is a bit high but that's because the shutter count is very low. You can always make an offer...

There will be a good step in image quality.

The AF issues that were mentioned also happen with the K-r, so if you could live with the K-r AF you can live with the K-5's :)
Forum: Pentax K-S1 & K-S2 03-03-2024, 12:50 PM  
K-S1 and K-S2 - Samsung Sensor?
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 27
Views: 5,118
It's tough to say, but yeah probably a Sony...
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 03-02-2024, 07:37 AM  
The CCD Sensor Cult. I mean Club...
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 4,621
Views: 257,730
I wish I could buy one, but not now for sure...

In thread that I linked, a guy said and I quote, "anything older than a K-5 should be headed for the bin". I was just offering the bin in my house to anyone heeding his advice :)
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 02-28-2024, 09:18 PM  
K-7 vs K20D ?
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 29
Views: 1,121
It could have been user error but in my case... I would have both blown out highlights and shadows with no details, in the same image, if the sun was out strong.

I get better highlights and definitely better shadow detail in the older 10MP CCD sensor in my K200D and K10D...

But if the dynamic range of the scene wasn't too wide the K20D did very well. I'm certainly not saying it can't produce great images, because it can.
Forum: Pentax K-3 III Monochrome 02-28-2024, 05:28 PM  
Native monochrome vs. debayered monochrome: ISO 51200 shots
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 11
Views: 641
Opening the first shot on flickr. and seeing it larger, I see some weird banding on the K-3III side (it says "Select"), where the light wall turns darker. Was that your processing or did you use a camera JPEG?
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 02-28-2024, 05:22 PM  
What resolution monitor do you use?
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 31
Views: 1,086
A 4K 32" monitor from LG. Courtesy of my job (I work from home). I have it nicely calibrated.

It is used mostly from my work Dell laptop, which has an crappy display in terms of colors, and I gave up on calibrating it.

Oh and I also have a 2011 14" MacBook Pro that has a screen that is quite nice still. But I prefer to use the larger 32" monitor... I might get something even larger some day but then I would have to stand a bit farther away I guess. The 32 seems perfect.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 02-28-2024, 09:58 AM  
K-7 vs K20D ?
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 29
Views: 1,121
Indeed, I started the CCD Club thread here and I'm an advocate of those CCD sensors... but the CMOS sensor on the K20D and K-7, made by Samsung, does have some very nice and unique characteristics, as well as a severe limitation in dynamic range, as has been widely reported.

This album by a current user of the K20D, I think, shows well some of the strengths of the 14.6MP sensor in terms of color.

Pentax K20D | Flickr

- Greens are very accurate, vivid and show proper nuances. Unlike Sony CMOS greens which tend to be very neon yellow, and can need quite a bit of post processing to look right.
- Fall colors in particular are really beautiful. Yellow, orange, brown and all colors in between are really pleasing.
- Reds are very deep and detailed (if you don't overblow them). i'm not sure they are really accurate, butthey are beautiful! See here. On the other hand, the Sony CMOS always have an orange tint on their reds, so Samsung 14.6MP sensor is more accurate, but not as accurate as the Sony 10MP CCD sensor.
- Skin colors on the 14.6MP sensor might be the best of all Pentax cameras I've had. This alone makes me think maybe I should get another K20D or maybe a K-7.

That's it in short... not a camera I would throw in the trash can.

To finish, a few of my K20D pictures from many years ago... I need to revisit those. Back then I used Corel Aftershot Pro which is not a good RAW converter, I could get much better results from those files now.

Tower by ChristianRock, on Flickr

mercador do castelo by ChristianRock, on Flickr

Where This Path Leads by ChristianRock, on Flickr

The Lilly and the Rosemary Bush by ChristianRock, on Flickr

Wedding in the Glorious Ruins by ChristianRock, on Flickr

looking back by ChristianRock, on Flickr

shopping vasco da gama 2 by ChristianRock, on Flickr

red rose-70-210 by ChristianRock, on Flickr
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 02-27-2024, 03:53 PM  
K-7 vs K20D ?
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 29
Views: 1,121
When I had the K20D I stayed within ISO 800 (or 640 even). Beyond that, the noise is very bad looking.

A flash was a good companion during the K20D days, It doesn't have to be expensive - I've used an auto thyristor P280T for years. It works better than I thought with a DSLR. I still use mine even though I also have an AF360FGZ II now. In some cases the AF280T works better - it doesn't have the delay that the newer PTTL flashes have.

Enjoy the beautiful colors and great handling of the K20D!
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 02-27-2024, 08:01 AM  
The CCD Sensor Cult. I mean Club...
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 4,621
Views: 257,730
Ladies and gentlemen, it has come to my attention on another thread in this forum, that all cameras, especially Pentax DSLRs, that are prior to the K-5, have such crippling limitations that they should no longer be used. Contact me to dispose of all your CCD cameras and I'll gladly take them. Especially you, 645D owners :lol:

(seriously wouldn't mind a working K10D sent my way, either) ;)

Seriously though... I recently found out that my tiny Lowepro shoulder bag can fit my K200D with a small lens. So I took it on a walk this weekend with the SMC-M 28mm f/3.5 lens. Found some interesting and uncommonly shaped (or colored) tree trunks.





Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 02-27-2024, 07:53 AM  
The CCD Sensor Cult. I mean Club...
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 4,621
Views: 257,730
I agree. I think my Limiteds (21, 35, 70) really come alive with the K200D, as does my HD DA 18-50 (the K200D seems to like the HD coatings!).

On the other hand, when I had my SMC-M 50mm f4 Macro, it just didn't work as well on the K10D as it did on the K-50, where it really came alive.

Another lens that seems to be perfect for my K200D is this Sears (Rikenon) 50mm f/1.7. Here it is photographing a random item on my wife's shelf.



And here is the same combo picturing a jalapeño pepper fully developed by the window or my home office where I'm sitting right now.

Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 02-27-2024, 07:42 AM  
K-7 vs K20D ?
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 29
Views: 1,121
Well I'm sure you are aware that you can increase available light, rather than increasing the ISO. So let's leave the high ISO comparison aside.

So what are these crippling limitations, aside from performance ISO 3200 and up? What is it that makes a K20D (or even K10D) at ISO 100 so useless? Should I believe you or should I believe my lying eyes when I see the wonderful colors, rendering and the details that are enough for any size prints that I actually care about? Not to mention, more than good enough for my 32" 4K monitor?

I'm not saying anyone has to use an older model, by all means use the best camera you can afford, but "crippling limitations" saying anything older than a K-5 should be headed for the trash can... is quite a statement.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 02-26-2024, 07:44 AM  
The CCD Sensor Cult. I mean Club...
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 4,621
Views: 257,730
Very cute cat!

But I have to say, I had never seen donut bokeh highlights like these before!



Ohhh lovely.

Indeed, that's the beautiful rendering I think about when the "Kodak colors" subject comes up.
Forum: Pentax KP 02-23-2024, 06:13 AM  
KP and a manual focus macro lens
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 13
Views: 547
Thank you, that is helpful :) I ask because some people don't like the colors that those older Sigmas give, while the Tamron 90mm usually has superb sharpness and rendering. You don't notice much difference in the rendering of colors in the images? If not, that is a good sign :)
Forum: Pentax KP 02-22-2024, 09:07 PM  
KP and a manual focus macro lens
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 13
Views: 547
Hopefully not too off topic but I was wondering how these two compare...
Forum: Welcomes and Introductions 02-22-2024, 06:15 AM  
A message
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 19
Views: 680
I understand the OP is coming back after some time away from photography.

Welcome back! I don't know if you're using those great film cameras still, or perhaps a digital Pentax, but hopefully you can have lots of fun and share some pictures with us! That is what I believe it is all about.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 02-20-2024, 10:33 AM  
The K10D Club!
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 8,412
Views: 880,960
I have to say that the last couple of pages have some amazing, stunning photographs.

Well done guys, making "miracles" with this "outdated" gear!

(which of course we know is doubly untrue, the K10D colors and rendering makes things pop, so no miracles required, which also makes the camera only be outdated if you care about specs more than about pictures....)
Forum: General Talk 02-20-2024, 10:27 AM  
What your favorite coffee brand and coffee machine
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 661
Views: 35,494
That machine looks great, and is beautifully clean.

I'm still rocking the moka pot for the most part, for my own simple tastes it makes good, strong coffee that I enjoy.

In regards to coffee beans, I continue to try new things, courtesy of whatever is on sale at Costco :) I recently tried the San Francisco Bay French Roast coffee which was surprisingly very good, and just started a bag of the Kirkland Espresso Roast (rebadged Starbucks Espresso Roast). The Starbucks espresso has always been the one reliable roast they have, that always tastes great (if you like strong coffee) and might be one of the main reasons why Starbucks became so big (they put it in every drink that has espresso in it). I'm enjoying that as well.

My previous experience with the Kirkland French Roast was much less positive. What a burned mess that one was...
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 02-20-2024, 10:20 AM  
Pentax ~35mm "bokeh" test (FA31, FA35, DA35)
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 11
Views: 882
I'm sure that the FA 31 Limited has the smoothest bokeh in real world pictures, but I find it interesting that the Plastic Fantastic DA 35 2.4 has the clearest, most defined "bokeh bubbles" wide open (where it really matters) but the least defined/clear highlights stopped down - I wonder if there might have been a change in the light or exposure. It's "slightly rounded" aperture blades are nowhere near the 31 Limited but might be a slight advantage over the FA 35, though in practice I suspect it makes very little difference (between the latter two).

I've always found the bokeh of the DA 35 2.4 to be perfectly fine in real use.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 02-20-2024, 10:08 AM  
Pentax DA 35mm 2.4 vs FA 35mm 2
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 26
Views: 1,182
Some thoughts on this...

- I haven't had the FA or DFA 35mm f2 so I can't comment other than the pictures I've seen are nicely sharp but with less contrast than what the SMC DA 35 2.4 delivers.
- My SMC DA 35 2.4 is over 10 years old now and is still going strong even though it has had some rough handling by some family members that possibly could have broken the mount. It's been fine.
- I also have the SMC DA 35mm f/2.8 Limited Macro. It has even more contrast than the DA 35 2.4. On most pictures that is fine but for people pictures it's not as nice, I've said this here before - the DA 35 2.4 is better for skin tones. Decreasing contrast in post doesn't really fix it, I think it also has to do with the rendering.
- Both the DA 35 2.4 and the DA 35 2.8 are very sharp. The Plastic Fantastic 35 2.4 - on my copies - is a bit sharper in medium and long distances. The Limited, of course, is macro :)
- The DA 35 2.4 has SP coatings (as does the DA 35 Limited) but the SMC FA 35mm f2 does not (the newer HD version does). This has been incredibly helpful through the years of it being handled by me, my wife and my kids, then toddlers with greasy hands...
- Very important (in my opinion): The AF on the DA 35 2.4 is faster, but less accurate. I couldn't really tell how sharp the 35 2.4 is until I started focusing it manually, and I was amazed at the results even wide open. I think the focusing gears of the 35 2.4 are a bit more coarse (larger) which makes the AF more zippy but makes it less accurate. Manual focus on the 35 2.4 is not horrible, it doesn't have that great focus resistance but it works just fine.
- Finally, the DA 35 2.4 is so light it makes such a great combination with these older bodies like the K10D and K20D, where I've used mine a lot. Those cameras are bigger than a lot of newer Pentax bodies but they don't feel big or heavy with that lens on. To me it handles great.

Again, can't make a recommendation not having used the FA 35 f2 but those are my 2¢, I recommend the DA 35 2.4 easily, every time.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 02-16-2024, 06:07 AM  
A problem often seen in older lenses. Is it haze?
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 13
Views: 962
The first one looks like amalgam separation (elements separating), the second one looks like dead fungus residue to me.
Forum: General Photography 02-15-2024, 08:19 AM  
Advice and review of travel setup for next trip
Posted By ChristianRock
Replies: 8
Views: 538
I would probably just use the K-3III and the 16-50 and be done with it I don't end up using telephoto on my travels but maybe your needs are different.
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