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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals 07-26-2023, 05:26 AM  
Camera industry is special, no mergers
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 55
Views: 2,493
As tempting as it is, I’ll stay out of the exceptions to short-term profit goals.

Pentax and Leica both offer some boutique-style products. Ricoh has shown a longer-term interest in Pentax as a brand, so I think they’re unlikely to sell. If they did, perhaps a logical buyer would be Tamron. I recall there being some cross-pollination, between Tamron lenses being rebadged and a particular lens designer who worked at Pentax moving over to Tamron.

I don’t think the K-mount would survive a merger like that, but I do think there is a gap in Nikon/Sony market for elegant and compact designs with rendering that shows personality. Pentax lenses often get adapted for use by filmmakers in other formats. Those customers would probably pay for a handful of video-centric features being added to some of their favourite lenses. :)

All that said, the market is stable. I see the weakest player being Nikon, with little interest from the competition in buying them. They have to keep a broad range of products to appeal to a wide base of consumers but from a non-Nikon shooter’s perspective seem to lack a long-term plan.
Forum: Sold Items 07-23-2023, 10:53 AM  
For Sale - Sold: HD Pentax D FA* 50mm f1.4 SDM AW
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 3
Views: 705
Sold along with my LX, thanks so much for the interest!
Forum: Sold Items 07-15-2023, 09:45 AM  
For Sale - Sold: HD Pentax D FA* 50mm f1.4 SDM AW
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 3
Views: 705
Sale pending :)
Forum: Sold Items 07-15-2023, 09:44 AM  
For Sale - Sold: FA Limited Princesses 31mm - 43mm - 77mm
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 6
Views: 992
Pending offer on the 77mm; 31mm and 43mm still available!

Feel free to ask for photos or more detailed descriptions. Glass is free of fungus or cracks, has nominal amounts of internal dust.
Forum: Sold Items 07-12-2023, 10:42 AM  
For Sale - Sold: FA Limited Princesses 31mm - 43mm - 77mm
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 6
Views: 992
PentaxForums.com Marketplace Listing

Item for Sale
FA Limited Princesses 31mm - 43mm - 77mm

Asking Price
320.00 USD

Item Location
Bremerton, WA (United States)

Item Description
The three Princesses together…

FA 31mm Limited AIV - $450 SOLD
Includes:
- Box
- Front and Rear Caps
- Special aluminum spacer ring — this allows filters to be usable despite the built-in hood!
- Leatherette pouch


FA 43mm Limited - Made in Japan - $320 SOLD
- Front and Rear caps
- Replacement Front Cap, as the original was chipped


FA 77mm Limited - $320 PENDING
- Front and Rear caps
- Leatherette pouch

Are you the original owner of the item being sold?
No

Are you selling or trading this item?
Selling

Item Condition (Key)
Used
Fair

Shipping Destinations
Worldwide

Shipping Charge
Negotiable

Shipping Services
USPS, UPS, FedEx

Accepted Payment Types
PayPal Check/Money Order

Return Policy & Additional Details
30 day return policy, buyer pays return shipping.

Please send me a private message if interested in the item!
Forum: Sold Items 07-10-2023, 10:23 PM  
For Sale - Sold: HD Pentax D FA* 50mm f1.4 SDM AW
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 3
Views: 705
PentaxForums.com Marketplace Listing

Item for Sale
HD Pentax D FA* 50mm f1.4 SDM AW

Asking Price
550.00 USD PENDING SALE

Item Location
Bremerton, WA (United States)

Item Description
Acquired this lens a few months ago, blazing fast autofocus and creamy bokeh.

Includes original hood and caps, plus pouch. In addition, I can include a double-ended K-Mount cap if you would like.

Feel free to ask any questions!

Are you the original owner of the item being sold?
No

Are you selling or trading this item?
Selling

Item Condition (Key)
Used
Excellent

Shipping Destinations
Worldwide

Shipping Charge
Included in the US

Shipping Services
USPS included, ask about other options

Accepted Payment Types
PayPal Check/Money Order

Return Policy & Additional Details
30 day return policy, buyer pays return shipping.

Please send me a private message if interested in the item!
Forum: Photographic Technique 02-28-2023, 12:37 AM  
Tips for nailing focus on eyes and other focal points?
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 13
Views: 1,344
Hi all,

I’ve been hearing the siren’s song of Eye AF from other brands, but I think I’d rather try to up my technique. When I’ve been working portrait and boudoir sessions lately, I’m happy with all the other elements of my work: off-camera flash; composition; depth of field; etc.

Still, about half of my otherwise best shots aren’t nailing focus. I often miss moments or have to choose between “a good shot, in focus” and “the best shot, slightly off on focus”.

Are there any guides, exercises or techniques to improve at this? Most of my lenses are digital, so they often lack long focus throws like analog lenses I’ve played with before. I’ve tuned my camera’s AF with the fine adjustment feature. I’ve improved my results through a mix of focus peaking and the live view magnifier, although I’d rather be looking through my viewfinder. I’ve been using AF point selection, although I’m wondering how reliable it’s being for apertures wider than f2.8.

Is there something I’m missing here?
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-21-2023, 02:53 PM  
Pentax Interview in Cameraman Magazine from Late 2022
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 214
Views: 16,553
Ugh, we're getting grossly off-topic here but I'm trying to read your comment as less snarky than it's coming across.

Divorce Rate: It's Not as High as You Think - The New York Times
The figure is based on a simple -- and flawed -- calculation: the annual marriage rate per 1,000 people compared with the annual divorce rate. In 2003, for example, the most recent year for which data is available, there were 7.5 marriages per 1,000 people and 3.8 divorces, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.


But researchers say that this is misleading because the people who are divorcing in any given year are not the same as those who are marrying, and that the statistic is virtually useless in understanding divorce rates. In fact, they say, studies find that the divorce rate in the United States has never reached one in every two marriages, and new research suggests that, with rates now declining, it probably never will.
The method preferred by social scientists in determining the divorce rate is to calculate how many people who have ever married subsequently divorced. Counted that way, the rate has never exceeded about 41 percent, researchers say. Although sharply rising rates in the 1970's led some to project that the number would keep increasing, the rate has instead begun to inch downward.


"At this point, unless there's some kind of turnaround, I wouldn't expect any cohort to reach 50 percent, since none already has," said Dr. Rose M. Kreider, a demographer in the Fertility and Family Statistics Branch of the Census Bureau.



Can we please get back on-topic now that I've Googled this?
Forum: Pentax K-3 III 02-21-2023, 02:29 PM  
K3 III ISO 25000 at night
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 20
Views: 2,519
Wow, thanks for sharing! At least at web sizes, these look completely usable. Makes me look forward to the K-1 successor, as I won’t shoot above 1600 or 3200 with my K-1.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-21-2023, 02:25 PM  
Pentax Interview in Cameraman Magazine from Late 2022
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 214
Views: 16,553
Just to nitpick, those divorce rates are a myth.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 02-16-2023, 10:28 PM  
Seriously Disappointed
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 44
Views: 3,451
Kind of in between. My K-x lasted five years; my K-30 lasted three years. My K-1 is on seven years and still going strong. When I was using crop, both my 16-50 and 50-135 had to be screwdrive converted, but otherwise I’ve never had a technical issue with a lens. Going to have to check my flash gear when I go home, as I was having some issues with my flashes and radios firing reliably (those are about eight years old).

Modern technology was made to be somewhat disposable, unfortunately. I see similar trends with my phones, laptops, kitchen appliances.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-12-2023, 09:43 PM  
Pentax Interview in Cameraman Magazine from Late 2022
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 214
Views: 16,553
That’s frustrating, and it doesn’t feel like there’s much you can do about it. :(

Still, I appreciate you sharing the update with us.
Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II 02-12-2023, 09:35 PM  
Pentax K1 replacement.
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 80
Views: 8,775
I like the thoughts here about branching out brand ambassadors.

I’d personally like to see more diversity in choices of ambassadors too, in both identity and body of work.

Their cameras are rugged and versatile and unique. It’s worth showing off those qualities.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 02-10-2023, 09:15 AM  
Which of these budget telephoto lenses?
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 39
Views: 2,399
What do you like to photograph? Is weight a concern? Do you prefer technically superior lenses or those with more character? What’s your budget?
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 02-09-2023, 02:38 PM  
Do DSLRs need periodic CLA
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 8
Views: 966
The more I think about this, the less sure I am. Searching online doesn’t turn up much at all.

On modern flagship Pentax cameras, the shutter is expected to have a life of 200k (or 300k) actuations. But what ensures that shutter speeds don’t slip without maintenance like was required with CLAs during the film era?

K-30/50/70/P models had issues with aperture block failure, but besides the use of a substandard part to begin with, digital cameras don’t really seem to need maintenance at all? Besides the occasional sensor cleaning or actual breakdown of components, there really doesn’t seem to be a CLA-like maintenance schedule.
Forum: Pentax Full Frame 02-08-2023, 09:21 PM  
are you happy with switching to FF?
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 392
Views: 44,141
I jumped from a K-30 to a K-1 and the low-light performance is incredible. I’ve recovered portraits from my flash not firing (shooting in manual—almost completely dark frame) and been completely happy with the results.
Forum: Photographic Technique 02-08-2023, 09:16 PM  
Tethering issues with K1
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 3
Views: 630
What firmware is your K-1 on?
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 02-08-2023, 07:22 AM  
Will we see Eye-AF on Pentax cameras anytime soon
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 123
Views: 13,842
It’s frustrating—I know I prefer the ergonomics, ‘pixie dust’, backwards compatibility, weathersealing and overall durability of Pentax. There’s the costs of switching on top of losing those things. It also seems at least somewhat more likely that AF will continue gradually catching up than Sony releasing a camera that checks those boxes.

Throwing thousands of dollars at a problem just to trade for different problems seems like a losing bet from my perspective.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-08-2023, 07:13 AM  
Pentax announcement: Considering developing new film camera
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 692
Views: 46,187
Ricoh seems pretty proud of the clarity of their newest viewfinders (as they should be, imo), so I’d expect to see those make an appearance. I would be surprised if the camera was completely manual, as including a KAF4 compatible mount with electronic aperture control would be conducive to selling modern lenses.

Creating a pleasing tactile experience seems part of the brand identity, too—maybe an aperture dial on the top of the camera would be a classy solution? It could maybe be repurposed for something else if a lens with an aperture ring is attached.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-08-2023, 05:55 AM  
Pentax announcement: Considering developing new film camera
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 692
Views: 46,187
So I originally got the PZ-1p for its high sync speed. An electronic piece failed and the shutter no longer fires. A replacement seemed expensive, so I then picked up a Z-5P, which quickly developed a similar issue. Around the same time, my K-x and K-30 encountered aperture block failures.

I also purchased an LX, which has been reliable for a few years. The last time I sent it for CLA down in Oregon (in 2020), it was returned to me because they couldn’t source the part for the shutter speed mechanism (this only affects the faster shutter speeds). I reached out to a repair shop in Japan, and they told me they couldn’t accept a camera from out of the country due to the pandemic.

Very glad my venerable K-1 has held up better than the rest.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-08-2023, 04:07 AM  
Pentax announcement: Considering developing new film camera
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 692
Views: 46,187
The K-1000 seems to have enough bodies and people skilled in refurbishment that parts and repair isn’t an issue. Meanwhile, I have two dead digital film bodies and my LX needing a tune-up. That is to say, you’re exactly right. It’s a parts issue.

My concern would be about repair options in the US. Ricoh offers a 1-year warranty, and the only repair partner they have is Precision, which has both mixed reviews and creates a kind of traffic jam: one supplier for parts and repair. It’s speculated that they occasionally need to send camera bodies back to Japan to complete repairs, too.

All that said, I’d like some assurance that they would be committed to maintaining a functional repair supply-chain before I purchased a new film SLR.
Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras 02-07-2023, 11:51 PM  
Compete camera overhaul
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 27
Views: 1,554
It depends. Some people have really strong emotional attachments to their camera. If I had a hand-me-down camera that I was attached to, or planned to gift one, it could be worth it.
Forum: Vintage Cameras and Equipment 02-07-2023, 09:59 PM  
LX Test from Popular Phoography
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 14
Views: 679
This is really interesting, thank you for sharing!

---------- Post added 02-07-23 at 21:05 ----------



Sure thing! There’s a few niches that will likely never be fulfilled by digital as the market for digital photography shrinks, such as extremely long exposures, cameras without batteries, various chemical processes, and the variety of movements found in large format photography.
Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras 02-07-2023, 09:41 PM  
Compete camera overhaul
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 27
Views: 1,554
Needs more context. Like are we talking a K-1000, with plenty of replacement parts? Or something more rare, potentially with complicated electronics?
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-07-2023, 12:29 PM  
Pentax announcement: Considering developing new film camera
Posted By lithedreamer
Replies: 692
Views: 46,187
Looks like they aren’t even taking submissions for their waitlist right now, but I signed up for their newsletter. :)
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