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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
11-22-2011, 10:03 AM
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Thanks for the explanation. Most helpful.
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
11-22-2011, 07:33 AM
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Thanks for the info hoanpham. So are you saying that it is the current that NiCd/NiMh batteries can deliver that makes them incompatible?
That being so, why haven't Pentax simply fitted thicker internal cables, especially as they've now had three models to perfect it.
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
11-22-2011, 01:27 AM
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... that today's modern electronic wizardry can't deal with the differing potentials of various battery types.
I've recently bought a Pentax AF500FGZ flash complete with its TR Power Pack II. I've found a manual for the Power Pack online and looking through it I discovered that NiCd batteries are not compatible and presumably NiMh aren't either. The same is true for the original TR Power Pack for the AF400FTZ hammerhead flash.
My surprise was to learn that NiCd, and presumably NiMh, batteries are not compatible with the newest TR Power Pack III for the AF540FGZ flash either.
These Power Packs take 6 x C cell batteries so I know that the total voltage is 9V for Alkalines (1.5v/cell) and 7.2V if NiCd/NiMh (1.2v/cell) were used.
I just don't see why the difference can't be dealt with by the electronics, as most devices that use 4 x AA/AAA cells can deal with it.
Any of you electronic techies out there care to educate me?
Has any of you tried these Power packs with NiCd/NiMh batteries with any success, albeit with reduced recycle times and perhaps fewer flashes per charge?
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
11-14-2011, 12:59 AM
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We have a couple of good repairers here in UK, but I doubt it'd be worth the shipping costs. AsahiPhoto and Harrow Technical.
I'm sure you must be able to find somebody in the US who repairs them though.
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
11-13-2011, 04:24 AM
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Welcome to the forum.
Pentax don't have any lenses longer than 300mm in their current line up. Longer lenses are available from Sigma and you might like to look at the 150-500mm and 50-500mm lenses in their current range.
There are also longer Pentax lenses available from the older lens ranges including their original M42 screw mount range. These are usable with limitations on a modern DSLR with a simple M42 - K mount adapter.
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
11-12-2011, 10:18 AM
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Welcome Steve, though I'm not sure you'll get any help for your lensaholicism here. :D
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
11-12-2011, 10:14 AM
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Just to conclude this thread, I went for a Black Rapid RS-5 Strap and FastenR-T1 for the QR plate.
I couldn't decide whether to buy a RS-4 or a RS-5. In the end, my dealer had 5's in stock, and no 4's. My decision was therefore made for me.
I also couldn't convince myself that hanging around £2K's worth of camera gear from a much cheaper Chinese strap was a good idea.
Thanks for all the replies.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
11-12-2011, 08:42 AM
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I'm not an experienced studio flash user, but I do use multiple flashes off-camera using radio triggers.
#1 You must keep your shutter speed on or slower than 1/180th sec as that is the fastest synch speed that Pentax cameras are capable of using so far.
#2 Yes you can use a synch cable. Check the trigger voltage of your flash units. Any modern unit should be OK and will probably have a synch voltage of around 5V.
#3 Check the fastest shutter speed that your radio triggers can work at and whether they are compatible with your camera/flash combination.
#4 You will almost certainly need to use a flash meter to achieve a correct exposure, and set your camera to manual exposure mode.
As a rule of thumb, try ISO 100, 1/125th sec, f11, no EV or flash compensation. See what results you get.
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
11-05-2011, 04:50 AM
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Thanks for the feedback guys.
Bobbo, do you think that the offset fixing bracket might cause sideways strain on the tripod mount of the body/battery grip, or the fixing screw itself ?
I haven't weighed the combo but typically I'd use a K20D or K5 + grip + DA*50-135mm + AF540FGZ including all the batteries must weigh a fair bit.
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
11-04-2011, 09:56 AM
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I'm looking at replacing my kit strap with something a bit longer.
I know many here like the Optech Pro strap and I'll consider it, but I've been looking at the Black Rapid range, specifically the RS-7 strap.
Has anybody here used the combination as per the topic title?
I have Manfrotto 200PL-14 RC2 QR plates fitted to all my cameras and lenses that have a tripod foot. The standard Black Rapid FastenR-3 that the strap is supplied with means that you can't have the QR plate and the strap fitted to the camera at the same time.
As I understand it, the FastenR-T1 replaces the bolt and D-Ring used to mount the QR plate to the camera/lens.
I'd like to hear from anybody who has used this system and any positive/negative comments you might have.
If anybody knows, and/or has experience, of other strap systems that allow the use of the strap and a Manfrotto RC2 QR plate on the camera together, I'd like to hear from you.
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Forum: Photographic Technique
10-31-2011, 10:23 AM
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The 50 reversed onto the 90 will give about 2:1 magnification, which is 'extreme' enough for most of us I think. What I really meant by 'all of them' was to have them all available in your bag.
The main issue you will have when achieving high magnifications is a very very very shallow depth of field (DOF). To get a reasonable photo out of that level of magnification, you will need to think about focus stacking. That's taking many exposures, focussing in steps on different parts of your subject. This can be done hand held, but it's not easy and may lead to more frustration than its worth. To do it properly, you need a macro focussing rail, which forms part of a bellows attachment but they can be found as a separate accessory.
Your 90mm lens on the end of some extension tubes is likely to produce the best results when you take the DOF issue into consideration.
I've fallen into the trap of buying 'cheap' in the past, and I've usually ended up buying twice. The second time to buy a decent replacement for the cheaper option.
Many cheap extension tubes don't have sufficient, if any, contacts for the metering to work correctly. You may then be left with only stopped down metering.
With all these manual settings, if it's bugs you're after, they may have got fed up of waiting and moved on to another photographer who can take the shot quickly :D
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
10-31-2011, 08:55 AM
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I'm sure I've come across a relatively simple fix for this somewhere. I'll see if I can find it again . . .
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Forum: Photographic Technique
10-31-2011, 08:46 AM
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Simple answer, all of them, except I would change the smcp-m 50mm to a 28mm. You only need one reversing ring though. Don't go too cheap on the extension tubes, or perhaps buy a set of bellows with K mount instead.
The zoom lenses are less useful, unless you plan to stack the 50mm on the front of the 70-300mm, for example. Then you'd also need a male to male coupler.
And don't forget the light, you'll need lots of light, so a flash and some sort of modifier to get the light on your subject would be needed.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-29-2011, 03:06 PM
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These are two entirely different lenses, designed for the same usage using different mediums.
The FA77mm was, from its conception, a portrait lens for 35mm film cameras and therefore designed to give softer images and smoother bokeh when used wide open. Stopped down though, it makes a credible telephoto lens with good sharpness. On digital, it's field of view is 115.5 which is considered by some to be too long for portrait work.
The DA* 55mm was designed as the DSLR equivalent of the world renowned 85mm portrait lens, and by the same designer I believe. 55 x 1.5 = 82.5 (close enough).
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
10-28-2011, 04:42 PM
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Whatever you choose to charge, make sure you agree it with your client before taking the images.
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Forum: Visitors' Center
10-28-2011, 04:32 PM
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What you are describing is called lens stacking. One lens is stacked on to the end of another using their filter threads and a double male adapter.
Its a method used by macro photographers to achieve higher than 1:1 magnification.
Typically, a 50mm lens reversed onto a 200mm lens mounted to the camera will produce a magnification of approx. 4:1
EDIT: RioRico is correct (read following post), I had read through the OP quickly, and it was late. I missed the 'base to base' reference.
I've never heard of this base to base coupling of lenses. The body to lens #1 adapter is freely available, it''s a reversing adapter. The female to female K mount bayonet adapter might be more difficult to source, but a cheap set of extension tubes could provide the components to make such an adapter.
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Forum: Pentax K-r
10-28-2011, 04:29 PM
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The AF280T is an older TTL flash with an analogue interface. You can use it in fully manual, or it's auto modes. It will not give correct exposures in TTL mode because the flash will fully discharge every time. Your camera lacks the in-body electronics to control the TTL mode of the flash. Only the early *istD and *istDS bodies had this facility.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-28-2011, 04:25 PM
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As has been said already, you will not find any Pentax zoom lenses faster than f2.8, there aren't any. The fastest AF prime available from the current range is the DA* 55mm (SDM only, or manual focussing) with a max aperture of f1.4. You should think about renting two lenses, the DA* 16-50mm and the DA* 50-135mm, both of which are f2.8 constant aperture lenses (f2.8 end to end of the zoom range). You may need a flash as well, the Pentax AF540FGZ is the more versatile of the current range of Pentax flashes.
These items are'nt going to be cheap to buy or rent, but you'll need some time before the event to get some practice in, especially if you have'nt much experience using flash.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
10-24-2011, 09:58 AM
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I think I've been guilty of all of those at some time or other.
Anybody want to buy a load of expensive, improperly used, Pentax gear ? :rolleyes: :D
What's an aperture again ? ? ?
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-27-2011, 12:31 PM
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Well yes, but apart from that, anything earth shattering do you think?
My wish:- A Pentax camera body with adjustable sensor size from MF to APS-C, and that will accept any lens from any manufacturer (well, mainstream ones anyway), and all for . . . ummmmmm . . . . £1200.00 (or $5000.00 - just for a change I'd like the US to pay a lot more than we do in UK) with a 10 years warranty.
Too much to ask? . . . . of course it is, but we all like to dream, right?
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Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II
09-23-2011, 03:54 PM
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K5 + smc PENTAX-DA*60-250mm F4 ED [IF] SDM
Exposure 1/640
Aperture f/4.0
Focal Length 200 mm
ISO Speed 25600
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire
More here.
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
09-22-2011, 08:40 AM
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Very likely, but Stefan is already half way to that score in only a few days. :lol:
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
09-22-2011, 07:56 AM
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I think that may be overstating it just a tad. I've been here, along with many other PU members, for quite some time.
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
09-22-2011, 07:25 AM
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Welcome to all the PF newbies here.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
09-17-2011, 12:59 PM
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Given the awkward lighting, I think this is a good image. Can I suggest that you try cropping it, and making it portrait rather than landscape. I think you might be pleasantly surprised.
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