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Forum: General Photography
02-19-2015, 09:15 PM
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The expense of photography only begins with the camera gear. Time is the greatest expense, and it never stops sending bills.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
02-08-2015, 03:59 AM
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Why do folks care if there is stuff on their camera that they won't use? If you don't like auto focus, turn it to manual focus and then break the switch so you can't turn it back. If you don't like video, then don't use it.
Most of this stuff is software and it's sunk cost. It isn't like they take a new camera and then create the firmware from the ground up. They use the K3 as the beginning point and then decide what things to change. But it is clear to me that leaving off features that modern camera users expect shrinks their market without bringing enough new users to make up for it.
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Forum: General Photography
01-23-2015, 08:56 AM
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+1 I'd rather have photos that last a lifetime of family members, than hearing someone "entertain"; that is forgotten in moments!
As far as private property; people are very lax in taking care in not leaving their cans, food, etc., around for the landowner to have to pick up and dispose of. Not to mention the vandalism that happens frequently. Also in most places in the US, if someone is hurt on your property, the landowner can be held responsible. Very sad that the disrespect shown by a few for other's property, spoils it for those of us that wish to leave nothing but footprints, and some beautiful photos.
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Forum: General Photography
01-19-2015, 07:03 AM
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Ah. I see.
My grandfather actually plowed his land behind a mule in western Kentucky. He finished eighth grade. WWI was an escape for him. My father shined shoes and sold newspapers to help his family get by. WWII was an escape for him. He got a GED after the war but didn't finish college. I don't suppose they'd have known better.
Sure! I laughed all the way through!
You do understand Mel Brooks intended to skewer racism in Hollywood's 'sophisticated' beautiful people, not the false caricatures they put in the films themselves, right?. You do understand Airplane was a satirical parody of Hollywood's self-satisfaction, making millions selling ridiculous situational drama to 'rubes,' right? They're intended to be as unreal and offensive as the 'heroes' in the movies they parody.
We're not supposed to apply such comments to real people because the lines in the movies are meant to show the character flaws of their speakers in the movie, not the character flaws of the stereotypical people they're said to, or about.
Mel Brooks empathized with real farmers and real people.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
01-24-2015, 10:03 AM
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But there are many TV cameras shooting video, and they have access to bays the pro photographers can't even get in to. That just doesn't make any sense. If the stations want video, they can get it. Or are we going to start suggesting that the guys shooting the broadcast should have to shoot stills as well? Because, obviously, anyone can do both. :D
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
01-24-2015, 12:10 AM
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I've done both and the fact of the matter is that it is incredibly difficult to do both well at the same time. Sure, it may be possible to do an ok job for smaller clients, but when you're Sport Illustrated the quality level is much much higher. After all, if they go into video they are instantly competing against ESPN, NFL Films and a host of other with decades of experience and van loads of video crew, and most importantly a business model that supports the related expenses. With that in mind, do you really think that a pro photog with a long lens is going to compete?
This is more an example of a struggling business model than anything. Print advertising revenue continues to be in free fall while online ad revenue is "dimes to dollars" as they say.. The fact is, Sports Illustrated should have gone into television decades ago to go against upstart ESPN, and telling a handful of staff photogs to use the video mode on their cameras is a gross oversimplification of the situation.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
01-20-2015, 09:46 PM
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..... and here is the other side of the story.
:cool:
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
01-09-2015, 11:07 AM
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You people are all awesome and I really appreciate everyone's input. I certainly do have a lot to learn about this camera and photography in general. I am at work now so I can't reply to all the comments but just a couple to touch on.
Firstly.... I realize that in the conditions I was testing that no photo will be super sharp....I did say that it wasn't as sharp as the k5II.
Motion blur due to higher resolution is almost certainly a culprit here, I moved the resolution to 14mp and there is instantly an increase in sharpness. I also noticed that I had the high ISO NR set to auto. I have now turned it to off and with these two new changes I am getting shots equal to my K5II possibly even sharper.....still all photos taken last evening in very low light.
I apologize for coming on and stirring the waters before I had all my I's dotted and T's crossed. I was quite happy with the final results I got and much look forward to learning more about this camera and getting te results you all talk about. Cheers
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-07-2015, 04:43 AM
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"I don't like 4G on my Samsung phone. I don't want to pay for it."
"I don't like the multi-function steering wheel on that new car. I don't want to pay for it."
Just don't use it. The added cost of a FluCard is MUCH higher than having it built into the body, especially when the costs can be shared across models (the K-3 successor, the upcoming FF...). Watch the App Store/Play Store for a new Pentax WiFi remote control app :)
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-06-2015, 02:55 PM
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CES pic:
Scott Burnham on the CES
It's WIFI and the lens is WR DC and RE (rectractable?) But not HD so pentax is still bringing out new smc lenses.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-06-2015, 01:08 PM
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The new kit-lens is exactly conforming to an absolute compacity requirement.
It is vital for K-mount to show that both bodies and all-around lenses are compact, and comparable to the mirrorless flood.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-16-2014, 04:33 PM
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For many photographers, the standard zoom lens is the most frequently used and most important lens in their kit. For years, Pentax has lagged in the standard zoom department, particularly when it comes to making standard zoom lenses with weather sealing. Before the release of the DA 20-40, the only standard zoom WR options for the Pentax K-Mount was a bottom of the line kit lens, a superzoom, and an f2.8 zoom. As a landscape photographer, I want to shoot with something better than a cheap kit lens or a superzoom, but I also would prefer to avoid the heavy f2.8 zoom (you don't need f2.8 for landscapes!). The DA 20-40 and this new DA 16-85 give landscape photographers two great options in a standard zoom: one which provides high quality in a compact package, the other which, I suspect, will provide very good quality over a longer range.
Pentax called the K-3 "the ultimate field camera." But a field camera requires field lenses, and that's where the DA 16-85, along with the DA 20-40, comes in. If you're going to make the ultimate field camera, you're going to need field lenses to go with it. The fact that these lenses have garnered so much hostility merely testifies to the fact that some people have decided, rather oddly, that if lens doesn't fit their own particular needs, Pentax should never make it. They never stop to think that other photographers may have different needs.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
12-14-2014, 03:25 PM
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Wireless is never going to be as fast as even USB 2.0. The time it takes to dig the USB cable out of your bag and plug it in will be saved before you finish transferring your second RAW file.
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Forum: General Photography
11-29-2014, 02:51 PM
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As above, it is totally your choice. The problem comes when they hit upon an image which was not uploaded by the actual copyright holder (or is a photo that might violate a trademark or something), and then they start making prints of it. Easy for problems to occur if they don't hand-curate and double-check what they are going to sell.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
12-13-2014, 08:38 AM
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Having hung around this forum for awhile, I can say with absolute certainty that the next camera Pentax releases will face unrelenting criticism here because it is:
1) Way too small [because it's smaller than a K-20D, and anyone who likes it doesn't know anything about photography and just wants to have a small camera because they saw someone else with one, plus my pwecious wittle pinky doesn't know what to do wif itself. I'm jumping ship.]
AND
2) Way too big [because it's bigger than an original Q and anyone who uses a bigger camera is a stupid Neanderthal who doesn't know anything about photography and is just trying to compensate for something - even the new Q's are too big. I'm jumping ship.]
AND if it comes in multiple colors
3) Stupid colors [because anyone who uses a colored camera is just concerned about their image and isn't serious about photography. I'm jumping ship.]
AND if it comes in only black
4) Stupid color choice [because anyone who requires a camera to black is a stuck in the mud old fuddie duddie. I'm jumping ship.]
AND if it has a mirror
5) Ancient design [because mirrors move and vibrate and come off their hinges and stuff, besides anyone can see at a glance that every picture taken with a camera that has a mirror is flawed. I'm jumping ship.]
AND if it doesn't have a mirror
6) Relies on immature technology [because the EVF is laggy, wastes my battery and gives me a headache, and anyone using a camera without a mirror is a gadgetista, not a photographer. I'm jumping ship.]
AND if it is not FF
... [this list could go on for 3,000,000 posts]
You see?
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Forum: Pentax K-S1 & K-S2
12-12-2014, 12:17 AM
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There's been a bit of discussion around on the ergonomics of the KS1. I've had mine about a week now and would like to make some comments. I also own a Kx, a K30 and K01. First, the KS1 weighs 558g (virtually the same as the K01 (560g)), it's slightly less than the Kx (580g with AA lithiums) and significantly lighter than the K30 (650g). In dimensions it's considerably smaller than the K30, a tiny bit smaller than the Kx, and if you disregard the prism housing, about the same as the K01.
So it's small. But because it's small, like the K01 it doesn't really feel light. And for large hands the grip leaves something to desire. While the front of the grip is arguable better than the K01, the rear isn't— it's just a thumb depression and my thumb overflows it. And the rear mode dial gets in the way. So my solution is to always hang onto the lens as well. That means the lens needs a bit of length to hold— I have abandoned using my 40/2.8 XS, also 21/3.2 and 70/2.4 Limiteds on this camera. However the next smallest (50/1.8 DA) is fine, as are all my other lenses.
The rear placed mode dial needs a positive twist, preferably using two fingers (at least you don't accidentally shift it!), and I find the 4-way controller buttons hard to use. I've found it helps to lean your finger against the mode 'ring' while pressing the relevant quadrant of the 4-way controller— this makes the action more positive. And 'leaning' against the mode dial certainly won't accidentally change modes.
Everything else is fine by me. The IQ is great, it has a better quality feel than the K30 or Kx, and is a real pleasure to use. The colour is a matte finish blue; from pictures of the KS1 I was expecting a more glossy finish, but I'm more than happy with the colour. One surprise bonus I've found is you can change filenames, eg from IMGPxxxx to KS1_xxxx. At least this camera's output can be safely mixed with my other cameras.
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Forum: Pentax K-S1 & K-S2
12-12-2014, 06:12 PM
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I'll try and do that after I've used the camera for a couple of weeks
---------- Post added 12-13-14 at 12:37 PM ----------
I've just been using it with my 510g Tamron 28-75/2.8 attached. That feels perfectly well balanced to me, but you really do need to hang onto the lens with your left hand. But you can carry it around awhile in just your right hand if you cradle it in the vertical position with the short side pointed up to the sky. It really feels similar to the K01. I'm using it with a hand strap, not a neck strap, so (like the K01) if I'm walking around much past the front door I'll take a small snoot case with neck/shoulder strap to rest the camera in as required.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-03-2014, 08:45 AM
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I have both DA 35mm f2.4 and DA 40mm XS. They are different, though it would be hard to say which is "better." My opinions: Wide open, the DA 35mm is better (less fringing). Bokeh, the 40mm XS is better. 40mm renders more detail, as it is a telephoto. DA 35mm is at around the same sharpness, but it is a wider angle, so it doesn't "appear" as sharp (a telephoto lens seems sharper, because it shows a lot of detail that we don't see with the naked eye, while a wider angle captures more of the frame, so detail is minimized and even lost, thus "appearing" less sharp, because sharpness is not just about resolution). DA 35mm has some distortion and is not great for face portraits. Flare and fringing resistance, DA 35mm is better.
Which lens do I like more? I usually prefer the DA 35mm for wider angle and for natural scenes; while I prefer the DA 40mm XS for man-made objects, artificial things, and flowers that are very saturated, colourful. DA 40mm XS can be used for some portraits, but it can be unflatteringly sharp.
Another thing to consider is the DA 40mm XS has a very odd filter thread size (27mm), which means you can only use camcorder filters and will have a hard time finding a lens hood. One more lens is the FA 35mm f2.0, still in stock as new, which has a more robust build, an aperture ring, and comes with a lens hood. Some say the FA 35mm is slightly better than the DA 35mm, others say its essentially the same lens. Over here in Europe, the FA 35mm is much more expensive than the DA 35mm, so its not as beloved
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-20-2014, 04:29 PM
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You're in the same position as me. I miss some DSLR characteristics, but I don't think they can be seen as better overall.
Remember that this place is a Pentax forum and Pentax has been making SLR cameras for decades, so there is a natural bias towars SLRs here. I don't think we are very representative of the while market in 2015. For what it's worth, my observations in Japan are that it's about 50:50 between mirror less and DSLRs now. That is in the sales charts, presence in stores and what I see people using in Tokyo.
I don't think any trend is inevitable. The future isn't set in stone, but if Pentax wants to continue to focus on DSLRs, they have to make a really good case for the technology and introduce innovations that justify its continued existence. I don't see that right now. It's the same for the camera industry as a whole in the face of smartphones.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-20-2014, 10:23 AM
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MDSLR (Mirrorless DSLR'S) is still pretty much in it's infancy, and will have alot if growing pains/technical issues for the next few years.
As I see it as of now DSLR's are still going to be on top, but in a few years from now I think it'll be a different discussion.
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Forum: General Photography
11-17-2014, 09:29 AM
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I am also a fan of Bryan Peterson's book Understanding Exposure. I found it very helpful when I was first starting out.
However, I'm an even bigger fan of an in-person workshop or course when someone is just learning how to use a DSLR (I'm not sure that's the case with your brother but it sounds like it might be). If so, have a look around to see if your local camera store, college or other group offers a hands-on class to teach someone how to use the manual settings on a camera. Remember Forever is an Australian company that offers a 3-hour workshop called "Love Your Camera" that is a good start. We gave my sister--in-law a certificate for an introductory workshop at her local camera store in Toronto last year.
If an in-person course isn't practical, another possiblity is this DVD or online course offered by the Great Courses company. I haven't tried it but it gets mostly good reviews and is quite comprehensive.
Fundamentals of Photography
Another Aussie option for your brother would be a Crumpler camera bag and/or strap. I really like my padded Crumpler Industry Disgrace camera strap and Mr frogoutofwater likes his Medium Haven (a padded bag for your camera that you can put into another bag like a backpack). Crumpler also sells regular camera bags.
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Forum: General Photography
10-26-2014, 08:36 PM
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Forum: General Photography
10-24-2014, 03:14 PM
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I live in the US, and even though it is legal to take pictures in a public place, I find that a little common courtesy goes a long way. For instance, I never take pictures of kids, without the parents permission. However, sporting events where kids are playing, Is an exception. And even then I am taking pictures for one of the parents that has kids playing in the game, and I do not publish them, I turned them over to the parent. In a public park or street, I only take pictures of landscapes, wildlife, buildings, where the subject is not a person. If I want to take a picture of an individual I asked them first. If they refuse I go on my way, and choose another subject. Being courteous and respecting other people's rights goes a long way to reducing any problems in the future. In some cases, standing on your rights, Regardless of what other people think, can do more harm than good.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
11-14-2014, 10:47 AM
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I personally like the photo as it turned out. Photos like that are difficult. It's a very high contrast situation. You captured the important part of the image, and it looks like you did a great job getting rid of the chromatic aberrations. As others mentioned various programs like Lightroom, ACR, and other RAW processing software have mechanisms for removing the fringing, some better than others.
With a scene like yours, I've never found any software perfect. There are too many places for fringing to occur. The best software can get rid of 90+% of it. The other thing you have to look at is the finished goal for the image. In a smaller print, you may never see the chromatic aberrations. In a large setting, you might if you look closely. Ultimately, it's like pixel peeping. You get rid of the distractions that stand out, and you don't worry so much about those that are small and not likely to be visible without looking closely.
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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II
11-03-2014, 07:27 PM
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The K-3 is one year old, which in Pentaxland means that it is less than half way throught its life cycle. There will be an eventual successor model, but whether it is will represent a significant upgrade is pure speculation. What I would suggest is that you consider the K-3's features and value prospect and buy one if it meets your needs. If not, I suggest you evaluate the competitors product with the same intent.
Once you buy, concentrate on using and enjoying your purchase. If there is a "pain" spot, it will be apparent in the first year or so of ownership and even then, it may be a couple of years before Pentax or the competition has a model that better meets your needs. For example, I bought my K10D in 2007 and it was another seven years before I felt there was sufficient value in the available product to warrant an upgrade. The K-3 delivered in spades.
Steve
---------- Post added 11-03-14 at 06:32 PM ----------
A price drop in advance of a new model to clear inventory is usually not done until a new camera is announced. That being said, if there is to be a new product in the very near future, it would be a single aspect upgrade to something like a K-3v with enhanced video capabilities or something similar. I would not expect anything like tilt-LCD or wi-fi.
Steve
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