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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions 3 Days Ago  
Sup
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 9
Views: 196
My LX had repeated problems with "Sticky Mirror Syndrome," but my MX never gave me a problem. Just sayin' ...
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 02-28-2024, 10:58 PM  
FA31: In the market for a pre-owned prime? These classics are worth trying (dpreview)
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 17
Views: 931
Interestinly enough, I bought my FA31 from MPB a couple of years ago. I've had a good experience with them, buying and selling. Better than KEH, anyway.
Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II 01-27-2024, 09:56 PM  
The K-1 Mark ll To Buy or Not
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 19
Views: 1,274
I recently had to do some food photography for a restaurant (not something I normally do), and I used a K-1 with the 24-70/2.8 on a tripod. The shots came out great, but I found myself wanting something longer than 70mm, so if I was shooting product photography I would probably want one of Pentax's 100mm macro lenses. For general landscapes, nothing beats the 28-105 for a one lens solution that's reasonably light weight as well. For street, the K-1 is kind of big, but I've done it with the FA43 Limited and it worked well. People actually seem to get more intimidated by a big lens than a big camera. So for the OP I would recommend those 3 lenses: 100mm Macro, 28-105 and FA43 Limited.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 12-27-2023, 02:16 PM  
Poll: Is it time to retire the “Pentax is DOOMED!!” Meme? The Best of PF Dec. 27 Poll
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 369
Views: 14,182
Back in the 80's, a local camera store I used to visit stocked no Pentax gear at all, and told me they were doomed even back then. So I've been comfortable with that idea for a long time. FWIW, the camera store is long gone, but Pentax is still (sorta) around.
Forum: General Photography 11-30-2023, 02:24 PM  
What about your own photography this year has surprised you?
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 51
Views: 1,668
I didn't get a lot of opportunity to make photos this year, and sometimes motivation was lacking. So I spent a lot of time going through older work and making prints, small and large. The surprise: how good the older work looks, even with much lower pixel counts and "inferior" lenses. It demonstrated to me that I've spent so much money and energy acquiring gear that I never really needed - probably just to get that dopamine hit from opening boxes with shiny new toys inside.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 11-17-2023, 03:26 PM  
New Pentax product: glasses
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 143
Views: 6,007
Meh, only six aperture blades, whiskey won't be smooth.
Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands 11-17-2023, 03:03 PM  
Do You Shoot Multiple Different Digital Camera Systems? Why???
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 45
Views: 1,273
5 years ago I built a small Micro 43rds system, mainly to try out mirrorless tech, and to use as a small travel system. About 3 years ago I started building a Fujifilm system as a possible main system because PENTAX IS DOOMED(TM) and I might have to move on at some point. I was attracted to the physical dials and controls, weather-resistant and light-weight primes, and the balance of IQ and size. But I still really enjoy shooting with my K-1, so I foolishly completed my lens system for it, and now use 3 different systems depending on the situation and my mood. If Pentax actually releases a successor to the K-1mk2 (long odds at this point, it seems), I'll probably buy it and keep shooting Pentax full-frame when I want the best IQ possible and don't care about size and weight. Otherwise, if my K-1 breaks, I'll either go all-in on Fujifilm or add a Nikon Z or Sony system for "Big Kit" duties.

But to be honest, these are all just indulgences, because my old K5IIs and a handful of DA Limiteds (which I still have) is all I have ever really needed.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 11-07-2023, 11:00 AM  
Street Setup
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 17
Views: 985
In my experience, the size of the lens has a bigger impact on being conspicuous than the camera, so maybe you just need a smaller lens like the DA21 for it (although I don't find the 20-40 to be large at all). The downside is that the DA21 is slow and lacks weather sealing. A lot of street photographers use the Ricoh GR series; if you don't want to spend $1k+ for a GRIII, you could probably find a used GR or GRII for a lot cheaper. The biggest downside of the GR is that it doesn't have a viewfinder, which is a deal-breaker for some, but I never found to be a problem. As for myself, I prefer my Fuji X camera with one or two of the "Fujicrons" when I want a low profile, but I could get by with a Pentax body as long as it has a small-ish lens on it. Ultimately, how you conduct yourself with have a greater impact than any gear you're carrying. If you want more advice, there are plenty of good street photographers on YouTube that you could probably learn from (maybe start with "Samuel Streetwise").
Forum: Pentax Full Frame 10-26-2023, 11:42 AM  
What's your best/favorite prime lenses for landscape?
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 39
Views: 3,109
I have the FA20-35/4, but I don't like the build quality so I don't use it much. I really should sell it. For landscapes on the K-1, both the D-FA 28-105 and D-FA 24-70 are great; I also love telephoto for landscapes and the D-FA 70-210/4 works well for me. But you asked about primes, so in that regard I prefer the FA31 and D-FA 21. I find both lenses to be superb. I used the M20/4 before I got the 21, and it is a "good enough" lens IMO, and it's super light-weight as well. I was unable to find a 24mm for the K-1 that I was satisfied with. If you like 28mm, there are a feast of good choices, my favorite being the K28/3.5. I've never used the D-FA 15-30 but I've seen samples and they look great. Good luck on your search.
Forum: Ricoh GR 10-18-2023, 02:48 PM  
fStoppers article on GR III
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 5
Views: 948
The GRIII and GRIIIx are bonafide hits for Ricoh, nothing else like them on the market. I've had the II and now the III, and it's pretty much always with me.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 09-11-2023, 12:44 PM  
Dear Pentax, please build me a camera.
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 69
Views: 2,789
Add me to the list of those who skipped the K3 because of the lack of a tilting screen, which has become an essential tool for my photography.
Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals 09-07-2023, 10:25 AM  
Global market share of Japanese digital camera and camcorder manufacturers in 2022
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 68
Views: 2,995
Ricoh selling just 5,000 cameras a month shows that this is pretty much just a side hobby for them.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 08-08-2023, 09:18 AM  
21mm HD FA vs 21mm HD DA
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 14
Views: 1,328
I have both. The DA21 is tiny and light-weight, not optically perfect but a very enjoyable lens to use on APS-C. When I got the DA20-40 (and Ricoh GR) I stopped using it, but I did some of my best work with that lens. The D-FA 21 is much heavier and a lot more expensive, but also sharper, weather-sealed and has a modern focusing motor (the DA21 is screw drive which puts some people off). It's also faster at f2.4 as opposed to f3.2 for the DA21. I use the D-FA 21 exclusively on my K-1; if I only had APS-C I wouldn't have bought it unless I had money to burn. If I ever get a K3 Monochrome, the DA20-40 will be my go-to lens for it.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 07-12-2023, 03:06 PM  
Pentax will NOT make a GR monochrome
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 37
Views: 4,996
Maybe there's a part supply issue, but it seems that Ricoh is leaving money on the table. I'm pretty sure a GR Monochrome would be a strong seller, but what do I know?
Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands 07-05-2023, 05:45 PM  
Camera sytem- something that a new photograher can build into a system in the future
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 31
Views: 1,315
Sounds like a good start. He should consider the EF 50/1.8 as his first additional lens purchase, it's a cheap little lens and he could handle a lot of subjects with just those 2 lenses while he learns. I wouldn't worry about it being a "dead" system, if he gets serious he's not going to keep any of this stuff anyway
Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II 06-29-2023, 09:15 AM  
Looking at buying Pentax K-1 II and need some advice
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 46
Views: 2,956
One more suggestion: unless you need the money, I recommend keeping your Fuji and/or M43 gear as well. I run a Big Kit (K-1) and a Small Kit (Fuji X), and I find it extremely useful to have both options. There definitely are situations where one kit is preferable to the other.
Forum: Photographic Technique 06-23-2023, 02:16 PM  
A study of Steve McCurry's photo book
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 23
Views: 2,162
My admiration for McCurry's work dropped a bit when I found out that he often uses extensive digital manipulation, including actually removing people from a scene. After word of this came out, he changed the description of his work from photojournalism to "visual storytelling." Whether that should bother anyone else is entirely subjective.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 05-09-2023, 08:06 PM  
*Maybe* will be K-1 II owner soon -- what is the first FF lens I need to get?
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 54
Views: 2,652
I'm very happy with my current lens lineup for my K-1: all 3 FA Limiteds, D-FA 21 Limited, 24-70/2.8, 70-210/4 and 28-105/4-5.6. But if I had to go down to one lens, it would be the 28-105, no contest. Excellent optics, light-weight, a very useful focal-length range, weather-sealing, inexpensive; what's not to like?
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 05-01-2023, 09:36 AM  
APS-C vs Medium Format
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 30
Views: 3,108
Well, I looked at these on a 27" 4k monitor and got almost everyone of them wrong! But I'm usually drawn to the artistry of an image over any kind of absolute "IQ" quality, so I'm probably not a good judge here. We all have our own standards, right? These are really great, BTW ;)
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 04-12-2023, 08:38 PM  
Pentax live event scheduled for April 13
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 217
Views: 18,062
I'm with you on this one. I own both versions of the 21, but I doubt that I'll ever mount the D-FA on an APS-C body. And although the tiny DA version is no match optically for it's bigger brother, I adore that lens for its tiny size and how it looks on smaller bodies like the KP. If I end up getting this new monochrome body, the DA Limiteds will live on it. The lone exception (for me) being the FA31 which IMO works really well on either format.
Forum: Pentax Full Frame 04-11-2023, 09:26 AM  
The K-1 ii is surprisingly small for a DSLR
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 37
Views: 3,025
I love the solid feel and handling of the K-1, it feels very purposeful when I'm shooting with it. Regardless of what performance improvements they put into a newer version (if we get one), I would be very satisfied if they left the body just as it is, other than maybe adding a joystick.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 04-07-2023, 11:50 AM  
Pentax live event scheduled for April 13
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 217
Views: 18,062
In my experience, new products are leaked well before any official announcements. This is probably something else.
Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals 04-06-2023, 02:41 PM  
"Video is driving the market"
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 64
Views: 3,150
Meh, I don't shoot video, and I'm not a social media "creator" or a Millennial. But I have *some* disposable income for my photography hobby, so I hope someone continues to make something for me to spend it on.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 03-28-2023, 10:09 PM  
Which Pentax 24mm for my K1ii and K3?
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 39
Views: 2,281
I spent years looking for a "great" 24mm for my K-1, tried K, A and FA models, 3rd party varieties, and none of them was quite what I was hoping for. I finally splurged on the D-FA21, and that lens is a jewel, everything I had been looking for in a lens in this range, and more. The 21mm FOV pairs nicely with the FA31 for a great one-two punch on the wide end of things. It also makes a nice companion for the DFA 28-105 for a great hiking pair.
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 03-26-2023, 09:34 PM  
24-70mm f/2.8 versus 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6??
Posted By GaryM
Replies: 23
Views: 1,302
I have both lenses, and have good uses for each of them. But if I could only own one, it would be the 28-105, no contest. I've owned a K-1 since it came out in 2016, and over half of my images (just passed the 10k mark) have been made with that lens. It's my dependable work-horse, and I consider it a no-brainer purchase for any K-1 owner.
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