Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
3 Days Ago
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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' ...
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-28-2024, 10:58 PM
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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.
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
01-27-2024, 09:56 PM
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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.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
12-27-2023, 02:16 PM
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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.
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Forum: General Photography
11-30-2023, 02:24 PM
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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.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
11-17-2023, 03:26 PM
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Meh, only six aperture blades, whiskey won't be smooth.
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
11-17-2023, 03:03 PM
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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.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-07-2023, 11:00 AM
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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").
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Forum: Pentax Full Frame
10-26-2023, 11:42 AM
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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.
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Forum: Ricoh GR
10-18-2023, 02:48 PM
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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.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-11-2023, 12:44 PM
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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.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
09-07-2023, 10:25 AM
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Ricoh selling just 5,000 cameras a month shows that this is pretty much just a side hobby for them.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-08-2023, 09:18 AM
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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.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
07-12-2023, 03:06 PM
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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?
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
07-05-2023, 05:45 PM
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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
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
06-29-2023, 09:15 AM
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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.
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Forum: Photographic Technique
06-23-2023, 02:16 PM
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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.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
05-09-2023, 08:06 PM
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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?
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
05-01-2023, 09:36 AM
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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 ;)
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
04-12-2023, 08:38 PM
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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.
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Forum: Pentax Full Frame
04-11-2023, 09:26 AM
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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.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
04-07-2023, 11:50 AM
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In my experience, new products are leaked well before any official announcements. This is probably something else.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
04-06-2023, 02:41 PM
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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.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-28-2023, 10:09 PM
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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.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-26-2023, 09:34 PM
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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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