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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-16-2024, 12:02 PM
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My experience with vintage TCs is that they can seriously degrade image quality and should be avoided.
Keep in mind that as the magnification goes up so does the apparent speed of the sun moving across the frame and any small vibrations are magnified as well. I found a wired cable release to be useful.
I shot the 2017 eclipse with my DA*300 lens. Hindsight and all that, I should have used my DA1.4TC too but the 300 worked okay. I posted more about my setup and some sample images in this thread.
As others have suggested I would go out now and test the various combinations and see what works best.
Finally, on a scale of 1 to 10, a partial eclipse (even 95%) is like a 1 or 2 and a total eclipse is like a 20. I missed the one in 1979 and didn't get another chance until 2017... If it's at all possible you should travel to where you can see totality.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
03-09-2024, 08:39 PM
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I wish I could make it to this years eclipse. I did see the 2017 one and considering I'm 74 I doubt I'll have another chance.
In 2017 I used my K3 with the DA300 lens. Hindsight being 20/20 I should have use my 1.4 TC too but decided to use just the 300. Personally I think 420mm is enough magnification especially at totality when you're not just photographing the disk but also the corona.
My tripod was a somewhat heavy duty garage sale find. I hung some extra weight to the center post for more stability and it worked fine.
I used two identical freshly formatted SD cards and set the camera up to record to both (raw+jpg).
I used a wired remote release and set the camera up to bracket 6 exposures with one press.
I set a timer on my watch and tried to take images at fixed intervals before and after totality.
I used live view exclusively for focus and viewing.
My solar filter was one I bought for a telescope back in the 1980s. It fit perfectly over the 300's lens hood. It had an unpleasant blue tint but otherwise worked well.
Here are some of my images. For my first attempt I thought they came out well:
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
02-15-2024, 10:08 PM
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Not sure exactly what you're looking for but here are some ideas.
Tubbs Hill has some nice easy hikes with good views and photo ops.
McEuen Park is fun, lots of cool features and photo opportunities. There is paid parking nearby but I usually park in the Library lot to the east that was free (the last time I was there).
While you're there there I'd recommend walking the boardwalk at the Cd'A hotel/marina.
The downtown area, (Sherman Ave from 1st St to 5th St. has some fun quaint shops, coffee shops, pubs, etc.. I'm old fashioned and by my shaving soap from the Mountain Madness Soap store.
If I had to recommend one place to eat (casual dining) it would be Moon Time, I always get the Swimming Angel.
For a short, scenic, drive, there is the E Coeur D'Alene Lake Dr. that starts at Sherman Ave and 23rd and ends at the Cd'A Parkway State Park near Higgins Point
I live in Spokane so I guess I'm not technically a local so I'll be curious what others recommend.
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Forum: General Talk
11-27-2023, 06:24 PM
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It isn't. Manual transmissions are as much about using the clutch correctly as they are changing gears.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
01-22-2024, 07:44 PM
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Another bloom from the Christmas cactus.
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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
12-12-2023, 08:05 PM
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I was looking through my old images and came on this one. There is a lot wrong with it. I missed focus on the eyes (but got the splash pretty well) and the exposure could be (way) better but I still like it and thought I'd share.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
01-05-2024, 04:54 PM
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The HD Pentax-FA 77mm F1.8 Limited arrived on Wednesday and I thought I'd post a few quick photos.
1. Christmas cactus
2. Nigel needs a haircut
3. Zoe will be 18 in may
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Forum: General Talk
01-11-2024, 11:48 AM
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It's rare but interpreting the thread title a little differently, I can think of some ads that I not only noticed but occasionally look up on YouTube and watch again.
Geico's, "Do retired drill instructors make terrible therapists?" is my all time favorite. The VW, Darth Vader ad from the 2011 Super bowl was pretty good and Blaupunkt's "Bunny and benny" ad (which would never fly in the US) is great. :D
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Forum: Monthly Photo Contests
01-07-2024, 12:38 PM
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I would like to nominate this photo
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Forum: Monthly Photo Contests
01-07-2024, 09:06 AM
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I would like to nominate this photo
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-25-2023, 03:16 PM
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-15-2023, 02:11 PM
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Looking through some old images.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-15-2023, 07:04 PM
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I was thinking next spring, not now. Usually the first spring after a fire is a (really) good year for morels, 3 or 4 years later not so much.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-14-2023, 06:22 PM
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Cute image. The kitties are having fun. Thanks for posting.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-15-2023, 01:31 PM
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That's a nice series of shots. Thanks for posting.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-15-2023, 01:42 PM
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Interesting shot. I'm leaning towards the color version.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-14-2023, 02:35 PM
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Nice capture. Great colors and textures.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-12-2023, 10:54 PM
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That's a really nice composition and waterfall shot.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-13-2023, 01:30 PM
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One of our many squirrels after raiding the bird feeder.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-13-2023, 06:32 PM
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I have a 15 and I'm not really sure what I'd chose. In the poll thread I picked the FA77 but it was mostly a guess.
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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
12-14-2023, 02:05 PM
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Thanks for commenting. I do like the image I just wish I'd done a better job on it.
---------- Post added 12-14-23 at 01:10 PM ----------
What a beautiful bird. Another one that we don't have in my area. Thanks for posting.
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Forum: General Talk
12-13-2023, 07:53 PM
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Not really what I'm listening to but I've had Billy Joel's Piano Man stuck in my head for days. I wake up at 2AM to "Give us a song, you're the piano man...".
I need a change... ;)
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-13-2023, 02:22 PM
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I inherited this plant from my mom. I think it's close to 60 years old. Unfortunately my wife doesn't like house plants so this one lives next to a small window in the (daylight) basement and doesn't get much attention. Still it manages a few blooms every year.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
12-12-2023, 04:10 PM
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LOL. Not something you see every day.
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Forum: Site Suggestions and Help
12-12-2023, 03:59 PM
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And it's a very good thing too. It's one of the things that makes this forum a pleasure to participate in.
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