|
Forum: Pentax Price Watch
12-15-2018, 06:29 PM
|
| |
It appears to be a manual focus.
|
|
Forum: Pentax Price Watch
12-15-2018, 09:02 PM
|
| |
The price is now down to $265.64, which is a screaming good deal.
The D-FA is also considerably smaller and lighter. Filter threads of 49mm on the D-FA, and 67mm on the Rokinon. Optically I can't see how any lens could improve on the brilliance of the D-FA.
Where the Rokinon could be a distinct advantage is in its manual aperture ring, if you are using manual extension tubes to increase magnification beyond 1:1. The WR variant of the D-FA doesn't have a manual aperture ring (while the non-WR version does). The Rokinon also has a much longer focus throw, which is better for manual focus. The D-FA is long-ish throw at macro distances, and very very short outside of the macro environment.
I bet they're slashing the prices on the Rokinon, because before they were 1-to-1 with the D-FA / WR, making the Pentax lens a no-brainer. But at $265 now... that puts value back in the competitive mix.
|
|
Forum: Pentax Price Watch
10-10-2016, 07:09 PM
|
| |
| |
|
Forum: Pentax Price Watch
10-10-2016, 05:08 PM
|
| |
Possibly not. Its the same design with may be different letter markings/decorations (P, PK, fractal design) on the outside. They are not the press-fit kinds. They lock onto the lens when turned like a lid. Almost no chance for them to fall of easily.
The thing with 5pcs deal is that. .. it is sold in GBP and dispatches from china free P/P (free P/P <- don't know what that means). So it smells fishy to me. Also 5 for that price and free shipping (assuming P/P is FS) only adds to my suspicion as they usually go for $0.75 a pop.
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-21-2016, 09:56 AM
|
| |
And this is where it get's even more dangerous for your pocket book...
The quest for a long lens suitable for action will take you deep into the realm of car prices lenses. See the 300mm+ plus lens thread.
A 1.4x TC will turn your lens into a 98-280 f4. But will that really make that much of a difference? well one stop is iso 1600-3200 or 1/1000 to 1/2000th. That one stop makes a big difference sometimes.
At 350 a TC is probably cheaper alternative to the Sigma 100-300 at around 800-1000, if you can find one, but even that may not be enough for full field length shots and your focus lock will suffer just a bit. Not a lot, but it might be a 10% increase in missed focus. Can you live with that increase in failure rates?
Most sports pros have 300 f2.8 lenses (or 400 f4 but not available in k-mount). They start at 3500. A 500 f4.5 is a 5k lens. Long and fast is the antithesis of cheap.
It might be a case, until you truly have the funds to invest in the right equipment, stick with what you have and target specific improvements in gear, rather than settling. I had the 100-300 f4 for years and loved the lens. I tried various TC's and was ok with the combo with the Pentax 1.4. However I knew I was "settling" and wasn't thrilled. This year I managed to pick up a 500 f4.5 and the difference in results is night and day.
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-21-2016, 09:40 AM
|
| |
I can not be objective when it comes to K100D because I love it so much.
Mine is a K100D Super (SDM capable). It has about 25,000 actuations and still going strong. It produces beautiful images. The only limitations are Hi ISO performance (I try to keep it at 800 or less) and fps speed. But it is still used as my regular studio camera for product photography. I've had very good results with older manual lenses, especially the A50 f1.7
Many of the images in my PPG Gallery are with the K100DS.
PENTAX : PENTAX Photo Gallery artist page
Make sure the battery contacts are clean and not corroded.
Bottom line, for the price it is a good solid second camera.
Thanks,
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-21-2016, 09:19 AM
|
| |
I have a K100D and a K100D Super along with my K3. My K100D's struggle with higher ISO but for years it was my only option and I made it work. What is the intended use of the images. If they are web only - you can get away with more. If you plan to print not as much leeway depending on your requirements.
The K100D is a great SDM conversion platform. Debug is easy - no files required, just button pushing; there's an in-camera editor if you are brave, etc. This is the camera I use for converting lenses most of the time.
Please note:
K100D has 1 control wheel which can be confusing when you switch bodies. It also has a top LCD which is nice.
K100D lacks SDM. It will not work with any DC or SDM (only) lens. It will use screwdrive for SDM/Screwdrive lenses like the DA* series zooms and the DA* 200 and DA* 300.
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-21-2016, 09:14 AM
|
| |
you're in a bit of a pickle, honestly. the abilities of the K3 for action and AF are a league better than the K5iis. Maybe with a 50mm lens on it, it won't be so bad, but the iso performance is also not nearly as good as the K3. I have owned a K10/K20/K5iis and a K3. I would honestly never go backward. There's just been too much improvement.
As an anecdote, my GF got my hand me down K5iis when I first purchased a K3. Within 2 months, the AF frustrated her beyond tolerance and the difference in IQ for the same subjects forced me into getting her a K3 to save the relationship...ok slight exaggeration, but not much.
from a post processing perspective, from a shooting style perspective, from a results perspective, if you can't pick up another K3, I wouldn't worry about a back up body. Just practice getting faster at swapping lenses? Or maybe pick up a Sigma 50-150 and crop a little on the long end if necessary. I think you'd be better off doing that.
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-21-2016, 09:12 AM
|
| |
I had a K100D for backup for years. That 6mp sensor is truly special. I came across one, in a "junk" camera bin at a store that was closing down. Even for "parts" it was worth the $1 price tag, so I bought it. Took it home, popped in some AA batteries, and it sprung to life. Worked absolutely fine. I sold it a few months later when I upgraded my backup camera to the K20D and then K-S1, which I love so much it became my primary Pentax.
It *is* a good camera and if you're strapped for cash, you can get one for well under a hundred USD. BUT, and it's a big but, the K20D (and K10D) are much better cameras for only a little more. A K20D is around a hundred on eBay.
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-21-2016, 08:59 AM
|
| |
It's a good camera if you can live with it's limitations. The CCD sensor produces beautiful colors, and the camera itself is durable and solidly built. But for me, it excels in an outdoors daylight setting. Great for flowers, scenery, landscape, or as a general walkaround. It's not one I would consider as an action shooter, especially in a poorly lit gym or similar. It's not a fast camera, and the WB (in jpeg mode) struggles under artificial lighting. I think the going price these days is around $100 or so. I would not pay more than that.
My wife took her K100D to Alaska on a short business trip a couple years ago - the album is here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsjYCvBG4 |
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-21-2016, 08:52 AM
|
| |
I had a K100D for years and now my daughter has been using it for years. It has served us both well. $80-$100 would be a fair price.
|
|
Forum: Pentax Price Watch
04-18-2016, 03:32 PM
|
| |
95 Mb/s is the maximum read speed for both cards, but the Sandisk card I linked can write up to 90 Mb/s, whereas the Lexars on sale can write up to 45 Mb/s. It won't make a huge difference on the K-3, but it's there if you shoot long bursts.
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
04-01-2016, 08:00 PM
|
| |
I have that combo, certainly works very well without hurting IQ for outdoors sports - haven't tried dim stadium lighting, though!
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
04-01-2016, 10:33 AM
|
| |
Makes it f/4, works just fine. I have it.
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-25-2016, 11:00 PM
|
| |
As TER-OR said, "There's nothing wrong with the bokeh of the FA version." |
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-26-2016, 07:22 PM
|
| |
| |
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-25-2016, 09:00 PM
|
| |
| |
|
Forum: Photographic Technique
06-20-2012, 09:35 AM
|
| |
Let's go back to the Wikipedia definition:
"Photography is the process, activity and art of creating still or moving pictures by recording radiation on a sensitive medium, such as a photographic film, or an electronic sensor." --Wikipedia, right now. So it's a process and art, not just shutter-snapping. PROCESS means that work proceeds before and after the snutter-snap. ART means we make the pictures look like we want them to look. SENSITIVE MEDIUM means anything that can record the image. RADIATION means UV and IR and Xrays and even radio waves. Ever seen a radio-telescope photo of the sky?
But where do holograms and sonograms and ideograms fit in here? If I use a low-power laser to sketch on a sheet of photo paper, then develop that, I'm certainly "recording radiation on a sensitive medium" -- but is it a photograph? If I use sonogram data or seismic data or other physical|acoustic waves to build an on-screen image, and do a screen-grab and print that, it it a photograph? Is a sunburn a photo?
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-24-2016, 08:21 PM
|
| |
Generally yes, rounded highlights look nicer. It is not an issue for many photos, and is not usually a 'make it or break it' difference. Flat blades tend to give better starbursts - there are numerous comparisons between the DA15mm (flat blades) and the newer HD 15mm (rounded blades) where the older flat bladed version is preferred. This is usually less of an issue with the dfa100mm - it's not the type of lens that you usually end up including the sun in the composition. If I could magically swap in rounded blades, I'd go for it, but they aren't so appealing to me that I'd bother selling my version and moving to the WR one.
Those male toads are tyically 5-7cm long, so no extension was required. There are a few 'head shots' as well as a few really young toads in my stream that were taken at or near 1:1 magnification - anything smaller would have required tubes, or a close up filter like a raynox, or a teleconverter, or extensive cropping, or other method.
With no extra add ons, the dfa100mm macro lets you "fill the frame" with a subject roughly 16x24mm in size (assuming an aps-c sensor:)). Do you have any idea what sort of subjects you're interested in and how small they are?
Absolutely, you'll get increased magnification and all automation is still intact.
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-24-2016, 08:04 PM
|
| |
Well converting a 300mm to a 420mm is worth it. Especially on a cropped sensor body, then it effectively becomes a 630mm lens relative to Full frame.
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-24-2016, 08:22 PM
|
| |
1.4 TCs generally are considered one stop slower than the lens,2x two stops.
No problem on bright sunny days, or well lit night games
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-24-2016, 08:01 PM
|
| |
The advantage of the TC for Soccer is the extra reach because l like to take the pictures from behind the goal my team is attacking. With the extra reach I can crop less.
And if the TC can maintain the IQ even better.
Definitely OK to use in bright day light.
you can try indoor and share your pictures please.
I do not have the Tamron but in the link below you can see that the Pentax 1.4 TC did OK maintaining IQ on my DA*300 and from long distance (420mm). The last picture on my set is with the DA*60-250 zoom + 1.4TC and I can tell that it is not as good as the 60-250 without TC.
You have a 2.8 lens and my Da300 and da60-250 are F4; therefore you will have more light than in my case.
My recommendation to you is to rent the pentax 1.4 TC from lensrental.com or similar and try it out in you Tamron outdoor and indoor and share the pictures with us. Share the results.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/172-pentax-k-3/278394-sports-football-soc...00-1-4xtc.html |
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-24-2016, 07:07 PM
|
| |
I own half a dozen TCs,but not the 1.4x Pentax which would be very good.It is a WR which justifys the price IF you need it.Its a waste on the Tamron.My advice is read the third party reviews of the 1.4 AF TCs,they can be found for 20% of the Pentax price.I own 3 actual Tamron TCs...2 are good,the other is ordinary.My AF 1.4 is great(vivitar)but comes under other names too.Flip the page to 2
3rd Party it may save you some cash.
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-24-2016, 06:41 PM
|
| |
As long as there is decent lighting you really wont see a loss of IQ with the 1.4tc and the Tamron 17-200 f/2.8.
|
|
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-24-2016, 06:29 PM
|
| |
The 1.4 should be great for day games. At night, you'll want the ƒ2.8. But, before I made that decision I'd check some night game images to see if you need ƒ2.8. No one but you knows how good the lights are for your soccer pitch.
|
