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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
12-31-2023, 12:40 PM
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All the best 👍
Happy New Year everyone.
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
09-26-2023, 06:41 AM
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Spectacular shot!
---------- Post added 09-27-23 at 01:45 AM ----------
Couple of my recent shots
---------- Post added 09-27-23 at 01:52 AM ----------
Thoughts:
I think I want a K-3 iii but they are still really expensive and hard to get. NZ isn’t big enough for a second hand market of newer cameras. I might try for family in the UK to find one for me at a reasonable price.
Have you guys seen the new Lightroom AI denoiser? It’s awesome/insane - I really like it.
It’s got to the stage that I’m no longer worried about the raw image capture noise, so the one piece I’d want a new camera for is the AF improvements to lock onto eyes. (I do waste a lot of shots in portraits with a narrow depth of field having found them to be front or back focussed, despite undertaking lens calibrations).
Side note on video: I had to shoot a talking piece for work recently. I used AI to clean up the audio (to make it sound like it was in a studio), and AI to replace my eyes and make it look like I was looking at the camera even with reading the lines to say beneath it.
Takeaway is the new tools are becoming very useable now, across multiple fronts.
---------- Post added 09-27-23 at 01:52 AM ----------
Blog post about it here:
https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2023/04/18/denoise-demystified |
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
05-15-2022, 09:14 PM
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Not at all.
Looked back and here was my findings:
OMG The K-50 sucks for moon shots! - Page 3 - PentaxForums.com
Highly recommend trying this (depending on your subject). Take a look at what you're shooting and work out what metering mode would work best IF you were shooting in full camera automatic mode. Set the metering to that (ie spot in my moon case so the moon wouldn't over expose).
That simple change should take care of live view exposure, which in turn allows you to use focus peaking/digital zoom etc to help focus the manual lens. The manual photo settings you have will determine the shot you take as per normal, but the metering mode will determine the live rear view image.
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
05-15-2022, 08:27 PM
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I went through this some years ago looking at the live view exposure.
It uses the metering mode for the live view image, even if you are using a manual exposure mode for your shot.
So basically if you put it on spot metering, and put the moon in the centre of the frame, it will correctly expose the live view image.
Kinda makes sense, but threw me for a long while. Envisioned it like the live view was a view of the scene exposed so you could see it, and not an indication of what your current exposure settings would produce.
There's nothing about it being a DSLR that means the live view has to be done this way. I really like what Olympus? was doing, where you would see the final image as it was being 'painted' during long exposure shots for example.
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
05-02-2022, 04:17 PM
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
04-27-2022, 03:16 AM
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Loving the recent shots, all great 👍🏻
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
04-22-2022, 07:00 PM
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Which da 40 is it? The pancake or Ltd version?
I love my plastic 35mm prime which is similar fov
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
04-13-2022, 09:23 AM
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I’d wondered that. Those sadly did have some of the dreaded aperture control components failing like the K-30s did, though not as common by then. Could have been cover for that perhaps.
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
04-12-2022, 07:40 PM
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Damn would have liked the 40mm lens separately.
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
04-12-2022, 02:26 AM
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Thanks for this Gub, really helps get an idea of options.
Looks like you've got a layer of ply on the bearers there, which their tiny joists sit on?
If so, did you go 12mm or 17mm for that?
Think we're pretty much set on one of these style cabins now. Have found a local crowd importing them into NZ and upspecing the base offering by providing likes of coloursteel roof as well, possibly better joists underneath etc.
Re PLM I'd love one of those newer f2.8? 16-50 lenses but instead I've got the slightly older now DC 16-85mm.
Again it's pretty heavy/solid so not as suited to a lightweight carry combo, especially once you put the DSLR on the back of it too.
I do have the PLM zoom and it's awesome. Basically made me think the focussing 'issues' with Pentax relative to other brands, was mostly due to Pentax maintaining the legacy K mount mechanical drive in body motor. I think the delays/mechanical slap with that limits what they are capable of, as once using the PLM the focussing became class competitive again instantly, on the same body.
Not an issue if you're not after fast focussing requirements, or of course if manually focussing, but made all the difference if your subject did require it.
Agree it's expensive to go wide or long, but typically wider is cheaper than longer.
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
04-09-2022, 01:09 AM
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Thank you for this. We have decided to go for it, and will be taking all of these points on board.
MUCH appreciated. Will take a photo with the Pentax when it's done.
In the process of sourcing the particular one we've gone with, selected to maximise the area in that part of the back yard, whilst keeping the required district plan distance from the neighbouring fence lines.
---------- Post added 04-09-22 at 08:14 PM ----------
Was thinking of building a ply platform for it all to sit on, piles and bearers then ply on top. Figure we could put some expol or half a pink batt in the floor cavity created between the ply base, in between the included floor joists, before putting the actual floor down.
Would be interested to see a photo of your chain idea, sounds pretty clever!
Appreciate all the ideas, and sorry to hijack the thread for a bit :D
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
04-02-2022, 05:28 PM
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Love it. Thanks for the info there Gub.
Raced into town to see the airforce flyover today. Wanted a higher vantage point but just heard it and saw the tail end as it arrived nearly 10mins earlier than planned.
Bit disappointing but loved hearing the spitfire sound pass over.
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
04-01-2022, 10:07 PM
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How did you get on with assembling these Gub, and how’s the finished result in the rain/wind etc?
Looking at doing something similar in our back yard. Debating this approach vs going full on and building a traditional framework setup.
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
02-14-2022, 03:34 PM
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Melbourne. Every time I get to go there I wonder why I don't live there. It's a very cool place, at least to visit.
---------- Post added 02-15-22 at 11:40 AM ----------
Sorry about that.
Here's an example from Rarotonga:
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
02-13-2022, 05:48 PM
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Lovely picture.
---------- Post added 02-14-22 at 01:55 PM ----------
I had a Xiaomi Drone a long time ago and loved it. Very solid, 3 axis gimbal with 4K video etc. Too big to travel easily with though!
https://cdn.geekzone.co.nz/imagessubs/52268c5bf2de76c76525c0a710f0addb.jpg
I sold it in the end though as I couldn't use it easily in NZ and it was a waste just sitting there really. Went to someone to use as a fishing drone to carry his lure off the beach out to sea.
All DOC land is off limits without a permit from them. That's not a contact the local airspace and book time, it's a proper you're not allowed to fly and need a formal permit.
A lot of airspace is controlled too, which is in itself not the end of the world, but does require you to complete a flight application and have this approved, and contact the tower before and after etc.
Bottom line was any place I actually wanted to fly it was banned. Beaches were ok though, but always have to check the no fly controlled air space restrictions that may be in place first.
I took it to Rarotonga as they were a lot more lenient at the time, but still kept away from airports and flightpaths, and below the standard ceiling limit.
https://cdn.geekzone.co.nz/imagessubs/72bb9ab33d39177977b85fcf50cbb5bf.jpg
https://cdn.geekzone.co.nz/imagessubs/8a9bb59c2cfbaf60c4a16c8eaff674fe.jpg |
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
02-10-2022, 03:52 PM
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Just checked and their driver at the beach is called Denise.
Cool to hear of these friendly folk.
In Palmerston North we have a range of useless to awesome.
One guy called me because the box said Dell and he wanted to confirm we really wanted it left on the doorstep, which I thought was awesome (We have signed authority to leaves with most courier companies due to the volume Fleur has for her work).
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
02-09-2022, 03:35 PM
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Do you get a lady in a van covering your area?
In laws live at Waiinu Beach and they're serviced by a delivery person who stopped and had coffee with them last time we were out there. Next level friendly service.
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Forum: General Photography
02-09-2022, 02:24 PM
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I've used neoprene wrist straps from aliexpress for many years now and highly recommend this.
Depends on your use case though. For me travelling it gave security plus puts the camera in reach for quick use.
Having switched to this style of grip I'd never go back to a shoulder strap personally, and the neoprene was very comfortable too.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
02-09-2022, 02:23 PM
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There's that whole feature curve/plateau thing at play here, diminishing returns etc now that the technology has improved.
Back in the early days of digital cameras the improvements each cycle were massive, but the state of tech (well from about say 2015 onwards?) has been good enough for quite some time now.
Now it's a case of do you need the improvements to suit your own personal needs. In my case the ability to track moving subjects is of use to me, but a better lasting battery giving 100 shots more or another 20MP in sensor image size is not for example.
I think it's important to keep it real about what 'discontinued' means. Most significantly you just can't buy a new one anymore.
It doesn't mean it stops working suddenly or instantly doesn't fit your needs etc.
And just because it's a camera doesn't mean it's any different to other device purchases in your home.
By the time it fails you'll be in the market for a new one. All things fail eventually, when you're talking this level of electronics.
You'll just re evaluate the market offerings at that time and match those against your requirements.
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
01-13-2022, 02:29 PM
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Love this. Any tips from anyone around when to visit, where to head and what to expect etc?
It's one place I haven't yet visited unfortunately.
Love the shot by the way too. Good luck with the file.
---------- Post added 01-14-22 at 10:32 AM ----------
A few recents:
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
01-11-2022, 03:11 PM
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
01-10-2022, 01:08 PM
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Great works there, thanks for the link
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
11-18-2021, 06:52 PM
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Heads up (although not a full eclipse this time around?) things get really dim during the peak period and suddenly you don’t have much light to work with.
Still need a fairly fast shutter speed too, as the damn earth keeps spinning pretty quickly.
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
11-09-2021, 08:22 PM
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I've been going back over earlier images recently too (getting some acrylic prints made) and it's interesting to revisit these with all the subsequent years of development in Lightroom in my case. I was getting quite angry with one of my images and when I checked the details it was with the Tamron zoom. I recall that being sharp (and solid, like you could play cricket with it) but the chromatic aberration was just chronic with wild green and purple blooming on every light to dark edge.
If I'm honest, that's one of the major benefits to the two newer Pentax lenses I now own. I think the image sensors have been good enough for quite some time, and it's now (as always) down to the quality of the physical optics feeding the sensor.
All good Gary, yeah small world.
With family in the UK I have purchased nearly all of my gear from there and have been a member of PentaxUser for longer than here.
My portfolio there |
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
11-01-2021, 04:40 PM
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Welcome on board from the north island. 📷 I too have the original K-3 and still going strong 💪
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