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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
6 Days Ago
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Mine has a setting on the zoom ring that you have to move it to, "100 CONV" to get the rear element far enough forward so a converter will go on it. There is also a position on the zoom lock switch, which keeps you from zooming back past 100 and banging the elements together once the converter is mounted.
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
03-30-2024, 10:15 AM
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Adjust, adapt and improvise!
Looks like a great solution,
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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
03-29-2024, 04:32 PM
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 | Thematic Cats!
Posted By
K-Three |
Replies: 2,077
Views: 114,325
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We've got a few around the house, always have fuzzy help putting them together, It's like they know what it's for.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-22-2024, 06:10 PM
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You and Pentax Paul need to pool your resources, see similar thread in today's lists
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-22-2024, 05:57 PM
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I started with an old style Bigma, 50-500, when I use it, it's usually at 500, so hauling around a lot of extra weight for a slow 500mm. It's good quality and has worked well on all my APSc bodies. Usually have to use it with a monopod or tripod. It's balanced oddly and heavy to hand hold for extended periods.
Later, I picked up the DA300 w/ a pentax 1.4x converter.
The 300 by it self is sharp, light & compact (for it's focal length) and easy to hand hold, carry it around easily. Focus and steadiness gets better on a tripod or monopod.
Add the 1.4x converter, and you get 420mm at ƒ/5.6 (usually on a tripod) a bit faster than the Bigma at 500mm & ƒ/6.3.
Depending on your subject and environment, this may or may not be a factor, I usually try to shoot a stop or two down, for some depth to cover focus errors, so the max aperture is not so much about exposure, but for focus and framing.
Outdoors in a bright day, no real difference, but under tree canopy, or clouds, that 1/2-stop difference can be a factor in auto focus and view finder performance.
Both lenses exhibit "focus breathing" as you focus closer, the lens gets shorter, so close focus at 500mm is not 500mm, it's more like 400mm at closest focus. For near infinity work this is not an issue.
Because of the size and weight, If I know I'm needing long,
I'm usually taking the 300+1.4x out, but have on occasion shot RC aircraft in flight with both, at more or less the same time, yes, multiple tripods were involved.
If you're going to shoot birds or aircraft (of any size) in flight, consider getting a gimbal mount for your tripod, much better for tracking movement than a ball or pan/tilt head.
I've got the 55-300 HD also, and it's my walk around long, when I don't know what I'm going to come across,
but If I know I'm going to need long, then it's one or both of these.
If I had to do it over, from scratch, I'd probably just get just the 300+1.4X, The extra reach of the sigma is not that much, and the size and weight of it are a lot more.
Hope this helps your decision making.
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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
03-20-2024, 06:22 PM
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More SLRs in that shot than I've seen anywhere recently. Seven at least, plus the Pentax taking it?
wow
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Forum: Ricoh GR
03-18-2024, 05:46 PM
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Forum: Photographic Equipment for Sale
03-14-2024, 05:25 PM
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I can vouch for this lens, I have one, it's great walk around lens, light, and fast,
But based on your sample image yours produces "Fuzzy" images, :lol: Looks like a sweet, patient, model you have there.
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
03-14-2024, 05:16 PM
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I don't see any way to use a phone as an incident light meter without a diffuser over the lens,
get a Sekonic, or Gossen, and have something you can rely on, which works repeatably.
I used to think that Swiss Army Knives were good tools, but have learned that you are better off finding a purpose made tool than adapting a "one size fits all" tool. YMMV
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Forum: Repairs and Warranty Service
03-12-2024, 07:11 PM
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Only have had one lens fixed by them, but they did a good job for a more than fair price,
Send them an e-mail first,
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-12-2024, 06:57 PM
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I used the M28/3.5 with my MX, but almost always wanted wider, borrowed a M24/2.8, and it was just about right, for me,
What ever you get/keep find hoods for them, The 50s are better with a good hood, and the wider lenses benefit too.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-11-2024, 07:28 PM
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Birds, and a manual aperture lens are recipe for frustration,
Could it work, yes, could it work well, maybe,
Long learning curve,
A 2.8 lens is nice to focus with, but you'll want to shoot at 5.6 or 8, to get a bit of depth of field.
So that means constantly (manually) opening to focus and closing the lens down, then shoot, lather, rinse, repeat.
None of the DSLRs are friendly to manual focus with, they don't have any of the ground glass, or split image tools cut into the screens to help the image snap in.
Even with a close feeder or scattering seed on the ground to bring them in, birds, small birds especially, are constantly moving, looking around for predators, watching other birds for competition, in the time you get them in focus, and then stop down, they have moved out of frame, or at least out of focus.
For long lens landscape or some other relatively static subjects, this could be a good combination. But with your stated goal being birds, I think you'll be shopping for another solution soon.
If I were you, with your current goal, I'd be looking for at least an auto aperture lens, a K, M or A, 300 or longer, That gets you to just manual focus, and then look for one of the 1.7x auto-focus converters.
That would be a better combination of old glass and adaptor than a converted 645 lens.
Just my 2¢
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-08-2024, 07:12 PM
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There was a dedicated auto extension tube for the 100/4 macro to get to 1:1, but they seem to be rare,
If you can find a set of Pentax K, M or A Auto tubes, they will keep the aperture open for ease of focusing, but stop down when you fire the shutter.
The full set of 3 tubes stacks to about 50mm which is what you need to get to 1:1 with the 100/4.
3rd party tube sets are similar, look for Auto's though, I've worked with non-auto lenses and tubes, it's a pain to remember to open and close the apeture for each shot.
The 100/2.8 is nice in that it gets to 1:1 without extra extension. Then when you do add some extension, it's a whole new world.
I have both lenses, they are nice, and fun to work with.
Just noticed there is a 100/2.8 in the marketplace in the forums now, No relation to the seller, just passing on info
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
03-08-2024, 07:02 PM
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Sit down with the camera, no film in it, and go through the manual:
https://butkus.org/chinon/pentax/pentax_mx/asahi_pentax_mx.pdf
Push the buttons, turn the dials,
It's a great, simple camera, I've still got mine, from 1978 too, w/ 50mm/1.7, It's in a display case, film too much cost and nuisance in today's world for me. But I do miss film.
Enjoy it,
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
03-07-2024, 08:36 PM
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Image Sync?
I've played with it, but not seriously used it.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
03-07-2024, 08:28 PM
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What an eclectic bookshelf
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
03-04-2024, 06:18 PM
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To be fair,
Put the motor and a grip on the LX, and you're in the same ball park,
But the F5 is a generation or two past the LX, LX and the F3 are the comparable contemporaries.
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
03-01-2024, 07:51 PM
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Yes, us in the American Pacific NW or in northern europe,
If you don't do things in the rain and clouds, you don't do much
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-29-2024, 08:32 PM
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I have a Manfrotto 680B I picked up 15-years ago or so,
Used it with a Sigma 50-500 "Bigma" and the DA300+1.4 TC. It's been good performer, sturdy and durable. Not too heavy
I added one of their Monopod heads to it.
It's good if you're ok with the Manfrotto QR system, does not work well if you want to add a Arca Swiss QR to it.
I may need to find a AS QR head for it.
I do find it useful to have a tilt head,
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
02-29-2024, 07:43 PM
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tough to do an eclipse in the rain.....
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Forum: Film Processing, Scanning, and Darkroom
02-29-2024, 07:39 PM
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For Us Yanks:
You Tube
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src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8rlDTK6QI-w?controls=1" allowfullscreen>
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Forum: Pentax KP
02-23-2024, 05:42 PM
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I've always liked a longer lens for macro (or usually close focus) gets you greater working distance, for a given image size, I've got both the old DA100/2.8 macro and an older M100/4.
Distance is good if you're trying to get live insects or other small creatures.
Also makes it easier to keep your shadow off the subject.
Look for a lens that has an aperture ring, (M42, K, M, A, etc.) that way you can later expand into using bellows or extension tubes easily, without needing to track down electronic versions of those accessories (don't think there are any e-bellows).
For 0.5:1 up to about 1:1 magnification, I can work hand held, depending on the available light, with a 100mm on either APSc or FF. At 1:1 or closer I need support, usually a tripod. Consider a geared focus rail (either single axis or X & Y axis) for fine adjustments of focus and composition. At macro distances, the focus ring changes the working distance, and you can usually control focus better by moving the whole camera & lens in and out from the subject than you can by turning the focus ring.
Don't get hung up on the true Macro 1:1 thing, most of the bug and flower work seen is less than 1:1, it's close focus. And that is fine, get a good "Macro" lens, which can get you to al least 0.5:1 (either the M or A 50 & 100s) experiment with it, and then decide how much deeper you want to get into it. there is a whole raft of options out there, and ways to enjoy this part of photography.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-19-2024, 10:54 PM
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Adding a link so folks can find them,
They fixed a DA 35 Macro for me, did the job good, cheap and fast.
ADVANCE CAMERA REPAIR |
