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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
03-12-2017, 06:39 AM
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Plastic Poly Pellets 5 LBS FREE PRIORITY MAIL Weighted Blankets Shooter Bags | eBay
These are the pellets I used in my bean bag camera support. I like them as they are permanent, unlike beans rice etc.5# filled my bag the way I like it. It can be easily shaped over the raised car window. It really steadies the camera.
For some reason, the URL of the bag itself won't copy for me. I'll try again on a separate reply, or at least give you the eBay description.
Jack
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
03-08-2017, 05:25 PM
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I've got the bag and the plastic filler pellets should arrive today. I'll let you know exactly which one I got and which pellets I used and how they work out. The bag looks like it will be fine, well made, nice design
Jack
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
03-02-2017, 03:59 AM
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I really like the a7ii. It has lots of nice features, fast burst, top LCD, many function buttons etc.
I also like my K-70 very much. I have a preference for EVF, however, and like to take an occasional video clip. The a77ii has a great EVF and takes excellent video.
Thanks to all for responses to my beanbag question. I've got one picked out and will order it today.
Jack
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
03-01-2017, 05:42 AM
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Hi Folks,
I've suffered a leg injury and can't walk, but I have a little hobble to get me back and forth in the house. My Dr. says this could be a 4-6mo ordeal.
So, I can't take my daily 1 1/2 mile photo hike through the parks. I miss that.
Fortunately, there are several nearby marshes where I can shoot from the car. My wife drives and I shoot from the right passenger seat, using a Sony a77ii with a 500mm lens. As soon as I can find a long lens for my K-70, i'll use it also.
Thanks to high shutter speed and good IS, I'm usually "getting the shot". However, it's awkward and I'd like to have some solid support.
I'm thinking of a bean bag, like this one on Amazon:
amazon.com : Grizzly Camera Bean Bag (Medium-Blue), Photography Bean Bag, Video Bean Bag, Camera Support, Camera Sandbag, Camera Beanbag, Spotting Scope Support : Camera Cases : Camera & Photo?tag=pentaxforums-20&
Can anyone recommend a bag like this, or another option? What did you fill it with, seeds, corn, etc.
Thanks for any suggestions!
Jack
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-28-2017, 06:09 AM
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Des,
I find several several Kenko 1.4 TCs, new, for about $100. Doing an eBay search, I also was shown several Kenko 2.0 TCs. Would these also be appropriate? I think the 1.5 would be just fine. There must be some downside to the 2.0??
I checked out the length and weight for the 300mm w/1.5 TC and it would work out great for me. Like you said, about the same weight as the Tokina. I'm closing in on it, Des, thanks in great part to your recommendations.
Jack
---------- Post added 02-28-17 at 05:16 AM ----------
Hi Lowell,
Thanks for the info on the Sigma TC. Des turned me on to the Kenko 1.4 and has actually used it with the Pentax 300mm. Since they are available in several major camera stores, I'll probably stick with that one.
Jack.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-28-2017, 04:34 AM
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Hi Des,
Thanks for another specific and valid recommendation. I think that combination might work for me. As I understand it, there are two Pentax 300mm lens, The F and the FA. Are these equally suitable for my purposes?
I'll need a TC, as you suggest. If you could specify a specific TC or two that work well, could you send me that recommendation. Or, maybe someone else is using a certain TC effectively and would recommended it.
You're very helpful, Des. Thank you,
Jack
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-27-2017, 05:36 AM
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Thanks very much for the replies everyone.
Lots of good stuff to study and digest. I think I get the message, a consumer grade lens with a teleconverter would not be satisfactory. That idea is off my list now.
DPReview Pentax forum, a member uses a Tokina AF 80-400mm and likes it. I found some reviews by other Pentax users and they were very good. In fact, of all the lenses reviewed by Pentax users, the Tokina is rated the best.
Anyone else using this Tokina 80-400mm?
Jack
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-26-2017, 07:30 AM
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Hi Matt,
I shoot mainly wildlife and normally in pretty good light, locally and in Teton and Yellowstone Parks,........ certainly not at night.
What would I pay? Well, I originally budgeted for a Tamron 150-600mm and similar lenses for my Sony, about $600-800 bucks. These are not for me, simply too large and heavy.
I now am looking for something costing less, and lighter.The k-50 is one of several DSLRs I use, including a K-70 with 55-300mm. So, I'm thinking of a Sigma or Tamron 55-300mm or something similar, but adding a teleconverter.
I know nothing about teleconverters though, and I want to reach a minimum of 600mm equivalent.
I'll lose interest completely unless there is a teleconverter that retains autofocus/
Thanks,...Jack
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-26-2017, 06:38 AM
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Hi Folks,
I tried to post this on the "300mm Club" forum, but couldn't seem to break the code to post a new thread,....so here I am, hoping to get some suggestions on long zoom lenses for a k-50. I have an extra K-50 body that is presently naked.
Some background,...I have a Sony a77ii and just put a Minolta 500mm mirror AF lens on it last week. I am REALLY enjoying it! So, I started a search for a similar lens for my K-50. Turns out there are many similar lenses that can be adapted to Pentax, but used or new, they are all MF lenses. Folks on the DPReview Pentax forum gave me lots of input and I'm convinced that MF will not work for me on a long zoom lens.
I have considered all of the long zoom options from Sigma and Tamron, and a few from Pentax. Although these are great choices for some folks, I'm a hand held shooter and these lenses start at about 4 1/2 pounds. Size and weight are important to me, and my search is now turning to other options, such as 55-300, 70-300 etc, paired with a teleconverter.
I have never used a teleconverter and am interested in any combination that retains autofocus and is not too heavy.
Thanks for any suggestions!
Jack
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-13-2017, 09:19 AM
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I have the K70 and use it nearly every day with a Sigma 18-300mm. I also have a K50 with 55-300WR usually mounted.
It's been raining here lately and I've mainly used the K50 with the WR lens on my daily trips to the local parks.
I've done a little testing and find that the K70 will handle extremely heavy crops a little better. The K70 LCD screen is useful, though not as much as I thought it might be.
Image Quality? Well, to my eyes, both cameras are fine. I'm sure pixel peeping would find the K70 images slightly better. In practical use, there is little or no difference. I'm a JPEG shooter and can't comment on RAW files.
Is the K70 worth the upgrade? I thought so,....but I still think the K50 is a fine camera.
Jack
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
11-11-2016, 04:22 AM
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Well,....I envy you. you're in for some fun times with the K70. Nice thing about digital photography is you can take it just as far as you want to. Personally, I do not post process raw files, but some people really enjoy that.
My recommended "settings" are pretty simple. I prefer to have the camera set to shoot 1/500th of a second. This will handle most moving objects, blowing trees etc. The camera has plenty of latitude to choose aperture and ISO. But, that's just MY preference and I mention it only as a simple place to start.
Jack
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-21-2016, 04:11 AM
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There are always strong feelings about the compromises in IQ when using long zoom lenses. I understand all that going in, but I still prefer using a lens with all the zoom I can comfortably carry around my neck during a several hour stroll.
Right now, I have two K-50s one with 18-135 mounted and one with 55-300. Both lenses have good enough IQ for my purposes. Although I think the 18-135 is a "Better" lens, I find myself strongly preferring the longer reach of the 55-300mm. I'm a wildlife shooter, primarily. Although the 18-135 shots crop nicely, I prefer seeing the larger view. Every time I shoot with the 18-135, I ask myself why I bother?
My plan had been to buy the K-70 with the new 55-300. Then, I started exploring options and found myself getting interested in the Sigma 18-300mm. There are occasions when I find the 55mm of the Pentax lenses not wide enough.
So, I have several questions that I hope users can answer:
1. Will this Sigma function properly on both my K-50s and the K-70, considering screw drive etc. ?
2. Is this lens similar in IQ and build to the Sigma 18-250 Macro? I used the 18-250 on a previously owned Sony and liked it. I'd buy it again but I prefer the longer reach if the IQ is similar.
Any actual user comments would be appreciated. Thanks, friends!
Jack
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
10-19-2016, 03:09 PM
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I went to my local park today and, as someone suggested, I shot three or four video clips with my K50 to see exactly what it was I didn't like about it. Well, folks, the old K50 performed okay in the areas that are important to me. The sound of my voice and of the kid's train I was taking shots of was clear. The color was excellent. I did some slow very slow panning and there was no jiggling. I did not change focus. I took a clip of some wild parrots in a tree. They are very noisy and fun to see. I was satisfied.
So, with the other improvements in the K70, I think it's what I "need".
Thanks again for all the input, friends!
Jack
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
10-18-2016, 07:06 PM
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Thanks to everyone who responded. I had really hoped for more actual user responses but that doesn't seem to be happening.
I'll almost certainly be getting the K-70. There are features that Pentax has that just makes them fun to use. I especially like the ability to grab a raw file AFTER taking the shot. Sometimes, on review, I see a bad WB or EV etc and can quickly correct it in camera by saving and processing the raw data.
Video? Well, the color and sound on my very few K-50 videos is fine. If the K-7 has a passable AF, it will be a welcomed improvement. I'm not looking for anything special. I must say, though, I think Pentax would want to improve their video. Can it be that hard?
Thanks again, friends, for your input.
Jack
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
10-18-2016, 03:32 PM
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I just read the k-70 review that Pentax emailed me. The reviewer says a lot of good things about the camera until he gets to the video section. At that point, he describes Pentax's video efforts as laughable. I found this a real put off, since I had almost concluded that at least the AF worked well and the video was maybe as good as that in a 5 of 6 year old Canon DSLR. Frankly folks, I just don't get it?? Its almost like Pentax is deliberately crippling the video in it's cameras.
Please don't tell me the old stuff like,..."If you want video, buy a camcorder",.....or, "I wish they didn't even put video in the Pentax DSLRs". I fully understand that video doesn't interest everyone. Frankly, it's not a hugely important feature to me. I do like to have it for the occasional situation that can best be handled by video.
I have two Pentax K-50s that I use daily. I love them, and I love the results I get and the fun of using the cameras. I will almost certainly buy the K-70 for better cropping ability and the flippy screen. But, I'd be lying if I didn't say I wish it had decent video.
I'm wondering if the reviewer maybe expected too much? Is the video "acceptable" for occasional use? I'd love to get some opinions from actual users.
Thanks for letting me vent, friends!
Jack
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
10-16-2016, 05:40 PM
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Thanks Andrew! I appreciate your response. That's good to know,...
Jack
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
10-16-2016, 03:50 PM
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Hi Folks,.......I hope one of you can help me out.
I'm a JPEG shooter, now using the K-50. There is a feature that I really like and use from time to time to save a shot.
After taking a JPEG, during review, you can press the EV button near the shutter release. The LCD displays a "save RAW data" option. If you select yes, it retrieves the RAW data from the memory buffer. You can then process the raw file in camera. I find that, after seeing the JPEG image, I sometimes want to change the WB, ISO, etc. Nothing very complicated, but it's saved quite a few shots for me. This is possible, even though I am shooting in JPEG only mode.
I find this a very useful feature, but cannot find a reference to it in the K-70 manual. I'm guessing Pentax kept this little feature, but I'd appreciate knowing for sure before I buy the K-70.
I hope someone has, or will, check this out for me. Thanks!
Jack
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
10-11-2016, 05:50 AM
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I'm not a long time Pentaxian. However, I do own two K50s and 18-135mm and 55-300mm lenses. Every time I use the k50, I am more impressed by how much fun it is and what great little special features it has. I'm a jpeg shooter but love the ability to press the little button on the left to enable a single RAW file. Also the ability to (sometimes) retrieve the RAW info from the last shot. Not sure why it works sometimes and other times doesn't? I like to occasionally process these raws in camera to change the white balance or add some light. I need to explore the green button features. I use it now to reset EV and find that helpful.
My favorite mode is M, allowing me to use F8 and a fast shutter of say 1/1000th, and still get a very usable shot with some depth of field, such as on a group of ducks or a small group of wild parrots in a tree. I can usually get them all in focus. My Panasonic m43 system is not nearly as versatile.
I've really considered the K70 especially for the flippy screen and improved video autofocus. However, there are features of the top end cameras, such as faster burst, that I value.
My current thinking is to wait for the next flagship model, which will most likely have the K70 improvements added.
Is there any indication when the next cameras might be announced?
Thanks for any info or rumors!
Jack
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Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50
09-23-2016, 03:29 PM
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Plenty of good ideas. I think the spot metering might make a difference. I had not tried that yet,......
Jack
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Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50
09-23-2016, 08:10 AM
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Hi Folks,
Not sure if this is a proper forum subject, but hoping someone can help me out,.....
I am having trouble getting proper exposure on birds, specifically wild parrots, that are sitting high in trees with only sky in the background. I usually take a guess and put in maybe +1 EV. Then I look at the results and usually have to increase that value. This works okay, but sometimes I completely miss the shot when the parrot doesn't sit still very long. If I'm lucky enough to have the birds with leaves in the background, I get good shots nearly always.
By way of background, I had always used mirrorless cameras until trying Pentax. With an EVF, I could increase the EV quickly and see immediate results in the EVF.
My guess is that more experienced Pentax users can help me with this. Maybe spot metering?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Jack
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
09-22-2016, 06:17 PM
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SeaRefractor and all other responders,......thanks for taking the time to help me out. All good input and a few things I had not considered, such as the better crops I might get. I'll keep using my K50s awhile and decide if I want to wait for the new things to come out. I doubt that I will. I like new cameras and I suspect the K70 is in my near future.
I appreciate your help, friends.
Jack
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
09-22-2016, 01:38 PM
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I've read what I can on the K70 and think I "need" one. I have two K50s that I really enjoy, and I'm hoping for some improvement in IQ.
1. Does removal of the AA filter give a noticeable improvement in IQ?
2. Does the video mode really function well enough for occasional family clips. In other words, does it actually autofocus and stabilize?
3. Is there an actual improvement in low light shooting? Is ISO6400 relatively useful?
Any input from K50 users would be appreciated. I'm a realist and understand that IQ changes won't be like night and day, but I'm hoping there's at least some improvement.
As a fairly new Pentax user, I'm sure enjoying the experience! Great cameras that are fun to use.
I've also posted this question on the DP Review forum, hoping to get some input from K50 users.
Thanks for any help!
Jack
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Forum: Pentax K-70 & KF
09-12-2016, 06:11 AM
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My mistake, folks. Watched again and there was a short video clip. Hopefully, the video is suitable, as you suggest, for the occasional video clip.
Jack
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