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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
11-16-2019, 06:25 AM
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From the water hazard on the golf course in the gated community in which I reside here in Las Vegas. While brewing coffee, I sometimes notice the light coming in from my skylight, then grab a camera and tripod and walk out onto the golf course and see something like this.
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Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing
10-09-2019, 06:42 AM
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I absolutely loved Aperture 3, however through confusion on my part as to operating system upgrades and changes, my version of Aperture stopped working when I purchased a new iMac 4 years ago; I had never upgraded anything with my original version of Snow Leopard; stupid on my part. I never really used iPhoto and neither liked it or had any negative remarks about it, either. I installed Lightroom 4 years ago and began to love it, too. I also use 3 DXO programs. I use Apple's Photos, too, and really enjoy it. I never understand the criticism of Photos as it just works and interfaces nicely in the Apple world. I just installed Catalina operating system yesterday and all seems well with both Lightroom and Photos. I have a 3TB drive and 3TB backup, so I have nothing to do with Cloud services; all my images are stored on my drives.
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Forum: General Talk
11-19-2018, 10:37 PM
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Forum: General Talk
09-25-2018, 03:19 PM
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New Richard Thompson: 13 Rivers
You Tube
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src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jhjON_ZCO5M?controls=1" allowfullscreen>
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New Amy Helm: This Too Shall Light
You Tube
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src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S5eLNY_IdSg?controls=1" allowfullscreen>
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
02-23-2018, 06:24 PM
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The K3II is a favorite of mine with a battery grip and either the DA*200 2.8 or DA*300 4. Compact, reasonably light and a pleasure to hold in hand all day on the flight line. I put a few images of (Thunder) birds in flight in my photo gallery if you care to look; not the best, nor the worst. I don't have any complaints about tracking, frame rate, buffer, etc.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
08-26-2017, 06:18 AM
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In nearly 10 years of using Pentax DSLRs, I have never even opened the neck strap packed in the box with the camera. Neck straps have always seemed to be in the way and inconvenient. Hand strap/hand grips free me up to concentrate only on making a picture and not fighting with the strap that seems to always be in the way. I carry the camera in a holster style bag, and take it out when I use the camera. A couple of favorites are:
NOOSE - Camera Wrist Strap | Crumpler
Fabric. It seems as though Crumpler has discontinued the actual Noose that I have, which do not have the quick release but look just like the one in the link. The strap is light, and, it does not grip or stick to your wrist like the Op-Tech neoprene straps. I purchased spares a few years ago, so still have some of the non quick release models. Have never been let down by mine, and I use them on both of my K5s, gripped, and un-gripped, as well as my gripped K5IIs.
Camdapter
Leather. All time favorite is the Camdapter Pro Strap. Beautiful leather, made to last a lifetime, and, available in several colors. This is what I use with my gripped K1 and K3II. The website is a bit confusing, but the pro strap is the one pictured in the lower right hand corner in the page link. They offer standard, Manfrotto, and Arca compatible bottom-of-camera adapter plates, too. Fit and finish is exceptional, and, if you order direct, it seems as though the owner of the company personally assembles, packs, and USPS Priority mails your item. I have also purchased these from Adorama and B&H.
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Forum: General Photography
07-03-2017, 03:21 PM
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Long time resident of Las Vegas; I have had to order, on-line, my stuff for years. You will not find any Pentax product in retail stores here. We have big retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Fry's Electronics with the usual offerings. We do have a great camera store, B & C Camera with lots of stock, however no Pentax. Very nice staff and complete, in stock selection:
B&C Camera - Best of Las Vegas 2016 |
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
01-06-2017, 11:11 AM
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I loved Ektachrome, especially the Ektachrome 400 that I often pushed to 1600 for concert photos in the 70's and 80's. My 35mm cameras await the new Ektachrome.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-09-2016, 06:25 AM
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I'm having a lot of fun with my brand new K3-II and battery grip which arrived a week ago. I added it to my pair of K5s and K5IIs. I expect to be satisfied with it for several years and am not worried about or longing for an enhanced feature set from Pentax. It's main service will be with the DA*200 and DA*300 for airshows. I contemplated the D500 and the matching battery grip, however the additional expense of a couple of modern Nikon lenses was an expenditure I did not want to make and I have learned how to work with the Pentax auto focus system, plus the frame rate on the K3II is really quite adequate for my purposes.
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
07-02-2016, 12:46 PM
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Highly recommended. I have 4 of them. I love them as I love my Pentax bodies and lenses. In addition to Fujinon lenses, I have a pentax k mount adapter as well as a Nikon F mount adapter so I can use my old manual focus lenses. If you get the camera, check the firmware and update it immediately if it is not the most current. You won't begin to truly appreciate the X bodies until you use with the Fujinon primes, like the newish XF35 F2 WR.
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
03-14-2016, 04:17 PM
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For what it's worth, I purchased 8 of those $20.00 warranties for all 8 of the Pentax bodies I have purchased in the last few years, and have never used the warranties, not even for the free tune-up/inspection
.................the peace of mind was worth it, though. And, regarding Mack warranties, I purchased a 5 year warranty for an expensive Sony bridge camera whose sensor failed a couple of months before the 5 year warranty was up. I called for the return authorization, sent the camera in, and Mack installed a new sensor under warranty and returned to me. The warranty paid off, and Mack un-flinchingly delivered great customer service.
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Forum: General Talk
01-03-2016, 10:23 PM
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Toddy cold brewer, Hario #2 pour over dripper, or Melitta ceramic 6 cup pour over brewer. I also use a Fellow Duo Steeper when I want a "ceremony" followed by delicious coffee. I haven't used any kind of electric coffee maker for decades, just an electric, preferably glass water kettle to take the water to just off the boil before surging through or steeping the ground coffee.
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Forum: General Talk
12-31-2015, 05:42 PM
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Trader Joe's Colombia Supremo whole beans, milled at home, just before brewing in an old Melitta porcelain pour-over brewer into an equally old Melitta porcelain pot. Filtered water heated to the boil. I drink the coffee black.
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Forum: General Talk
12-31-2015, 05:38 PM
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Sainsburys Assam Loose Tea, brewed in a brown betty and strained as it is poured into the cup. It is so flavorful that I drink it plain, no milk, no sugar. My English friends will tuck a few packages of this into my company's shipments to Las Vegas.
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
10-25-2015, 03:27 PM
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Pichur: I love cameras. I am 65 and started using good 35mm (slr) cameras in the mid-70s, so I have a little history. I have many Pentax 35mm bodies ( I have a MX, too!) and lenses, many Nikon 35mm bodies and lenses, 3 Pentax DSLRs and modern Pentax prime lenses to go with them. Back in the 70's my photographer friends all told me that you buy a brand/system/lens mount for the optics, so if you bought Pentax, you were granted access to Pentax optics and should stay with them rather than 3rd party manufacturers. I also have become very involved in Fuji mirrorless. In fact, so involved, that the rest of my stuff is kind of idle while I use the Fuji cameras with Fuji optics. The Fujis encourage you to slow down, focus, consider aperture and shutter speed and exposure compensation. If you do so, you are rewarded with very useable images right out of the camera. They produce wonderful jpeg images not requiring much, if any work in photo programs, plus, the cameras have great film simulations that are easily selectable in the camera. When I received my first Fuji camera, I looked through the owners manual while holding the camera and going through the settings, and it all seemed so familiar to using a 35mm camera like my MX. The menu systems are not as complex as some cameras, and you can customize the on-screen display to help you when you are shooting. I am using multiple XE-1s and X PRO-1s as well as the X-E2(which I purchased expressly for the Classic Chrome simulation--and it was worth it for that). I have 5 of the Fuji primes as well as the set of Zeiss Touit primes for Fuji. I have adaptors for the Fuji bodies to use my Pentax as well as my Nikon lenses, but, to be honest, I do not use them much as the Fuji lenses are so good. It seems from what you are saying that the Fuji system might please you. Should you decide to choose the XT-10, choose, as a recommendation, to go along with it, the 35mm F 1.4 or 23mm F 1.4 to start with. Either lens can be manually focused, but once you get accustomed to auto focus, it may spoil you. Personally, I do not think the Fuji auto-focus is as dreadful as some say. I have both lenses mentioned, mounted to bodies, so I can select a camera and go. For general use, I take a Fuji, if I go to the baseball game or to take aerial/airplane pictures, I choose a Pentax DSLR and a long lens as the DSLR is a better choice for action/motion.
With all the above being said, the choice of say, a K3, would also be great, but you might have more to learn. If you purchase it, buy a great lens to go with it, rather than a budget lens, especially as you say you will keep the camera for a long time. Look at the Pentax FA 31mm F 1.8; the more you use it the more you will love it. I have one that permanently resides on the body it is dedicated to; I have had mine since 2008 and love it more each time I use it.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-30-2015, 04:05 PM
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My son took his K10D and a DA 16-45 lens to New York City for a week, a couple of years ago and made amazing images with it. The K10D has always been an awesome camera. I think the most important element is the person using the camera, the second element being the lens. and the least important being the body. I have taken cameras to New York for years, and I found that in respect to lenses, wide was much more useful than reach.
Find a used DA 16-45 for, what do they go for now, $150-$175, and you will have money left in the budget for a dinner, also.
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
09-21-2015, 05:00 PM
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I have a couple of Dolica tripods and am well-pleased with both; a $50.00 aluminum one and an older version of the carbon fiber tripod (think I paid $130.00 from Adorama) that I use with heavy lenses for moon shots, etc. I also purchased one of the carbon fiber ones for my son 3 years ago and it is still in service, too. I don't use them heavily or abuse them, but both of mine have held up well for 5+ years. Both have the provision to hang a weight for stability, so the concern about wind can be easily handled; hang your camera bag on the hook on the center upright. My carbon fiber tripod came with two quick release plates and, if you go to the Dolica website, you can purchase spare plates; they are inexpensive. You have the right idea about the Dolica tripods; they do represent a good value. A lot of tripod for the price. The model you are considering has a 5 year warranty. I have had in-person visits with the Dolica at the CES Convention people here in Las Vegas where i live, and they seem eager to please and are proud of their products.
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Forum: Pentax Price Watch
02-20-2015, 10:22 AM
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I have enjoyed making many purchases from KEH; just ordered a LN- condition camera body this morning. I have had, in dozens of purchases, only 2 items that disappointed me, but phoned them and immediately received return labels and credit for the items. They are super helpful via phone, too. With rare exception, their selling prices are pretty reasonable, especially considering their conservative grading and the 6 month warranty.
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
01-03-2015, 07:06 PM
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Looks great, CSA; hope you enjoy it. I just used mine a couple of days ago, all the while appreciating its sturdiness and simplicity (atop my Giotto's monopod).
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
12-27-2014, 11:29 AM
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A favorite of mine, the Redged RP-3. It's $50.00 US ; I got mine from Amazon, and I think Adorama sells the line, too. My requirements were the same as yours, csa. I use it with a DA*300 lens and it is more than adequate with respect to weight capacity. The head is simple and fast to use, and fidget free. Here is a link to a video demo:
You Tube
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src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/reZMWmDTjhg?controls=1" allowfullscreen>
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
12-18-2014, 04:47 PM
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I have had dugout seats a number of times at the ball park, Cashman Field, here in Las Vegas, for our AAA baseball team and get great focus on pitchers releasing the ball, batters swinging, and stop motion on baseballs where you can see the stitching on the ball. I use a K5IIS and the FA77.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-14-2014, 09:18 AM
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I love the K2. Handsome, heavy, classic looking 35mm body. I have four of them. 1 silver one was purchased locally, here in Las Vegas, from the original owner. 2 additional silver ones were purchased via eBay. I spent at least $100.00 each having them serviced by Eric H. The fourth is black, purchased from KEH in their EX+ condition and working perfectly upon arrival. The shutters all sound great, no clacking, clunking, just the sound of metal blades sliding next to each other ending with a pleasant dampened, non-ringing sound. The asa ring is no problem, and in the scheme of things quite well thought out, as it seems the intent was to make it rather foolproof. A harsh reality is that the choice of film at present is so limited that changing asa/iso is not done so often, so really, mostly a non-issue with the K2 ring. It confounded me until I opened up the manual; one of the bodies came with the manual and it's readily available on-line, too.
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Forum: Pentax K-30 & K-50
09-02-2014, 09:59 AM
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Forum: Travel, Events, and Groups
03-31-2014, 03:43 PM
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I went for the 5 PM tour on Sunday. Light was pretty nice, however, I plan go back for a night tour, too. I took a couple of visitors with me; they loved it, as did I.
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