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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
08-16-2023, 07:18 AM
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I've used hot shoe flash units extensively back when working on music clubs as event photographer, with a lot of accessories- hot shoe cables, racks, black foamy thing, etc. Pttl pre-flashing is a pain to use to be honest. It was not at all reliable anyway, so most time I was doing stuff with my own "user" modes. I had first generation FGZ 340 and later 540 becouse I needed the swivel. In both cases plastic hot shoe was showing wear very soon, in 540 it even started chipping after few months of use, I've had to fix it with black Milliput compound. The quality just wasn't there in terms I would expect from genuine flash system, overall build quality was very so so- flash heads not holding the angle and falling on their own weight on both, re-charge time was just awful.
When I've switched to K-1, focusing assist was no longer supported for both 340/540. So was with my Metz unit. I got rid of all those and moved to first Cactus(sadly they went out of business) as radio HSS was all I needed, and later to full featured Quadralite(Goddox rebrand for EU)- in every aspect those are better from my experience than genuine Pentax flash units and give me more freedom to use along with studio strobes using the same controller.
I will not miss this FGZ 540II, no matter how big update this was from first gen- for me it is still not any way as feature packed as 3rd party flashes can now be. If Ricoh decides to give license to any other serious 3rd party manufacturer to be officially supported- I'm good with that.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
07-03-2023, 04:09 AM
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Nice they have a prototype there, by why wrap it into something that looks like old toilet paper...
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-30-2023, 06:31 AM
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To be honest, while I'm all committed to Pentax DSLR when it comes to full frame format, and I'm happy they did not go with the flow switching all to mirrorless solutions.
But if I am to choose as today 645Z or Fuji Medium Format mirrorless system eg. GFX 50S. Hands down I would choose Fuji, its just decade newer, and that is a decade in technology difference. Price point for me, it is also more on Fuji side. I cant really see any reason to stick to SLR vs Mirrorless here.
I think Ricoh slept over the moment to fight up for this piece of market share they had built upon in medium format area.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-23-2023, 02:58 AM
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I would be very interested in more traditional Japanese art themed(watercolor art for example) custom image styles. I really liked the idea of 4 seasons themed presets(even that I don't have lenses to use those myself). Possibly this could be further divided into some kind of "folders" or something in a way Fuji does(although they do this by analog film type).
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-21-2023, 08:03 AM
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Yeah, I had once a chance to talk with guy from lenstip.com(or optyczne.pl as it is called locally in Poland) and he was more than surprised that Pentax DSLR actually does offer a negative scale of for all those settings. Their methodology consisted of setting an JPG output to lowest setting in that matter, while most competency goes from neutral 0 up, in Pentax case you have neutral 0 and so you do actually system de-sharpening. Also a thing they ware not aware that jpgeg mode default is "Bright" not "Neutral" that blows up the red's hence some of their old reviews pointed it out as oversaturated.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-21-2023, 02:40 AM
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I find .jpg custom modes very entraining to use for just for fun "photo walks" with family of friends, of course I would not rely on those on more serious planed sessions with a model, but K-1II jpgs are perfectly fine for everyday snaps and photo album prints. I've borrowed a friend of mine my K-1II and some lenses, so I'll have to wait before trying this "Gold" theme(and DFA*85/1.4 that I've got yesterday^^), but it seems to be very nice from pictures above. I would love to have Ricoh develop more such features for example for monochrome custom image modes. We now have Gold, why then not to have a Silver or Platinum:)
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-17-2023, 06:14 AM
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On pentax.eu site, are product sample/render pics and optical scheme for both, while the optical formula is exact the same, it shows that front element in HD is twice as deep within front chassis part than in Classic. Also MTF tables are there along with sample pictures:)
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-17-2023, 01:14 AM
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I really really like this idea:) DFA 50 Macro- optical jewel, mechanical junk. It would also be great if it had same treatment done as new HD 100 AW got...
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-16-2023, 06:38 AM
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And there is also some Pentax branded ND filter picture up on gdrive, now things are starting to be even more interesting
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-16-2023, 05:16 AM
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Thank you for comparing those images Mistral. Still this might be just how the inner barrel was positioned for this view, the focusing ring seems more prominent on new one, and there is this bezel in front that was completely missing in old design. I would like to belive there are more changes under the hood than just coating swap, but soon we will know for sure:)
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-16-2023, 01:55 AM
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Judging on lens casing pictures/renders we have seen of new HD FA 50/1.4 I'm pretty confident there are some more tweaks made than just SMC to HD coatings swap, possibly on mechanical side. Front element seems more recessed, filter thread is longer, there will be probably some more up to date changes to lens barrel interior black coating, aperture blades coating, greases used etc. Those are cost effective, and will give visible results for user experience. I find mine HD FA 35/2 a better lens that SMC FA 35/2 I've used to own, I know this is not relevant to review as sample is too small, but while I've never really liked SMC version looks & handling(and FA series looks in whole, F series was more to my taste), I totally love HD one for exterior finish matching digital camera body and the way it handles, also it is ofc way more immune to flares and has better contrast.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-12-2023, 04:22 AM
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There also ware genuine Pentax and sold separately "clip-on" hoods. For 50mm it was called PH-SA49. I had one and it just done its part, nice feature was that it was painted on the inside side with some kind of matte black paint, mine was a bit flaky due to its age:) I also had third party rubber "folded" type one and it was more convenient to carry attached as I was able to fold it back on the lens when not needed.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-12-2023, 02:06 AM
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Is it only me, or anyone else spot the difference in filter thread and front piece bezel length of new HD vs Classic? This still might be this promo render angle that cause the illusion and not a real thing, but I did had issue with broken filter thread on SMC FA- if they got that sorted, then this is another reason to swap SMC FA to HD FA for me.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-11-2023, 02:28 AM
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Pretty much optical difference between all Pentax analog era 50's f1.4 is for my taste marginable. I've made once shootout of M/A//FA versions all fresh out of CLA service and could not tell the difference whatsoever between them. I can clearly spot background rendering difference between them and 8el. Takumar 50/1.4 but not with later produced standard one.
But, just give me HD now :D - all remaining 50's from my drawer will find new home(maybe except plastic fantastic Rikenon XR 50/2) :) I find HD version of 35 to be my most used "street standard" lens now :) 35/50/135 revamps would make this a perfect set for me:)
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-10-2023, 06:14 AM
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There ware some claims that evaporators used for SMC process are no longer in use or couldn't be used anymore, this is why they went into development of HD tech. It was even stated as I remember at one point in some interview when Ricoh took over from Hoya and had to retool their plant for that.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
05-10-2023, 06:06 AM
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I'm in the market for HD revamp of old fifty:)
I'm curious if this is maybe Ricoh way to utilize leftover glass blanks for SMC- as very likely the glass formula differs between HD and SMC, while they run out of casings/mechanical parts such as apertures etc. and cost of manufacture does not justify to do another batch. Few car companies done that to sell stocks of older models as "Classic" version while new generation or "Facelift" was in place.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
04-20-2023, 04:07 AM
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I'm in the market for modern soft focus ~F2 aperture and AF lens in short tele range for portraiture;) Still I find it very unlikely that we will ever again see this kind of product at all :)
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
04-13-2023, 02:09 AM
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Now I'm very interested in going back into aps-c again...
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
04-06-2023, 03:39 AM
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It took about 25 years for Canon to get rid of all 50/1.8 II lenses they produced back in 90's and update it to STM version. Funny part on that is that I was working in camera equipment selling company in late 00's, and we sold ~ hundreds of those 50s as a "first prime" choice for enthusiasts, those ware shipped directly from Canon warehouses to our local distributor in sealed bulk packages with 20pcs each, and in those boxes they included promo leaflets for stuff that was no longer in production for at least 10 years back then(analog Rebel bodies etc., long replaced lenses).
I think this was the same case for Asahi/Hoya/Ricoh- they had to get out of stocked parts, lens blanks etc. And I would buy right away a revamp of FA50/1.4 if its the same quality as HD35/2.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-31-2023, 12:20 AM
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-27-2023, 06:44 AM
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You made my day with that:)
"This is the way"
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
11-25-2022, 01:52 AM
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New one definitely have more vivid colour rendition. :) Thanks for posting those:)
As for naming the lens in EXIF, probably new firmware will have them sorted to reflect correct model name in EXIF
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
11-20-2022, 04:15 AM
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DFA 50/2.8 was in my opinion better optically than both older versions of DFA 100/2.8 in that matter. The area it suffers the most is very bad chassis material/build quality- one I had almost broke in two parts from mild daily use. I would buy a revamped one with housing re-designed like new DFA 100 HD and new coatings applied.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
11-19-2022, 12:48 PM
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I would like to get old SMC FA50/1.4 revamped this way...
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
11-10-2022, 04:15 AM
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Indeed, but I would go rather for second hand offering in such case. But if I ware again to change cameras the way I did in the past: K-r(bought new,used, sold near the expected end of shutter life)>K-30(bought new,then heavily used, sold to upgrade)>K-S2 (bought new, still here as backup, but went for FF upgrade)>K-1 II(bought new, no valid upgrade options), I would now not consider exchange anyhow from K-S2(or K-70) to new KF at all as there is no added value at all in areas that are important for me(ISO/AF/Pixel density/Ergonomics). I would get a used KP if I ware into APS-C again.
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