|
Forum: Pentax K-S1 & K-S2
09-17-2015, 01:27 PM
|
| |
My ever-so-slightly out of focus rat, my first attempt at focusing up real close with the Pentax-A f1.4 at f2 1/60th iso 800 auto exposure.
I love this lens, it may well replace the standard permanently, so I will persevere with the manual focusing techniques. Thanks everyone for your helpful suggestions.
 |
|
Forum: Pentax K-S1 & K-S2
09-17-2015, 11:26 AM
|
| |
Hhhmmm, interesting, THoog, perhaps this is a clue to where I'm going wrong. The user manual appears to show a plus sign on the left hand side of the slider, and a minus on the right. I cannot see anything on the actual slider on the camera, and there's no explanation as to what the plus means anyway. With specs off if I slide to the left, all the indicators go very fuzzy, and to the right is sharp. With specs on its clearer in the middle. My prescription is -1.75ish. There's no click-stops on the slider.
I think I'll take your tip about listening for the chirp. Also I need to do a little more research on the red-square-in-viewfinder vs hexagon-indicator-light. Should they both be lit for in-focus?
Sorry about the questions being so basic. I am but at the start of a long journey...
---------- Post added 09-17-15 at 07:27 PM ----------
thanks mcgregni, I think our posts crossed in the ether!
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-S1 & K-S2
09-17-2015, 09:12 AM
|
| |
Photolady - I have tried adjusting the diopter. Its a sort of sliding affair. I didn't want to use it as it's not especially easy to re-locate it in its centre position afterwards, which I need to when I have my specs on, and when the camera is used by other people who have better eyesight than me.
mtngal - I think you're saying yes, don't confuse sharpness of the viewfinder indicators with an ability to focus your subject.
I have been using the little centre red square, and it could be my lack of practice but it does seem to take a while to light up. Also I've been shooting my pets close-up (with the camera!) and they don't stay still while I turn turn turn the ring...
So I think the general advice is (1) keep your specs on, (2) practice, practice, practice, preferably on subjects that don't run around, (3) use the leds and find out about liveview + zooming and (4) if all else fails get the better eyes to do it for you!
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-S1 & K-S2
09-17-2015, 01:33 AM
|
| |
I've had my first DSLR [ a K-S2] for a few months now, and as my last serious camera was a Super-A I've had a lot to learn, and I've been tackling it slowly attempting to learn one thing at a time. I'm now at the point where I want to use my old manual Pentax prime f50 1.4 lens from the Super-A instead of the standard lens that came with the K-S2. Obviously auto-focus is not going to work with the old lens. I'm having a bit of trouble with the focusing, with several shots apparently focused in not quite the right place, especially using f2 and faster. I've read that manual focus with DSLR screens can be a bit tricky, but I'm wondering if my -2 short sight is adding to the problem. I usually peer into the viewfinder with my specs on but not always. I can see all the indicators in the viewfinder nice and sharply either way.
So the question is - is it possible that when I focus with my specs off I am using the camera to compensate for my poor distance eyesight, so when the subject looks in focus to me, it's not in focus to the camera sensor?
|
|
Forum: Monthly Photo Contests
09-02-2015, 10:18 PM
|
| |
Love this, the colours and the rhythm.
|
|
Forum: Monthly Photo Contests
08-15-2015, 07:13 AM
|
| |
Love this. Her stillness, everything about her moving. Great use of colour. Very good fit to theme. Gets my vote.
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-S1 & K-S2
05-20-2015, 04:22 AM
|
| |
Ah! That might explain it. My old Galaxy S3 is on 4.3. That sounds like a great excuse for a new phone :lol: Unfortunately I've blown the budget on the camera....
Thanks very much for supplying that info sterretje, I should have thought to look myself!
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-S1 & K-S2
05-20-2015, 01:17 AM
|
| |
I've had my K-S2 for a few weeks now and I've been having lots of fun with it. I'm a newbie DSLR owner and I'm trying to explore the functions one at a time. Time for some tripod work and remote releases. But I'm having trouble connecting with Image Sync on my Samsung Galaxy S3.
I can get WiFi enabled on the camera no problem - I get the "WiFi enabled" message and the wifi icon. I start Image Sync on the phone. I can see in the Image Sync networks list that my camera is listed so it has obviously seen the camera, but when I try to connect, it gives me the "blobs in a circle" icon for a while then fails to connect.
I have tried connecting via NFC using the "touch the camera" method. I have tried putting the settings in manually and moving to channel 2, but nothing changes.
Can anyone offer any advice?
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-S1 & K-S2
04-27-2015, 12:44 AM
|
| |
I've just bought a K-S2 as my first DSLR. My last camera was a Super-A, so I do mourn a little bit the switch from a metal-body camera to the plastic lumps that are the entry-level DSLRs today. The camera body does feel robust, is nicely compact and fits my hand well. The folding kit lens does not have quite the same robust feel, and is a bit of a faff to get out and put away. When locked out it is solid, but doesn't quite have the "hand presence" of a chunky zoom. I'm also finding the zoom ring to be a bit narrow, although that might just be a case of practising enough for my fingers to go to the right place. On the other hand, it is small and portable, and when you're out on the hill all day and have a lot to carry in your rucksack for the family, small and portable is a distinct advantage. As is weather-resistance :) .
My first camera was a Rollei 35 with a lens that collapsed back into the body, which also felt wobbly and delicate when not locked out. Never got damaged though, and we went to a fair few wild places together.
Video I'm not worried about, but if I was I think I would have gone for something else.
And I do love the way Pentax are trying to alleiviate the "black plastic lump" thing with their colours.
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-S1 & K-S2
04-20-2015, 12:06 PM
|
| |
I've just stumbled across a thread discussing this in another part of this forum, and it seems that there are actually more options than I'd imagined. Darktable and Rawtherapee are indeed in the repositories. Thanks for the recommend, I shall start there.
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-S1 & K-S2
04-19-2015, 08:39 AM
|
| |
Thanks Kozlok, great advice. I can see that its going to take a little while to transition from "film" thinking to "digital" thinking.
Post-processing is going to be a whole new adventure. My main computer is a Linux box (Mint 17), and I think my options may be more limited to GIMP and ... is there anything else? ... although I can get use of a Windows box if I can remove the rest of the family from it.
Ordering the SD card today. I think from what you say that the 64GB fast card will be fine, I'm used to thinking about my shots rather than taking lots - a heritage from the time when every shutter press cost to develop. Also you've given me the confidence to go for the cheaper batteries. There were some very negative comments on Amazon about how they didn't last as long as the original ones.
@sterretje - thanks, the link seems to be working now.
|
|
Forum: Pentax K-S1 & K-S2
04-19-2015, 02:08 AM
|
| |
My K-S2 arrives Tuesday! So excited! I was about to buy the K50 when I saw an open-box reduced-price K-S2 at a very good reduction, and just could not resist.
I'm a complete beginner to DSLR photography, although not to SLRs. I like to take the usual family stuff, pets, and landscapes - I do an amount of mountain walking, and this year I'm going to California (coast/Yosemite/Sequoia and everything in between) so there will be lots of photo opportunities there! I'd also like to try some night/low light shots,.
Can people please suggest those must-have essentials to get me started? Please bear in mind that budget is restricted, and weight is a factor as it needs to be carried all day on longer walks.
I already have a number of bits from my Super-A days: skylight / uv / polarizing filters, "elephants trunk" style bag, Cokin square filter holder (although the filters have disappeared), an old manual lens (Vivitar 70-210), and a flash (AF200T).
On my list so far is:
SD card(s) - how big is practical? How many shots can I get on one (piece-of-string question, I know)? What class to buy?
Spare batteries - is the battery life really as terrible as the specs suggest, compared to other makes?
Small lightweight "pocket" tripod
ND graduated filter set
Can anyone point me at the online manual? I've searched and cannot find it anywhere, just a broken link on the Ricoh site.
|
