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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 01-06-2021, 05:44 AM  
Astrophotography
Posted By savcom
Replies: 1,248
Views: 316,451
I did tinker with this recently with my K3 and yes, you can trick the astrotracer to use the intervalometer - to a degree.

You set the exposure time on the astrotracer to be what you need (say 30 seconds)
You set the intervalometer up as follows
  • Set the exposure to 1 second

  • Set the interval to 45 seconds (to allow sensor to cool down and the image to be written to SD Card)

  • Set the number of shots as required

You will need different exposures, so set the interval on the intervalometer to be greater than the astrotracer exposure you choose. You may also have to set your camera up to trigger the shutter from a momentary pulse from the intervalometer.
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 12-29-2020, 10:44 AM  
Distance from sensor to K mount on a K3
Posted By savcom
Replies: 12
Views: 2,300
As someone who is just starting in astrophotography, I am very interested in this - thank you very much for the info. Up till now I have been using just my standard DA 18-135 and DA 55-300 zooms both with an Astrotracer and on a tracker mount and I'm looking to get my first 'proper' scope in the next few weeks.
Forum: Pentax Forums Giveaways 01-21-2016, 02:13 PM  
READ ME! Pentax Tips from the Community (55-300mm Giveaway)
Posted By savcom
Replies: 773
Views: 111,329
Be comfortable, be safe and be aware of your environment and your situation.
Know the limits of your equipment - especially your camera and especially yourself.
The less you have to think about where you are and what you're doing - the more time you have to compose and take photographs.
Make sure you keep two copies of everything you take - particularly if it's important. This includes batteries and memory cards as well as the photos!
Relax and have fun.
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 01-20-2015, 01:37 PM  
What HAVE I done?
Posted By savcom
Replies: 28
Views: 3,775
I wasn't - I just wasn't expecting such variations in the pictures. They're not wrong when they say you learn something new every day!


Think you got that sentence a bit wrong. I think you meant to say:
"We Pentaxians must question a lowly Nikonian Prophet!"
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 01-20-2015, 12:24 PM  
What HAVE I done?
Posted By savcom
Replies: 28
Views: 3,775
Thanks both - Cross-processing turned on - and to RANDOM. How? Why? Ah well. Now OFF!


Agreed, but not if you know what the colour is and you understand what the physics is behind them....

Cool Right. Best I go play again. :lol:

Thanks everyone
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 01-20-2015, 11:22 AM  
What HAVE I done?
Posted By savcom
Replies: 28
Views: 3,775
Hi

I got my K3 not ten days ago and out of the box everything was sweetness and light. Now? Now I'm not so sure.

I think where I went wrong was blindly following the setup guide in the Pentaxforum Review, so the first thing I must do is reset the camera to Factory Defaults and start again. I may re-install the firmware too. (v1.11 by the way).

The issue? I'm not sure. Both colour and exposure seem well out - blowing out the pictures. Let's start with a couple of examples (straight out of the camera, no post processing apart from re-sizing for the Web. I'll post links to the RAW versions if anyone's interested).

All were shot in Av mode, all were shot with only the lighting in the room (daylight LED downlights). The first three are set to AWB, the last two to 'Fluorescent - Daylight'. All were shot within moments of each other from the same position. How wildly different is the colour on these?

Attachment 255377

Attachment 255378

Attachment 255379

Attachment 255380

Attachment 255381

I'm kinda at a loss what to do next! Hope you can help.

Cheers

SavCom
Forum: Monthly Photo Contests 01-20-2015, 01:34 AM  
Pink Dawn
Posted By savcom
Replies: 1
Views: 488
Early February is when sunrise matches when we walk across the Thames on our way to work.

If the clouds are right and the sun is right you can get some fantastic sky colouring. Makes the journey to work something special.

Attachment 255340
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 01-10-2015, 10:48 AM  
K3 wifi
Posted By savcom
Replies: 86
Views: 19,884
I have today taken delivery of the Pentax K3 and the Pentax Flucard. Having only had a moment or two to fiddle with it I can say that:
- The flucard apps from the Play store (I use Android on a Sony Z2) do not work very well with the Pentax card
- The flucard on the PC has two folders. One for pictures, the other for settings.
- The Browser on the phone (Chrome in my case) allows me to take control of the camera and take snaps / focus in the picture / adjust the camera / transfer the photos
I will play more but it will take a bit of time. I'd rather learn a bit more about the K3 first.

Savcom
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 06-24-2014, 03:02 PM  
=Capture a stranger street style=
Posted By savcom
Replies: 9,125
Views: 1,016,345
Some of these are stunning.

I've got one I like, taken late one sunny October afternoon very near Bank Station in London.. A young lady dozing in the sun on the steps of a closed bank while London just passes her by.

Attachment 227533
Forum: Monthly Photo Contests 06-21-2014, 01:59 PM  
Frozen Hozen
Posted By savcom
Replies: 0
Views: 561
The title says it all. A slight leak from the tap and when it got cold, it froze..... And it snowed. A bit.
Forum: Pentax K-3 Photo Contest 05-27-2014, 01:22 PM  
Landscape Golitha Falls - Cornwall, UK
Posted By savcom
Replies: 1
Views: 703
The rain had finally stopped; the air was still and despite the fading light there was still time for one more photo....

This shot was taken in Golitha Falls, an area of ancient woodland through which cascades the River Fowey in Cornwall in the UK. The combination of a sturdy tripod, F22 and a four second exposure gives us the beautiful combination of still trees and branches, glorious autumn colours and the full majesty of the flowing waters.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 02-09-2014, 01:03 PM  
K200D autofocus fine tuning.
Posted By savcom
Replies: 30
Views: 22,017
Hi Nutkasse.

No, unfortunately this is not the same thing. Open in new window lets you browse the contents of the SD card in a new explorer window.

I suspect you're clicking on the SD card in the My Computer view.
Attachment 206011

Try double-clicking this and then try right-click then New...
Attachment 206012

Let me know if this helps.

SavCom
Forum: General Talk 11-16-2013, 05:29 AM  
Anybody into old Vinyl players?
Posted By savcom
Replies: 28
Views: 3,994
Oh boy! Where to start? I suppose a bit of digging on your part would help here:

Does the cartridge have any markings on it? Any photos? Can you find it listed in this database?

Do you have any photos of the valves in the unit (preferably lit up - lovely warm glow to tempt your photographic skills :) - but watch those voltages!! :o ) I'd like to see the markings on the valves to see what sort they are.

From the markings on the valves we can start drawing out the circuit diagram and work out how we can test it!

Over to you!

Savcom
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 08-26-2013, 03:38 AM  
Thematic Spiders
Posted By savcom
Replies: 1,079
Views: 92,402
Wow!

Shows I should spend more time on this forum! Some magnificent shots here!

I'll pass on a few of mine from the past few years...

An Albino Crab Spider:

Albino Crab Spider by vastmeridian, on Flickr

Dewy webs with spiders

IMGP7900_cr by vastmeridian, on Flickr


IMGP7902_cr by vastmeridian, on Flickr


IMGP7911 by vastmeridian, on Flickr

And finally,

IMGP0207-sml by vastmeridian, on Flickr

Looking at the other photos here I have got to do better. perhaps once Autumn comes to the UK I'll have more opportunity.

Cheers,

SavCom
Forum: Post Your Photos! 08-19-2013, 11:27 AM  
Pets Whose a lucky boy?
Posted By savcom
Replies: 1
Views: 862
I've just bought a Vivitar Series 1 Version 3 70-210mm zoom lens from eBay at a very good price. I've been looking for one for some time. However, on the one I bought the A-setting would not work (which is why I suspect it was sold.... ;) ) Luckily it was a simple matter of some contact cleaner and the pin has been freed and it all works.

Next step, obviously, was to see how it behaved on the camera.

I think you'll agree, looking at the pictures, that it's not bad. (If you don't agree, then please feel free to tell me....)

All shots hand held.
Forum: General Talk 06-09-2013, 01:51 PM  
PayPal denies teenager reward for finding website bug.
Posted By savcom
Replies: 10
Views: 1,474
Absolutely. If the guy was good enough to inform PayPal then that's kudos to him - and likely offers of further work from other financial institutions. If PayPal won't pay him then that's seriously bad form from PayPal. They say "So many brands, so little fuss". Perhaps it should read "So many bugs, so little testing".

Get real, PayPal - that 'child' has behaved like a true, honest adult. The very least you can do is treat him like one and PAY HIM the bounty.
Forum: General Talk 06-09-2013, 01:40 PM  
Anybody into old Vinyl players?
Posted By savcom
Replies: 28
Views: 3,994
Welcome to the Great Vinyl Debate. As a keen owner of a Linn Sondek LP12 I can say that you're in for a real treat when it's all up and working. That's a fine piece of vintage audio you have there.

Regarding your Garrard:


Pliable isn't necessary the best,. The rubber has to grip both the turntable and the motor and not slip. Also check the underside of the turntable and the motor spindle. Both will likely need cleaning (don't use sandpaper or similar - use a pencil eraser) In the UK when I worked for the BBC, we were taught to use Swarfega (a grease remover) to clean the rubber surface of pinch rollers of our Studer A80 tape recorders so that the smoothness of the roller was removed without changing its circumference. If you can get the idler wheel off you could try this and see if it improves things. Get rid of the swarfega with plain water - no soap - and dry it thoroughly.

Also - for setting up the stylus on the cartridge, try resting the stylus on a mirror placed on the turntable mat. A good excuse to try your hand at macro photography - get that stylus in close focus and make sure it's straight and true (the stylus and reflection are parallel with each other when viewed from the front) and that the weight is set correctly. Too much weight and the cantilever will gouge you a new groove in your record. Too little and it'll skate across the surface.

If you have a problem hearing any records you play then you obviously need to establish why. Here you are a bit helpless without the circuit diagram - or at least a list of the valves in the set. Be warned that valves (or Tubes in the USA) run high voltages that are dangerous, so a healthy regard for safety is the first tip I can offer.

Most valves have a number printed on the glass envelope and you need a list of these to help build up the circuit in order to know where / how to look for the faults. Again, some pictures of the markings on the valves may help others on the forum help you, so some more pictures please... :D If you have the circuit diagram this would help - quite often this would be stuck on the inside of the set as a guide to the radiogram repairers of old, so look round at the set.

Hope this helps you get started on your road... Good luck!

Savcom
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 06-09-2013, 12:48 PM  
Arcsoft contest winner: Widdecombe Cottage Edit
Posted By savcom
Replies: 0
Views: 654
Equipment - a simple hand-held shot using a Pentax K200D and a Pentax DA 18-250mm
Post-Processing software - clone-and-heal function built in to FastStone Image Viewer v4.7
EXIF info
Make : PENTAX
Model : PENTAX K200D
Software : K200D Ver 1.01
Date/Time : 2013-04-13 10:14:47
Exposure Time : 1/500 sec
Exposure program : Aperture priority
Exposure Bias : 0 EV
F number : F 8
ISO speed rating : ISO 200
Flash : Flash did not fire [off]
Focal Length : 38.75 mm
Metering : Spot
Process
Gorgeous sunny day (a rare event in the UK, in April). Bitterly cold but nevertheless, a lovely clear picture of the Wayside Cafe with the moor behind. The Cafe is in Widecombe-on-the-Moor, in Dartmoor, Devon, UK. Just a shame that modern technology (the cables) runs in front of the 100-year old building spoiling the view of the cottage and of the moorland behind. Most photos (including those of the Cafe web site) are taken from lower down to lessen the impact of the cables but I wanted the view behind the Cafe as well, so I stood my ground and decided that the cables just HAD to go! I spent an hour or so carefully tinkering with the clone-and-heal function in FastStone to remove the cables across sky, grassland, hedges, chimneys, a slate roof and trees. The result is picture-postcard perfect!

The original photo:
Attachment 175584

The result after post-processing:
Attachment 175585


I just hope you all agree! :o
Forum: Monthly Photo Contests 02-15-2013, 11:41 PM  
So many flowers...
Posted By savcom
Replies: 0
Views: 558
So many flowers ...
... so little time.

I spent a good thirty minutes chasing this Bumble Bee and it's fellows round the flower bed. They seemed to flit from one flower to the next, moving on before I could compose and focus.

Then I picked a flower.

Focussed on it.

Tested a few shots

And waited.

And waited.

Then the Bumble Bee landed

Attachment 159834
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 12-02-2011, 08:39 AM  
New Vivitar 2x PKA macro teleconverter
Posted By savcom
Replies: 2
Views: 2,366
Just what I needed. Many thanks. I'd pretty well worked out the rest - except for it applying to a 50mm lens.

Now for the time to get out and USE the thing! :)

Cheers!
Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 12-02-2011, 03:57 AM  
New Vivitar 2x PKA macro teleconverter
Posted By savcom
Replies: 2
Views: 2,366
Not sure I should be posting this here or elsewhere, but I've just got hold of a Vivitar 2x macro teleconverter with PK-A capability but no manual.

Now I know I can just 'twiddle with the thing' and see what happens, but I seem to have a second narrow knurled ring, close to where the converter fits to the camera body and wondered what that does?

Has anyone any idea - or better still can point me to a manual for one of these?

Many thanks
Forum: Monthly Photo Contests 11-30-2011, 01:40 PM  
Escape!
Posted By savcom
Replies: 0
Views: 657
Alien craft launching from a impact crater base...

Attachment 110447

Maybe that's just me though.
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 11-17-2011, 03:41 PM  
K200D autofocus fine tuning.
Posted By savcom
Replies: 30
Views: 22,017
Happy to help - I'll take a look over the weekend and see if there are any guidelines I should follow. Is the OP happy with this?
Forum: Lens Clubs 10-14-2011, 02:08 PM  
Macro by any means necessary club
Posted By savcom
Replies: 635
Views: 132,696
Yeah, thanks for that. Was looking at getting something similar made up of two two-way units so I can play with other configurations - such as 3D anaglyphs and remote flash mounts - carefully selecting the 'best' supplier for perhaps a fotomate LP-01. I have an old Velbon tripod head that will provide a stable platform for this too.

Thanks

Martin
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 10-11-2011, 12:00 PM  
I can't download the photos I took today with me Pentax camera
Posted By savcom
Replies: 5
Views: 1,882
The safest route is to pop the card back in the camera. Can you then view the pictures on the camera? If so, do as Noblepa has suggested and use the USB cable to read the photos into your computer. When all the photos are read into the camera then format the SD card in the camera. take a few test shots and see if you can then read the card in your computer.

If you can't read the photos back in the camera and the photos are expendable, try formatting the card in the camera and taking a few shots and test as above.

If you absolutely must get the photos back then try reading the card in a different computer. If you are still unlucky, you may need to buy some recovery software (many will let you try-before-you-buy) to scour the SD card for pictures to recover them. Make sure the recovery software will cope with Pentax RAW (if that's how you stored them) as many recovery software packages will scour the card looking for the headers of JPG's for example.

Good luck!

Martin
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