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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
02-17-2011, 09:17 AM
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Most of the answers fail to remember that these "faster" lenses were generally introduced at the time when film speeds (ISO settings) were generally much lower. We are now used to being able to dial in high ISO settings on our digital cameras if necessary and it is quite common to standardise in general shooting at 200 or even 400 ISO or more. When I started colour photography, Kodak had just brought out a new version of Kodachrome with a massive speed of 10 ISO (up from 8 ISO) and it was to be another nearly 10 years before this was increased to 25 ISO. There were films such as Agfa CT18 with a speed of 50 ISO and Ektachrome had a film at 32 and then 64 ISO before they brought out "High Speed Ektachrome" at 160 ISO in about 1966. Even prior to switching to digital 7 years ago, my normal film was either 100 ISO or 200 ISO and of course once the film was in the camera you couldn't change it! To get back to the "faster" lenses, these were purchased mainly to enable higher shutter speeds to be used, and they generally gave acceptable results when used wide open, hence their high cost! My early shots with 10 ISO on a Kodak Retinette on a bright summer's day were normally at best around f5.6 at 1/30 second - it was hopeless if it was dull!
John
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Forum: Photographic Technique
10-06-2010, 08:04 AM
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Forum: Ask B&H Photo!
10-04-2010, 07:09 AM
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tom1803, who posted on this forum, had a supply of Kenko 1.5 converters Pz-AF 1.5 teleplus SHQ, sourced in Japan, which have the extra contacts to permit SDM focusing. The price was around £100. I purchased one and it certainly works with my 300 DA* lens. It appears to have comparable quality to the normal Kenko 1.5 converter. Focus with the 300 is a little slow and hunts especially if the light levels are low. Also, the depth of field is pretty small! Don't know whether there are any left!
John
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-23-2010, 06:04 AM
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I have a copy but I fear that the postage to the New World would be prohibitive. Just tried http://used.addall.com and there are plenty for sale at reasonable prices.
John
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Forum: Sold Items
08-17-2010, 07:48 AM
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For anyone who is interested, I have purchased one of these converters and it works with my 300 mm DA* giving HSM focusing and optically it appears to be OK - but the depth of field is really small!!
John
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Forum: General Talk
08-06-2010, 08:32 AM
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Bach's 48 Preludes and Fugues
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-09-2010, 04:31 AM
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During the 1970s, Vivitar marketed a 135 f2.8 Close Focus 1:2 lens that was made by Panagor I believe (Close Focus was Vivitar's way of signifying focus closer than usual but not macro). I don't know anything more about the lens except that it produced excellent quality results. I don't know whether this is related to the lens referred to.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-01-2009, 07:38 AM
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If you only want to do basic tweaking, e.g. sharpening, brightness/contrast, rotating, cropping, etc., in my view there is nothing to beat Faststone Image Viewer 3.9, especially so for a beginner. And what's more it is free for personal use from FastStone Image Viewer, Screen Capture, Photo Resizer .... It will handle Pentax RAW files as well as JPEGs and TIFFs and will do an awful lot more. Why not give it a try.
John
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
08-27-2009, 08:18 AM
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I believe the reviewer said that he was only able to test using the kit lens - seems strange to me. Also, he did state that the outcome from the K7 was provisional since he was not testing a camera with the final firmware. Amateur Photographer has reviewed a K7, presumably, as is sold to the public, but I haven't seen the review yet!
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-18-2009, 08:30 AM
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Lovely shots. The Vivitar 105 macro is a superb lens. I have had one 17 years and it has given excellent results. I use it less now that I have a Sigma 180 macro which is also superb and has the benefit of an increased subject distance when shooting insects. But for flower shots, etc. the Vivitar takes some beating.
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Forum: Sold Items
05-13-2009, 03:26 AM
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PentaxForums.com Marketplace Listing
Item for Sale
Sold: Sigma 105 macro EX DG
Asking Price
£210
Item Description
The item is complete in original box with case, hood and caps.
Are you the original owner of the item being sold?
Yes
Are you selling or trading this item?
Selling
Item Condition
Used
Excellent
Item Location
UK
Shipping Charge
Included within UK only
Shipping Services
Shipping Destinations
Other (Elaborate Below)
Accepted Payment Types
Check/Money Order
Additional Details
Pentx fit. Ship within UK
Please send me a private message if interested in the item!
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
05-03-2009, 08:11 AM
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The latest news is that, during a photo session today, the user accidentally pressed the flash button on the top plate a number of time after which the camera went into the frozen shutter mode again. Since the flash appeared to have been involved in the earlier incident, I suggested firing a flash shot off, which she did, and the shutter worked again. I assume therefore that the camera was waiting for some sort of flash complete message before completing the exposure but could not get it because the flash was not raised and could not fire. However, pressing the flash button again did not cause the fault to recur, so something maybe amiss. Will keep you posted!
John
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
04-28-2009, 08:35 AM
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I have both and, if anything I prefer the Vivitar, mainly because it is a dedicated manual lens with a large and comfortable focus grip and a greater rotation for pinpoint focus accuracy but also because I think it is marginally better, particularly colour rendering and bokeh and it is certainly as sharp. Got it new in 1992 and don't want to part with it!
John
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-19-2009, 07:41 AM
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Decided to reinstall the firmware and lo and behold the camera now works OK. Thanks for your comments.
John
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
04-17-2009, 06:46 AM
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The timings for Tornado on 18th are now on the web at www.uksteam.info . It calls at Carlton 12.33-12.44, Retford 12.59-13.05 and is due through Loversall (Potteric Carr) at 13.20. A bit late for me as I have to get back for lunch.
It is back through south at around 17.30
John
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
04-16-2009, 07:43 AM
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Nice shots. The Union is getting ready for a paint job - it is looking a bit tatty.
In fact Tornado came through Eckington this morning light engine from Barrow Hill travelling to London to do a northbound trip on Saturday morning 18th from Kings Cross to York on the ECML. Don't have any detailed times as yet.
It generally crawls through Potteric Carr Nature Reserve near Doncaster Potteric Carr Nature Reserve: Home Page if it is watering at the Royal Mail hub.
I spend a lot of my time at the Reserve hailing from Rotherham and catch most of the steamers when they come through, though I mostly do macro work there.
John
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
04-06-2009, 02:08 AM
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My old istD (given to a relative) has developed a fault. The camera appears to work OK (metering, autofocus, etc.) but when the shutter is fired, the mirror lifts but the shutter doesn't operate. The main batteries are OK but the backup battery (lithium cell) has never been changed and the camera is over 5 years old (it still registers 3V on a voltmeter but I can't test the current delivery). Before I venture out to try and find a replacement, does anyone know if the failure of this battery can knock out the shutter operation, since it is related to timing, i.e. the clock setting?
John
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
02-12-2009, 02:45 AM
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Since it appeared that the Pentax ring flash was going to be around the £400 mark and outside my budget, I decided to get the Sigma EM-140 DG. It appears to be well made and, having tried it on some daffodils at home, it works extremely well with my K10D. The unit that attaches to the camera hotshoe appears to be somewhat larger than the Pentax item. Can't wait to get to using it on some actual field work. The cost was £249 (approx. EUR 275) including free post from SRS - though they did say that it was the last one before the prices increase!
John
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
02-05-2009, 08:16 AM
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Hi,
The best way is to check the basic functions without film in the camera, e.g. does the shutter appear to be working, especially at slow speeds, does the self-timer work, inspect the interior to see if there is any obvious damage to the shutter blinds and that the pressure plate is clean. Inspect the lenses for dirt both externally and internally and also check for the development of fungus which can happen on older lenses which have not been stored properly; also check for play in the moving parts and for any dints, etc. Check if the metering appears to give the correct exposure by comparing readings with the recommended exposures on the film instruction sheet.
Having decided that all these are OK, then put a film through each one photographing a range of subjects using slow and fast shutter speeds and various apertures, perhaps sticking to one lens first. Keep a record of all the shots and their shutter speed and f nos. so you can check the performance of the camera when you get the pictures back. At this stage, it is much better to use slide film because this will give a much better indication of the accuracy of the exposure, etc., since print film is subject to vagaries of the processing lab. Even when I bought a new camera, I always shot a test film off before anything serious because cameras can have variations in metering, etc.
There isn't a lot more you can do. I had a Super A some years ago and found it to be a very good camera.
Best of luck
John
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
01-17-2009, 03:50 AM
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Why is it that Pentax accessories are often so much more expensive than those from other manufacturers? The ring flash appears to be a case in point, but it also applied to items such as right angle finders which were listed at £450 compared with around £150 for similar items from Canon and Nikon.
I would love to have Pentax lenses, etc., but those from independents such as Sigma are so much cheaper and offer, from what I can gather, similar quality.
If the Pentax ring flash is well over £450 as indicated by the Ephotozine website, then it will have to be the Sigma at around £250.
John
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
12-29-2008, 08:00 AM
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As long as you have upgraded the firmware to 1.1 it will since this enabled external flashes to be wirelessly controlled by the on-board flash. You need to set it to do this in the Fn menu system. Select "Flash Mode, Wireless Mode". Must say that I haven't tried it. When you install the firmware, there is an instruction sheet that explains how this operates - from memory I think it is downloaded with the firmware file.
Hope this helps.
John
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
12-12-2008, 05:07 AM
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I, too, am from South Yorkshire and spend a lot of my photographic time at Potteric Carr nature reserve photographing butterflies/dragonflies, etc. Might see you there.
John Hancox
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
11-26-2008, 09:23 AM
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Good close-up. Looks like some form of Clouded Yellow - an American variety?
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-10-2008, 05:16 AM
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Since my wife's compact was made useless by minor damage to the LCD screen, I have since fitted my K10D with a Giottos glass screen protector, which protects it from scratches and knocks, etc. Available from Pentax User in the UK but readily available from dealers. SP 8251 is the correct model for the K10D. Check their website GIOTTO'S-Professional Photographic Equipment.
John
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Forum: Flashes, Lighting, and Studio
11-10-2008, 04:57 AM
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TTL doesn't work with the new K series DSLRs which have the more sophisticated P-TTL. The difference is that the flash pre-fires before the main discharge, using the pre-flash to assess exposure settings using the 16-segment metering allowing more precise control of exposure.
John
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