Prepare for an onslaught of K5 questions

Add Comment

Back to Forum

DaveHolmes

Member

1,174 posts

11 years
Bradford

Link Posted 14/09/2012 - 16:07

Because mine should arrive on Monday

Used at a decent price with 1 year warranty via SRS

My K-x is sold to a friend and I no longer have a comicbook collection...

Will need a 18-55 WR kit at some point but the 50-200 will suffice at a 'wet-weather' kit for now

........................................................................
Digital:
Pentax K5- Vivitar 19mm 3.8; FA35mm f2; D-Xenon 100mm macro f2.8; DA50-200mm WR...
Flash:
Yongnuo YN-560; Vivitar 285HV; Cactus V4 triggers...
Film:
Pentax-MX & M50mm f1.4; Spottie & 55mm f1.8; MG & M40mm 2.8...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveholmesphotos/

snappychappy

Member

2,545 posts

13 years
Wakefield

Link Posted 14/09/2012 - 16:24

New toy, have fun.

My piccies.

DaveHolmes

Member

1,174 posts

11 years
Bradford

Link Posted 14/09/2012 - 16:41

Intend to!

Yan Wang's 'Leap' project is going 'public' on tuesday - inviting people to jump about in the gallery for pictures...

DaveHolmes

Member

1,174 posts

11 years
Bradford

Link Posted 14/09/2012 - 17:12

Question one: will this be weatherproofed as the genuine Pentax product is? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/B020-Battery-grip-for-PENTAX-K-7-K7-D-SLR-D-BG4-DBG4-/...

cabstar

Member

3,663 posts

14 years
Grimsby, UK

Link Posted 14/09/2012 - 17:18

No it's not weatherproof.

To be honest to me a grip is a grip. I took mine to pieces to see if it was weatherprooofed and if water was to get in there it would be difficult.

I bought a similar Chinese grip, just make sure it has the metal pegs like the one in the eBay advert has if you go for a fake one.

I have been very happy with mine and use it regularly in the rain, I have issues with my k-5 rear screen fogging up, but this is not caused by the grip.

PPG Wedding photography Flickr
Concert photography

Currently on a Pentax hiatus until an FF Pentax is released

DaveHolmes

Member

1,174 posts

11 years
Bradford

Link Posted 14/09/2012 - 17:26

So there is no 3rd party grip built to the same quality? WR etc?

Vertical shooting is something I do a fair bit of... Wish they just made dslr's with both horizontal AND vertical grips, with shutter buttons and control dials on each!!

davidstorm

Plus Member

4,931 posts

10 years
Sheffield, England

Link Posted 14/09/2012 - 21:55

Best wishes for the K-5 Dave, sorry to see you've sold your K-x as it has clearly given you great service. I kept mine when I bought the K-5 and wouldn't want to part with it.

K-5 is fab, but watch out for the electronic level issues; mine was fine for 6 months then the level went way off and caused issues with images (if this happens, make sure you turn off the automatic horizon adjustment in the menu). Other than that, the K-5 is a superb piece of kit and I had withdrawal symptoms when mine had to go back to SRS to get the level fixed.

Regards
David

Flickr

Nicola's Apartments, Kassiopi, Corfu

Some cameras, some lenses, some bits 'n' bobs

Stuey

Member

4,772 posts

12 years
Wales

Link Posted 14/09/2012 - 22:19

Glad u have a K5 as you wanted Dave

K10D, K5 plus plenty of clueless enthusiasm.

My Flickr site link

tyronet2000

Plus Member

4,860 posts

11 years
Northumberland

Link Posted 14/09/2012 - 22:48

Quote:
K-5 is fab, but watch out for the electronic level issues; mine was fine for 6 months then the level went way off and caused issues with images (if this happens, make sure you turn off the automatic horizon adjustment in the menu). Other than that, the K-5 is a superb piece of kit and I had withdrawal symptoms when mine had to go back to SRS to get the level fixed.

What is the best way to test for this problem. Sometimes to me the camera just doesn't look "right" sitting on a tripod even if the horizon looks ok through the view finder.

Regards
Stan

PPG

davidstorm

Plus Member

4,931 posts

10 years
Sheffield, England

Link Posted 14/09/2012 - 22:53

[quote:3496ace15f="tyronet2000"]

Quote:
What is the best way to test for this problem. Sometimes to me the camera just doesn't look "right" sitting on a tripod even if the horizon looks ok through the view finder.

Stan, the first test would be to out it on a surface that you know is 100% level, the check the level indicator in the 'Info' view (press 'Info' twice and it will display the level). It should be entirely central.

Secondly, if you have the 'Horizon Correction' switched on in the menu, and you take a shot that is 100% level in the viewfinder, but it comes out sloping on the image, you know there's a problem. Mine went from 100% accurate to about 10% off in no time at all and it had not been dropped or banged. I think it's something that just comes with the territory on the K-5 and Pentax clearly have not fixed it, even on later models which mine is.

Regards
David

Flickr

Nicola's Apartments, Kassiopi, Corfu

Some cameras, some lenses, some bits 'n' bobs

tyronet2000

Plus Member

4,860 posts

11 years
Northumberland

Link Posted 14/09/2012 - 23:16

Thanks David, I have one of those large bright yellow spirit levels which I was going to lay across a couple of tressels, put the camera on a tripod and level as accurately as possible and take a couple of snaps. I'll wait for a nice calm day though. If the electronic one is turned off are those levels you can pop in the flash holder any good.? Perhaps I'd be better avoiding landscape/seascapes too

Regards
Stan

PPG

JAK

Member

4,187 posts

12 years
Scarborough, North Yorks.

Link Posted 15/09/2012 - 00:26

The electronic level was never a problem on film cameras! Pentax would have done better not to have included it at all until they can guarantee it works 100% correctly and then David wouldn't have had need to send his camera back to get it fixed.
Mine was not level so I just turned it off. I thought that sending the camera back may get fresh problems introduced that were not there to begin with.

John

John K

McGregNi

Member

5,986 posts

10 years
Surrey, England

Link Posted 15/09/2012 - 13:36

Some types of scenes don't look right to our eyes when shot from a perfectly level angle - I'm thinking of scenics with undulating hills and a sloping backdrop of mountains. We tend to look at these and make adjustments to create a balance depending on the number of elements in the scene.

Unless there's a very obvious natural horizon (like the sea, or buildings) to line up, I tend not to worry about the horizon indicator, and just go with what looks right to the eye.

My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver

Blythman

Member

4,248 posts

11 years
Blyth, Northumberland

Link Posted 15/09/2012 - 14:03

I gave up on the level long ago. I judge by eye and then correct in Lightroom if necessary

Alan

PPG
Flickr

McGregNi

Member

5,986 posts

10 years
Surrey, England

Link Posted 15/09/2012 - 14:50

Most of us used to older film cameras have got used to lining up horizons through the viewfinder I guess, although it is not always easy to see depending on the distance.Younger photographers have no doubt grown up using more modern means, and I must say the horizon levelling options on my K7 do present a very different way of working.

I just bought a ballhead for my tripod, as I think this will be the quickest way to adjust for the type of shooting I do, and I have found the aircraft style 'Attitude Indicator' on the LCD very responsive. (This only came with the firmware update bear in mind).

I wonder if anyone has used the sensor shift horizon correction function? It is a very different way of working, I wonder if anyone has found it to be useful?

Add a Comment

You must be registered or logged-in to comment.

Back to Forum