I think that we'd be looking in the wrong place if we think of an enthusiast level DSLR covering the same ground that Pentax has traditionally operated in. For me, it has two choices. Either go way up market and offer a DSLR equivalent to Leica. I don't think it has the brand gravitas to do that though. Or it could produce a fun, social, camera that appeals to youngsters mainly in the far east. So take the tactile experience of a film camera, the convenience of digital, with some ability to share images SOOC. Except that describes some of the customer segments for the Q and we know how long that lasted.

So here's my prediction. A retro styled DSLR with manual focus, knobs and dials. It will take all legacy K mount lenses but I'm undecided about whether that will include newer lenses without mechanical aperture linkage. There will be some ability to share images. And Ricoh will lose faith in it and discontinue it within five years.

Belated thanks for the comments both. I've had a think and both sound interesting. The Image Scene courses, in particular, look good so I'm probably going to book something up with them. The Peak District one looks interesting.

Thanks again.

Hello all

I’ve got a significant birthday coming up in the early part of next year and I thought of treating myself to a bit of formal photography education. I used to be really interested in landscape photography and thought that attending a one or two day workshop might help me get back into it and offer up some practical pointers. Has anyone on the forum ever attended one? Did you find it useful? Any recommendations?

Thanks

Ade

Thanks for all the comments everyone. All the lenses I have, bar one, have at least ‘A’ contacts on the back so I should have some automation available. Actually, three of them are film era screw drive autofocus so that should make things easier. I am looking forward to seeing how they work though.

Thanks again.

Ade

Thanks very much everyone. I'm really tempted to give it a try. I'll start looking out for one in a few weeks when I get the finances in order.

Hello all

I'm a long-time member but not been on here for a while and looking for your wisdom and advice. I have a modest collection of legacy lenses from my early days in film photography. My favourites of the bunch are a 43mm ltd, a 50mm f1.2A and a Tamron 90mm macro lens. The 50mm in particular has sentimental value as it was a gift from my dad whilst he was still with us. All these were good performers on film but I struggled to find a place for them when I moved to APS-C digital. The performance is ok with my K-5 but the focal lengths on the cropped sensor just feel all wrong as opposed to how I used them on film. It's the nature of the cropped sensor beast, I guess.

I'm now in a position where I am nostalgic enough to consider looking for a full frame camera; probably a used K-1ii. So what kind of results can I reasonably expect from these, what, 30 or 40 year old lenses on a modern full frame digital camera? I guess they'll all have their own character but am I likely to end up regretting the whole thing as technology has just marched on too far in the intervening years?

Thanks

Ade

Being a long-time Lightzone user, I'm really pleased that the project has managed to get to this stage. I know that it's taken a considerable amount of work by a lot of people to get here so hats off to them.

I'm not really a Windows user and, as yet, the Windows version is the only one released as open source but have tried it on a Windows Vista machine and it appears to work very well; if anything, faster than version 3.9.

Algi, you mentioned the K5 raw profile on the site. I was the person who built that profile, as it happens, after a long discussion on how to with Doug Pardee so hope it works for you. As far as I can tell that, and all the other custom profiles produced over the last year or so, have been incorporated into this v4.0 build. At least, You don't seem to have to use the profile as a custom style any more which is what you had to do with v3.9.

Alexfoto, I believe that the only open source version released so far is the Windows version because that went through beta testing first. I think it says on the site that the Linux and Mac builds will be ready shortly and I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

Adrian

Hmm, I'm in a similar position to the OP. I purchased a used Interfit flash kit (2X Venus 150s with stands and softboxes) a couple of weeks ago. Tested them rigorously once I got home firing them through my Sekonic L328 flashmeter via the PC cable. As was well - both flashes fired perfectly every time.

Came to try them in anger today with my K5 and, same as all the posts on this and the linked thread, the flashes fire once then nothing. I have to disconnect the PC cable in order to fire the next shot. I also tried it through an old hotshoe to PC adaptor with the same result. But when I try it on my Panasonic Lumix LX3, via the hotshoe adaptor, and my Pentax LX, connected directly to the camera's PC socket, the flash fires regularly and consistently again. Settings on the K5, if important, are ISO 200, 1/125th second, F5.6. [Edit. BTW, I am waiting until the beep to show the units have recharged).

I've read a few older threads on this subject and gather that it's an issue with the thyristor in the K5's flash circuitry. But the PC socket doesn't appear to work reliably on my K5, the OP's K7 or some other Pentax cameras so I'm left to ask what flash units can modern Pentax dSLRs actually fire through the PC socket? Apparently not Interfit or Calumet flash units judging by the threads on here.

I've got a set of Cactus v5 remote triggers on order so won't have to struggle for too long but would really welcome some thoughts on Pentax's design and component choices.

Adrian

Or you could try one of these:

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=109767

The Canon 420 fit is nice and snug on the AF360FGZ but it does go on (and stay on) without too much of a struggle. And why not pick up one of their P-TTL flash cords at the same time?!

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=111929

Adrian

Yes, the part that fixes to the flashgun has a flash shoe and a female tripod mounting screw underneath so you could mount it either on a tripod or something that has a hot shoe mount like a flash grip.

Adrian