Visit MPB Visit MPB Visit MPB

Daniel Bridge

Status: Member
Join Date: 21st March 2006
Last Login: 5th March 2019 - 18:42
Real Name: Daniel Bridge
Website: Visit My Website
Occupation: Photography Tutor
Interests:



All Forum Comments
Topic / Forum Comment
K5 - Exposure bracketing with contant aperture...again
Posted in Pentax Digital SLRs
Have a look at your e-dial Programming on page 5 of the menu, page 2 of that offers changes to what the green button does in Manual exposure. Mine's set to 'Tv Shift', and when I just tried bracketing in Manual mode, it only changed the shutter speed. When I changed it to 'P Line', it then varied the aperture too. Dan
My today's fighting against polarising filter
Posted in Troubleshooter
I bought an 86mm CPL filter for my Sigma 50-500, just one from eBay, not the cheapest but relatively cheap, and that was quite poor in how it screwed on to the lens. When I tried it at the weekend I also found that it affected focus quite badly, whether that was because it's rubbish, or because it wasn't on properly, or some other reason, I don't know. Any thoughts on why it affected focus so much?I've seen several filters, mainly cheap UVs, but one polariser, that affected the focus, or simply softened the image. It's one of the first things I'll look at if someone's having problems with getting a sharp shot. I presume they're just too cheap, and the glass isn't properly formed. Dan
Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 vs. Pentax DA* 16-50 f/2.8
Posted in Lenses for Pentax Cameras
Ah, it is. Might be more than you were thinking on spending though.Thanks for posting, though you're right about the price as I'd be inclined to stretch the extra mile and get a brand new lens if that's the best I could get 2nd hand.SRS have a secondhand one too, but that's £599, while they've currently got them new at £695, and I go for a new one too at that price (if I were in the market for one). Personally, I'm interested to see whether the rumoured 16-85 appears any time soon... Dan
Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 vs. Pentax DA* 16-50 f/2.8
Posted in Lenses for Pentax Cameras
There's a secondhand one in Cameraworld in Chelmsford at the moment (saw it today), can't remember the price but it would come with a 6 month guarantee. Ah, it is. Might be more than you were thinking on spending though. Dan
Lord Williams, Thame
Posted in Your Photos
Could one of the moderators please delete the extra N in the title, please? Many thanks, K.Done. :-) Dan
Live view/electronic horizon
Posted in Troubleshooter
Take a look in the menu, number 4 in the shooting menu, second option down is 'Live View'. Take a look in there, and you can turn off the grid, Info, histogram and bright/dark area warnings.
Live view/electronic horizon
Posted in Troubleshooter
Oh I do use live view Simon, often for macro shots when the ability to zoom in and check focus is wonderful, I just wouldn't have expected to have the effect of say a 1 second shutter speed shown on the screen, I would have assumed the screen just uses a constant refresh rate. In fact I just tried it, and as far as I can see, changing the shutter speed made no difference to the view. Next time I'm near a waterfall (not so often over here in Essex), I will try it. I can certainly see the benefit of the live histogram and 'blinkies'. And I whole-heartedly agree with your second paragraph. :-) Dan
Live view/electronic horizon
Posted in Troubleshooter
Must admit that I find Live View extremely useful and use it often, great for taking long exposure photos of waterfalls/flowing waterNot wanting to sidetrack the discussion, but why? Having never tried live view specifically for these sorts of subjects, how is it different to using the viewfinder? As far as the original post is concerned, I can't say I've ever thought the screen particularly dim, and the bottom section of the screen is used for shooting info simply because the screen is a different aspect ratio to the image, and this bit would otherwise be wasted. It's not hiding a bit of the image, it's just blank area, very handy for putting info in. :-) Dan
Wide angle for K 30, where can I get one please?
Posted in General Digital Photography Discussion
Answered your poll...I put No, mainly because I offer them and think my prices are very reasonable :wink:Ditto. ;-) Dan
New Pentax Firmware updates for 6 cameras
Posted in Pentax Digital SLRs
When you updated to 1.14, what version did you update from?1.13 Dan
New Pentax Firmware updates for 6 cameras
Posted in Pentax Digital SLRs
In response to by Cabstar, here's a shot I took soon after updating my firmware on my K-5. Obviously this isn't as sharp as Cabstar's shots. And it took two attempts for my K-5 to lock focus. But it was at ISO800, f/1.4, 1/20s. And then it needed +1.3 exposure correction in Lightroom to get it this bright. So I think that means the lighting was about 2.5 stops darker than it was for Cabstar. Which is why I feel my K-5's lowlight focusing has never been better. Again, I'm not saying the focusing is faster. It's simply not hunting as much, and when it says it's focused, it usually is, even in very low light. I do need to fiddle with the focus adjustment, as it is still as it was before, so I should zero it all and recalibrate. Dan
New Pentax Firmware updates for 6 cameras
Posted in Pentax Digital SLRs
I was updating from version 1.13. Mine has never had great success focusing in dim artificial light. It does seem a lot better now, from my admittedly brief testing. I don't know why. Dan
Grips. Essential or not?
Posted in Pentax Digital SLRs
1.5>2 hours each way by rail/walking as we're opposite sides of London, but (a) good idea, and (b) too much temptation? :roll:Quicker to go south to Park Cameras in Burgess Hill? Dan
Why do Pentax lag with autofocus?
Posted in Pentax Digital SLRs
No, doesn't do it automatically in AF-S, that would be a PITA when it got it wrong. Perhaps Pentax's thinking is that someone with a K-5 would want to be in control of what mode it uses, and not leave it down to the camera to pick. I tend to advise Canon users to leave theirs in AF-Focus (AF-A), but always change it to AF-Servo (AF-C) if they know their subject's likely/going to be moving, as there will be a slight delay before the camera switches from AF-S to AF-C, and that might be enough to lose the shot. Dan
New Pentax Firmware updates for 6 cameras
Posted in Pentax Digital SLRs
I wouldn't say focusing is any quicker, and I still have the same adjustments as before. But accuracy in low light especially is better, and it seems to follow moving subjects better. That is with limited and unscientific testing, which I know won't please you Smeggy. :-) My 'before-' and 'after-update' shots were literally sat in the same spot, same low light from shaded 60W equivalent low energy desk lamp, and the 'before' ones followed this sort of sequence: Shoot, check, out of focus Shoot, check, out of focus Shoot, check, not bad Shoot, check, out of focus Shoot, check, out of focus Whereas after the update it was: Shoot, check, wow, bang on Shoot, check, wow, another bang on Shoot, check, er wow, bang on again Shoot, check, oh, a bit off Shoot, check, ah, bang on again I can't think of any other reason for this, other than something in the firmware. Dan
Why do Pentax lag with autofocus?
Posted in Pentax Digital SLRs
Thats where i found it on the K-30 shooting menu 2 af setting and then you have to enable Af.a, below are expanded af area etc. But according to DP review the K-5 has Af.a Well, if they'd like to point out where, that would be nice. :-) The AF Settings in the K-30 menu (which includes AF-A on/off) covers things that are in the custom menus on the K-5/K-5II, but AF-A isn't one of them. No mention of it anywhere I can see in the camera's menus or the manual. Dan
Why do Pentax lag with autofocus?
Posted in Pentax Digital SLRs
Id bet my bottom dollar that the K-5 has an Af.a mode just like the K-30 and I think the K-r!Might take you up one that... ;-) Just had a look for it in the K-5II manual and no sign of it there either. Dan
New Pentax Firmware updates for 6 cameras
Posted in Pentax Digital SLRs
I would also point out, that I was as skeptical as I usually am when I heard people saying that AF was improved. Just had a look back through shots of my daughter, today's ones of her on the move are just so much better than I've ever had before. Dan
New Pentax Firmware updates for 6 cameras
Posted in Pentax Digital SLRs
Took some shots of my daughter over at the park this afternoon, having been there with her last week. Massive (and I do mean massive) improvement in hit rate for me, the vast majority were correctly focused today, even the ones with her running towards the camera. Previously I used to try it, knowing that it would be unlikely to keep up, today, one series (11 shots) was mostly in focus, 4 were slightly soft, but still usable. One series lost it after a couple and the camera then struggled to keep up. Last series was seven, two of which were soft, one unusably so. I'd say I'd be lucky to get 50% usable previously. This was with my FA50mm 1.4, shooting at f/2.4. Low light shots are just better, far more in focus. Sorry if others aren't getting this, but I assume that part of the K-5II upgrade to AF is through software, and that has been passed on. Would Pentax trumpet that, given that it might dent K-5II sales? Dan
PPI
Posted in General Digital Photography Discussion
There was a discussion about this a few years back, I posted some examples: https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/coastal-sunset-panorama-6484/p-0#comm_54822 Dan
Why do Pentax lag with autofocus?
Posted in Pentax Digital SLRs
K-30 has an af.a mode just like my old pentax Z20 fom the film days, it is just like the AI-focus on Canons and picks af.s or af.c dependent on subject motion.Well I never! Just had to check my K-5 to make sure it's not on there and I just hadn't noticed it - can't see anything, anybody like to point out I'm wrong again? :-D Now, if they could do 3D-Tracking like Nikon, that would be lovely! Dan
Vintage cameras
Posted in General Photographic Discussion
This might also be useful: http://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Pignons/Alpa-7.html Dan
Vintage cameras
Posted in General Photographic Discussion
Mind you, just saw that sale was in 1998, don't know whether prices would have risen or fallen since then, but your offer of £500 might suggest it's gone up. Dan
Vintage cameras
Posted in General Photographic Discussion
Might be worth giving Christie's a ring... http://www.christies.com/lotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=469916
Why do Pentax lag with autofocus?
Posted in Pentax Digital SLRs
Just had a look at the manual, and amongst all the things that say AF-S locks the focus, AF-C tracks it, it does say that if it determines the subject is moving, it will track it, even if the focus is set to AF-S. That's certainly not what I'd expect, but it would be a useful option, like AI-Focus on Canons. I've never had any of my cameras do this though, and would be surprised if the K30 did it, but maybe it does... Dan