All Forum Comments
Comment by Don posted on Have I wrecked my roll of Ektar? at 20/12/2010 - 14:53
johnriley wrote:
For whatever reason, it seems to have been a lower priority. Maybe they had eyed up more cooperation with Tokina and it fell through? Or maybe historically sales of long telephotos have been low and hence it's the less profitable part of the range? I'm only guessing...
Actually though are we not spoilt these days? The 300mm is equivalent to 450mm in film terms, and I never had a film lens that long.
maybe the sr doesn't play as expected with longer lenses?For whatever reason, it seems to have been a lower priority. Maybe they had eyed up more cooperation with Tokina and it fell through? Or maybe historically sales of long telephotos have been low and hence it's the less profitable part of the range? I'm only guessing...
Actually though are we not spoilt these days? The 300mm is equivalent to 450mm in film terms, and I never had a film lens that long.
Maybe nobody in retail wants to sock them due to sales demands?
maybe.... just maybe... Pentax figures the 300 is long enough...
I'd be interested if Pentax took an older design (or oddball lens like the 400-600 mirror) and gave the 35 mm plastic/price point make-over......
Can you imagine an affordable ultra compact and light all plastic 400-600 mirror?
Comment by Don posted on Pentax DA 12-35mm WR DC at 20/12/2010 - 14:44
Algernon wrote:
I think you have the wrong gizmo there Mowog , probably because
the OP hasn't given much details about what equipment he will be
using, such as a Pentax Bellows with matching double cable release?
It will have to be homemade anyway with a push button or microswitch.
I agree... I'd look at going all electronic with a switch for the camera body, and a servo or solenoid for the bellows...I think you have the wrong gizmo there Mowog , probably because
the OP hasn't given much details about what equipment he will be
using, such as a Pentax Bellows with matching double cable release?
It will have to be homemade anyway with a push button or microswitch.
Comment by Don posted on Electro/Mech cable release adaptor? at 19/12/2010 - 18:31
Mannesty wrote:
Modern Pentax DSLR's don't have just one 'greatest' feature. For starters:-
1: TAv mode
2: Dual customisable e-Dials
3: Compatibility with all previously manufactured Pentax lenses (some with minor restrictions).
4: DNG raw files
5: Pentax lenses (not a DSLR feature I know, but worth a mention)
I think the lenses are the main feature, above all else.Modern Pentax DSLR's don't have just one 'greatest' feature. For starters:-
1: TAv mode
2: Dual customisable e-Dials
3: Compatibility with all previously manufactured Pentax lenses (some with minor restrictions).
4: DNG raw files
5: Pentax lenses (not a DSLR feature I know, but worth a mention)
What made me stay with Pentax all these years has been the glass.
from 85mm soft, fisheye zoom, decent macro, to now wr series lenses it was the ability to acquire pro quality glass at reasonable prices that kept me staying with the brand.... even the lenses I want but cannot justify buying right now are worth sticking with Pentax for, i know I'll be able to use them when I do buy them.
To me, there is no other single factor that makes or breaks image quality than the glass.
Yes the other stuff matters and video capabilities is a close second to glass for me...
But...
saying the lenses are only worth a mention, is Like Christmas without Religion... Sure you can spend all your money, decorate a tree, pig out, get snap faced drunk, leave photocopies of your butt on the copy machine at the office party, and resolve to never do it again on New years Eve.... but you missed the point if you forgot the reason for the season...
interchangeable lenses are the reason for slrs to exist...
to me anyways...
Comment by Don posted on Greatest Feature of a Pentax DSLR at 18/12/2010 - 16:21
Mike-P wrote:
C'mon.Give Stephan some credit.... he'd be out there knocking on doors and testing peoples cameras, and documenting his results, as well as producing links to more sites to support his position... to win an argument... wait a minute... where is Stephan?Smeggypants wrote:
It doesn't matter if the non-serious K-5 owner hasn't checked their copy or noticed a fault. The fact is that just over 50% of owners who have answered the polls on both forums have the fault.
Any extrapolation from this, is of course a guesstimate. And yes this could be limited to a couple of early production runs. In fact it's obvious Pentax is going to fix the issue so in the future the number of affected bodies will be close to zero
Besides there's probably lots of serious shooters who don't frequent forums as well.
Anyway, all I am doing is pointing out the only evidence we have which can be, albeit not perfectly, extrapolated from. in contrast to claims it's only around 5% which has no rationale other than hearsay to support it.
And there was me thinking Stephan was away for Christmas Don wrote:
Umn. Smeggy....
hate to point this out... but a poll on a brand forum isn't going to be anywhere near representative of the market share.
But you don't know that. - You're just making more assumptionsUmn. Smeggy....
hate to point this out... but a poll on a brand forum isn't going to be anywhere near representative of the market share.
Quote:
You can be argumentative if you choose, but unless you are factoring ACTUAL sales and ACTUAL problems all you are doing is guessing, and at that it is very unscientific.
I've never claimed it to be scientific, but the polls at both forums are the ONLY evidence we have. You can be argumentative if you choose, but unless you are factoring ACTUAL sales and ACTUAL problems all you are doing is guessing, and at that it is very unscientific.
It doesn't matter if the non-serious K-5 owner hasn't checked their copy or noticed a fault. The fact is that just over 50% of owners who have answered the polls on both forums have the fault.
Any extrapolation from this, is of course a guesstimate. And yes this could be limited to a couple of early production runs. In fact it's obvious Pentax is going to fix the issue so in the future the number of affected bodies will be close to zero
Quote:
the polls are of forum members which do not represent the majority of consumers who bought a camera.
Extrapolating from a Poll of real results, is IMO going to be more accurate than the statement above which is irrelevant to the issue at hand. The camera bodies are going to be sold at random to either series shooters or non-serious shooters. Whatever that means. So there's no reason why the findings of people who frequent forums cannot be extrapolated across the board.the polls are of forum members which do not represent the majority of consumers who bought a camera.
Besides there's probably lots of serious shooters who don't frequent forums as well.
Quote:
for example you could take a poll at a party for season ticket holders at an american football leagues pre-season warm up party and come to the conclusion you know who will win the Superbowl... (because they're the most dedicated and often biased fans to poll).
That's not even a close analogy as that poll would be asking peopel to make a prediction, not asking them if there camera actually has a fault.for example you could take a poll at a party for season ticket holders at an american football leagues pre-season warm up party and come to the conclusion you know who will win the Superbowl... (because they're the most dedicated and often biased fans to poll).
Anyway, all I am doing is pointing out the only evidence we have which can be, albeit not perfectly, extrapolated from. in contrast to claims it's only around 5% which has no rationale other than hearsay to support it.
Comment by Don posted on K5 Sensor Issues... at 17/12/2010 - 21:15
Mike-P wrote:
Lets just say its probably above 5% and below 50% of users and leave it at that.
agree.Lets just say its probably above 5% and below 50% of users and leave it at that.
Comment by Don posted on K5 Sensor Issues... at 17/12/2010 - 14:57
Pentaxophile wrote:
Say a car had a fault where the brakes cut out above 100mph. Half the number of cars sold had the fault, but only 10% of the owners of those cars realised something was wrong (most people don't drive that fast normally). Does that mean that only 5% of the cars are affected (10% of 50%) or 50%?
I biased my answer to lean towards recognition of the fact that there is a problem.Quote:
This forum may have diversity but it is full of people that take their photography seriously... others could have a fault for months or years and not notice it...
Not noticing a fault isn't the same as not having it though. The poll could be skewed by newcomers who have only come to this website because they have a problem, but there do seem to be a high number of long standing members who have found their K-5 is affected... 5% seems a bit optimistic in light of this. Perhaps that figure is skewed because people haven't noticed the issue yet?This forum may have diversity but it is full of people that take their photography seriously... others could have a fault for months or years and not notice it...
Say a car had a fault where the brakes cut out above 100mph. Half the number of cars sold had the fault, but only 10% of the owners of those cars realised something was wrong (most people don't drive that fast normally). Does that mean that only 5% of the cars are affected (10% of 50%) or 50%?
I'm not saying there isn't a problem, I'm saying the forums are helpful in diagnosing and sharing info, but the polls are useless.
A poll needs to be both random and large to be anywhere near accurate.
Unless you got a list of actual buyers, choose people off that list at random, as well as choosing a large sample, and send them a standardized test procedure and then make the poll, you are only rigging your poll to make the problem appear bigger than it may really be.
Comment by Don posted on K5 Sensor Issues... at 17/12/2010 - 14:23
The forums demonstrate that there is a concern with the early production models and that enthusiasts are reporting it to Pentax.
The poll IMHO is useless.
The problem however seems significant and I await further information.
This is why I seldom, if ever, get in line to buy the "First" anything electronic or expensive.
The poll IMHO is useless.
The problem however seems significant and I await further information.
This is why I seldom, if ever, get in line to buy the "First" anything electronic or expensive.
Comment by Don posted on K5 Sensor Issues... at 17/12/2010 - 13:34
Smeggypants wrote:
Companies can't get away with such spin in the Internet age where consumers have the means of mass communication with each other.
Umn. Smeggy....GDN wrote:
SRS who heard some hearsay from one unofficial statement from ONE Pentax employer. The polls say otherwise. I trust a collective reporting from users over some hearsay from one employee who is bound to try and minimise the issue.Smeggypants wrote:
You have heard around 5%? A figure plucked out of thin air? So you're pitting hearsay against an actual poll on TWO seperate forums? The polls are not perfect of course, but they correlate in figures and are the ONLY evidence we have.
The 5% figure came from SRS... who now seem to have dropped to 4% according to another member on here... You have heard around 5%? A figure plucked out of thin air? So you're pitting hearsay against an actual poll on TWO seperate forums? The polls are not perfect of course, but they correlate in figures and are the ONLY evidence we have.
Companies can't get away with such spin in the Internet age where consumers have the means of mass communication with each other.
Quote:
Exit and opinion polls mean nothing its only the final vote or numbers that count....
They don't mean 'nothing' - They have a lot of value as basis to extrapolate from.Exit and opinion polls mean nothing its only the final vote or numbers that count....
Quote:
As I said only Pentax know how bad the issue is....
That's true and companies cannot be trusted to tell the whole truth.As I said only Pentax know how bad the issue is....
hate to point this out... but a poll on a brand forum isn't going to be anywhere near representative of the market share.
You can be argumentative if you choose, but unless you are factoring ACTUAL sales and ACTUAL problems all you are doing is guessing, and at that it is very unscientific.
the polls are of forum members which do not represent the majority of consumers who bought a camera.
for example you could take a poll at a party for season ticket holders at an american football leagues pre-season warm up party and come to the conclusion you know who will win the Superbowl... (because they're the most dedicated and often biased fans to poll).
but if your poll is done in every teams hometown you'll get a different result.
This forum may have diversity but it is full of people that take their photography seriously... others could have a fault for months or years and not notice it...
The poll only demonstrates that early adaptors that are enthusiasts are finding a large percentage of their new cameras have a fault.... All these faults COULD be attributed to ONE or TWO early production runs that got snapped up by enthusiasts.... who happen to frequent forums, some of whom might not have noticed a problem for years if not for the forums. A small percentage of buyer in other words......
Only pentax is in a position to compare sales to returns to defects and calculate the percentage of defects... and if it were even close to 50% there will be a recall or a class action lawsuit.
We Pentaxians are different than the guy who just buys the camera the salesman suggested.
We'd more likely NOTICE a problem and get on the forum to share the info.
for every Forum member that bought a camera, there are many non forum members out there who may have a GOOD copy... 10% more? 50% more? 98% more? how would I know?
Comment by Don posted on K5 Sensor Issues... at 17/12/2010 - 13:16
johnriley wrote:
They are just being honest perhaps. Traditionally, focal lengths as marked are just approximations, and of course some manufacturers will try to make things look better than they are.
Most 1970s and earlier 24mm lenses are more like 25mm. Only Zeiss admit this I think.
Zooms are wide open to abuse - after all a 28-80mm zoom sounds much better than a 29-77mm one!
good points and while there is no need to tell you this, JR some others might be surprised to learn that most zooms are vari-focal lenses that regardless of indicated focal length on the lenses, the focal length actually changes as the lens focuses. This is especially noticeable in wide range zooms like the 28-200's....They are just being honest perhaps. Traditionally, focal lengths as marked are just approximations, and of course some manufacturers will try to make things look better than they are.
Most 1970s and earlier 24mm lenses are more like 25mm. Only Zeiss admit this I think.
Zooms are wide open to abuse - after all a 28-80mm zoom sounds much better than a 29-77mm one!
well...
you can push or pull the development time to help fix it...