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Frogfish

Status: Member
Join Date: 10th September 2010
Last Login: 1st July 2014 - 11:51
Real Name: Kevin
Website: Visit My Website
Occupation:
Interests: Guess !



All Forum Comments
Topic / Forum Comment
DA* 16-50 or Sigma 17-50 or Tamron 17-50
Posted in Lenses for Pentax Cameras
I couldn't control the LBA :( Today I went into my favourite stockist and the new Sigma 17-50 still wasn't in stock yet (and no date on delivery) .... so I bought the Tamron 17-50/2.8 instead. I'm really looking forward to using this lense but the next time I'm there (and the Sigma is in stock) then I'll give the Sigma a run out, if I like it more than the Tamron then I won't lose too much by switching. I tried out 4 copies of the Tamron today (checking for FF/BF) and, as thankfully I have a split prism viewfinder, it was very easy to check the focus even before I took a shot. Not one was on the money so I chose the best of the 4 and then used the K7's focus adjust to fine tune it (+5) to perfect. I don't know how accurate this is but the owner of the shop told me that as the Tamron is made for multiple mounts it isn't adjusted in factory specifically for each brand (the mounts are simply added to the lenses after production) hence the problem with FF/BF. I wonder if this is true and if so is it the same for all 3rd Party lenses ? Therefore my advice to anyone else buying this lense is to not buy it on-line. Buy in person, check multiple copies, and beware if your camera can not adjust focus for individual lenses. Now I'm really looking forward to using this lense over Xmas / New Year ! Thank you again for all your help in guiding me to this decision.
Call This Winter ?!
Posted in Your Photos
Ha ha - there was just a little snow last week that lasted only a few hours before it disappeared and the high temperatures returned. Xmas Eve is supposed to be -6C though so we are not going to escape Scot-free ! Glad you liked the image and thanks for your kind words !
This morning in Dorset. Here we go AGAIN.
Posted in Your Photos
Good job mate ! These are a great improvement (exposure-wise), absolutely no snow is blown out (top of #1 comes close but looks recoverable) and yet at the same time the shadows have detail in most cases (#2 & #3 easy to bring out). Looks like you've cracked it - what did you do different to yesterday ?
Call This Winter ?!
Posted in Your Photos
Another beautiful day on The Bund, a balmy 18C (we have -6C coming on Xmas Eve but it was another 17C day today - just making the most of it) ! After a lovely family lunch my wife was off to another dinner ( !! ) and my daughter and I strolled around The Bund area before heading home - there're more shots in this series but I hardly have time to process them at the moment ! [img ]http://frogfish.smugmug.com/Other/Shanghai-Structures-Landmarks/Keep-The-Red-Flag-Flying/1131375300_7g5Yc-XL.jpg[/img] [img ]http://frogfish.smugmug.com/Shanghai-China/Street/Penny-For-Your-Thoughts/1132474513_eeBsS-L.jpg[/img] [img ]http://frogfish.smugmug.com/Shanghai-China/Street/High-Five-came-later/1132439225_snKAQ-L.jpg[/img]
Action shots first attempt
Posted in Your Photos
Looks like fun. Numbers 2 & 4 for me. 2 is full of action and drama, although 1 is similar, I think the view of the face in 2 makes it. Nuber 4 is just plain good!!! The angle works really well.Word for word !
Pentax DA 12-35mm WR DC
Posted in Lenses for Pentax Cameras
I can understand Pentax not getting into the long prime lense market. Why ? Their market is amateur / prosumers (who have a choice of Sigma zooms if they need that length) who aren't going to shell out 2K+ in large enough numbers to make it anywhere near worthwhile developing long lenses, and if Pentax shooters step up into the pro ranks then Pentax offer the 645 for non-sports shooters. It's a perfectly understandable business decision - how are you going to persuade CaNikon sports shooters to switch to Pentax ? You're not. Pentax do make a great TC that's on the market, the AFA x1.7, unfortunately it's importation is prohibited in Europe / USA !
over at the stables...
Posted in Your Photos
No 3 is superb, I'm undecided whether or not cutting out the left window makes it better? I might add some light into the "candles" as well. The shot on the road is pretty good as well! It looks as if your daughter might be serious competition. :)I thought the same - however just covering it up on-screen the shot loses the balance it has at present - personally I would keep it. But I think JR's idea for the candles is spot on !
A trip down the road early this morning
Posted in Your Photos
It's top left on the K7 / K5. On the collar around the control settings. BTW - I've just noticed there is a menu item which allows the exposure to be set relative to the focus point or not, your choice - take a look (C1 in the menu I think it was) or maybe check the manual for fuller explanations. Have fun with it !
A trip down the road early this morning
Posted in Your Photos
Oh silly me - I didn't check Flikr but just downloaded the shot *rolls eyes* I think I can see the problem - you have used Matrix (multi-segment) metering which tries to evaluate the whole scene. Someone please correct me if they think this is the wrong conclusion ! If you switched to Spot then you can do one of two things - the cows are in the centre of the shot so the Spot metering will be directly on them (assuming your focus point is the centre point) and should expose correctly for the cows (but not the snow) or you could try to get the best of both worlds by using the Exposure Lock button (AE-L) and firstly spot metering on a neutral area of the scene and then depressing the AE-L before recomposing and taking your shot. Good luck trying this !
A trip down the road early this morning
Posted in Your Photos
Tried to find the Exif but it seems it's been stripped off the last shot. These are very nice subject shots but the snow has been blown out (no surprise - massive contrast) and the last shot especially is very puzzling as no matter spot or centre metering it should have correctly exposed for the cows and blown out the snow (was it set to matrix ?). Strange, like to see the Exif for that one if you have it. With such high contrast in the scene maybe the only way around it would be to combine shots, one exposed correctly for the cows and one for the snow !
CRESTED DOVE
Posted in Your Photos
What a lovely looking bird ! First shot is excellent, eye is sharp and DoF perfect - second I'm afraid is under-exposed, or maybe some added fill light in LR or A3 could cure it.
Macro lens- a few beginner questions
Posted in Lenses for Pentax Cameras
Hi there! My first ever post. Sorry if I am being very newb. Again, sorry for hijacking the thread, but can you use a macro lens to do normal photography and landscape? Thanks in advance!:mrgreen:Absolutely and, as JR said above, they make great portrait / street lenses too (N.B. Not the MPE 65 if you ever use Canon - it is strictly a macro only lense). Here are a couple of samples of street shots with the Tamron SP 90 Di Macro :
Drogari
Posted in Your Photos
Excellent frescos - do you know when they were painted ?
Drogari
Posted in Your Photos
Interesting story ... would love to see the shot to go with it ! It's missing Jeff ;) Oops ... there it is (must be very slow to load) ! What a pity that it's no longer in frequent use.
Drogari
Posted in Your Photos
Interesting story ... would love to see the shot to go with it ! It's missing Jeff ;)
Show us your xmas tree.
Posted in Your Photos
Well I have just spent 40 minutes knitting my own tree. Que ? Now that is something worth seeing ! ;)
A walk with my brothers dog
Posted in Your Photos
No 3 for me, lovely pose and colours but I would be tempted to try and clone out the collar. No 2 is such a spontanious shot and well captured but is that a little bit of poo that I can see coming out of its bum as its jumped up :lol: :lol:It's a female you wally - no it's not poo ! :)
A walk with my brothers dog
Posted in Your Photos
I have been trying to capture a shot like #2 of my pet GSD for a year now ! It is really tough to do and that is really a superb shot - I don't think other people appreciate just how difficult it is when it's your own pet and they jump all over you when you're trying to get them to jump ! Lovely series.
Lantern bugs
Posted in Your Photos
I had to think about what IIF meant! Unfortunately no I didn't get any of them flying, they move pretty damn quickly once they're airborne! I was going to say don't bother looking in the Summer as I don't think you get them here in the UK, but then I noticed you are in China. Which is convenient since I took these in Hong Kong! As I noted above they are virtually exclusive to Lychee and Longan trees, so look for some of those :)Thanks I will do. What I meant was they shouldn't be so difficult for IIF shots if you have them on a piece of cotton ;) My wife tells me they used to do that with crickets and cicadas too (both fly of course - which was the fun of it for children that couldn't afford anything except home-made toys).
Lantern bugs
Posted in Your Photos
So you didn't get any IIF shots then ? Should be easy enough if they are flying around in circles ;) I will look out for these next Summer.
Macro lens- a few beginner questions
Posted in Lenses for Pentax Cameras
If you want macro on the cheap then use extension tubes or a Raynox (I prefer the 250 over the 150) to turn virtually any lenses into a macro lense. Both methods can give you excellent macro shots - with practice & patience !
Macro lens- a few beginner questions
Posted in Lenses for Pentax Cameras
Please note that when manufacturers talk about min focus distances (MFD) then they mean from the sensor to the subject and NOT from the end of the lense to the subject .... depending on the circumstance then this can mean taking up to 3" (7.6 cms ) or so off of the MFD. Generally a 90 or 100/105 is considered the most useful length for a good macro lense. Anything less than that (50 or 70) tends to mean much lower MFDs and so not so useful for live subjects. Anything more than that 150 / 170 / 180 are very expensive !
DA* 16-50 or Sigma 17-50 or Tamron 17-50
Posted in Lenses for Pentax Cameras
I will be sorry to give up the WR if the Tamron/Sigma takes a drenching I can buy another one (and get another new 3 year guarantee) ! Providing water doesnt get in through the lens mount:wink:That's what plastic bags and rubber bands are for ;)
DA* 16-50 or Sigma 17-50 or Tamron 17-50
Posted in Lenses for Pentax Cameras
Today I went and compared the Tamron to the 16-50 on my K7 at my favourite Pentax stockist (the Sigma wasn't in stock - should be there within the week). I was shocked - the sharpness from the Tamron blew the Pentax away at 2.8 although at F8 there was nothing in it. I also found the Tamron very fast to focus - I'd expected Pentax to edge it but there was nothing in it. I can't say that build quality looked an issue on the Tamron either - by look & feel there was nothing in it. US$900 and a one year guarantee vs. US$360 and a three year guarantee ..... it's down to the Tamron or the Sigma (quoted US$550) I'm afraid, though I will be sorry to give up the WR if the Tamron/Sigma takes a drenching I can buy another one (and get another new 3 year guarantee) !
DA* 16-50 or Sigma 17-50 or Tamron 17-50
Posted in Lenses for Pentax Cameras
A link to an excellent test between the 3 lenses (in Slovenian but you can understand the comparisons) : This is what I got (although this could just be sample variation too) : Sharpest at 16/17/18mm @ F2.8 : 1. Sigma 2. Tamron 3. Pentax Warmest Colours at 16/17/18mm : 1. Pentax 2. Sigma 3. Tamron Sharpest at 16/17/18mm @ F8 : 1. Sigma 2. Tamron 3. Pentax (noticeably darker too). Warmest Colours at 16/17/18mm : 1. Sigma 2. Pentax 3. Tamron Sharpest at 30mm @ F2.8 : 1. Sigma 2. Pentax 3. Tamron Warmest Colours at 30mm : 1. Sigma 2. Tamron 3. Pentax Sharpest at 30mm @ F8 : 1. Sigma 2. Tamron 3. Pentax Warmest Colours at 30mm : 1. Pentax 2. Sigma 3. Tamron By 50mm Pentax & Tamron seem to have taken over as #1 in the sharpness and colour warmth. In PF Tamron is a clear winner, followed by Sigma and then Pentax. Ghosting & flare : 1. Sigma 2. Tamron 3. Pentax Bokeh : the Sigma seems smoother and isolates better (@2.8) with nothing much between the Pentax & Tamron. Of course this is just one test I we can't vouch for the conditions / accuracy but it's interesting to see real life side-by-side comparisons nevertheless. One thing is clear, these lenses are so closely matched in IQ that I couldn't go wrong with any of them. If anyone can comment on the test or disagrees with my observations - please come forward and say why, I'd love to hear other people's opinions.