All Forum Comments
Comment by George Lazarette posted on Photo Critiques at 18/03/2007 - 14:59
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Begs the question, though, as to why Pentax are no longer producing lenses that there is clearly still some sort of market for. OK, this thread is about a 200mm macro lens but you can draw parallels to this right up and down the focal length range. Why, for example, is there no fast digital only prime in the 28mm range (apart from the 31mm Ltd that is)?
Well, they are now making lenses for digital cameras, and the equivalent to 28mm on digital is approx 19mm. Lo and behold, Pentax makes a 21mm, which is quite close. They also make several zoom lenses which cover this angle of view, and nowadays most buyers seem to want zooms.Begs the question, though, as to why Pentax are no longer producing lenses that there is clearly still some sort of market for. OK, this thread is about a 200mm macro lens but you can draw parallels to this right up and down the focal length range. Why, for example, is there no fast digital only prime in the 28mm range (apart from the 31mm Ltd that is)?
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Just a cursory look on the auction site would suggest that the market for Pentax prime lenses, particularly in an A or AF fitting, is buoyant so why doesn't Pentax bring back a couple of these if only to test whether the market really does exist? I've looked at the road map and I'm, frankly, not particularly inspired; lots of zooms, a couple of fast telephotos a few (increasingly slow) limited lenses. (Rant over.)
Adrian
I don't entirely disagree, being a high-quality prime-lens lover myself. However, if you add up all the Pentax primes sold on Ebay each month, it still doesn't amount to very much, and it's debatable whether somebody buying an M 1:3.5 135mm for forty quid would stump up two hundred and forty for a new one. My guess is that most wouldn't.Just a cursory look on the auction site would suggest that the market for Pentax prime lenses, particularly in an A or AF fitting, is buoyant so why doesn't Pentax bring back a couple of these if only to test whether the market really does exist? I've looked at the road map and I'm, frankly, not particularly inspired; lots of zooms, a couple of fast telephotos a few (increasingly slow) limited lenses. (Rant over.)
Adrian
My modest collection of lenses was built up over time by buying second-hand. I wouldn't have most of my best lenses now if I had had to buy them new.
But the idea of Pentax testing the market with one or two of the best out-of-production lenses is interesting. The last UK price on the FA* 200mm macro was £1,300. Are you still in the market? Speaking for myself, at that price, I think I will just stick an extension tube on my FA* 1:2.8 200mm.
G
G
Comment by George Lazarette posted on The return of the prodigal lens????? at 18/03/2007 - 12:20
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Nice picture, Liam.
at yesterday's result
Can someone explain to me how I can get an image into a posting. Do I have to have a link to a site such as Photobox or ePhotoZine? I've tried copying from an image from my HD but it does not work. So help please, pretty please.
Thanks in advance.
Howard
You're absolutely right, Howard. But the visual effect on a wet Sunday is the same.Nice picture, Liam.
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George Lazarette said:
.....gritty, grimy, grey, coal towns around the fringes of Snowdonia.
Very evocative, and if you hadn't said Paignton, I would have assumed Blaenau Ffestiniog......
As one born and bred in North Wales I can't remember many coal towns near Snowdonia - near Wrexham perhaps! Blaenau Ffestiniog is/was a slate town.George Lazarette said:
.....gritty, grimy, grey, coal towns around the fringes of Snowdonia.
Very evocative, and if you hadn't said Paignton, I would have assumed Blaenau Ffestiniog......
at yesterday's result
Can someone explain to me how I can get an image into a posting. Do I have to have a link to a site such as Photobox or ePhotoZine? I've tried copying from an image from my HD but it does not work. So help please, pretty please.
Thanks in advance.
Howard
G
Comment by George Lazarette posted on On the rails.. at 18/03/2007 - 14:54
I'm a bit late commenting on this.
In my youth, I used to go rock-climbing in North Wales, and this pic really brings back memories of the gritty, grimy, grey, coal towns around the fringes of Snowdonia.
Very evocative, and if you hadn't said Paignton, I would have assumed Blaenau Ffestiniog.
Nice one. At this size, the houses are not really big enough to cause a problem. Up close, I imagine they would not win many architectural prizes.
G
In my youth, I used to go rock-climbing in North Wales, and this pic really brings back memories of the gritty, grimy, grey, coal towns around the fringes of Snowdonia.
Very evocative, and if you hadn't said Paignton, I would have assumed Blaenau Ffestiniog.
Nice one. At this size, the houses are not really big enough to cause a problem. Up close, I imagine they would not win many architectural prizes.
G
Comment by George Lazarette posted on On the rails.. at 18/03/2007 - 13:10
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Your eye needs to be centred exactly in the middle of the viewfinder eyepiece, otherwise you might well get some apparent shift.
Yes, you might need to take your eye back for re-calibration, or a replacement or refund.Your eye needs to be centred exactly in the middle of the viewfinder eyepiece, otherwise you might well get some apparent shift.
G
Comment by George Lazarette posted on How accurate should the focus point be? at 17/03/2007 - 14:17
It looks as though some pernickety person has been over-enthusiastically cleaning it to the extent that he's removed most of the coating.
Lenses should not be cleaned too aggressively, or too often.
G
Lenses should not be cleaned too aggressively, or too often.
G
Comment by George Lazarette posted on coating coming off lens at 20/03/2007 - 17:48
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We know that you meant download, George,
Quite rght!We know that you meant download, George,
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but the SilkyPix site currently displays this message:
Ver3.0.6 is being corrected to solve a problem at present. Please wait a moment.
It seems to work OK so far.but the SilkyPix site currently displays this message:
Ver3.0.6 is being corrected to solve a problem at present. Please wait a moment.
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Is there a specific reason you're shooting PEFs, Pete, rather than DNGs?
Ray.
Is there a specific reason you're shooting PEFs, Pete, rather than DNGs?
Ray.
Comment by George Lazarette posted on Help ! my silkypix version 3.0.29 wont open the PEF files at 15/03/2007 - 19:56
Upload the latest version. 3.0.63.
G
G
Comment by George Lazarette posted on Help ! my silkypix version 3.0.29 wont open the PEF files at 15/03/2007 - 19:37
I presume the protruding fixed lug is the problem.
Some people who have experienced this problem have carefully filed down the offending lug so that it is the same size as a Pentax one.
Do it the way an intelligent person scrapes burnt toast - from underneath. That way the filings drop to the floor, rather than into the innards of the lens.
Good luck, and please don't sue me if it all goes horribly wrong.
G
Some people who have experienced this problem have carefully filed down the offending lug so that it is the same size as a Pentax one.
Do it the way an intelligent person scrapes burnt toast - from underneath. That way the filings drop to the floor, rather than into the innards of the lens.
Good luck, and please don't sue me if it all goes horribly wrong.
G
Comment by George Lazarette posted on Old Vivitar lens mount with K100 at 15/03/2007 - 19:45
Let me be the first to welcome these. The first one is a great capture.
It also illustrates the limitations of Shake Reduction. However steady the sensor, subject movement will always be a problem with low shutter speeds.
As you say, light balance is difficult in these situations, but you've done OK.
G
It also illustrates the limitations of Shake Reduction. However steady the sensor, subject movement will always be a problem with low shutter speeds.
As you say, light balance is difficult in these situations, but you've done OK.
G
Comment by George Lazarette posted on Here's some pics on my replacement K10D then ! at 15/03/2007 - 17:45
.........and no more than 2 per day to prevent abuse of the system.
And penalties for posting the same pic more than once.
G