All Forum Comments
Comment by Lance B posted on Ultra fast 50. at 09/11/2009 - 23:26
Unlocker wrote:
Think a higher end camera would be a great idea, even if it's just there to be a 'halo' product, or a product to aspire to, or to make a 'more complete ecosystem' just so that Pentax would be taken more seriously.
Maybe it doesn't 'have' to be that high end at all. Whilst I would love an equivalent of say a 5D MKII with a K mount, I would quite happily pay say £1500 for a 'K-7 Super' with a built in grip, 1080P, sensor from K-x would probably be fine, much faster autofocus with decent tracking, and FPS that at least match the competition (just so that people can't say 'but Canon xxx or Nikon xxx has 7-8 FPS therefore it's better!')
Just to be different, chuck in something that the competition doesn't have, say a completely new flash system, with, as an example, wireless PTTL 2 flash which actually operated by a wireless standard, rather than light, all built into the camera and new flashguns, with a range of 50-100M. That would definately throw the cat amongst the pigeons, and bring in a new level of innovation.
Knowing that Pentax like us to think differently, it would be great to see some real innovation from them. I know that they have a different product that appeals to different types of photographers, but it would just be great if the bodies matched the spec of others and provided something completely different.
A lot of people will argue 'but the K-7 is completely different', but not different enough for people like Amin who needed / wanted better performance so went and bought a 7D. If the K-7 had faster AF, better ISO control, better flash support, lenses focussed a lot faster, I'm sure he would have bought one in an instant.
If Pentax do decide on Full Frame though, lets have it in a small body like the K-7 (specced as well as the competition). If Leica can make a small FF camera (M9) I'm sure Pentax can!
Can't argue with anyhting you say here. I would pay a "bit extra" for a camera like this. May be even one that has been hand assembled for ultimate QC so everything works perfectly. As you say, the K-7 is the right size and if FF eventuates, which I believe it will one day, then it needs to be small in order to attract people to Pentax, otherwise they will stay with Canon/Nikon/Sony. Pentax need to be able to differentiate themselves as a brand and small high quality cameras is part of the differentiation.Think a higher end camera would be a great idea, even if it's just there to be a 'halo' product, or a product to aspire to, or to make a 'more complete ecosystem' just so that Pentax would be taken more seriously.
Maybe it doesn't 'have' to be that high end at all. Whilst I would love an equivalent of say a 5D MKII with a K mount, I would quite happily pay say £1500 for a 'K-7 Super' with a built in grip, 1080P, sensor from K-x would probably be fine, much faster autofocus with decent tracking, and FPS that at least match the competition (just so that people can't say 'but Canon xxx or Nikon xxx has 7-8 FPS therefore it's better!')
Just to be different, chuck in something that the competition doesn't have, say a completely new flash system, with, as an example, wireless PTTL 2 flash which actually operated by a wireless standard, rather than light, all built into the camera and new flashguns, with a range of 50-100M. That would definately throw the cat amongst the pigeons, and bring in a new level of innovation.
Knowing that Pentax like us to think differently, it would be great to see some real innovation from them. I know that they have a different product that appeals to different types of photographers, but it would just be great if the bodies matched the spec of others and provided something completely different.
A lot of people will argue 'but the K-7 is completely different', but not different enough for people like Amin who needed / wanted better performance so went and bought a 7D. If the K-7 had faster AF, better ISO control, better flash support, lenses focussed a lot faster, I'm sure he would have bought one in an instant.
If Pentax do decide on Full Frame though, lets have it in a small body like the K-7 (specced as well as the competition). If Leica can make a small FF camera (M9) I'm sure Pentax can!
I think they could also have a "base exposure adjustment" for each lens just like the AF Adjustment feature. I know my lenses all differ in exposure by about 0.3EV to 0.7EV with the FA lenses being about 0.3EV "brighter" than the DA lenses and the DA*16-50 being about 0.7EV "darker" and generally the DA/DA* zooms being slightly darker than the DA primes. It would be nice to have them all exposing by the same amount so that I don't have to remember to adjust the Exposure Compensation when I go from different lens series. Not a big deal, but it sould be included.
I would also like to see a higher specced zoom somewhere in the 16mm to 70mm range and maybe f2.8. Better built and hand assembled and tested like the FA lenses of yore, a sort of "no holds barred" approach which we would have to pay for as you can imagine. The DA*16-50 is excellent, but I was hoping we could get something with less distortion at the wide end and by having it hand assembled and tested it would remove the IQ "lottery" that this lens sometimes can be. I am not averse to seeing it a bit heavier and larger. I have the FA*28-70 f2.8 and love the IQ that it gives and it is much bigger than the DA*16-50.
Saddly, I do not think we will see such a lens (or even camera) as I think that FF will eventuate and therefore more emphasis will be thrown into those lenses and cameras.
Comment by Lance B posted on A higher high-end for Pentax. Just a dream? at 05/11/2009 - 06:57
Excellent shots of the moon, Steve.
The 1.7x AF converter looks like it mates well IQ wise. Does it also focus easily?
I know my DA*300 works quite well with the Tamron 1.4x TC.
K-7 + DA*300 f4 + Tamron 1.4x TC, @ f5, 1/60sec, ISO1600.
The 1.7x AF converter looks like it mates well IQ wise. Does it also focus easily?
I know my DA*300 works quite well with the Tamron 1.4x TC.
K-7 + DA*300 f4 + Tamron 1.4x TC, @ f5, 1/60sec, ISO1600.
Comment by Lance B posted on Moon shot DA*300mm 1.7 af Adapt at 04/11/2009 - 00:44
I have two rule of thirds grid screens for my K20D. One is the Pentax LL80 screen and the other is the Katzeye screen.
The Katzeye screen is only a rule of thirds grid with ground glass and no other focus aids. There is no split screen or focus prism.
The Katzeye screen is very nice but I sometime get a slight exposure discrepancy in some situations, but generally only about a 1/3rd of a stop.
Either way, a rule of thirds screen is very handy.
The Katzeye screen is only a rule of thirds grid with ground glass and no other focus aids. There is no split screen or focus prism.
The Katzeye screen is very nice but I sometime get a slight exposure discrepancy in some situations, but generally only about a 1/3rd of a stop.
Either way, a rule of thirds screen is very handy.
Comment by Lance B posted on Viewfinder grid on K20D at 04/11/2009 - 00:41
rparmar wrote:
Nice shots that show what the lens can do with the right subject.
Thank you very much, Robin. Nice shots that show what the lens can do with the right subject.
Comment by Lance B posted on Ultra fast 50. at 04/11/2009 - 00:37
Very enchanting indeed! Love those colours! Nicely done, Michal.
Comment by Lance B posted on Enchanted Garden - Brodsworth Hall at 02/11/2009 - 03:42
Thank you for the kind words, Mark.
Comment by Lance B posted on Ultra fast 50. at 31/10/2009 - 12:13
Simply beautiful, David!
The first shot is a very nice composition with the path coming from the right bottom corner and the rule of thiirds applied.
The second shot is just wonderful lighting.
The first shot is a very nice composition with the path coming from the right bottom corner and the rule of thiirds applied.
The second shot is just wonderful lighting.
Comment by Lance B posted on Cromer, Norfolk, UK. at 31/10/2009 - 01:48
Thank you to both Tim and Emily for your nice commetns on the photo. I have posted a similar image which I didn't use the "post processing technique" on, as requested by you both. Emily, the purple spot on the image was a purple flower. I actually like the composition of this image better as the red rose is in the top left corner rather than next the the yellow rose.
Comment by Lance B posted on Gold Medal Rose/FA77/New PP technique at 31/10/2009 - 01:44
misiek_knm wrote:
So nice and warm, I can almost smell it. Beautiful!
Thank you very much, Michael! So nice and warm, I can almost smell it. Beautiful!
Comment by Lance B posted on Gold Medal Rose/FA77/New PP technique at 31/10/2009 - 01:40
Up to your usual high standard Lance, though I must be missing Something.
Maybe I'm an artistic heathen
But the first two shots are soft and have no detail.
The 3rd shot is I grant you looking good.
I would not buy that lens for f1.2 use.
As other's have suggested, the value of the 50/1.2 is the dreamy wide open performance. By f2/2.8 the lens is really starting to shine as far as sharpness is concerned and bokeh is still quite creamy. It then goes through an area of apertures that the bokeh can be a little bit harsh over about f5.6 or so and then gets better again after f8, but this all depends on camera to subejt disatance and subject to background distance. I think the 50/1.2 is meant to be used at the wide open apertures up to f4 more than apertures over f5.6 and thus would be excellent for portraiture.
f2.5. Superb, IMO. Sharp and nice bokeh.
f8. A little harsh. Sharp, but bokeh suffers.
f4. Not too bad. Sharp and bokeh quite ok.