Hi Matt,

what's the noise reduction like? I shot some haloween pictures the other evening at a disco in low light* with a SMC-M 50mm f2 @ both ISO 800 and 3200. I cleaned them up with Neat Image, but as it's only the demo version it reduces a 35mb tiff down to change out of 1mb

I tried the noise reduction with the Pentax Lab 3 just now, and that's made by SilkyPix, so perhaps it's the same set of rules?? I don't really use that at the moment, so it was a bit of a rushed guess

I'll probably stick with my current workflow if PB 3 does the job with noise, especially as GIMP makes saturation so simple with 6 colour channels to play around with.

Cheers

Liam

*Very low light indeed. Just the disco lights, so near darkness for some. I just ran round testing dark stuff and it works.. and no red eye. I had to run out quickly and couldn't find my little af200. I didn't want to use the hammerheads at a disco.. I might get mistaken for a pro or the emoticon :ROFLMAO:

Other benefit being no redeye to sort out.. everyone over 18 was drinking lots, and the iris just gives up with alchohol, even with RE reduction.. hence a drunk's sensitivity to bright light. Handy hint for people shooting weddings etc.

Hi all,

thought this might be of some use..

http://travel.howstuffworks.com/autofocus3.htm

might get someone a better picture if speed is of the essence..

Also, where it mentions a horizontal sensor strip, on the DSLRs Pentax use horizontal and vertical sensors arranged in crosses (9 per focus point.. I think) to do this.

Cheers

Liam

Hi Dexter,

it wasn't my post to start with..

I can't comment on either lens as I haven't used them, but just thought I'd explain the drop in available light while using a TC. Apologies if I've been teaching Granny to suck eggs, as t'were.

Hopefully the info will be of use to someone. Made my brain hurt at that time of the morning..

Cheers

Liam

Hi Dexter,

re the focussing; if you use, say an f4 lens on it's own, you will get x amount of light reaching the sensor, and therefore the viewfinder regardless of the aperture at which you wish to take the picture at eventually. This is because the aperture won't change (ie the blades don't close up) until you press the shutter release. If you put a 2x converter on, you effectively add 2 stops to the aperture. As this is a physical 2 stops with the glass of the converter being between the body and the lens, this limits the light reaching both the sensor and the viewfinder.

f4 + 2 stops is f8. Set the camera up (using the f4 lens, or any for that matter, just adjust the following accordingly) with an aperture of f8 without a converter and use the DOF switch. You'll see how much darker the view through the viewfinder is. With the converter on, that will be as bright a view as you'll ever get. Fine on a bright sunny day, with a fast lens, but for some it may be more difficult the darker the day is.

For 7.30 in the morning that's as technical as I can muster..

Cheers

Liam

On the plus side though, I don't think that you'd have to worry about locking the mirror before taking a shot.. I can't see it moving with a 10g bit of glass flipping up.

Do you know any sites with images taken with it?

Cheers

Liam

Hi,

yes.. 2 thousand mm..

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pentax-SMC-M-Reflex-Lens-2000mm-F13-5_W0QQitemZ32003315658...

That'll be a 3000mm equivalent on a DSLR.

I've not seen one of these before. Thought it may be of interest if nothing else.

Cheers

Liam

Glad to hear it,

Cheers

Liam

You're welcome dmcl, I assume it's all fixed now??

We'll get you through any problems you may get in the future.. there's some very knowledgable folk here!! Don't forget to stay around and maybe post the odd picture..

Cheers

Liam

Hi dmcl, and welcome to the forum,

I've just had a look around the net, and apparently you will be in "green mode", to get this. Press the "quick Button" next to the zoom button, and it should switch off the lock (called the Key mark apparently) icon.

Let us know how you get on.

EDIT. sorry, forgot the link to the info..

http://www.pentax.ca/digital/digital_ps/optios5n/faq.php

9th question up from the bottom; has a picture of the lcd display incorporated.

Cheers

Liam

Hi Mark, and welcome to the forum.

I can't comment on your problem, but as far as using rechargeables, it's fine. The problem comes when using some models of CRV3 rechargeables (that's the battery that looks like 2 AAs taped together), where the initial voltage is too high for the camera, and in some circumstances can cause damage.

This problem doesn't exist when using AA rechargeables. I'd definitely recommend them, as you can comfortably get upwards of 7-800 pictures off a full charge, compared with maybe 50-80 from standard alkalines. They don't cost anymore either.. around £1 a cell for Uniross 2500mAH for instance. Two sets and a charger, and they've paid for themselves by the time your first set runs flat.

Someone will come along and sort your main problem out soon though.

Cheers

Liam