All Forum Comments
Comment by Mannesty posted on D-FA 100mm Macro at 14/05/2006 - 09:24
Quote:
It may clean the dust, BUT, one thing a vacuum cleaner can produce is huge amounts of static electricity. Shifting all that air produces friction and can result in high static discharges.
Since all digital cameras contain electronic components (and very high density and sensitive ones), personally I would try anything other than a vacuum cleaner
(And yes, I know what I'm talking about - I've been in the electronics inducstry for many years)
Just my 2pence worth
Matt
I know exactly what you mean Matt. Odd then, that the Arctic Butterfly from Visible Dust (which is what I use if the Rocket blower and DR doesn't work)relies on a static charge for it to attract dust away from the sensor.Quote:
No harm done and don't see a reason why a Pentax should be otherwise.
Maybe... maybe not.No harm done and don't see a reason why a Pentax should be otherwise.
It may clean the dust, BUT, one thing a vacuum cleaner can produce is huge amounts of static electricity. Shifting all that air produces friction and can result in high static discharges.
Since all digital cameras contain electronic components (and very high density and sensitive ones), personally I would try anything other than a vacuum cleaner
(And yes, I know what I'm talking about - I've been in the electronics inducstry for many years)
Just my 2pence worth
Matt
Maybe not a high charge but a charge nevertheless.
Regards,
Comment by Mannesty posted on cleaning sensor and focussing screen on DS at 19/09/2007 - 11:22
Not such a daft question. The rocket blower takes in air through a one-way valve at the opposite end to the blower nozzle. The blower nozzle also has a one way valve to prevent dust ingress.
Just out of interest, I bought a small bottle of Eclipse cleaning fluid containing 59ml of methanol. As I'm in Spain for a while I had a look round some of the local stores and found a 500ml bottle of pure methanol (without colourant) for €0.60, about £0.40p. Eclipse, needless to say, is much more expensive. I haven't plucked up the courage to actually use the spanish version yet . . . I'll try it out on something less expensive than my camera's sensor first, just in case.
Just out of interest, I bought a small bottle of Eclipse cleaning fluid containing 59ml of methanol. As I'm in Spain for a while I had a look round some of the local stores and found a 500ml bottle of pure methanol (without colourant) for €0.60, about £0.40p. Eclipse, needless to say, is much more expensive. I haven't plucked up the courage to actually use the spanish version yet . . . I'll try it out on something less expensive than my camera's sensor first, just in case.
Comment by Mannesty posted on cleaning sensor and focussing screen on DS at 16/06/2006 - 13:07
Giottos Rocket blower available from the ephotozine sister site for only £6.99 incl postage (to UK I guess) at http://www.ephotozine.com/shop/cat_21_24.html
Comment by Mannesty posted on cleaning sensor and focussing screen on DS at 13/05/2006 - 19:23
Page 32 of the AF360FGZ manual states that there is no HS synch speed limitation. The higher the shutter speed, the lower the guide number for daylight fill-in flash. Also, the guide number table on page 34 for HS synch shows shutter speeds up to 1/6000th/sec. HS Synch is P-TTL auto and is available in wireless mode.
The camera body works at whatever shutter speed is set on the camera, the flash duration varies between 1/1200th and 1/20000th of a second.
Summarised Extract from the istD manual:
On the istD, HS Synch is available with the AF360FGZ attached to the camera, or in wireless mode in any exposure program other than the green or B settings and only when the shutter speed is set higher than 1/150th.
Both manuals are available from the Pentaximaging web site in high quality PDF form, unlike the truly aweful photocopies of the older gear.
The camera body works at whatever shutter speed is set on the camera, the flash duration varies between 1/1200th and 1/20000th of a second.
Summarised Extract from the istD manual:
On the istD, HS Synch is available with the AF360FGZ attached to the camera, or in wireless mode in any exposure program other than the green or B settings and only when the shutter speed is set higher than 1/150th.
Both manuals are available from the Pentaximaging web site in high quality PDF form, unlike the truly aweful photocopies of the older gear.
Comment by Mannesty posted on High Speed 360FGZ on MZ5n at 14/05/2006 - 08:45
Of the cameras in the MZ/ZX series, only the MZ-S and MZ-6 have High Speed flash Sync.
You might look at the MZ-6. It works well, and in wireless mode, with the AF360FGZ and doesn't have the 'crippled' K mount as the *ist does. You'll probably find the MZ-6 is cheaper too.
Check out the differences at http://kmp.bdimitrov.de/bodies/MZ-ZX/index.html
You might look at the MZ-6. It works well, and in wireless mode, with the AF360FGZ and doesn't have the 'crippled' K mount as the *ist does. You'll probably find the MZ-6 is cheaper too.
Check out the differences at http://kmp.bdimitrov.de/bodies/MZ-ZX/index.html
Comment by Mannesty posted on High Speed 360FGZ on MZ5n at 13/05/2006 - 09:50
Agreed, but I have found a solution. I'm moving to Spain which retains the 'look 'n feel' of shopping areas we once enjoyed. My local ironmonger will sell me one screw, bolt, or nut. I don't have to buy a packet of 20. The small independant trader is still very much in evidence.
Its true that the 'big boys' like IKEA etc are moving in to the larger cities but on the whole, even large towns still have 'proper' shops.
Filling stations don't sell cigarettes, we have specialist tobacconists who keeps cigars in an air conditioned display room. Smoking is no longer PC I know, but it illustrates my point.
Furniture shops will deliver goods for you to try, without paying a penny (centimos). If you like it, you pay, if not, they take it back.
I haven't had the need to visit any photography shops yet but most of those I have seen are from the 'old school' where the shop is a front to a full blown studio. There's no Dixon's or Curry's or PC World where I live. We do have some pretty big Hypermarkets if we need them but we do still have that all important choice if we need a specialist.
Living in spain is not all wonderful, it does have some negatives which I'll not detail here except to say that the negatives are mostly the result of non-spanish immigrants, brits among them.
Its true that the 'big boys' like IKEA etc are moving in to the larger cities but on the whole, even large towns still have 'proper' shops.
Filling stations don't sell cigarettes, we have specialist tobacconists who keeps cigars in an air conditioned display room. Smoking is no longer PC I know, but it illustrates my point.
Furniture shops will deliver goods for you to try, without paying a penny (centimos). If you like it, you pay, if not, they take it back.
I haven't had the need to visit any photography shops yet but most of those I have seen are from the 'old school' where the shop is a front to a full blown studio. There's no Dixon's or Curry's or PC World where I live. We do have some pretty big Hypermarkets if we need them but we do still have that all important choice if we need a specialist.
Living in spain is not all wonderful, it does have some negatives which I'll not detail here except to say that the negatives are mostly the result of non-spanish immigrants, brits among them.
Comment by Mannesty posted on Camera Fairs should be thriving..but are they? at 16/05/2006 - 12:14
Steve,
I totally agree with the points you raise and also sympathise with those people who want, or more still need, professional technical advice, and can't now get that advice easily.
I live in High Wycombe - Buckinghamshire, a town known historically, not only for chairmaking, but for the production of photographic paper with mills dotted all along the river Wye. We used to have a good choice of camera shops in the town, staffed by proper photographers who knew their subject. I think we now have one, Jessops, and the advice available from their staff is limited as they are all youngsters. Youngsters are great because they know everything . . . except anything I ever ask them.
Times is changing. The corner shop is all but gone due to the not so super supermarkets. The small independant petrol retailer is no more.
This next bit is tenuously relevant to this thread. I had an eye test today with those nice people who 'save specs' and supply glasses with Pentax lenses. Whilst I was waiting, an elderley gentleman was asked if he wanted to join the opticians contact lens scheme whereby his new lenses would be posted to him each month.
I smiled when he answered "No thank you, I would miss the opportunity of coming in to speak with you". OK he just wants a chat but it kind of illustrates the point.
So anyway I ordered my new varifocal Pentax Reactions glasses but I haven't a clue if they are ED AF and/or IF. I just hope they use the right sized nose mount.
I totally agree with the points you raise and also sympathise with those people who want, or more still need, professional technical advice, and can't now get that advice easily.
I live in High Wycombe - Buckinghamshire, a town known historically, not only for chairmaking, but for the production of photographic paper with mills dotted all along the river Wye. We used to have a good choice of camera shops in the town, staffed by proper photographers who knew their subject. I think we now have one, Jessops, and the advice available from their staff is limited as they are all youngsters. Youngsters are great because they know everything . . . except anything I ever ask them.
Times is changing. The corner shop is all but gone due to the not so super supermarkets. The small independant petrol retailer is no more.
This next bit is tenuously relevant to this thread. I had an eye test today with those nice people who 'save specs' and supply glasses with Pentax lenses. Whilst I was waiting, an elderley gentleman was asked if he wanted to join the opticians contact lens scheme whereby his new lenses would be posted to him each month.
I smiled when he answered "No thank you, I would miss the opportunity of coming in to speak with you". OK he just wants a chat but it kind of illustrates the point.
So anyway I ordered my new varifocal Pentax Reactions glasses but I haven't a clue if they are ED AF and/or IF. I just hope they use the right sized nose mount.
Comment by Mannesty posted on Camera Fairs should be thriving..but are they? at 15/05/2006 - 15:00
The process is called evolution (or is it revolution).
When newer methods and mediums can prove themselves to be superior to 'the old way', 'the new way' tends to be almost universally adopted and 'the old way' is abandoned to a mere memory leaving us with that 'good old days' syndrome.
I've never been to a camera fair but there seems to be testiment enough in this thread to suggest that the quality of goods to be found at fairs makes it not worth the effort to attend as a seller, let alone as a buyer.
The 'old way' of getting a business letter typed was to submit your hand written scrawl or dictation to one of an army of ladies in the typing pool. Nowadays, we type our own letters, and hands up who knows anybody with a typewriter still in use. Not many hands up, I'll bet. To take that analogy further back in time, I don't imagine many people continued to use a quill pen once the fountain pen had proved itself as a superior and pocketable writing tool.
Truth is, online auctions and ecommerce sites are a convenient way of finding/buying items of interest for sale the world over.
When newer methods and mediums can prove themselves to be superior to 'the old way', 'the new way' tends to be almost universally adopted and 'the old way' is abandoned to a mere memory leaving us with that 'good old days' syndrome.
I've never been to a camera fair but there seems to be testiment enough in this thread to suggest that the quality of goods to be found at fairs makes it not worth the effort to attend as a seller, let alone as a buyer.
The 'old way' of getting a business letter typed was to submit your hand written scrawl or dictation to one of an army of ladies in the typing pool. Nowadays, we type our own letters, and hands up who knows anybody with a typewriter still in use. Not many hands up, I'll bet. To take that analogy further back in time, I don't imagine many people continued to use a quill pen once the fountain pen had proved itself as a superior and pocketable writing tool.
Truth is, online auctions and ecommerce sites are a convenient way of finding/buying items of interest for sale the world over.
Comment by Mannesty posted on Camera Fairs should be thriving..but are they? at 15/05/2006 - 00:16
View Expodisc details at http://www.expodisc.com/
They're not cheap and you'd need several to cover all common lens sizes, or a bundle of adapter rings.
Besides, what would we find to do in the evenings if we didn't spend it colour correcting the days shooting.
I use a neat little card that came free with Scott Kelby's book "The Photoshop CS book for digital photographers". I think there's a CS2 version as well. The card is divided into three, one third each of black, grey, and white. You just shoot a pic in the prevailing light conditions and save it as the reference for the rest of the shoot. Works well for me and best of all its free . . . well you ignore the fact that the book costs £30.99 . . . don't you?
They're not cheap and you'd need several to cover all common lens sizes, or a bundle of adapter rings.
Besides, what would we find to do in the evenings if we didn't spend it colour correcting the days shooting.
I use a neat little card that came free with Scott Kelby's book "The Photoshop CS book for digital photographers". I think there's a CS2 version as well. The card is divided into three, one third each of black, grey, and white. You just shoot a pic in the prevailing light conditions and save it as the reference for the rest of the shoot. Works well for me and best of all its free . . . well you ignore the fact that the book costs £30.99 . . . don't you?
Comment by Mannesty posted on No change using polariser - does Ist DS compensate for it at 13/05/2006 - 15:58
Does anybody have any experience, comments, or criticisms of the SMC Pentax D-FA 100mm Macro 1:2.8 lens. I have the F series equivalent and am wondering if a switch to the 'digital' version would have much benefit. Apart from the 'digital' coating I noticed that this lens has a 49mm filter thread as opposed to 58mm on the F, and I think the FA series lens.