Lilly,
The camera profile is never stored in the camera anyway

Profiles are usually available only for the mainstream cameras. Phase One include simple profiles for most DSLRs, and probably will include a K10D when they support it. Magne Neilsen (From etcetera) did his own profiles for main cameras - in fact I used his Nikon D100 profile for the *ist-D and *ist-DS which produced some very nice colours in Capture One.

To be perfectly honest, you don't really need a camera profile unless you are trying to get bang on colour reproduction for product photography and scientific uses etc.

Silkypix provides a very fine level of control over the colour from the K10D (and all others for that matter). I find it's more a case of playing around to try and get a particular "look" for a set of images.

Hope that helps!!
Matt

Sounds a very interesting idea Ben
Matt

Liam,
Very sad news
Second hand MZ5 for £75 with warranty from http://www.mxv.co.uk/pentaxaf.asp

Other places worth checking out: www.ffordes.co.uk and www.lcegroup.co.uk
HTH!
Matt

For flash guns, I'd say it's probably the Pentax AF360-FGZ (the AF540 is mighty expensive).

Park Cameras have them at £160. SRS Microsystems are extremely helpful and have them at £159 - but it's worth talking to Chris there...

As far as tutorials go, have a look at the sister site - www.ephotozine.com
There are plenty of tips and guides in the "Techniques" section ( http://www.ephotozine.com/techniques/ )

No doubt someone can point you to plenty of other good web sites too

Matt

If your existing dedicated module supports A and M flash modes then that's all you can get for the DSLRs. You can then use the camera in "A" or "M" modes.

(TTL is not supported, except on the *ist-D and *ist-Ds)

Matt

Odd that the title says "2.8/300mm" but the description says "5.6/400mm"


EDIT: They're selling a 2.8/200 and 5.6/400 as well... must have slipped when replicating the ebay items.

Matt

Will,
Well I must be just plain lazy

I usually guess which ND to use, slot it in, and shoot. Then check the LCD and histogram (very useful with the K10D and the flashing highlights) - if it's wrong I adjust the ND and shoot again.

But then I usually have the rest of the family telling me to get a move on and keep up with the rest...

Matt

Mongoose,
There appear to be two trains of thought going on here...

1. Use an ND Graduated filter. Metering - use evaluative unless you're feeling adventurous

2. Use HDR and combine multiple shots. This is what I was suggesting with the Drive button - you can select 3 or 5 shots that are 2Ev apart. Use a tripod, and preferably use RAW. I've successfully done HDR by:

a. Processing each RAW file with no exposure adjustments in Silkypix, output to 16-bit TIFF
b. Use Artizen to combine the 5 TIFF files into a 32-bit HDR file
c. Then I used Photoshop CS2 to tone map back down to 16-bit RGB

(Artizen copes with image variations much, much better than CS2. And I didn't tone map in Artizen because I haven't bought the license... yet )

There's a third way too which is fine for a lot of images:
3. Take a single shot in RAW - expose to try and reduce blown out highlights (but you don't want too much shadow either). The K10D copes with this very, very well.
a. Then, process twice in the RAW convertor - once for the highlights, second for the shadows.
b. Bring both images into Photoshop, and arrange as two layers.
c. Add a "hide all" layer mask on the top layer
d. Pick the gradient tool, with "Foreground to transparent" as the gradient, choose white and select 25% opacity
e. Now brush in the "grad" on the layer mask and the two layers will be combined


HTH,
Matt

Terrible HDR image as the first image... There's plenty of information on good HDR on the ePhotozine forums

Exposing correctly for HDR can be a right pain - and you can't easily do it with the camera on the tripod (that's where a quick release plate helps!). However, the K10D can do 5 frames at 2Ev intervals which is very helpful.

The feature is located on the "Drive mode" button (top left on the back). Use the thumb and finger wheels to move to bracket mode and then choose the number and interval (with the front and back dials) when you're in that mode.

Blending the exposures can be tricky, and the current software won't always get it right. Artizen is one of the most full featured packages, and reasonably priced (unlike Photomatix you can choose from a variety of tone mapping operators).

It's still often a lot easier just to use a straight ND grad - and the evaluative metering generally gets it right. A set of Cokin P ND grads are reasonably priced in a pack from Speed Graphic ( www.speedgraphic.co.uk ), e.g. http://www.speedgraphic.co.uk/prod.asp?i=3376&1=Cokin+P+ND+Graduated+Kit
(They also do a Cokin Z-Pro kit that fits the Lee Foundation system )

HDR is another (long winded) thread entirely....

Matt

Oh dear... here we go (again)...

Seem like we have more of the "If only the camera designers would think out of the box then I'd start making decent images with their gear" kind of thinking.

Yes, new sensor technology is interesting, but only up to a point

Let's not squabble over technology - go and make some great images with what you've already got

Matt