All Forum Comments
Comment by misiek_knm posted on Planning to buy a K20D at 22/12/2008 - 22:38
Mongoose wrote:
You've had loads of good advice on cameras and lenses already so I'll leave that subject alone, and offer you what tips I can on Linux photo software.
There are a few of us on here who photo edit in the free (software) world.
I noticed You've had loads of good advice on cameras and lenses already so I'll leave that subject alone, and offer you what tips I can on Linux photo software.
There are a few of us on here who photo edit in the free (software) world.
Quote:
I use the following software and while I don't claim any major expertise, it seems to work for me:
General Editing: GIMP - Whatever distro you're on, you probably already have this. Make sure you get the latest version 2.6. TBH, even on windows I consider GIMP to be the best editor available bar Photoshop CS. Certainly it's the best value for money!!
I also use GIMP (a bit) - I must admit I have to learn a lot, I'm rather beginner in editing pictures.I use the following software and while I don't claim any major expertise, it seems to work for me:
General Editing: GIMP - Whatever distro you're on, you probably already have this. Make sure you get the latest version 2.6. TBH, even on windows I consider GIMP to be the best editor available bar Photoshop CS. Certainly it's the best value for money!!
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RAW photo processing: RAWTherapee - This is closed source, but free in the sense of free beer so one out of two aint bad! If you are a more dedicated free software person, you might like UFRAW which I used until recently and still use for Astronomy since it has a separate dark frame subtraction step.
So probably RAWTherapee won't be available in my distro (Debian), but probably it should be installable anyway RAW photo processing: RAWTherapee - This is closed source, but free in the sense of free beer so one out of two aint bad! If you are a more dedicated free software person, you might like UFRAW which I used until recently and still use for Astronomy since it has a separate dark frame subtraction step.
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Noise Reduction: Neat image under WINE. I used to use Noise Ninja, which is also excellent and is available as a Linux native program, but I lost my license code in a re-format.
Colour Management: ArgyllCMS and a Pantone Huey. Don't underestimate the importance of this if you want to print your pictures or display them on other monitors than your own. I recently replaced my monitor and the difference is amazing.
Thanks for these - didn't know them.Noise Reduction: Neat image under WINE. I used to use Noise Ninja, which is also excellent and is available as a Linux native program, but I lost my license code in a re-format.
Colour Management: ArgyllCMS and a Pantone Huey. Don't underestimate the importance of this if you want to print your pictures or display them on other monitors than your own. I recently replaced my monitor and the difference is amazing.
I also started using KPhotoAlbum to maintain my growing pictures collection - it allows you to tag pictures in many ways, so it's easier to find them later.
Comment by misiek_knm posted on Planning to buy a K20D at 22/12/2008 - 22:34
[quote:3496ace15f="Richdog"]Get 2x 8GB Class 6 Transcend memory cards off of Ebay or Amazon and you are sorted... £20 outlay for oodles of RAW shooting space! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/8GB-SAMSUNG-FLASH-MEMORY-SDHC-HIGH-CAPACITY-CARD-CAMERA_W0...
As for the remote, £7.99 off of Ebay and works perfectly with AF/releasing the shutter ]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/15m-Remote-control-4-Pentax-K10D-K20D-K110D-K200D-Optio_W0...
Thanks, although I have some SD cards in a drawer, well, they are not that fast and 1GB only. I think I need at least one fast 8GB card. And the remote - depends how much money I'll have left
As for the remote, £7.99 off of Ebay and works perfectly with AF/releasing the shutter ]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/15m-Remote-control-4-Pentax-K10D-K20D-K110D-K200D-Optio_W0...
Thanks, although I have some SD cards in a drawer, well, they are not that fast and 1GB only. I think I need at least one fast 8GB card. And the remote - depends how much money I'll have left
Comment by misiek_knm posted on Planning to buy a K20D at 22/12/2008 - 22:06
hefty1 wrote:
For the sake of £30 I'd get one of those 50-200's from Jessops before they're all gone!
And so I did today For the sake of £30 I'd get one of those 50-200's from Jessops before they're all gone!
However the body and the other stuff have to wait till I'll get my payment
Quote:
I'd then get the K20D + 18-55 MkII bundle (£579 - £100 cashback), forget the grip (nice for balancing heavier lenses but not really neccessary with any of those on your list) and buy a Pentax D-FA 100 Macro (£351.36 - £50 cashback) for all the reasons ikillrocknroll states above.
Hmmm, I never used a telephoto macro lens. Is it 150mm telephoto 35mm equivalent with macro 1:1 or do I get it wrong?I'd then get the K20D + 18-55 MkII bundle (£579 - £100 cashback), forget the grip (nice for balancing heavier lenses but not really neccessary with any of those on your list) and buy a Pentax D-FA 100 Macro (£351.36 - £50 cashback) for all the reasons ikillrocknroll states above.
Still, I'm OK with manual focusing (well, I'm not sure how it works on Pentax - how it 'feels'), so maybe I'll look around for some cheaper solution for that. Is it OK to ask here ay further or should I rather go to lenses forum?
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Spend the rest of your money on a spare battery, camera case and a couple of good quality memory cards and start saving your pennies for a tripod. And a flash. And more lenses. And a remote. And... You get the picture.
I know, I'm at the verge of a steep hill Spend the rest of your money on a spare battery, camera case and a couple of good quality memory cards and start saving your pennies for a tripod. And a flash. And more lenses. And a remote. And... You get the picture.
Talking about the other equipment, definitely I'll buy a spare battery - you're right, I won't need the grip (yet). But with the bag - any hints? I'm used to carry a rucksack on my back all the time so that kind of a bag would be fine, but it's not very convenient to get a camera from there. On the other hand any bag I carry on my arm slips down - so I have to keep the straps most of the time.
Comment by misiek_knm posted on Planning to buy a K20D at 22/12/2008 - 21:51
Thanks, yes, I realise the cashback will end in January (and probably prices will go up as well with new stock - at least this I understood from Chris from SRS post on lenses forum), this hurries me up - initially I planned to buy a camera in February.
Hmmm, so what difference I'll really notice between 16-45mm Pentax lens and 18-55mm MkII Pentax lens?
And what about a grip - actually I think you might be right, to save a bit on some expenses now and buy what I'll find I need later.
George,
On the PC side I'm not so worried; I'll just probably invest in another 1TB harddrive and some fast SD card - but this is planned anyway. With software - on my primary PC I use Linux - so have most of the software free. I thought about buying Lightroom but first I have to test if it will work on Linux, then if I really need it. Possibly I can do with software I have available in the distro I use.
ikillrocknroll,
I got used to telephoto lens using the Konica-Minolta (which has up to 420mm 35mm equivalent). I found it really useful ie making pictures of my children playing outdoors (so I don't need to run after them ). I considered even the 55-300mm lens Pentax...
I updated my profile , hopefully it displays my location now - it's Grantham, UK
Hmmm, so what difference I'll really notice between 16-45mm Pentax lens and 18-55mm MkII Pentax lens?
And what about a grip - actually I think you might be right, to save a bit on some expenses now and buy what I'll find I need later.
George,
On the PC side I'm not so worried; I'll just probably invest in another 1TB harddrive and some fast SD card - but this is planned anyway. With software - on my primary PC I use Linux - so have most of the software free. I thought about buying Lightroom but first I have to test if it will work on Linux, then if I really need it. Possibly I can do with software I have available in the distro I use.
ikillrocknroll,
I got used to telephoto lens using the Konica-Minolta (which has up to 420mm 35mm equivalent). I found it really useful ie making pictures of my children playing outdoors (so I don't need to run after them ). I considered even the 55-300mm lens Pentax...
I updated my profile , hopefully it displays my location now - it's Grantham, UK
Comment by misiek_knm posted on Planning to buy a K20D at 22/12/2008 - 00:40
Hello,
I'm rather a 'reader' than a 'writer' kind of user - so I believe this is my first post on the forum - hello all!
I read the forum for a couple of months already and found it really nice and helpful.
Technically I'm not a Pentax user (yet) thus I had not much to say, but I plan to buy my first DSLR very soon (I had a film SLR some years ago, and used my wife's digital Konica Minolta Z6 bridge recently and my daughter's compact Fuji f40fd). After some 'research' and reading forums, I'm convinced to K20D - it's seems to be really good camera, the kind I like, with SR built into the body, fitting nicely in my hands.
I've already learned from the forum that the place to go is SRS so probably soon (after Christmas or in January) I'll order my new camera in there.
However, I cannot really decide on the kit yet. It seems that the body + Pentax 16-45mm Lens + Pentax 50-200mm Lens + grip would be a good starter kit (there's body + 16-45mm Lens + Pentax Grip offer from SRS for £775 and Pentax 50-200mm from Jessops for about £30 (a real bargain I must say)) but then... Is 16-45mm much better than 18-55mm MkII lens? It would go well with 55-300mm set. Considering that I use a camera mostly for family pictures, often going to some old castles, gardens etc, sometimes mountains or seashore. I also do some flowers pictures (macro mode) and pictures on school plays - often without flash, but from a distance (children...). Nothing professional, really (far from the skills). I used my previous SLR years ago, and actually hadn't used many lenses - just fisheye, macro, standard and telephoto and no zoom at all). Now I'm a bit overwhelmed with a choice. I'd prefer Pentax lens, but I really cannot decide which. My budget is up to £1000, but preferably within £800.
Then, recently I read about the new Pentax addon - GPS module. Will it work together with a grip? Or maybe it's better to buy a spare battery instead of the grip? How useful the grip is?
I hope it's not too many questions, I realise it's difficult to advise, and I know I'm a bit excited - my wife already looks at me in a strange way when I start talking about my planned camera but any help is appreciated.
Kind regards,
Michal R. Hoffmann
('wannabie' Pentax user)
I'm rather a 'reader' than a 'writer' kind of user - so I believe this is my first post on the forum - hello all!
I read the forum for a couple of months already and found it really nice and helpful.
Technically I'm not a Pentax user (yet) thus I had not much to say, but I plan to buy my first DSLR very soon (I had a film SLR some years ago, and used my wife's digital Konica Minolta Z6 bridge recently and my daughter's compact Fuji f40fd). After some 'research' and reading forums, I'm convinced to K20D - it's seems to be really good camera, the kind I like, with SR built into the body, fitting nicely in my hands.
I've already learned from the forum that the place to go is SRS so probably soon (after Christmas or in January) I'll order my new camera in there.
However, I cannot really decide on the kit yet. It seems that the body + Pentax 16-45mm Lens + Pentax 50-200mm Lens + grip would be a good starter kit (there's body + 16-45mm Lens + Pentax Grip offer from SRS for £775 and Pentax 50-200mm from Jessops for about £30 (a real bargain I must say)) but then... Is 16-45mm much better than 18-55mm MkII lens? It would go well with 55-300mm set. Considering that I use a camera mostly for family pictures, often going to some old castles, gardens etc, sometimes mountains or seashore. I also do some flowers pictures (macro mode) and pictures on school plays - often without flash, but from a distance (children...). Nothing professional, really (far from the skills). I used my previous SLR years ago, and actually hadn't used many lenses - just fisheye, macro, standard and telephoto and no zoom at all). Now I'm a bit overwhelmed with a choice. I'd prefer Pentax lens, but I really cannot decide which. My budget is up to £1000, but preferably within £800.
Then, recently I read about the new Pentax addon - GPS module. Will it work together with a grip? Or maybe it's better to buy a spare battery instead of the grip? How useful the grip is?
I hope it's not too many questions, I realise it's difficult to advise, and I know I'm a bit excited - my wife already looks at me in a strange way when I start talking about my planned camera but any help is appreciated.
Kind regards,
Michal R. Hoffmann
('wannabie' Pentax user)
Comment by misiek_knm posted on Planning to buy a K20D at 21/12/2008 - 23:49
If you're telling me £8 breaks the bank then I suggest getting anothe rhobby.
Not really, but it may be the 8 quid I do not have after I finished shopping It's a thing I can do without for a month or so.