Hi Guys,
I am letting you know because I have been around for a long time, and maybe some of you are interested...

I am selling one of my K10 bodies (My Backup Body), together with the 18-55 Mark II (NEW never used)

The listing is on ebay because I could not be bothered arguing with people about offers and prices.
The link to the listing is below - there is a moderate reserve if you need more info, please pm me.

I will only be tempted to end the auction early with a very good offer.
The condition of the camera is excellent - with 9500 shutters - protective screens over LCD and top plate - no marks on the body - original packaging - all original accessories.


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pentax-K10D-Pentax-DA-18-55mm-MARK-II-Lens_W0QQitemZ190293...


(I just realised that I don't know how to post links....

Hello there,
New studio setup, this is a shoot for the model's promo portfolio

What do you think? any comments?
3 Flashes (Lastolite Ezybox - 2 Umbrellas - Snoots) reflectors - on a K10d and various lenses.

[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/3.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/4.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/6.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/5.jpg[/IMG]

Hello there

I've seen a lot of posts re. the sharpness of the mythical pentax 60-250 - and none had images on.
I also went to SRS the other day, and I made sure to try all the lenses on MY camera rather than the ones on display, so that I could find some results at home...

This is NOT a scientific test - the benchmark is the very reliable sign across the road from SRS - and the shots are all handheld, from marginally different positions, inside the shop.

I will post 4 photos per lens - at minimum and maximum focal lenght - I couldn't shoot at all f-stops, and tried to get results at the widest possible - because this was my interest.

Planning to buy a telephoto I tried these 3 lenses. My comments are in another post where I described my feelings re the 60-250 - so no need to repeat here.

I must say that although I am not posting photos here, the most impressive lens I have tried in the last 3 years is definitely the DA* 300 mm - this is incredibly sharp, and absolutely stunning IQ -

And now, lets get going.


Pentax 60-250 f4 - PRE-PRODUCTION

Pentax 60-250 - 60mm f5.6 1/125 -
[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Pentax60-250-60mm-f56-1_125.jpg[/IMG]

Pentax 60-250 - 60mm f5.6 1/125 - 100% crop
[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Pentax60-250-60mm-f56-1_125100Crop.jpg[/IMG]


I didn't shoot at 250mm and f4 cause the results were aweful - I looked for sharpness, and honestly, this is the best I could get.


Pentax 60-250 - 250mm - f14 - 1/50 - holding onto something -
[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Pentax60-250-250mm-f14-1_50.jpg[/IMG]

Pentax 60-250 - 250mm - f14 - 1/50 - 100% crop holding onto something - [IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Pentax60-250-250mm-f14-1_50-100crop.jpg[/IMG]


And now the 50-135 f2.8

Pentax 50-135 - 50mm - f3.5 - 1/500 -
[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Pentax50-135-50mm-f35-1_500-.jpg[/IMG]

Pentax 50-135 - 50mm - f3.5 - 1/500 - 100% crop
[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Pentax50-135-50mm-f35-1_500-100Crop.jpg[/IMG]

Pentax 50-135 - 135mm - f2.8 - 1/500 -
[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Pentax50-135-135mm-f28-1_500.jpg[/IMG]

Pentax 50-135 - 135mm - f2.8 - 1/500 - 100% Crop
[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Pentax50-135-135mm-f28-1_500-100Cro.jpg[/IMG]


And finally, the Tamron 70-200 f2.8

Tamron 70-200 - 70mm - f2.8 - 1/500 -
[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Tamron70-200-70mm-f28-1_500-.jpg[/IMG]

Tamron 70-200 - 70mm - f2.8 - 1/500 -100% Crop
[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Tamron70-200-70mm-f28-1_500-100crop.jpg[/IMG]

Tamron 70-200 - 200mm - f2.8 - 1/500 -
[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Tamron70-200-2000mm-f28-1_500.jpg[/IMG]

Tamron 70-200 - 200mm - f2.8 - 1/500 -100% Crop
[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Tamron70-200-2000mm-f28-1_500-100cr.jpg[/IMG]


Tamron 70-200 - 200mm - f7.1 (sweet...) - 1/100 -
[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Tamron70-200-200mm-f71-1_100.jpg[/IMG]

Tamron 70-200 - 200mm - f7.1 (sweet...) - 1/100 - 100% Crop
[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Tamron70-200-200mm-f71-1_100-100cro.jpg[/IMG]



I am planning to buy the Tamron, mainy because its longer than the 50-135, and seems to be very very close in IQ - the results at f2.8 are incredible IMO - and the sharpness stopped down make it a real competitor in this market. And the price......

I wonder how much better than the pre-production the 60-250 real samples will be. I will not be considering this lens because of its extending barrel, F4, IQ, but mainly, price.

Hope this helps,

Nathan

Hello!
IT was a really nice day yesterday!

Ahh I had so much fun, and I met one of you... but profile pics are not common around here, and although we talked plenty, we didn't introduce ourselves - nice to meet you anyway!

Thanks to Chris for the great show, it was really fun.

I have finally made my decisions re. pentax LBA, i'm in need of a long-ish lens, and was really looking forward to the 60-250, mainly because the 50-135 is simply too short to be interesting.

- 50-135 great lens, not too big, constant f2.8, doesn't extend and is therefore very very discrete.
- Seen the 60-250 f4. Its =huge, and very very heavy. It extends at the long zoom end by at least half its lenght, and its a bit like holding up the bigma. f4 is not too fast, and as much as pentax keep on pretending that those are pre-production copies (2 of them) it is really not sharp. at any focal length, and even at f5.6 or higher. I will wait until the official ones come out in april (hopefully) but cannot believe that it will improve much - and its still really big and heavy.
- the 55mm f1.4 ltd is FANTASTIC - asbsolutely amazing bookeh, and really quick focus. great lens if you don't have the 50mm.

- I think i have fallen in love with the Tamron 70-200 f2.8. Sharp, solid, not too fat, not too heavy, perfect focal length, and really really good. I've compared it to the 50-135 and it showed the same sharpness at all focal lengths (obviously only measuring on the sign outside SRS) and its longer, and much much cheaper than the other 2.

What a happy relaxing day, and again, thanks to Chris for hosting!

I just did the exact same purchase as you intend on doing.

- 2 brollies + flash brackets from HK - great value, seems quite a good product.
- 2 Lighting stands from the UK, about £25 with postage. Lightweight, not for heavy equipment, but absolutely perfect for the umbrellas.
- The only expensive piece of equipment I bought is the Lastolite Ezybox 60x60 which is absolutely amazing. Incredible quality, and results beyond belief. £110 from calumet. Definitely something to add if you don't already own a softbox - much much better than the umbrellas.

If you would like the links on each product please let me know.

Nathan

YES ITS A BRILLIANT IDEA.

Yet, this is the OP
"I don't know if this has been discussed before (couldn't find it by searching the forum), but there's an interesting article I came across about building a DIY ring flash." -

And therefore my answer.

Nothing was said in the OP about fiber 'optics'.

Regards

You are not very good at searching the forum...

https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/RIngflash---D-9848

Allright!!!

First of all, I took inspiration and some guidance from this guy’s guide, posted below.

I simplified the process and used

- ONly 1 hard plastic Tupperware – making sure the lid is transparent or at least opaque.
- Cardboard
- Tape
- Gloss printing paper
- A Cylinder of diameter bigger than 8.5 cm, made of hard plastic.

These were the initial ingredients!
I realised that it was going to be hard to buy a cylinder with those properties and I didn’t find any plumbing stores nearby, therefore I bought a toilet brush – and cylinder holder which was perfectly hard enough and long enough for my purpose. (obviously about 9 cm in diameter)

The Tupperware has to be quite large, I find that if the central hole is 9 cm, it has to be at least 16 cm in diameter. As for the depth, mine is too big, and 8-10 cm in depth would be enough.


You make a whole through the bottom and lid of the Tupperware of the size of the cylinder you have - I did this with a strong cutter and the help of a lighter's fire... - make the whole smooth enough, and when you’re done, check that the cylinder goes through but is tightly fit.

Cut the cylinder in the length of the Tupperware (or a bit more to be sure) and make sure it fits around your bigger lens...

Make a hole a bit bigger than the flash head in the side of the Tupperware. Then find some cardboard, and fit it around the flash head tightly, and tape the extremities to the inside of the Tupperware.

I used gloss paper for the inside, cause foil seemed too complicated. Cut various sheets of gloss paper and attach them to the inside of the bowl, and the outside of the cylinder. Use at least 2 layers, otherwise the light will ‘escape’ through the paper.

Fit the flash tightly, then the cylinder in the Tupperware, and close the lid!

I use a wired remote release (£10) and clamp the whole thing under the camera on the tripod.

It works a treat!!!

[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/ringflashDIY.jpg[/IMG]

Nope Iphoto does not open RAW files - (I don't have it anymore, so I am not 100% sure, but almost)

Photoshop is a huge piece of software, perhaps, if you are a beginner, you might want to go for Elements 7 - which provides with a great package for about £70.

I run photoshop, and its not the best for RAW conversion, but still, the best at everything else!

Regards

Well well,

I've been thinking of buying a ringflash since the new products have been made available from metz, sigma, pentax.....

The ideal use for me is portraiture and studio work (both of which are really slow at the moment...) therefore the P-ttl functions were not incredibly important.

Well, I decided to look for cheaper options, and today, after much thinking, I built my own ringflash - I am happy to report that it works a treat, its very stable, it works with every lens (apart from lenses that are too long and wide in diameter that wouldn't need it anyway!) - Cost - £9

This has been a really fun little project, so photos coming up!
Q & C welcome

Sorry I haven't been around for a while, my pc can't post on the forum, and the mac's not mine and very busy atm...

Nathan

Freestanding with Pttl wired trigger and clamp -

[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Ringflash1.jpg[/IMG]

K10 with 16-50mm - the Flash is the Jessops 300afd

[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Ringflash2.jpg[/IMG]

f22 1/4 sec. In action!
[IMG]http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u332/nathanever82/Ringflash3.jpg[/IMG]


Photos coming up soon
For info on how to build one, just ask!!!