All Forum Comments
Comment by petercf posted on Lens Selection Help! at 28/03/2013 - 08:10
Peter Jones key investor and drive behind a new and smaller Jessops on the High street and online launches his flagship store today and the new offering - BBC breakfast interview shows him in-store with guess what a Pentax display behind him.
Comment by petercf posted on Pentax returns to Jessops at 28/03/2013 - 08:04
Having been heavily into underwater photography a while back, mainly video but also have 2 underwater stills cameras - one digital and one film, some comments from experience:
- go for a wide angle prime, eg 20mm on film, or 12 to 16mm on digital. You want to minimise the distance between you and the object you are photographing, distance equates to loss of light and definition (particles in the water). I have used 10x zoom on video but the loss of quality through the column of water that now exists between you and the object means a loss of quality and colour.
- for 10 to 30ft in the Caribbean, 10 to 20ft in the Red Sea then you don't need flash unless the object is in a dark under hang
- for greater than 30ft consider a red filter (you will need different filters for Red Sea v Caribbean because of the differing amount of sun penetrating the water), though at 40 to 50ft its into a transition to flash
- for greater than 40ft go for flash if you can a) get close enough b) its just dark
- don't use flash if the object is much more than 6ft away, you'll pick up particles and scatter in the water
and as they say, while a leak will most probably kill the camera a) its much cheaper than the housing and b) most times the SD will be okay and you'll get to keep the pictures.
Peter
- go for a wide angle prime, eg 20mm on film, or 12 to 16mm on digital. You want to minimise the distance between you and the object you are photographing, distance equates to loss of light and definition (particles in the water). I have used 10x zoom on video but the loss of quality through the column of water that now exists between you and the object means a loss of quality and colour.
- for 10 to 30ft in the Caribbean, 10 to 20ft in the Red Sea then you don't need flash unless the object is in a dark under hang
- for greater than 30ft consider a red filter (you will need different filters for Red Sea v Caribbean because of the differing amount of sun penetrating the water), though at 40 to 50ft its into a transition to flash
- for greater than 40ft go for flash if you can a) get close enough b) its just dark
- don't use flash if the object is much more than 6ft away, you'll pick up particles and scatter in the water
and as they say, while a leak will most probably kill the camera a) its much cheaper than the housing and b) most times the SD will be okay and you'll get to keep the pictures.
Peter
Comment by petercf posted on Underwater Photography at 02/10/2010 - 00:01
Mike-P wrote:
AF Lenses: 10mm-500mm
That's a big range for a zoom?AF Lenses: 10mm-500mm
Peter
Comment by petercf posted on How waterproof? at 07/04/2010 - 22:24
John,
Thats an interesting take on zoom lenses - have just tried it with 2 pairs of bin's and they work fine.
So is this a feature of current digital only zooms or present in older analog designs? I would have thought that a Canon (sorry) 100-300mm F2.8 would hold focus start to finish, else there are going to be a bunch of out of work photographers.
Peter
Thats an interesting take on zoom lenses - have just tried it with 2 pairs of bin's and they work fine.
So is this a feature of current digital only zooms or present in older analog designs? I would have thought that a Canon (sorry) 100-300mm F2.8 would hold focus start to finish, else there are going to be a bunch of out of work photographers.
Peter
johnriley wrote:
This is actually a bad idea these days as many zooms do not hold focus when we zoom. Technically, they are not true zooms, but variable focal length lenses.
The kit lens will show this very clearly - focus at one length and then zoom, watching how the image blurs.
This is actually a bad idea these days as many zooms do not hold focus when we zoom. Technically, they are not true zooms, but variable focal length lenses.
The kit lens will show this very clearly - focus at one length and then zoom, watching how the image blurs.
Comment by petercf posted on Focus adustment on a K10D at 04/04/2010 - 23:17
MCI wrote:
Reading this thread inspired me to have a go at my K10D this week. I have been bugged for a while now by the fact that my 16-45 would rarely lock on focus with distant shots at wide angle. I kept having to zoom in a bit, lock focus then zoom back out. Not had chance to test the full extent of the adjustment yet but it certainly seems to have cured this issue with the focus lock on the wide angle.
Ian
That is always good practice for focusing and most binocular users are used ti this way of working.Reading this thread inspired me to have a go at my K10D this week. I have been bugged for a while now by the fact that my 16-45 would rarely lock on focus with distant shots at wide angle. I kept having to zoom in a bit, lock focus then zoom back out. Not had chance to test the full extent of the adjustment yet but it certainly seems to have cured this issue with the focus lock on the wide angle.
Ian
Comment by petercf posted on Focus adustment on a K10D at 30/03/2010 - 23:18
Certainly dont see any reason to get rid of my old K and M series lenses. 200mm/F4 is still good, even with a 2x converter.
I have a 55mm/F2 which is now superb for portrait work.
Peter
I have a 55mm/F2 which is now superb for portrait work.
Peter
Comment by petercf posted on "K" series lenses at 24/01/2010 - 22:58
Thanks and will have it sent for next week
Peter
Peter
Comment by petercf posted on Last chance for CASHBACK 15 January 2010 at 15/01/2010 - 01:34
Don't forget there is still the Pentax Cashback offer, so you can take £50 off of the SRS or Park Cameras price.
Comment by petercf posted on Ridiculous Flash Gun Prices... at 09/01/2010 - 21:52
Tried it on some Xmas Dinner shots at local restaurant - glad I went for the extra power for bouncing off of ceiling etc, it gives a wide spread at distance which is needed when using a 16-50 at wide setting.
Now need to set up wireless mode etc and have some fun.
Peter
Now need to set up wireless mode etc and have some fun.
Peter
Comment by petercf posted on Xmas arrived - have new AF540FGZ at 29/12/2009 - 16:16
This advice is Golden... to anybody with wedding experience. If you could only take 1 lense to capture the entire day, formal and candid shots.... What would it be?