I have films dating back as far as January that I am finally getting around to posting. These first few are all with the mz6, 50mm 1.7 and ektar 100

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Ronnie I am so glad it is you to respond first because one of the photos that you cited as being "better" has been shortlisted for a fairly respected local competition - and I took it with a Q!




That aside I think the epiphany is very real to me. The last two years of shooting has been the best in 15 years.

As time goes on in my photographic journey I have come to realise as an active photographer; that is to say someone who takes photos EVERY day that the final image and its very content is the most important thing and NOT how I got there.
Like many people I have lusted after big expensive cameras and the best of glass but I wish I could go back now to my younger self and say "just take photos" or "time lusting after cameras is time wasted taking photos"
The other day when I was shooting some stranger portraits I happened across a guy who was only too happy to show me his latest Canon 5d mk4 and the host of glass that he had to accompany it. When I meet these kind of photographers I always ask the same "Wow, you must print really big - I wish I could get massive poster prints with my ----- insert camera name" However the photographer looked baffled (as they all do) and replied "oh no I only post on social media and look at the pics on my comp"

I hear this all the time and it makes you wonder - Why the *£$D do we lust after bigger sensors, better lenses with better bokeh when at the end of the day it only serves to please us and not a picture editor at a magazine or even the holier than thou people at magnum?

I'm bringing this up because I have recently dusted off my 18 55 kit lens and started to shoot everything with it again like I did many moons ago - even before shooting pentax.

Initially I thought, " I should really be using my mint film lenses or if only I could use a lower ISO right now....

What I am trying to say is that WE are the thing preventing us from shooting great images and even though I have shot compacts and film cameras in pursuit of artistic nirvana I still get hampered now and again by the "if only i had this or that gear"

The people at SRS wont like me saying this.... lol

BUT let me save you decades of time, shoot with what you have and to hell with K1's and FA 77's

cheers lads

thanks v much guys. well chuffed with the 18 55 kit lens on these outings. might look into the tamron or sigma range zooms for the extra stops

All taken with the k5 kit with a combo of kit lens and k 30,mm 2,.8 (one with the q)

as always thanks for any comments. have to say using digital was a great change over film for a change but not so much a fan of sitting for ages editing



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k5 and k 30 2.8

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k5 and k 30 2.8

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k5 and kit lens

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k5 kit lens

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k5 kit lens

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k5 kit lens

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k5 kit lens

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k5 kit lens

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Q and 01 lens

i really like these too.

1 4 9 are really nice

I keep meaning to try this caper

I am thinking of selling my SIGMA 150 500 - although probably mad because its a great lens!

If you have the talent and skill you can get around the "slow autofocus" of the pentax systems. I have been standing taking photos of flying birds that Canon 7D shooters with 400mm F5.6 (THE holy grail of birding lenses I might add) MISS shots.

I have photographed many lively animals and the K-5 and siggy have always done the job for me just fine

I messed around with HDR for a couple of weeks and decided it was bloody awful. The only time I "liked" it was when doing indoor church shots or low light abandoned buildings. That being said HDR is getting better with the advance in editing techniques.

As for how I processed it? Download Photomatix - just bracket 3 5 or 7 shots and toss them into that program

Job done

Hi Ron

I am in the hunt for the Q7 or QS1 believe me! And I couldnt agree more about the Q body - its a marvelous piece of engineering. As regards the Q's future it doesnt look likely that it will continue; certainly in its current guise.