All Forum Comments
Comment by RichardDay posted on Software to detect and delete duplicate images at 10/01/2009 - 17:36
Marky wrote:
If Pentax advertised their cameras perhaps some magazines may rate their cameras and lenses a bit better. I mean when was the last time a Canikkon camera or lens got a poor write up??
I suppose the same goes for shops. If Pentax had more of a presence in the likes of Jessops / Currys etc. they may sell more bodies....
I suspect that Pentax don't want to deal with these "high risk" high street stores in these difficult times, especially as I suspect that much of the inventory may be on consignment or very long payment terms. If Pentax advertised their cameras perhaps some magazines may rate their cameras and lenses a bit better. I mean when was the last time a Canikkon camera or lens got a poor write up??
I suppose the same goes for shops. If Pentax had more of a presence in the likes of Jessops / Currys etc. they may sell more bodies....
Spreading the risk over several smaller and much more knowledgeable stores makes much better sense, Pentax seem to really support the independent specialist dealers like SRS and Park, just to name a couple, rather than the "sheds" with ill informed and poorly trained staff (if they are trained at all!).
Comment by RichardDay posted on Canon, Nikon & Sony - a revelation! at 08/01/2009 - 19:01
I've asked Chris at SRS (and Pentax UK) if this item will be available in the UK.
It looks specifically made for Pentax, not as cheap as some of the Ebay items, but looks better designed and made. I would find this a very useful accessory myself.
There is also an excellent (and quite expensive! :shock hand strap available from the USA with an interchangeable quick release plate for most of the popular tripods, also allows for battery removal. link
It looks specifically made for Pentax, not as cheap as some of the Ebay items, but looks better designed and made. I would find this a very useful accessory myself.
There is also an excellent (and quite expensive! :shock hand strap available from the USA with an interchangeable quick release plate for most of the popular tripods, also allows for battery removal. link
Comment by RichardDay posted on Genuine Pentax Leather Hand Strap at 08/01/2009 - 12:56
bladerunneruk wrote:
If it really bothers you I understand this sort of data can be edited in the image file, others may have some suggestions for such editors, I haven't done it myself (yet).
Bladerunner is correct, several Sigma lenses share the same ID in the maker notes and quite often are reported as a Pentax lens!Oggy wrote:
Yup - I was right.
...but one quirk I have noticed, if I open a photo with PhotoMe, it reports the lens as "SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM II", although it does report the correct actual focal length. Any ideas?
sigma lenses are notorious for getting the reference code wrong for pentax cameras, my old sigma 28-200 is reported incorrectly when used on my K10D, just ignore it.Yup - I was right.
...but one quirk I have noticed, if I open a photo with PhotoMe, it reports the lens as "SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM II", although it does report the correct actual focal length. Any ideas?
If it really bothers you I understand this sort of data can be edited in the image file, others may have some suggestions for such editors, I haven't done it myself (yet).
Sigma clone/copy the code for Pentax lenses and then apply it across several of their lenses, I suspect that all their new Pentax HSM lenses will report as the "SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM II", as that was the first HSM Pentax version they released.
I agree that it's annoying.
Comment by RichardDay posted on Sigma 150-500 on a K20D? at 08/01/2009 - 12:10
aminstar wrote:
HI
Does anyone know of any reasonably good software that I could use to start reorganising my pictures as I have reached the stage that I better start it all over again. Like many I have ended with lots of duplicates scattered on my C drive and I had started backing them up on my external one so its all a mess now.
To make matters worse I have a laptop also and wife loads pics in there from her digicam that I have passed on to her. The main pictures which are of common interest and that I find more difficult to organise are the family and the little ones specially, as they are loads and loads of them and now quite a few duplicates.
Now that I have upgraded to DSLR and getting to grips with it I definitely have started separating my lot but its the old ones that I want to streamline and start making some sense with them.
Any suggestions or advice please?
Much appreciated
Amin
You can do no better than IDImager which, IMO, is the best image management software available, it's extremely powerful (which means it can be a bit daunting at first), is very affordable and has one of the finest support forums of any software that I know of. It integrates and works with just about every other program and all the major on-line image hosting services. Fully XMP compliant (bi-directional) and has true versioning support.HI
Does anyone know of any reasonably good software that I could use to start reorganising my pictures as I have reached the stage that I better start it all over again. Like many I have ended with lots of duplicates scattered on my C drive and I had started backing them up on my external one so its all a mess now.
To make matters worse I have a laptop also and wife loads pics in there from her digicam that I have passed on to her. The main pictures which are of common interest and that I find more difficult to organise are the family and the little ones specially, as they are loads and loads of them and now quite a few duplicates.
Now that I have upgraded to DSLR and getting to grips with it I definitely have started separating my lot but its the old ones that I want to streamline and start making some sense with them.
Any suggestions or advice please?
Much appreciated
Amin
Hugely recommended
IDImager - link
Support forum - link
Comparative reviews (2) -
link
link
Testimonial from a Pentax user (not me!)
link
Windows XP & Vista (MAC via Parallels
Comment by RichardDay posted on Software to detect and delete duplicate images at 08/01/2009 - 11:53
You may find this thread on DPR useful as it compares the 150-500, 50-500, 170-500 and the Pentax A*300 + 1.7AF TC http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=30516501
Comment by RichardDay posted on Sigma 150-500 on a K20D? at 03/01/2009 - 19:49
aminstar wrote:
Pete
Now you got me thinking . This is the great feedback I get here from you all, absolutely helpful. With the discount the Pentax 55-300 will set me back £164, and the Tamron 70-300 costs £79 in my local shop. I dont mind paying the little bit extra by going personally into a shop and being well served by the assistant, instead of getting from the internet, unless there is a huge price difference, so it boils to these two. Its £90 difference between these two lenses.
Any suggestions or comments that would tip the scale either way please?
If I am going to get higher quality and the little bit extra from the 55-300 then I certainly dont mind paying that extra £90.
Also my question as a rookie in the field is this: 55-300 and 70-300 how much difference does that 15 make in objective terms please? I knew this was going to be a steep learning curve soI really appreciate your patience.
Thanks
Amin
I had the Tamron 70-300 LD Di before the DA 55-300 was released and it was a convenient and reasonable lens, sharper than the DA 50-200 but not such good colour, it also has quite severe purple fringing, which it is known for. I gave the Tamron to my son for his visit to Japan & New Zealand last year for use with his istD.Pete
Now you got me thinking . This is the great feedback I get here from you all, absolutely helpful. With the discount the Pentax 55-300 will set me back £164, and the Tamron 70-300 costs £79 in my local shop. I dont mind paying the little bit extra by going personally into a shop and being well served by the assistant, instead of getting from the internet, unless there is a huge price difference, so it boils to these two. Its £90 difference between these two lenses.
Any suggestions or comments that would tip the scale either way please?
If I am going to get higher quality and the little bit extra from the 55-300 then I certainly dont mind paying that extra £90.
Also my question as a rookie in the field is this: 55-300 and 70-300 how much difference does that 15 make in objective terms please? I knew this was going to be a steep learning curve soI really appreciate your patience.
Thanks
Amin
I will add that I had an FA*300 f4.5 all the time I had the Tamron and used the FA* whenever I wanted a decent IQ image. I sold the FA*300 as I expected the DA*60-250 to appear in September last year and was hoping to evaluate it before deciding to get it or the DA*300, which I have tried. When it didn't appear, I bought the DA 55-300 and have been immensely pleased with the results, to the extent that I haven't yet been tempted to buy a DA*300 (still waiting to evaluate the 60-250!).
On a scale of 1 to 10 with the DA*300 at 10, I would give the FA*300 a 9.5, the 55-300 a 6.5, and the 50-200 and the Tamron both at 4.0 (for different reasons).
Hope this helps a bit!
Best regards
Comment by RichardDay posted on Pentax 55-300 lense, a wise decision as my second lense? at 02/01/2009 - 16:44
Hi Amin
The DA 55-300 is a superb lens for the money, probably the best "non exotic" performance/value tele-zoom available.
I use mine on my K20D as well as the DA 16-45, they are my standard zooms and go very well together.
Don't forget there is £25 cashback on the 55-300 if you're quick! - link
The DA 55-300 is a superb lens for the money, probably the best "non exotic" performance/value tele-zoom available.
I use mine on my K20D as well as the DA 16-45, they are my standard zooms and go very well together.
Don't forget there is £25 cashback on the 55-300 if you're quick! - link
Comment by RichardDay posted on Pentax 55-300 lense, a wise decision as my second lense? at 02/01/2009 - 11:32
womble wrote:
Hi folks.
I am looking to buy a new tripod. Ideally, I need something sturdy enough to take my 5x4 view camera (see here for that) but also, if possible, flexible enough for very low level macro photos. I used to have a unilock tripod (copy of the Benbo) but one of my team drove his landrover over it...
Any recommendations?
Thanks, Kris.
I used to have a Benbo which was great for flexible positioning, but I hated the single lever locking system and it was also somewhat unstable, especially in high winds, and lacked rigidity.Hi folks.
I am looking to buy a new tripod. Ideally, I need something sturdy enough to take my 5x4 view camera (see here for that) but also, if possible, flexible enough for very low level macro photos. I used to have a unilock tripod (copy of the Benbo) but one of my team drove his landrover over it...
Any recommendations?
Thanks, Kris.
I now use a Gitzo 2220 and find it just as flexible positioning wise.
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It's amazingly stable and rigid and should easily handle your Horseman provided you use a suitably sturdy head.
I use either a Gitzo offset ball head
219&curMarketId=MARKET:MKT1" rel="nofollow" class="outlink" target="blank">link
or a Manfrotto Junior geared head link
I also have heard very good reports about the Feisol range of tripods and heads which is now imported into the UK by Pro Photographer John Nevill. You may want to give them a look. link
Comment by RichardDay posted on tripod at 20/12/2008 - 16:37
womble wrote:
Saw a black one in a shop window the other day. They are TINY! Imagine sticking Richard's A* 300mm on it, it would look very silly...
Or a Bigma! Saw a black one in a shop window the other day. They are TINY! Imagine sticking Richard's A* 300mm on it, it would look very silly...
Comment by RichardDay posted on What is a K2000 at 18/12/2008 - 14:50
HI
Does anyone know of any reasonably good software that I could use to start reorganising my pictures as I have reached the stage that I better start it all over again. Like many I have ended with lots of duplicates scattered on my C drive and I had started backing them up on my external one so its all a mess now.
To make matters worse I have a laptop also and wife loads pics in there from her digicam that I have passed on to her. The main pictures which are of common interest and that I find more difficult to organise are the family and the little ones specially, as they are loads and loads of them and now quite a few duplicates.
Now that I have upgraded to DSLR and getting to grips with it I definitely have started separating my lot but its the old ones that I want to streamline and start making some sense with them.
Any suggestions or advice please?
Much appreciated
Amin
http://www.photools.com/products.php
I have had this on trial and am impressed, has a v.helpful user group too.