All Forum Comments
Comment by womble posted on AP and Pentax at 13/11/2020 - 21:06
Grrrr... just got a film back that I had set to ISO 80 on the camera but turns out it was ISO 400! How very annoying. [Rollei Retro 80S v. Rollei Retro 400S]
Comment by womble posted on Another pointless thread at 13/11/2020 - 14:13
Jonathan-Mac wrote:
Two of the reasons that I tend to post more on the US Pentax fora than here are that (a) there is a bigger and more active film community and (b) the film section is brand agnostic. Pentax doesn't make film cameras anymore, and thus discussing other makes doesn't impact current sales etc. I'm making quite a few pinhole images these days, but cannot show anyone here, for example, let alone pictures taken with my 1950s folders! On the other hand, I avoid the digital / news / rumors sections as some of the discussions there get unpleasantly acrimonious and largely I have read it all before here and elsewhere (the why doesn't Pentax do this or that arguments interspersed by comments from the doom merchants).JAK wrote:
We all make mistakes! But aren't you on the wrong forum?
Not at all. I won't ask here for any help with it if I have questions but I think it's fair to comment I bought it. I might even get a glassless adapter to use my Pentax M42 lenses on it, as I only have the 50mm.We all make mistakes! But aren't you on the wrong forum?
K.
Comment by womble posted on What's your latest acquisition? at 13/11/2020 - 10:05
I finally got a reply.
Quote:
Hi Kris,
Sorry it has taken so long to get round to replying to your email.
I'm not entirely sure what you mean by our attitude to Pentax. I can only assume that your complaint is the same as that of the last two Pentax users who wrote in: that we don't mention Pentax often enough. This is mainly because we tend to mention a brand either in our news and reviews sections when they release a new product, or in our features section when a featured photographer happens to use it - whether that be an amateur sending in a portfolio, a photo competition finalist or a pro interview.
The problem here is that in the last five years Pentax has released just four new camera bodies. To provide some context, in the same time frame, Canon has released 26 interchangeable-lens cameras, Fujifilm 20, Nikon 13, Olympus 10, Panasonic 15, and Sony 14. Even Leica has managed eight. In the last two years, which might be considered a better measure of a brand's health, Pentax has released a grand total of zero new cameras. It has announced six new lenses, but two are mildly tweaked versions of old designs, two are rebadged Tamrons, and two are Tokinas at massively inflated prices. If you look in our Buyers Guide you will see that those cameras that Pentax has produced have scored very well in our reviews. Three of them scored 4.5 stars, one scored four stars.
As for mentions elsewhere in the magazine the problem is that very few photographers out there are using Pentax. Their UK market share is below 1%. I'm fairly confident that if, for example, you were to do an audit of every shortlisted image in all the main photo competitions WIldlife/Landscape/Travel Photographer of the Year, Sony World Photography Awards etc you would find that out of that list of 200-300 images you'd be able to count the number of them shot on Pentax cameras on one hand. (These competitions are all judged blind by the way nobody has the time or the inclination to spend hours trawling through all the entries weeding out all the pictures taken on Pentax, and why would they? )
Unfortunately the interview that the CEO of Ricoh recently gave in which he said that Mirrorless cameras are a fad and people will go back to DSLRs is so ludicrous and delusional that it will go down in the global photo industry as one of the comedy moments of 2020. This doesnt bode well for the future of Pentax, I'm afraid.
It's a great shame, and I would love for Pentax to make a comeback, and not just because the Pentax LX was my first serious camera. It simply isn't in my or AP's interest for there to be a dwindling number of camera brands. That's less product to write about, and less advertising revenue.
Regards,
Nigel Atherton, Editor
Hi Kris,
Sorry it has taken so long to get round to replying to your email.
I'm not entirely sure what you mean by our attitude to Pentax. I can only assume that your complaint is the same as that of the last two Pentax users who wrote in: that we don't mention Pentax often enough. This is mainly because we tend to mention a brand either in our news and reviews sections when they release a new product, or in our features section when a featured photographer happens to use it - whether that be an amateur sending in a portfolio, a photo competition finalist or a pro interview.
The problem here is that in the last five years Pentax has released just four new camera bodies. To provide some context, in the same time frame, Canon has released 26 interchangeable-lens cameras, Fujifilm 20, Nikon 13, Olympus 10, Panasonic 15, and Sony 14. Even Leica has managed eight. In the last two years, which might be considered a better measure of a brand's health, Pentax has released a grand total of zero new cameras. It has announced six new lenses, but two are mildly tweaked versions of old designs, two are rebadged Tamrons, and two are Tokinas at massively inflated prices. If you look in our Buyers Guide you will see that those cameras that Pentax has produced have scored very well in our reviews. Three of them scored 4.5 stars, one scored four stars.
As for mentions elsewhere in the magazine the problem is that very few photographers out there are using Pentax. Their UK market share is below 1%. I'm fairly confident that if, for example, you were to do an audit of every shortlisted image in all the main photo competitions WIldlife/Landscape/Travel Photographer of the Year, Sony World Photography Awards etc you would find that out of that list of 200-300 images you'd be able to count the number of them shot on Pentax cameras on one hand. (These competitions are all judged blind by the way nobody has the time or the inclination to spend hours trawling through all the entries weeding out all the pictures taken on Pentax, and why would they? )
Unfortunately the interview that the CEO of Ricoh recently gave in which he said that Mirrorless cameras are a fad and people will go back to DSLRs is so ludicrous and delusional that it will go down in the global photo industry as one of the comedy moments of 2020. This doesnt bode well for the future of Pentax, I'm afraid.
It's a great shame, and I would love for Pentax to make a comeback, and not just because the Pentax LX was my first serious camera. It simply isn't in my or AP's interest for there to be a dwindling number of camera brands. That's less product to write about, and less advertising revenue.
Regards,
Nigel Atherton, Editor
Comment by womble posted on AP and Pentax at 12/11/2020 - 11:10
LennyBloke wrote:
The MX is such a good value camera - I'm still amazed at K1000's and KM's selling for more money - sounds a pretty good price and a little tinkering and cleaning you may well have a stunner
I've never understood the premium prices people pay for a K1000. It's the photographic equivalent of wearing a hair shirt... The KM usually sells for less, and has a some extra (but useful) features like the self timer. I can understand that some prefer the KX to the MX when they find the latter too small, but £200+ for a K1000 is just madness.The MX is such a good value camera - I'm still amazed at K1000's and KM's selling for more money - sounds a pretty good price and a little tinkering and cleaning you may well have a stunner
Comment by womble posted on What's your latest acquisition? at 11/11/2020 - 21:27
I never did get around to listing it so here is a bump. There are one or two nice (i.e., expensive) lenses on offer at the moment so I'd love to sell this one...
Any questions, send me a PM.
Any questions, send me a PM.
Comment by womble posted on FS: SMC Pentax 28mm shift lens. at 08/11/2020 - 14:36
RobL wrote:
There is only one reason to convert from colour to black and white and that is if colour distracts from the subject or perhaps fails to add anything...
With the greatest respect, I really couldn't disagree more with this statement. I have many monochrome shots where there is no particularly distracting colour (and a fair number where a converted colour in BW does). Choosing a monochrome image should be based on the what image you want to create, and is not just a way of avoiding colour clashes or jazzing-up an otherwise dull image. I also know that (almost) every book/article I have read talks about previsualising the image in one or the other, but I have found that some images I thought in the field would work well in colour worked better in BW and vice versa. I have also found that the same basic image can be turned into impactful (and often very different feeling) image in both colour and monochrome. The tractor image here is one such. One could emphasise the rust and peeling paint (colour) or its abandonment in the landscape (BW). There is only one reason to convert from colour to black and white and that is if colour distracts from the subject or perhaps fails to add anything...
Coming back to the images here. BW will tolerate (and often needs) much higher contrast than colour. Don't be afraid to crush the blacks or have areas very close to white. One excellent way to look at different effects is to find a copy of the old free Silver Efex Pro 2 from Nik software (you can still download the free version if you search for it). There, you can scroll through a wide series of presets to see the impact of different processing choices, and then tweak the preset you chose with various options including film simulations, filters, vignetting, burning in the edges and so on.
Best wishes, Kris.
Comment by womble posted on Breaking new ground at 06/11/2020 - 15:48
All lovely but +1 for the gate handle.
Comment by womble posted on A walk in the park at 04/11/2020 - 10:56
If you're prepared to split there are one or two things I'd be interested in...
Comment by womble posted on FS: Film cameras (2), Lenses (7) and some 35mm film to feed. at 03/11/2020 - 18:36
Camera Rescue are pretty good but are based in Finland and thus a bit pricey. They are training-up a new generation of camera repair techs and aim to have rescued 100,000 film cameras by the end of the year. Amazing bunch.
I have two 6x6 folders I use regularly (an Agfa Isolette II and a Zeiss Ikon Nettar) and I have a Kershaw Raven 6x9 folder being serviced as we speak (including being fitted with new custom made bellows). My Moscow 5 6x9 folder is a bit soft and I rarely use it. My Yashica Mat 124G sees some use, more since I had it serviced, and I have had some lovely shots from my Lubitel II (if slightly random due to the inability to see much through the viewfinder. Perhaps my most used medium format camera is my Ondu multiformat pinhole camera. Not much to go wrong with that other than user error (mostly accidental double exposures).
If you want eye-watering, look at the prices a Kershaw Peregrine sells for...
I have two 6x6 folders I use regularly (an Agfa Isolette II and a Zeiss Ikon Nettar) and I have a Kershaw Raven 6x9 folder being serviced as we speak (including being fitted with new custom made bellows). My Moscow 5 6x9 folder is a bit soft and I rarely use it. My Yashica Mat 124G sees some use, more since I had it serviced, and I have had some lovely shots from my Lubitel II (if slightly random due to the inability to see much through the viewfinder. Perhaps my most used medium format camera is my Ondu multiformat pinhole camera. Not much to go wrong with that other than user error (mostly accidental double exposures).
If you want eye-watering, look at the prices a Kershaw Peregrine sells for...
Comment by womble posted on Why so expensive! at 03/11/2020 - 18:34
So I too stopped reading AP years ago but I think Nigel athertons response is reasonable and understandable. In fact I am impressed he responded in such detail. I have been using Pentax for over 25 years in k mount, 645 and 67 and love the quality but would have to admit disappointment at the lack of new models being released. It is striking how many new models the competitors have released. I would love to see a plethora of new models in both k mount and medium format but until that happens his criticisms seem pretty fair and the focus of AP on other brands is dare I say it appropriate. At the end of the day the camera is just a tool. Who cares what brand people use. Its the image that counts.