Photo Sharing: Pentax

[Groucho]

Groucho! I was wondering when you'd show up! Lol, glad you are here!

Is the Robinson photo with the 10-17? I have the 12-24, and am debating now on going wider, but I think I want to stay with the Recatlinear lenses, so the obvious choice is the Sigma 8-16mm, but if I get that would I need to keep the 12-24? But there is no way the Sigma is as sharp.... choices...

Thanks for the welcome! Yes, the treehouse was with the 10-17mm. I don't have an UWA (honestly, I tend to not care for UWA pics very much, and it doesn't help that UWA and HDR seem to go hand in hand a lot of the time!) so that's my only really wide lens. I have heard a lot of good things about the 12-24mm, it would probably be my choice if I was buying an UWA. I don't know much about the 8-16mm but I think I've heard good things, but I'm no authority on UWAs.

You can always defish a fisheye shot and get something pretty close to an UWA.

Groucho:
What lens were you using for your hitchhiking ghost picture? I never thought of taking pictures without flash in the past because my P&S couldn't do it. It might be a whole new world for me at the Magic Kingdom this year. LOL.

Michelle

That was with my ol' Pentax 50mm F1.4. I actually don't use it that much as I think my copy is slightly "off" - it misfocuses slightly; not much but enough that you can sometimes see it when shooting at a very larger aperture like F1.4 or maybe F1.7. I can tweak it in-camera but just haven't gotten around to it. Still, it's a great lens; unfortunately it's not as cheap as it used to be.

Your K-x has very good high ISO performance; you should be able to get a decent hitchhiking ghost picture with it and a reasonably fast (at least F2.8) lens. Put the ISO up to 6,400 or maybe even 12,800 and you should do well.

Here's another shot from the 50mm F1.4, at 12,800.

Pirates of the Caribbean, "hairy leg" pirate and parrot by Groucho Dis, on Flickr

Golf4food, don't feel bad, the K-7 is still a pretty amazing camera! It's just the high ISO performance that isn't up with the latest sensors... other than that, it's still very, very good IMHO. (Mine is up on Craigslist though! )

 

[zackiedawg]

Hey, Pentaxians...I figured I'd come in here and join your party, as an old-time film Pentaxian...I took a few snaps around my neighborhood with my old Pentax K-mount Osawa 28mm F2.8:

ISO1600, 15 seconds, F2.8:

ISO200, F8:

ISO3200, F2.8 handheld...a night blooming plant:

ISO800, 10-seconds, HDR in-camera at 1 stop, aperture at F8 - my house:

This was an unbelievably dark scene - none of this was even visible to the eye - I used the distance scale to estimate focus, stopped down to F8 for additional depth, exposed at 15 seconds using HDR1 and ISO800...then duplicated the exposure twice and blended in screen mode for a 2-stop push to ISO3200 equivalent:

The next day I also brought the Osawa 28mm along while birding so I could snap a few daylight photos with it too - stopped down to F8 in A priority mode at ISO200 - it's a pretty sharp lens:

Surprisingly contrasty too, for an older lens. Of course, it helps that I know where the lens has been and how it's been treated since 1977 - since I'm the original owner!

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Beautiful images!! You have to love some of the old glass!!

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I discovered this display outside a Doctors building. I have no clue as to what it means or what it is. I searched online with no success. It was so out of place and beautiful.

Update:I learned this morning that this is a Thai Spirit House. http://www.thailand.com/travel/historical/historical_shrine.htm


Temple Display2 by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr


Temple Display by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr


Elephant Temple by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr


Temple Zebra by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr

 

[wkrider]

Just a few of the several hundred we took during out cruise...

,

,

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Just took this today with the Sigma 100-300mm @ 300mm


Moon Afternoon by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr

 

[edolyne]

We just got back from Disney and I have a ton of images to process through. Here's one from the flower and garden festival at Epcot.

 

[Golf4food]

Nice, one of my favorite cities!

Really? Makes you pretty rare (or weird) it seems. Lots of people seem to really not like J-ville very much. It's home, though, and I like it well enough.

Golf4food, don't feel bad, the K-7 is still a pretty amazing camera! It's just the high ISO performance that isn't up with the latest sensors... other than that, it's still very, very good IMHO. (Mine is up on Craigslist though! )

Oh, sure. I love everything about it except the high ISO performance. I'd love to upgrade to a K-5... someday...

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Really? Makes you pretty rare (or weird) it seems. Lots of people seem to really not like J-ville very much. It's home, though, and I like it well enough.

I was stationed there back in the 60's (NAS Jax) for training (the Marines used Navy schools). I had two conferences there several years back. I'm a museum member in Chicago and loved the MOSH. I have had good times and memories of the city. Its not that far from all the attractions that northern and central Florida have to offer. Nice city!

 

[disneymomma01]

Hey all of my fellow Pentaxians!! I am in the process of planning my daughters Dream trip granted by the Dream Factory.
I cannot wait to get down there with my K-X!! Hoping to be able to bring back some amazing shots!! The shots I have seen on this thread are AMAZING!! (but what do you expect from a Pentax?!?!)

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Welcome to the thread! I hope you have a great trip and remember to have fun!!

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

A couple from my 2010 WDW trip archive file that I did a little additional PP. I like the results. (From Hall of Presidents)


George Washington 2 by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr


Lincoln by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr

 

[MinnieForMe]

Thanks for the welcome! Yes, the treehouse was with the 10-17mm. I don't have an UWA (honestly, I tend to not care for UWA pics very much, and it doesn't help that UWA and HDR seem to go hand in hand a lot of the time!) so that's my only really wide lens. I have heard a lot of good things about the 12-24mm, it would probably be my choice if I was buying an UWA. I don't know much about the 8-16mm but I think I've heard good things, but I'm no authority on UWAs.

You can always defish a fisheye shot and get something pretty close to an UWA.


That was with my ol' Pentax 50mm F1.4. I actually don't use it that much as I think my copy is slightly "off" - it misfocuses slightly; not much but enough that you can sometimes see it when shooting at a very larger aperture like F1.4 or maybe F1.7. I can tweak it in-camera but just haven't gotten around to it. Still, it's a great lens; unfortunately it's not as cheap as it used to be.

Your K-x has very good high ISO performance; you should be able to get a decent hitchhiking ghost picture with it and a reasonably fast (at least F2.8) lens. Put the ISO up to 6,400 or maybe even 12,800 and you should do well.

Here's another shot from the 50mm F1.4, at 12,800.

Pirates of the Caribbean, "hairy leg" pirate and parrot by Groucho Dis, on Flickr

Golf4food, don't feel bad, the K-7 is still a pretty amazing camera! It's just the high ISO performance that isn't up with the latest sensors... other than that, it's still very, very good IMHO. (Mine is up on Craigslist though! )

I never thought to put my ISO that high. 1600 and I start getting nervous! I'm willing to give it a try! There is no flash photography in the Haunted Mansion so just my f2.8 and a high ISO. Should I take my first shot in manual or do it in AV? I wonder if in AV if it will set my shutter speed high enough to get a clear picture??? How many trips through the Haunted Mansion do you bet it will take me to get the picture? LOL!

 

[ukcatfan]

Michelle, you might want to look at the 35mm f/2.4. I have had it for about a month now and really like it. While I have not had the chance to try it out at WDW, I have to say that it is the fastest focusing lens I have. (DA 18-55mm, DA 50-200mm, FA 50mm f/1.4, A 50mm f/2, and some cheap junk lenses that are not fast at anything!) From everything I have read and can tell, it is basically the more expensive 35mm f/2 in a plastic shell. It is unbelievably lightweight though! Basically I am impressed.

 

[MinnieForMe]

My husband is going to come after you for even suggesting it. LOL. I've purchased four lenses this year and I've only just begun as I keep telling him. He asked what I wanted for Valentine's Day and I said a lens. So, can you suggest a good price for this new baby? I won't have it for this trip but perhaps I'll have it for my next!

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

Love the photos evryone! Keep them coming

 

[ukcatfan]

I'm husband is going to come after you for even suggesting it. LOL. I've purchased four lenses this year and I've only just begun as I keep telling him. He asked what I wanted for Valentine's Day and I said a lens. So, can you suggest a good price for this new baby? I won't have it for this trip but perhaps I'll have it for my next!

I paid $209 from B&H with free shipping.

 

[MinnieForMe]

Wow! That's cheap for a prime. So when will they release a cheap 50 mm prime? I think they are still over $350.00 which seems crazy to me when they were so much cheaper a few years ago.

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

Meet Jack and Dianne, 3 exposure HDR at f 11, Kx, ISO 100 processed with CS5 HDR merge.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

From our last IndyCar race. One of my favorites.


Gold helmet 810 by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr