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Fun with the Pentax K5

limbonaut

Member
Each time I come here I really enjoy all those great images...and I do like the Pentax color.
Some months ago I had sold my K5 because I found the accurancy of the AF not reliable. (too often shots which are slightly front or backfocused)
Now I sometimes miss the camera...and wondered how the overall experience regarding AF. We are 1 or 2 firmware later now, and maybe I just had to bad samples of the camera?
Any comments? Thanks a lot. I might give it another try.

For what its worth, I had 3 early K5's and all had AF issues. I went for the D7000, but ended up not liking the ergonomics and the low shutter speed blur, and skin tones made the AF issue in the K5 seem not as tragic. I decided to take a final stab at a K5 body and was surprised to find that the AF was MUCH better - more accurate and without the consistent FF I was getting with my earlier bodies.

I suspect that either QC got better or its just hit or miss, but I finally have one without the horrible FF so am keeping it for now.

Best of luck.
 

tsjanik

Well-known member
Beautiful image, Tom. But how did you do that ?

Kind regards.
Thanks Bart and Ben. I placed a pan of water in the kitchen sink and opened the faucet to allow about one drop/sec to fall into the pan. The drops fell at such a regular interval that it was possible to time the exposure. I used 30-year-old 50 mm M macro lens and a Pentax 280T flash off camera. Here's another in a different pan. Very shallow depth of water; the very fine scratches in the pan and water are acting as a diffraction grating giving rise to some of the color. Great fun on a winter's evening.

Tom

_IGP6581-1 by tsjanik47, on Flickr
 

MalcolmP

New member
Thanks Roy,cheers Bart.
Of course your K5 could stand up to the powers of nature, but what about you ?
Technically no!,I'm the one kneeling(taken by my mate who joined me a few minutes later)I'm aiming to have dried out by April:)
Malc
 
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tsjanik

Well-known member
Each time I come here I really enjoy all those great images...and I do like the Pentax color.
Some months ago I had sold my K5 because I found the accurancy of the AF not reliable. (too often shots which are slightly front or backfocused)
Now I sometimes miss the camera...and wondered how the overall experience regarding AF. We are 1 or 2 firmware later now, and maybe I just had to bad samples of the camera?
Any comments? Thanks a lot. I might give it another try.
Hi Tom:

I've grown to appreciate the K5 and and I have not had any focus problems. Consistent with Raist's remarks, I should say I use mostly old manual focus lenses on the camera and until recently was mostly a MF film shooter, so I had not become dependent on AF. The two AF lenses I do have do not appear to have any focus problems, but I rarely use them and never wide open.

Tom
 

Knorp

Well-known member
Thanks Bart and Ben. I placed a pan of water in the kitchen sink and opened the faucet to allow about one drop/sec to fall into the pan. The drops fell at such a regular interval that it was possible to time the exposure. I used 30-year-old 50 mm M macro lens and a Pentax 280T flash off camera. Here's another in a different pan. Very shallow depth of water; the very fine scratches in the pan and water are acting as a diffraction grating giving rise to some of the color. Great fun on a winter's evening.

Tom
Hi Tom, thanks for explaining what you did. I should have known that a flash is required. Problem: I have no decent flash that fits Pentax. Still, I'll give it a try one day.

Kind regards.
 

Knorp

Well-known member
Thanks Roy,cheers Bart.

Technically no!,I'm the one kneeling(taken by my mate who joined me a few minutes later)I'm aiming to have dried out by April:)
Malc
:bugeyes: Malcom ! You must be bonkers ...
But I admire your bravery :salute:
:D

All the very best.
 

MalcolmP

New member
Bart,cracking work!
shots 1 and 3 particularly hit the bullseye for me I think they are belters!:thumbs:
Really like the processing ,what did you do? please.
ps.who says the k5 cant handle moving subjects?:LOL:
Regards
Malcolm
 
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raist3d

Well-known member
Knorp- love your first shot quite a bit and the shot of people with reflections. The dog shot is lovely too, the dog looks oh so happy :)

- Raist
 

Knorp

Well-known member
@Jorgen: thank you ! Very nice of you to pop in.

@Malcolm: thanks, but if I have to tell you about the PP then ... :D
I was quite pleased how well the AF could keep up with that doggie.
[about PP: C1 and B/W - Old Look 2 :eek:]

@Ricardo: thank you and happy dogs all around that morning, they love the beach and this little fellow was no exception !

@Bogdan: well you could say it's kind of a disaster for the captain and the shipping company. The crew was unharmed and remained on board.

@Roy: thank you, yes that dog seems to be running on water.
No environmental disaster, I think only the captain lost his credits.
The ship was pulled of the sandbank by two tugs later that afternoon and had surprisingly little damage.

Kind regards.
 
During my lunch hour today I visited Grapevine, Texas to see if any new train related photo-ops might present themselves. I was in luck. The old steam locomotive has been down for repair for almost two years now. The doors of the shed that houses her were open and one of the workmen let me in for a few pictures. Here is one that I really like. Pentax K5 Hand held, f/2.8 1/40s ISO 320 DA* 16-50mm

 

benroy

Subscriber Member
Really impressive, Jim. What's even more impressive, though, is that you shot it with the much maligned 16-50...pleased to see that you are having the same good luck with this lens as Bart and myself.

Roy Benson
 
Really impressive, Jim. What's even more impressive, though, is that you shot it with the much maligned 16-50...pleased to see that you are having the same good luck with this lens as Bart and myself.

Roy Benson
I should have used a tripod.. this was f/2.8 (wide open) and I should have known it would be soft.. also the 1/40s shutter speed did not help.. however; I have reworked the image using a different sharpening technique and it now looks much better.. also used the highlight/shadow adjustment and that made it even better. I'll repost it tonight on my website and possibly here as well.. the shot looks much better than this one.. at least to my eye.

As for the lens.. I've had no issues with it so far.. heard stories of the motor going out but I needed a really good wide angle zoom and wanted to stay with Pentax lenses (that's all I own for the K5: FA 31,43, 77, and the zooms DA* 16-50 and 50-135... also the 35 macro. I do wish I had a faster, longer lens at times but not willing to drop $1K on one at this time.
 

Knorp

Well-known member
Jim, good to see steam is not dead and I hope they get this beauty fully restored in its former glory.
Like you and Roy I too am still pretty pleased with the 16-50.
It's funny, but I noticed that I shoot it or at 16 or at 50, there's very little in between.
So far for a zoom lens ... :eek:

Kind regards.
 
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