POTW 5/12/2013

<p>You guys must all be making mom breakfast in bed this morning? <br>

I guess I'll kick this off!<br>

This is one from a hike I went on last week. I shot some brackets and finally got around to buying the Nik plugin collection a few days ago. So here's a HDR I put together with 5 exposures with my Rokinon fisheye on the K-5 and HDR Efx Pro. This is the Gunnison River as it heads into the Black Canyon. <br>

<a title="IMGP9681_HDR by MattB.net, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7329/8724333827_89d4476d0f_z.jpg" alt="IMGP9681_HDR" width="640" height="424" /></a><br>

.<br>

The next two are from yesterday's bike rides (went on two). It was a beautiful day and I love it when the peaks are snowy like this. Next it just needs to green up a bit more in the valley which should be happening soon. <br>

K-5 & 18-135<br>

<a title="IMGP9868-Edit by MattB.net, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7418/8730728468_d0e53ac2b3_z.jpg" alt="IMGP9868-Edit" width="424" height="640" /></a><br>

.<br>

<a title="IMGP9902-Edit by MattB.net, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7284/8730729640_6b3737b21c_z.jpg" alt="IMGP9902-Edit" width="640" height="424" /></a></p>

<p>What a high quality start Matt, thanks.<br>

My first one is an overview of "Stein am Rhein", a small village next to the border from Switzerland to Germany at the river rhine where I spent some days with a friend. </p>

<div></div>

<p>Paint it ....</p><div></div>

<p>dog meeting with "Rica"</p><div></div>

<p>a last one at "Stein am Rhein"</p><div></div>

<p>Had a nice rainbow the other day, at one time it was a double, but by the time I got to a place where I could see it without trees in the way you could only partially see the second one.</p><div></div>

<p>Ladies slippers starting to bloom</p><div></div>

<p>while doing a little botanizing was looking around a site of heart-leaved twayblade for photo ops and found 2 three leafers, but of course both weren't very photogenic plants and this one was inbetween two downed trees and it was impossible to use the tripod, but at least I got a "proof of find" photo. For those unfamiliar these are really small plants, a big one may reach 6 inches with gnat or mosquito sized flowers, not easy to find or photo and when you do find a site it's nerve wracking moving around and trying to photograph without crushing any plants, this is getting long winded but its a hobby of mine and I pretty excited, Doug will understand.</p><div></div>

<p>Robert,<br>

Are the Ram's Head Orchids going to be blooming soon?<br>

I went south to Brown County State Park this week, seeing what I could find. The best find of the day was a pair of Northern Copperheads mating. They were pretty laid back, but the lighting was terrible, mid-day and very harsh. What I had to do was to set my timer and basically run behind them and shade them as best as I could. I can't say I've ever had a better behaved snake subject.<br>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17305572-md.jpg" alt="" /><br>

Norther Copperheads, Pentax K7, 100mm f2.8 DA macro at ISO 200, f16.<br>

At the same area there were a couple of nice birds too.</p>

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17305632-md.jpg" alt="" width="485" height="680" /><br>

Pileated Woodpecker, Pentax K7, 600mm f5.6 ISO 800.<br>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17305633-md.jpg" alt="" width="680" height="468" /><br>

White Crowned Sparrow, same as above.</p>

<p>Matt, the lead-off is great. Here's a few flower pics, now that spring has grudgingly arrived:</p><div></div>

<p>Markus, "paint it" is quite fun.</p><div></div>

<p>Douglas, of course the snakes were well behaved! They had other things on their minds... :-)</p>

<p> First one was with DA35 macro, last two with FA31. Morning latte from my daughter to her mother (with help):</p><div></div>

<p>Here is a photo taken with my new Pentax K-5IIs. with Pentax DA * 55mm sdm lens. Definitely sharper detail in a shade setting.</p><div></div>

<p>The old port in Old Montreal.</p><div></div>

<p>Strolling in the rain in Old Montreal.</p><div></div>

<p>Kathy S,</p>

<p>What was your previous camera? In the absence of a full frame body I am giving serious consideration of the KIIs. </p>

<p>Tulips in bloom at Jardin Botanique, Montreal.</p><div></div>

<p>Doug, no sites for Ram's head in WV that I know of, my "orchiding" is pretty much confinded to my immediate area .</p>

<p>I love all them outdoors-photographs here</p>

<p><img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/dorus/sized_IMGP1500_zps122517f3.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="662" /><br>

= spring, extremely</p>

<p><img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/dorus/sized_IMGP1034_tonemapped001_zps0c5e92e5.jpg" alt="" /><br>

= these windmills aren't what they used to be....</p>

<p><img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/dorus/sized_IMGP2033001_zps77de3a76.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="662" /><br>

= finished my plate. momma !</p>

<p>Doug, My previous camera is a Pentax K-5 which I am keeping for backup. The new lens I used (Pentax DA *55 sdm) may also be a factor in terms of sharpness but I can't be sure as it has only been used on the Pentax K-5IIs.</p><div></div>

<p>I got to play around with the DA 55 in a store in Osaka. That is one fun lens to use. Since I already have the 77mm f1.8 limited and a plethora of 50mm normals (1.4 A, 1.7 A, 2.0 A, 1.4 Super Takumar, 50mm f2.8 F macro) I couldn't justify getting the lens.<br>

Up to now my backup has been the K10D, which I mostly use in the lab. The K10D though has 'issues' and my K7 is showing signs of 'issues' so I've been thinking about upgrading. With all the talk of full frame I was hoping that it was more than rumors, but the K5IIs seems a worthy upgrade, especially if it has useful high ISOs (I can't really use the K7 above ISO 800).</p>

<p>Doug, I had the K20D and it is very grainy at ISO of 3200. I only see that level of grain with the K-5IIs at ISO of 6400. </p><div></div>

<p>Some nice shots here.<br>

This one is from a Pentax 6x7 taken about 10 years ago with the 90-180 zoom. Barrel Cacti-<br /> <img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/6848848383_788bb9b83f_b.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Lovely start Matt, and the rest aren't too shabby either :-)<br>

A few from the past for me..</p><div></div>

<p>All shot with the K5 and various lenses</p><div></div>