vuk_vuksanovic Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 gentlemen. <br><br> i've just picked up a pentax DSLR and have two weeks to decide if it's worth keeping. ideally, i'd like to try a 50mm f/1.4, but could only find one in very bad shape and not worth buying. <br><br> <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Axya">clear here and read what started it all</a> <br><br> cheers,<br> vuk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael s. Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Enjoy it, Vuk.<p><p> Actually, on this forum, the favorable talk about that unpronounceable camera may have gotten its start <a href=http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=007PMT>nearly a year ago, here</a>. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vuk_vuksanovic Posted February 4, 2005 Author Share Posted February 4, 2005 thanks michael, but i'm going to need a lens first! i certainly didn't take that awful zoom with the body. marc williams, eh? what do they say about great minds? ;-) cheers, vuk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gib Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Hi Vuk, I have a Super Takumar 50mm f1.4, has a slight tint, but if you have been reading on the Pentax forum, you probably have seen the sunshine cure. You will need an M42 Pentax K/M adapter to mount this on the Pentax DSLR. I use the m42 lenses with this adapter on the PZ-1. If this is the kind of Pentax 50 fl.4 you are looking for, reply on this thread. My email listed here is no longer active. I am 100 miles north of Toronto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_scheitrowsky1 Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Where abouts in Toronto are you? I'm in Uxbridge about 1/2 hour north of Markham and work in Markham. I have a 50mm f2 K mount Pentax lens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulstenquist Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Hi Vuk, I shoot with the Pentax *istD. In fact, it was my camera that Marc sampled last year. I am extremely pleased with the results. The best workflow is to shoot RAW and then convert in Photoshop CS. You'll have to get the latest RAW converter plug in from the Adobe web site. But this gives you very good control and very nice images. You can convert to a 144 meg, 16 bit file. They print beautifully on an Epson 2200 or other wide carriage inkjet at 11 x 17 after an 8-bit conversion. Most of the Pentax 50mm lenses are very good. You will get full function with the FA 50/1.4, the FA 50/1.7, the F 501.4 or the F 50/1.7. These are all autofocus lenses. Great optics, with the 1.4 versions being somewhat superior. The A 50/1.2,1.4,1.7 and 2.0 will all give you full metering capability with manual focus. The 1.2 is very pricey, the others are quite affordable. The 2.0 is a steal for right around fifty bucks. The SMC Pentax 50/1.4 is a great optic, but will only give you manual center weighted metering. The screwmount lenses require an adapter, as noted above. There are better options in the bayonet mount lenses, even if you don't want to spend a lot. The new DA 16-45/4 zoom is a superb lens. It sells for around $350 street price, but has gotten some rave reviews. I use it extensively. It's very sharp at every stop with minimal barrel distortion and CA. I love it. Here's a shot with that lens: http://www.photo.net/photo/2841998 The *istD is a very nice camera. One of the best kept secretss in digital photography. Enjoy. Paul Stenquist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donald_macklin Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 I agree Paul.I'll be buying mine when the new pancake lens comes out this month.This Nikon D70 I have owned for the past 5 months has not exceeded my expectations,despite what the critics have proclaimed.Judging from other peoples results,and my own experiments,the Pentax will.The istD is the most Leica like DSLR at this point in time.And I don't care if anyone agrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulstenquist Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 The *istD is now out of production, but it's still available on ebay. Pentax has released the *istDS, which is a less expensive camera. The viewfinder is still great. The LCD is actually a bit larger, and the buffer has more volume and is a bit faster. However, you can't use the additional battery grip, and some control functions have been eliminated. It's meant to be a competitor for the Canon 300D. The word on the street is that Pentax will be releasing a new higher resolution DSLR soon. There's no verification of that, but it seems like a natural. However, as I said, the *istD can still be found new, and the *istDS, which is actually slightly smaller, is available for less than $1000. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donald_macklin Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Well then!Thanks for the heads up, Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gib Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 just a side note: istDS takes SD rather than CF, I have considered getting one, but havent, the minor strike against being that I can't use my CF cards already purchased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new hampshire john Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Vuk - If you find that you've got more than a couple of weeks to review it, lmk and I'll send up an SMC-A 50/1.4 for you to borrow if you cover the postage each way. I sometimes use this over the F-series 50/1.7 (which is AF and very nice in itself) just because the manual focus is so nice -- and between the no-sound focusing and the low-sound exposure, it becomes a nice, compact, quiet DSLR -- but it has a lot to recommend it as a general purpose lens anyway, and has great "character" and boke, in Leica terms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donald_macklin Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Vuk you cheap swine,spend a dime to get the lens you want instead of wasting peoples' time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 The original Super Takumar f1.4 screw mount lens is not the same as present Pentax lenses. It is strangely a lens the most resembling a 50mm Summicron M-mount, IN Images it produces. True one needs an adapter. It is totally manual. No auto to stop down of apertures.. For all that, its a magnificent lens. I got mine used, not for sale, at Henry's Off sale on Queen St,Toronto, for $10.00. Go wild! Go see if they have more.. A recent interview with Pentax folk, stated to build and sell the equivilant lens today, would be around US$1200.00! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lance_blackburn Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Paul Stenquist , feb 04, 2005; 09:26 p.m. Paul, you wrote : "The *istD is now out of production, but it's still available on ebay. Pentax has released the *istDS, which is a less expensive camera." Are you sure about this? I have not heard that the *ist D has stopped production. I frequent other forums and talk to other D/DS owners and no one has heard this. Where did you hear this? Vuk, I really do hope you do get an SMC A, F or FA 50mm f1.4 to try out on the *ist D so as you can see how good these lenses are. Better still a 31mm f1.8 limited as this is more the "standard" perspective for an *ist D/DS. I have two versions of the SMC 50mm f1.4, the A and the FA versions. The A is a manual focus and the FA is an auto focus and they are optically the same. I had the FA version first and the only reason I bought the A version was because I like the manual focus feel of the Pentax A lens series. I have 9 Pentax primes and one zoom and they all deliver excellent results. Good hunting for a decent 50mm f1.4 and I hope you like the D. The new digital system may take a bit of mastering and getting used to as I had first found, but once you get the hang of it the results from the D can be superb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulstenquist Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 There have been a number of reports on the PDML (Pentax Discuss Mailing Lists) indicating that no more *istD cameras will be produced. However, it will continue to be sold until existing stock is gone. This probably won't take long. That's not unusual for a digital SLR. Pentax is probably gearing up for the next iteration. The *istDS will continue as the price leader. In terms of image quality, it is the equal of the *istD. It offers some pluses and a few minuses, mainly in terms of advanced control functions. Most Pentax watchers expect a new DSLR within the year. I've heard guesses ranging from an 8 megapixel camera with a sensor sized the same as the current models up to a 12 megapixel with a 35mm size sensor. No one seems to have any real information. Meanwhile, those remaining *istD cameras are a very good buy. I own two and I'm ver pleased with their performance. Paul Stenquist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vuk_vuksanovic Posted February 5, 2005 Author Share Posted February 5, 2005 wj, the M42 mount lenses cause somewhat of an issue because the aperture engage/release is not mechanically controlled. hence, that version of the lens is not one i would ultimately buy, but thank you very much for the offer. i'm pretty sure i'll find something over the next few days, but if not... frank. i'm really after the f/1.4, because that's what people have been talking about and the lens i'm likely to purchase if this all wokrs out. thanks anyhow! everyone. i have picked up a 28mm f/2.8 t try and if that happens works out, then no problem. vuk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vuk_vuksanovic Posted February 5, 2005 Author Share Posted February 5, 2005 gentlemen. <br><br> here are some quick snapshots from a brief walk around the 'hood this morning: <br><br> <a href="http://www3.sympatico.ca/qstatistic/new/nfw.htm">click here for pentax pics</a> <br><br> they were taken in raw mode and i've just noticed an article at how crap the pentax conversion is--indeed, things did appear a touch jaggedy at full size, but then again, i am used to film. <br><br> vuk. <br><br> p.s. one thing that's for sure right now: the camera is an absolute delight to use! (probably even better once i get over my reflex to advance the film after each shot ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael s. Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Very good start, Vuk! Let's see more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vuk_vuksanovic Posted February 5, 2005 Author Share Posted February 5, 2005 michael. <br><br> here's one more (i will do better in the next few days, once i push some work out of the way and have time to shoot properly): <br><br><br><br> <center> <table cellpadding=66 cellspacing=66> <tr bgcolor="000000"> <td align=center valign=center height=1 width=1> <table cellpadding=25 cellspacing=25> <tr bgcolor="FFFFFF"> <td align=center valign=center height=1 width=1> <img src="http://www3.sympatico.ca/qstatistic/new/IMGP0024-mini.jpg"> <br><br> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </center> <br><br><br><br> vuk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry_rory Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Lets compare. Nikon D70 with 50mm AF f/1.4D lens and roughly on the wavelength of your (very nice) shots.....<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry_rory Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 ___<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry_rory Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 ====<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vuk_vuksanovic Posted February 5, 2005 Author Share Posted February 5, 2005 trevor. <br><br> you've got ickly gloopy stuff in the first shot! <br><br> toguh to compare unless shooting the excat samse this. here a pic taken years ago with the oympus e-10 that's a lot better than any of my pentax pics from this morning, even there would be no argument from anyone the camera isn't as good: <br><br> <center> <table cellpadding=66 cellspacing=66> <tr bgcolor="000000"> <td align=center valign=center height=1 width=1> <table cellpadding=25 cellspacing=25> <tr bgcolor="FFFFFF"> <td align=center valign=center height=1 width=1> <img src="http://www.avzine.com/vuk/g05/LockOnBlue.jpg"> <br><br> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </center> <br><br> vuk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vuk_vuksanovic Posted February 5, 2005 Author Share Posted February 5, 2005 trevor. you are cropping your pictures!!! dear god, on the leica forum too. we are going to have to demote you back to first grade if you keep this up. vuk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry_rory Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Yeh I crop sorry :-( In penance here is a recent (barely cropped) Summicron 50/2 shot with Agfa Ultra 100....<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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