Pentax More User Friendly???

[erik_skipit]

I was shooting in the mountains,a waterfall....Had my tri-pod set up...And i was this guy shooting the same falls

free hand...I knew by when i metered there was no way he had enough light to shoot it free hand....So i said

something to him asking his settings...He said he had no clue,first camera,just got it and was shooting in a program

mode....So i told him a few things about shooting and offered him the use of my tri-pod for a shot or two and

explained using a slow shutter speed for shooting waterfalls...

 

I took his camera to set it up for him and i was so lost...I just simply could not find the ISO settings or much

else...Now when i got my Pentax my first ever digital...i turned it on and right away found the ISo and other

settings...Super simple....Canon set ups dont seem to be as easy to navigate nor does the Nikon cameras i have

seen..

 

Is this just me or can anyone else relate to this?....Pentax just seems more user friendly...<div></div>

[jgredline]

Erik, That is one of your nicer images I have seen. The falls have a bluish tint to them that works well for me. I also like the greens...Bravo.

[nicholas_fiduccia1]

Hi Eric,

 

I was expecting to find Jordan somewhere in you picture, but didn't. :( Nice one!

 

Yes, Pentax cameras are very easy to use. The next time that you want to shoot a falls and cannot shoot slow enough, try

one of my favorite techniques. Do a multi-exposure (say three shots same exposure) on a tripod, of course, and the camera

will combine those three shots into one photo. This technique actually increases dynamic range by lowering noise which

helps prevent the highlights from getting blown out. But wait, there's more (!), on a K20D, after you set up the camera to

take the multiple exposure, hit the function button and set the camera to take a 2-second delay. Then, just hit the shutter

button and after a 2-second delay, all 3 of your shots will be taken with just one-push of the shutter. Oh, make sure you

enable "one-push bracketing feature" before you do this. Enjoy! And, thank you for sharing your picture.

 

Nick

[nicholas_fiduccia1]

Opps. Sorry Erik, I misspelled your first name in my last post. Just call me Nic. :)

 

Nick

[erik_skipit]

Thanks Nick...That sounds a little too much like a HDR image which i stay away from...But thanks...

 

And heres your picture of Jordan...Sorry to let you down...<div></div>

[beerbrain_ronny_perry]

As a Pentax AND Canon user if you dont know the menu system of each camera it is difficult no matter which camera you use to navigate the user interface. I use a Canon 40D ,& 20D and Pentax DSLRs and find that the Canon thumb wheel and index finger two wheel system very effective and easy to use(dont know about the Rebel system wont use it), as is my K100D easy to change ISO, also the 40D has a "Highlight Tone Priority" setting that really helps hold blown highlights detail ,which would work well in the waterfall photo you posted to keep detail in the white highlights . Would like to see this setting on the next generation of Pentax cameras.

[personalphotos]

That's good info Nic :) and the image below is a combination of 4 images done the way you describe. The fountain

has 5 different light banks (G,B,Y,R,W) that each set changes so the waterfall is all red for 2 seconds then

yellow for 2 seconds and so on. So I did as you decribed and the camera created the image. It's not an HDR at

all. Just a combination shot. I think the camera does a far better job than HDR or layer combination in PS plus

there's no tone mapping or blown parts of the exposure. It would take a lot of work to balance the exposures in PS.

 

As for the topic at hand, I've tried a couple of Nikon and Canon bodies. Each has a distinct way of working and

the Canon 'wheel' is a good interface. I like the ergonomics of the Pentax system and fine a K10/K20 *istD a fast

setup (2 wheels) than something like the 40D. These cameras are packed with so many settings and features, that

they all require some setup. Plus it's not fair to compare a brand new model with a *IstD series camera. The

older camera has quitte a few features but is much more basic than today's bodies. Much easier to navigate.

 

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