darryn_richter1

I'd appreciate a little help from the forum. I am going to purchase a tripod -

binocular adaptor so that I can mount my binoculars.

 

To do this I need the relevent attachment from the Pentax binoculars to the

tripod. I have that under control. However I can't seem to work out WHICH

Manfrotto plate I need to purchase. The Manfrotto website indicates a "Standard

Quick Release Plate", however thare is also reference to a number of different

serial numbers.

 

I plan to purchase though B&H or Adorama.

 

So, all I need to know is - What is the part number or any other identifying

name etc that will get me plate, just the same as the one on my tripod, whihc is

a 190XPROB with Head 804RC2.

 

Thanking you all in advance.

 

Cheers.

You could practice the K1000 mirror lockup technique. Take the film out of your camera, activate the shutter with film advance lever, and give the (here's the bit that takes practice) shutter release a light rap with the end of your index finger. Too light on the shutter nothing happens, too heavy on the shutter and BOTH mirror and shutter activate, just right is when the mirror flips up and the shutter doesn't release. With a bit of practice, you'll get it right every time. Seems to be good for landsacpes when you are using a tripod.

Yes. I have both, and it works well.

 

I think the prerequisites are -

 

1) The flash and camera are on the same channel (in the manual)

 

2) The FLASH is set to wireless

 

3) The CAMERA is set to wireless

 

4) You have an appropriate lens (Won't work with K, M (and others I think)

 

5) The camera can "see" the flash

 

6) The pop-up flash is popped (I always forget that bit and can't work out why nothing happens. It always takes me two duiffed shots before it twigs.

 

If I've missed a step, someone else will chip in I'm sure.

 

Cheers

I agree with Justin, perhaps from a different perspective. Purchasing high quality primes from the 35mm era will be a nice investment when (if??) Pentax relase a full frame sensor. I hope it is inevitable! Camera companies will always find new ways to sepaarte us from our hard earned, and it is my opinion that the next logical step is a full frame DSLR.

 

You will by then hopefully have a nice suite of primes that will cover the APS and 35mm sensors. I can't belive how cheap the FA 50/1.4 primes are going for on eBay, regardles of the sensor size, they are a bargain. Just my two cents worth.

Thankyou Bruce & Charles, much obliged!

This lens has an "A" setting, marked in white the aperture ring. Just ensure that the aperture ring is set to this position (top dead centre), to allow the K10D to operate effectively in the majority of modes.

The "A" position refers to the LENS setting on the aperture ring, On Pentax lenses it is usually green, and you need to push the little button next to it, to get it into position. When engaged, the gren "A" should be top dead centre of the camera, and aling perfectly with an orange diamond marker on (my SMC-A) lens. Not sure about FA of F lenses in regard to these markings.

http://www.takinami.com/yoshihiko/photo/lens_test/pentax_normal.html

 

 

 

 

F5.6 - F11 seems to be the sharpest for the normal lens.

 

This site has other lens tests as well.

 

Cheers

I just tried mine in manual. The grip operates the same as the camera, front for shutter speed, rear for aperture. Maybe that's not the answer you were hoping for. I did this in manual, with a AF zoom, in A position. If you take in out of the a position, the rear wheels do nothing. Are you in the "A" position?

 

Cheers

I'm very new to editing digital photographs and I am stuck on how to add text,

and change the background to black, so that the white text stands out. I have

shot the local t-ball team, and I need to add thier names to the bottom of the

page. I'k like to give it a minimalist and clean look, perhaps just a simple

black border, with text. I'm trying to get my head around layers, erasers

droppers and opacity, but it's not working for me. Any help is greatly

appreciated.

 

Cheers

I have a K10D LE, and am considering purchase of a Sigma EF530 Super DG flash.

I am a little confused about the requirement to have TWO external flashes. The

K10 manual clearly states (albiet in reference to it's own 360 and 540 flashes)

that TWO off camera flashes are required for wireless operation.

 

In short, if I buy a (one) Sigma flash, will it operate wirelessly? I'm

planning to set the flash on a tripod amount 10 feet to the side. The Sigma

website makes reference to previous DSLR models, however not the K10D.

 

Any advice will be much appreciated.

Perhaps consider getting a Crumpler Messnger Bag (whihc are fantastic quality and functionality alone) mated with a custon Photo insert. Use the messenger bag for work, and just slide the indsert with your gear in when you are shooting.

 

I'm not sure which country you are in, here in Australia, it is the Wonder Weenie/Barney Rustle Blanket, with a matching "Bucket" for your camera gear.

 

That will fit two pro bodies, a few primes and a flash.

Having just purchased a K10D, I can vouch for the ease of use with K mount lenses. Just press a green button near the cable shutter release button to get cottect exposure for the chosen aperture, and the exposure won't change unless you re-meter the scene. Just use the aperture ring as you normally would.

 

I found this very useful when I took a series of 3 shots (28/2.8) with a Panorama stitch in mind. The exposure will not change over the course of the 3 shots, thereby making the stitch (PS Elements V5) look natural.

 

You also get SR with old manual lenses which is very good (the camera asks you which focal length manual lens you have attached!).

 

K10 feels bigger and more solid than the K100, moreso with the grip attached. When I handled both, (for me) it was a no brainer to cough for the extra $ for the K10 body and grip.

 

Hope this helps a little.

I've had very good results with Perceptol 1+1 15 min (standard Ilford recommendation). This allows some versatility as HP5 and PanF are all souped in this ration for 15 min. This allows mixed rolls in the same tank. I've tried Hp5 and Fp4 together with no problems.

Thankyou Richard, I didn't know that. Learning learning learning! I stall have to buy a new bottle tho'

 

Darryn Richter

Do you wipe your film with anything like a film wiper, or your fingers?

I love Rodinal, however I have had occasion to throw it out. A partially used bottle (less than 1 year old, 250ml plastic I think) had gone very dark, which is usual from the above discussion. However when I shook the bottle there was a distinct rattling sound, as if sand was in the bottle as well. I looked and couldn't see anything except some crystals, as if something had precipitated from the solution. I wasn't game to use "test" a roll of film. The rolls developed with that bottle were fine up to the point of it hitting the bin. Rodinal is so cheap I didn't bother risking a roll of film, it was probably fine.

I have had the same problem with Mz5n and plastic cannisters. As soon as I ditched the plastic the problem was solved. If you really want to use plastic cannisters, try loading 24 instead of 36, this may help however i suspect the problem may still exist.

 

Switch to steel bulk roll cannisters. If you do, consider purchasing the DX coded ones as you camera will default to 100 when new film is loaded, and there is likely to be a time when you will forget to adjust (probably obe of those really inmportant occasions).

 

An alternative is to buy a few normal rolls of HP5+. When you process the film, pull the film out in the dark and load it onto the reel in the usual fashion, however leave 2cm at the end of the film (the 37th frame effectively). Keep the cannister and use this for your bulk film loader. Sticky tape may be used to attached the bulk film to the HP5+ cannister. I've used the cannisters at least 5 times over with no ill affects.

I may be travelling through Thailand from Australia in the next

month or so, and intend to purchase a digital camera in the 500 -

1000 USD range or thereabouts. As such I would like a few options -

1) Wider is better then longer, prefer 28mm equiv (no accessory

lens'). Most photos would be taken within the 28 - 50mm equiv range

so large zoom range not especially important.

2) Shutter delay shouldn't be a problem (I have a coolpix 775!!!)

3) 5 mp or thereabout

4) Are there any specific cameras to avoid (lemons)

5) Any destined to become a digital "classic" (I'm thinking like

Hexar AF in film language, GR1 etc)

6) Am I likely to find it cheaper in Thailand or in Australia?

 

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

APX 100, is in my opinion, beautiful in standard Rodinal. APX here in Australia is slightly cheaper in 35mmm, but not so much in 100ft roll or 120 format. I like this film a lot because of the ease of use of Rodinal (no mixing powders etc), and beacuse of the "look" it gives. I also agree that the development needs to be pulled a little from the official Agfa times.

 

In response to the 120 format statement, I think this refers to grain, that is, for the SAME SIZE printed picture, a 120 neg is enlarged less than a 35mm neg. Therefore the grain is much more noticable on a 8X10 print from 35mm, compared to 120 film. Hence some folk prefer some films in 120 (where grain is not so much of an issue), and consider they do don't look so good in 35mm.

 

I don't know if I've helped much fwiw.

I have had a light leak in a Paterson tank recently (I omitted the black plastic spindle that houses the reel, and laso prevents light entering). The film was 120 HP5+. The important thing for me was that the light leak affected the film close to the centre, much moreso than the rest of the film. The differnce was considerable such that 3 negs were unprintable, 3 marginal and 6 were just passable (uable).

 

I am also assuming there is no problem with my camera. I've had this problem once and once only. It makes some sense that a leak from the centre of the tank dissipates as it has to pass through layers of lilm. Hope this helps!!!

I have the GR1s and am familiar with the dial. I'd suggest at two full stops over compensation, especilly of the sun is shining. Snow in bright sunshine a long way from middle gray, and as it is usually the predominant tone on a snow scene, it will cause a considerable underexposure.

 

Mind you, B&W films are are very forgiving and you will get a very good image even if you are a full stop in error. This is even moreso if you do your own developemnt and printing.

I use(d) the above meter with my Rollei TLR, however a short while

ago it "died". No reponse at all, even with a new battery. I had a

technician look at it (hoping it was a dry solder or something)

however he said the "coil" was the culprit. He estimated it would

cost USD60 for repair. I didn't go ahead beacuase I didn't pay much

more than that for the meter in the first place. Is there any other

way of repairing this more cheaply, or do I consign the dead meter to

the bin, or giveaway for parts?? Any suggestion are appreciated.

 

Darryn

Shell,

 

I recently developed a roll of new and old together (not to test them, it just happened that way in Rodinal 1:50. The negs and prints were the same as far as I could tell. The prints had the same "feel". I did notice the film base was different, one being pinker than the other. I didn't bother check which was which. I guess this just confirms the above.

I know this a little late in the thread, however my technique has worked 100% since I first started with MF 6 months ago with a a Rollei TLR. I had extreme trouble with the first roll, which prmpted the following -

 

1) Sacrifice 3 - 4 frames of old film. (Any 120 film, processed, colour, whatever) to act as a leader.

 

2) WITH LIGHTS ON, thread the leader film through the reel, past the bearing leaving about an inch or so, to act as a tongue

 

3) Place a 4cm piece of masking tape on the UNDERSIDE (emulsion) side of the leader film, such that there is an overhang of 3-5 mm of TAPE extending from the end of the leader film. This patch of sticky is going to adhere to the START of your film to be processed

 

4) With the lights out (or in a change bag), unravel the film to be processed until you reach the emulsion. With one hand on the leader (fingers either side as a guide), and another on the film to be processed, marry the two so that they join squarely and evenly). YOu film to be processed is no attached to the leader which has already been threaded. Now just roll it on like a 35 mm reel. I usually pull the paper off the emulsion at the end of the film, and double over the little bit of tape on the end so that it doesn't touch any other layers of emulsion on the reel.

 

This is easier that it sounds and is foolproof for me. I'v used the same leader now for maybe 30 rolls of 120, it doesn't wear out!!