thomas_janik

Michael:

 

949 is discontinued, replaced by new X1 and X5; see:

http://www.hasselbladusa.com/downloads/datasheets/scanner.aspx

Mauro:

 

Interesting comparison, thanks for posting.

 

Nick:

 

I use a 9000 all the time and find nothing quirky in its operation. The only negative (pun intended) is the standard 120 film holder is useless and Nikon should be ashamed to include it. You must buy an optional glass holder(or build your own from the standard holder)to get sharp scans. Otherwise it's a great scanner and very easy to use.

Don:

 

I've had a Sigma 600mm for years and have used it rarely, but for the price and wieght it's worthwhile to have one. If you want to see an example follow the link in this thread where I explain what I'm posting:

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00KyqS

Hi Justin:

 

Good luck on your trip. I thought you might enjoy this photo on the top of Marcy (1974), taken with a Spotmatic.

 

Tom

It's a specialized optic and does what no other lens can do. I don't use mine very often, but it enables shots that are otherwise impossible. It is very soft at the edges; I have not noticed excessive color fringing. I have two examples posted at photo.net. I would add more but p.net won't let me unless I send them another $25.

 

Full frame: http://www.photo.net/photo/5782510

 

Heavy crop: http://www.photo.net/photo/5779079

Steve:

 

I have the 55-100mm and am also very impressed with the lens. I did a test versus the 55mm f3.5 and the 50mm M f1.4 for 35mm cameras. I mounted each lens on a Pentax DS. I can see no difference between the 67 zoom and 35mm lens; the old 55mm is a distant third. This is contrary to the common wisdom that MF lenses do not have the resolving power of 35mm lenses

Thanks Ben; I?ll take your comments as encouraging.

Ben:

 

Any news on the 645D? I would like to think it has not been totally abandoned. Many of us have a great collection of Pentax MF lenses waiting for a digital home. I have followed the Pentax/Hoya merger and understand the delay but it would be a shame for Pentax to discard their expertise in MF lenses, not to mention the potential market for a digital body that would accept all the existing lenses.

 

High praise for the 645 lenses at 16-9: "the Pentax FA35 is just the greatest medium format retrofocus wide angle ever. The SMC-A 55mm f2.8 is a cracking manual focus Pentax 645 lens that outperforms the Hasselblad 50mm CF. And the butter smooth manual focus 150mm f3.5 is even better at distance than the Hasselblad, Mamiya and Pentax Macro 120mm lenses. In my opinion (and that of Z�rk in Germany), the Pentax 645 range is the best array of MF lenses ever, with a beautiful, Zeiss-like drawing style and bottomless resolution. Until a digital Pentax 645 option arrives, this remains the best way to unlock that potential in the digital realm. Pix pending."

 

At http://www.16-9.net/sale/

 

Of course, he is trying to sell them.

Hi All:

 

I know this thread is a little old at this point, but it just made my day. After getting CS3, I bought a dual core with 4GB of Ram and everything in PS was slower until I put in the 3GB switch. Thanks, esp. Kelly for the link.

Steven:

 

I use the 55, 150 and 200mm; I sold my teleconverter. Based on my experience and other comments, I think you are making the right choice.

Doug:

 

The original 645 grip is removable, all you need is a coin to turn the fastener. In fact, for me , the only advantage the 645 has over the N and NII models is the removable grip. It is much easier to carry the body in a fanny pack with the grip removed. I have the 645, 645N 67, and more lenses than I wish to disclose. It's a great, affordable system but after waiting for the 645D to appear, I might be inclined to go with Mamiya if I were not so invested in Pentax simply because of the digital possibilites. Of course in two years there might be a 645D, who knows?

Hi Ted:

 

Well Doug really likes his Markins and I've read only good reports about them. Like Doug, I use a Pentax 67. I have tried lots of heads, but never a Markins. None of the heads I used could handle the Pentax, until I got an Arca-Swiss Z1. The aspherical ball allows me to set the tension such that I can move a 67 with a 500mm lens and a 2x extender and when I let go, it doesn't move! A great head and the "locking problem" is only with the older heads (B1). It's about the same price as the Q3, but a bit heavier. Good luck, either is likely fine.

Jonathan:

 

I had a similiar problem with a 645; Pentax (Canada) fixed it for about $300. The camera got a complete overhaul as well. In my case I needed a new circuit board, your repair could be a simple contact problem as Kelly noted (there is an internal lithium battery). Since the 45-85mm zoom alone is worth $400, I wouldn't hesitate to buy the package. An estimate for repair costs no more than the postage to Pentax.

I will be installing Photoshop CS3 on an XP machine with two hard drives. One

drive is partitioned to C: and D:. C drive contains the XP OS; should I

install CS3 on the C or D partition? I will designate the 2nd, E, drive as the

scratch disk.

Hi Eric:

 

The 67, 645 and 400mm you fixed for me are still working great.

 

Tom

Brad:

 

I have a 67 and use a 500mm f5.6 (sometimes with a 2x); I have suffered through all the vibration problems. I recently bought an Arca-Swiss Z1 and recommend it highly; properly set, I can move the 500mm and let go - no movement. I use the long lenses with that head and a 4 series aluminum Gitzo along with the hand damping technique you describe and it works for me.

Justin:

 

You're correct, I was not in full appreciation of the Adirondacks as a teenager. Some things take age. On the other hand, living there has some drawbacks, I can remember one evening that reached -52 F at the airport and -38F in town; it is a harsh environment. My limited experience with boat building leads me to advise you that unless it's a labor of love, earn the money and pay the people who do it for a living to build your canoe.

Enjoy your next trips, colors should be appearing and maybe the weather will be good.

 

Regards,

 

Tom

Justin:

 

As someone who graduated from Saranac Lake High School, still makes an occasional canoe trip to the Adirondacks and uses Pentax gear, I enjoy your reports. Keep it up.

 

Regards,

 

Tom

 

PS one suggestion: as you age you'll find investing in a 39lb Wenonah to be worthwhile.

Stephen:

 

I have a 645N. I compared meter readings from a concrete driveway. In full sun and shade, spot and center-weighted readings are identical; matrix is consistently a third to half stop less. I did not see any variation as large as one full f stop. So my variation is in the same direction as yours but not as large. I know nothing of how the matrix metering evaluates the scene, but I can imagine that if an evaluative program analyzes a scene with no bright spots (which is the case here), a slight overexposure might be intentional (no blown highlights but extra detail in any shadows). Just a guess on my part.

Try Eric Henderson at http://pentaxs.com/index.html

 

He has done good work for me at a good price.

I've tried a few tripod heads: Bogen, Benro, Acratech and Gitzo. Among my

cameras is a Pentax 67 with a 500mm lens; the lens and camera place high

demands on a head. I've had a Gitzo 1376 with QR on a 3 series Gitzo tripod

for some time; it holds the Pentax very well; the large knob is easy to

tighten; there is a small amount of creep; the QR plates are a bit clunky, but

the camera or lens are easy and safe to mount and remove with Gitzo's lever

system. I have a smaller Gitzo tripod that has the Acratech. I find the Arca-

Swiss plates much more difficult to use: the camera cannot be mounted from

above; the little knob is a pain to tighten; if the plate is not parallel to

the clamp, the camera is in danger of falling off. I would like to simplify

and use one QR system, but I am hesitant to abandon the Gitzo. Everything I

read tells be the AS plates are the standard that everyone prefers and I am on

the verge of getting a Markins or Arca- Swiss Z1 to replace the 1376M; yet I

seem more comfortable with the Gitzo and am considering a 2 series Gitzo to

replace the Acratech. Is there something I just don't get about the AS

system? Is there a head that give me the security of the Gitzo without the

bulk?

 

Thanks for any advice.

Thanks for the comments and links fellows; very helpful. It may be easier to accomplish want I want with a pano head and 35mm lenses. I'll wait for the 645D to use my MF lenses. Andrew, I found some shift adapters on ebay but they accept only Pentagon 6 lenses; is there a adpater for Pentax to Pentagon six?

I would like to use some of my collection of Pentax 67 and 645 lenses on a

Pentax DSLR with an adapter that allows a shift. The idea is to stitch 4 or

more exposures to yield a higher resolution. I am aware of Zoerk adapters, but

find them a bit pricey. Any suggestions?

According to latest Bloomberg report, Tokyo headquarters are not being sold:

"The company said it plans to focus on profitable businesses, including medical equipment, DVD lenses and digital cameras. Pentax also said it plans to close a factory in October, relocate about 200 workers, and has started shutting down about 20 business projects.

 

``This plan is to show investors how much we can do on our own,'' Pentax President Takashi Watanuki told reporters in Tokyo, without providing details. Pentax will meet Sparx officials ``sometime next week'' to explain the business plan, he said.

 

Pentax will use stricter standards for selecting businesses and operations to close, the company said in a statement.

 

Watanuki declined to identify any businesses to quit. He denied a report in the Nikkei newspaper this week that Pentax plans to sell its headquarters building and the surrounding land.

 

Managing Director Shinichiro Mitsuhashi estimates the company will produce 4 million digital cameras in the year ending March 2010, rising from 3 million this fiscal year."

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=agv22YEb5epA

Thanks Jeff. I did this test to make sure I hadn't made a mistake by getting the 500. I couldn't find any test data, but I knew it had an old, simple optical design; my fear was that the 300mm ED and the 2x would be better than the 500! Had that been the case it would have been upset at buying this lens. Frankly I was surprised at the Sigma as well. I bought the lens in 1982, but never used it becuase of poor results. I blamed the lens, but I was using 25 ASA film and a cheap tripod; it's much better at 100 ISO with a solid support. If any real interest is expressed, I might repeat the test of the 500mm with film, but for now I'm happy with lens.