anirbanbanerjee

<p>FWIW, DPReview now has the full NEX-7 review.</p>

<p>I admit I didn't know much about PPG until somebody posted here saying he was pleased his images were selected there. Apparently, a lot of Pentaxians have their work there <a href="http://www.robertstech.com/blog/?p=30">Mark Roberts</a>, and PPG is something of a badge of honour.</p>

<p>I uploaded a couple of my latest images and, 10 days later, I am proud to be part of <a href="http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/anirbanbanerjee">PPG</a>!</p>

<p>This is from the potter's quarters, Kolkata, where they also make clay idols used in Hindu worship. All gods and goddesses are associated with an animal 'vehicle'. The goddess here has a lion as vehicle.<br>

Tamron 28-75/2.8.</p>

<p><a title="Human and Divine by A n i r b a n, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/anirbanbanerjee/6418657253/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6418657253_a4b8e9f766_z.jpg" alt="Human and Divine" width="427" height="640" align="center" /></a></p>

<p>Daniel: Do you mean the Pentax Optio WG-1 water-resistant digital compact? I haven't used one myself, but I hear it's well-regarded.</p>

<p>Pentax and Olympus in-body shake reduction technology seems to have influenced the Big Two's decision to offer IS/VR added kit zoom lenses or the entry level tele-zooms. Companies try to outdo one another in terms of features and all popular features will, sooner or later, appear in cameras of all brands.</p>

<p>Here's one I have, shot in Kolkata, India:<br>

<a title="A Boon of Afternoon Tea, Granted! by A n i r b a n, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/anirbanbanerjee/6410431411/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7018/6410431411_abb4cea405_z.jpg" alt="A Boon of Afternoon Tea, Granted!" width="640" height="427" /></a></p>

<p>I find it curious that the various Minolta AF bodies don't have a <em>that much</em> of a cult following (compared to, for example, the last of the Nikon and Pentax film cameras) even though their mount survives in the Sony Alpha. Thanks for a very informative post.</p>

<p>Thanks for the responses. Unfortunately, because of my travel I could not test this lens earlier.</p>

<p>I'll try the lens on my film MZ-S, and until I get my K-5, which won't be for another 6 months at least, I am hoping some smart Russian hacker will release a hacked firmware :-) (I have the latest firmware where the known debug mode trick doesn't work).</p>

<p>I bought a Tokina 80-200 f/2.8 AF on eBay from a good (99.3%) seller. I am seeing it backfocusing 3-4 inches at 80mm but almost correct at 200mm (with tungsten light as well as in daylight). I am using the ancient K100D, which is the only Pentax DSLR I have access to.</p>

<p>Is a variation of backfocus with zoom setting indicative of a bad lens?</p>

<p>I am hoping at this point that the lens is not defective as I spent USD 200 on my country's protectionist customs duties.</p>

<p>@Peter Meade (OP) I think the scan is quite fine. You might need to tweak it in an image editing software to bring out the punch.</p>

<p>My monday mornings usually get worse when I read such good luck stories and then brood over my own run of bad luck at flea markets :-)</p>

<p>Top class photos this week! Dave Shombert's #1, John Behrend's #1, Ian F's #1 and Bob Marz's #1 and #2 have my +1s this week!</p>

<p>K100D w/ Tamron 28-75/2.8. Kolkata, India. First one shot "from the hip", prefocussed.</p>

<p><a title="Cart by A n i r b a n, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7141/6394381913_a28d006727_z.jpg" alt="Cart" width="640" height="427" /></a></p>

<p><a title="How They Pour Tea by A n i r b a n, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/anirbanbanerjee/6399857617/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6399857617_727f9d6401_z.jpg" alt="How They Pour Tea" width="640" height="427" /></a></p>

<p>Thanks for the website, Andrew. The loss of spot metering is a little discouraging, because I use that a lot.</p>

<p>Congratulations, Johan!</p>

<p>I have an MX, but haven't used it much lately. The VF is a joy. Only my OM-1 and F3 come close, but the latter is so much heavier. I should use the MX oftener.</p>

<p>Pentax never made split image screens for these.<br>

Does anyone know if the screen for MZ-M will fit either Z1-p or MZ-S? Will it affect AF or metering drastically?<br>

I am looking for better MF with these cameras and the only reference I got by googling was of someone who trimmed his MX screen to fit the MZ-S.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>Dennis K: I liked the soft red roses best this week!<br>

Howard, Michael E.: Thanks for your comments.</p>

<p>There are times when I wish my z1-p didn't focus with the shutter release.<br /> Here's an example: in low light I focussed using the ML button, recomposed and pressed the release, only to find it hunt focus again. I missed foreground focus, and I missed the moment.</p>

<p><a title="Tea Party 2 by A n i r b a n, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/anirbanbanerjee/6363800275/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6213/6363800275_1e41dcc993_z.jpg" alt="Tea Party 2" width="429" height="640" align="middle" /></a></p>

<p>And then, when I did get the foreground in focus, the moment had passed :-(</p>

<p><a title="Tea Party 3 by A n i r b a n, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6218/6366460483_437395e809_z.jpg" alt="Tea Party 3" width="429" height="640" /></a></p>

<p>Pentax z1-p, Tamron 28-75. Tri-X at 400.<br>

Kolkata, India.</p>

<p>I have the SMC-M 50/1.4, SMC-A 50/1.7, the SMC-M 50/2 and the SMC Takumar 50/1.4 and 1.8 (which might be identical to the original K-mount 1.4 and 1.8 versions).</p>

<p>I found the SMC Tak 1.4 the sharpest wide open, but with lot of coma at the edges. I could find no image quality difference between SMC-M 50/1.4 and SMC-A 50/1.7 wide open or at larger apertures.</p>

<p>If the use of the aperture ring is important to you, you should get the -M or -K versions. The -A lenses have fidgety plasticky aperture rings.</p>

<p>I like to have separate controls for activating AF and shutter trigger.<br>

I am missing shots with my Pentax Z1-p (same as PZ1-p) because though I have enabled the function that activates AF on the ML (exposure memory lock) button, the shutter half press still activates the AF.<br>

Thanks.</p>

 

<p>Hin: #3 held my attention. Great work!</p>

<p>This is at the Agara Lake, Bangalore. These guys make their own fishing rods and all other fishing appraratus.<br>

Pentax Z1-p, Tamron 28-75/2.8. Tri-X at 400.<br>

<a title="Friends by the Lake by A n i r b a n, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/anirbanbanerjee/6232877616/"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6236/6232877616_0f1be08468_z.jpg" alt="Friends by the Lake" width="640" height="433" /></a></p>

<p>Dave H: That picture of the wren has amazing light. You could crop the lower and upper 1/3rd more more punch.<br>

Jordan: Great idea for 'Looking Up'.</p>

<p>Pentax K100D w/ Tamron 28-75/2.8, Kolkata, India.</p>

<p><a title="Tea Party by A n i r b a n, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/anirbanbanerjee/6317694796/"> <img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6108/6317694796_026723075c_z.jpg" alt="Tea Party" width="640" height="432" /></a></p>

<p>Great week for colours. I found the night shots by Jemal, the tomatoes by Hin, Matt B.'s kitchen table and the preening bird by Dave H. particularly striking.</p>