graham_martin2

I have been noticing that on e-Bay you can get a wide variety of non-Pentax

lenses that seem mainly to come from the Ukraine. I'd like to know what sort of

experience anyone has had, and which brands are better than others.

 

Also, they seem to have lot more lenses for the Pentax 6x7. How good are the

adapters that one can buy for about $100 which would allow me to use these

lenses on my Pentax 645?

Thanks Danny. I was afraid that was going to be the response I would get. I did some more research after my original post, and I was already beginning to think that was the case. I'll just send it back to KEH.

In looking at the B&H website it indicates that I actually need 3 pieces to make this work. I need an Off Camera Shoe Adapter F (item 31046) which connects to a flash bracket, a Hot Shoe adapter F (item 31022) which attaches to the camera's hot shoe, and either a short cable F5P or a longer cable. Total cost is $96 plus S&H which seems kind of silly when I only paid $36 for the flash unit.

 

What I am thinking is that I could use the Quantum QF17 as a substitute for the on-camera Hot shoe and the cable, and just buy the off camera hot shoe. Does anyone know if this solution will work?

 

Thanks

I have a Pentax 645 and a Pentax AF280T flash unit. I want to be able to mount

the flash on a Stroboframe flash bracket. I bought a Quantum QF17 from KEH which

is described as being compatible with the 645. I am having trouble figuring out

how the cable connects to the camera and the flash. If you look at the picture

below you will see that the QF17 has the hot shoe bracket which would connect to

the camera's hot shoe.

 

The other end has a male connector, but I don't see anywhere on the flash where

this connector is inserted. I think I need another piece of equipment to get

this all working. Can someone help me?

 

Thanks!<div></div>

I have a Pentax 645 and a Pentax AF280T flash unit. I want to be able to mount

the flash on a Stroboframe flash bracket. I bought a Quantum QF17 from KEH which

is described as being compatible with the 645. I am having trouble figuring out

how the cable connects to the camera and the flash. If you look at the picture

below you will see that the QF17 has the hot shoe bracket which would connect to

the camera's hot shoe.

 

The other end has a male connector, but I don't see anywhere on the flash where

this connector is inserted. I think I need another piece of equipment to get

this all working. Can someone help me?

 

Thanks<div></div>

Thanks Allan

 

Very encouraging words. I dropped my first negatives off with Ritz camera today, and the next two weeks waiting for the prints is going to seem like a long time. I did receive my 135mm f/4 Leaf Shutter lens today. I am really enjoying using what to me is an entirely new aspect of photography. I tried using the lens with off camera flash and using an exposure meter. It really makes you think and plan longer knowing that you are not going to get the immediate feedback of digital. I'm glad I made the plunge.

Thanks very much Donnie. Your answer just saved me spending close to $300 on a Quantum battery pack and connecting cables.

I have a Stroboframe bracket so that isn't a problem. Could I use a flash extension cord (such as this) http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=019&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=290126748221&rd=1&rd=1

 

or should I not have any connection between the hot shoe and the flash? If that is the case then I would need an external, power source such as a TR Power Pack? In the picture shown in the lens manual the power is derived from an external power pack.<div></div>

Thanks for the link Warren. I do have an original manual which I purhcased from KEH. The lens manual sates that it is not possible to have the flash attached to the hot shoe in leaf-shutter mode. Therefore I need to have the flash attached to some type of flash bracket.

 

See 2 pages of the manual here.

 

http://www.pentaximaging.com/files/manual/645_LS_75mm_f2.8_&_135mm_f4_Lens_01.pdf

 

http://www.pentaximaging.com/files/manual/645_LS_75mm_f2.8_&_135mm_f4_Lens_01.pdf

I am getting a 135mm LS lens so that I can use it with faster flash sync speeds.

I bought a manual from www.craigcamera.com and it shows a a hookup involving a

4P Sync cord C, an AF400T flash, and a bracket 645 as well as a TR Power Pack.

My questions is, do I have to use this combo with a LS lens? The manual also

states that in leaf shutter mode, one cannot have the flash mounted on the hot

shoe. Therefore one has to use a hot-shoe grip. Once again I am not sure if the

hot-shoe grip can only be used with the AF400T, or can it be used with other

flashes too?

 

The 4P sync cord C seems very hard to find as does the AF400T. Sync cords A & B

are available from B&H although I can't tell what is the difference between the

two. I was the winning bidder on a Pentax 280T, plus I have a new Vivitar 285HV

which included a sync cord.

 

What options do I have to use a flash properly with the Leaf Shutter lenses?

 

Thanks

I am getting a 135mm LS lens so that I can use it with faster flash sync speeds.

I bought a manual from www.craigcamera.com and it shows a a hookup involving a

4P Sync cord C, an AF400T flash, and a bracket 645 as well as a TR Power Pack.

My questions is, do I have to use this combo with a LS lens?

 

The 4P sync cord C seems very hard to find as does the AF400T. Sync cords A & B

are available from B&H although I can't tell what is the difference between the

two. I was the winning bidder on a Pentax 280T, plus I have a new Vivitar 285HV

which included a sync cord.

 

What options do I have to use a flash properly with the Leaf Shutter lenses?

 

Thanks

Thanks Bob. I have 4 rolls of film to go through that I got when I bought the camera. I figure these will be good learnings tools. After that I plan on using slide film.

Thanks, Ron, for the clarification. :) I will check out that Epson V7000 you mentioned. Photography is going to be my new pre-occupation when I retire in 3 years, and so I am buying new equipment now before my income takes that hit after they put me out to pasture.

Thanks Wes, I can see it is a trial and error thing especially since this was the first roll of film I have put through this camera. In response to Ron's comments about selling the Pentax and getting more Nikon gear and going totally digital, all I can say is that I already have 3 Nikon DSLRs and some very good glass, plus I have 2 film SLRs.

 

My whole reason in buying the Pentax was to explore other camera formats. Since i can't afford a digital MF, this was my other choice (plus I really like film and slides). I was surprised to have someone in this forum suggest that I get rid of my medium format gear.

I downloaded the free trial of VueScan. It is very easy and quick. I think the pixel count must be lower than using ArcSoft. However for a quick and dirty look it looks like it could be helpful. Thanks Wes for the tip.<div></div>

Horse farm<div></div>

The horse farm and golf course came out real nice in terms of colors.<div></div>

And here is the bus re-scanned<div></div>

My scanner does have slide and negative holders which help a bit. How do you tell which is the emulsion side, and what is a Newton Ring? I have rescanned a couple of the negatives using ArcSoft which seemed to be better. I had more control over the process, and then I did some post processing. The bus came out a little better although now the asphalt has a greenish tinge to it.<div></div>

I scanned from negatives. I am using a Canon CanoScan8400F. The software that came with it seems very basic. My choices are Auto, film, or platen. If I try to scan as "film" then, of course, the result is simply the scanned negative. I don't have any ability to save settings or create custom ones. Do I need to get an upgraded scanner?

 

I am going to have some of the negatives printed so that I can get a real idea of what the true pictures look like. Once I have used up my 4 rolls of film, I will be switching to slides. For one thing, they are a lot easier to scan than film which keeps curling up.

Here is the 3rd image taken with my Nikon D200. Can anyone help me understand why the color is OK with the bus, but so blue with the sunset?<div></div>

I see that I can upload an image, but perhaps it is one at a time. Let me see if I can add another image.<div></div>

I have uploaded 3 images below. The one of the bus, and the sunset scene with

the blue tinge were taken with a Pentax 645 medium format camera using Fuji

Portra ISO 400. The 1st sunset picture was taken on my D200 which got the

exposure right.

 

The fastest shutter on the Pentax is 1/1000. I don't recall the aperture but I

believe it was around f/4. I was using a 75mm f/2.8 lens on the Pentax. The D200

was set at f/5 with a speed of 1/2500.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on what went wrong?

 

Graham

 

Apparently I can't upload images here. Please click on here to see the pictures

in question.

 

http://www.nikonians.org/dcforum/DCForumID14/15264.html<div></div>

Thanks Adrian

 

I went ahead and biught a Pentax 645 manual focus including a 75mm lens for under $400. It only has had 10 rolls of film through it so it is virtually brand new. I'm just now running my first roll of 220 film through it. The Bronica was also one that I had been considering, but the price on this one seemed a good way to get my feet wet without spending too much.

 

I'm bidding on a 135mm leaf shutter lens, but am not sure yet how to operate the shutter. I'm going to have to see if I can find some instruction somewhere.

 

I have a Canon flatbed scanner that has film and slide holders. I have to go and find them. We moved recently, and things tend to get lost.

A picture is worth a 1000 words. Thanks so much to all of you.