deaner66

<p>Start off with a PM shot of downtown Kansas City. These are the Pylons over Bartle Hall. These things have always been polarizing in this town. When they put these up, most people thought it was crap art at best. through the years, however, it has put a signature on our fair city, like it or not.</p><div></div>

<p>Last Clouds</p><div></div>

<p>Reflections</p><div></div>

<p>Nothing special this weekend. It's funny how photography makes you look for things you might not normally notice. I drive down this road in town all of the time. Literally, I have been on this road thousands of times. Except I've never noticed this tiny pond just off the road. So last weekend, I grabbed my gear and took some shots of it.</p>

<p>Nothing spectacular, just something new amid the old.</p><div></div>

<p>Very nice shots. One question: I've always heard that those white coffee flowers are fragrant. True? What do they smell like?</p>

<p>The cold, wet trees.</p><div></div>

<p>Sniffing prey. Not that he would have a chance of catching anything.</p><div></div>

<p>Here in Kansas City, it finally warmed last week. This has been a hard winter, with 13 inches of snow more than average and temperatures to match. And then, on Friday, it snowed another 7 or 8 inches.</p><div></div>

<p>Here, Here, Justin.</p>

<p>Long live the K10D.</p>

<p>Wow. I like that Pentax is rolling the dice. It is a risky move. I say that, because I wonder how Pentax will market this camera. How DO you sell this thing?</p>

<p>Price wise, it is only a little more expensive than the top of the line, full-frame cameras from Canikon. But the similarities end with price. The 645D isn't designed for speed, unless 1 frame per second is quick to you. So you won't see it at sporting events, or in a photojournalist's hands.</p>

<p>The 645D is a deliberate camera. Shooting portraits/weddings, product/advertising, and landscapes are the apparent aim for this camera.</p>

<p>At $9400, that sensor better produce fabulous results. That's just the reality of it. At 40MP, and in the price range of the big guns at Canikon, the 645D really needs to stand above the full-frame sensors in quality. Otherwise, what's the use?</p>

<p>I'm glad Pentax did this. I hope it works. And I'm dying to see some images from this sensor.</p>

<p>Late Winter/Early Spring 2010</p><div></div>

<p>Three inch ice.</p><div></div>

<p>Finally, it's warming up here in the middle of the US. But our local lake is still half frozen. I pulled up a chunk of ice next to the dock, and it was still three inches thick. That doesn't sound abnormal, except this lake doesn't normally freeze over. It's been a very cold winter.</p><div></div>

<p>I grew up with the K1000, and I loved that thing! A few years back, I got back into photography with the strobist plan. But my K1000's hot shoe wouldn't fire, so the only way I could fire the flash was through the PC plug. So I decided to get a ME Super. It had a faster flash sync speed than the K1000 and had Aperture Priority. The first one I got was like your ME on the left there.</p>

<p>I sent that back because the ME isn't completely manual. When I finally got the Super, I couldn't believe how much smaller it was compared to the K1000. But what a great camera. It isn't built like a tank, the way the K1000 is, but it is more advanced, and easier to use.</p>

<p>Then I got my K10D and I haven't looked back. I sold my film bodies and bought old SMC lenses on EBay. I can't say that I really miss them, but that doesn't say anything about how much I loved those cameras. It's just that the digital world cuts out so much time from film experience.</p>

<p>But if I were shooting 35mm film again, it would definitely be with your middle camera there.</p>

<p>How comparable are the Tamron and Pentax TC?</p>

<p>Does anyone have the DA*300 f/4 lens? If so, could you give a recommendation on it? And some shots, please.</p>

<p>Justin, you have mentioned using this lens, haven't you?</p>

<p>Steve T: I like Gumby.</p>

<p>Sunny Vale Middle School<br /> Blue Springs, MO</p><div></div>

<p>No one ever forgets these songs. Conjunction Junction, Just A Bill, Unpack Your Adjectives...anyone else remember?</p><div></div>

<p>This is my daughter's School House Rock program from Friday night. I tried to keep the ISO no higher than 800. It was hard to freeze these kids, especially during these dances. Still, not too bad without a flash.</p>

<p>All shots are with my K10D and the DA*50-135 and DA 16-45.</p><div></div>

<p>I'm the same too, skipping the upgrade from the K10D to the K-7. The K20D wasn't a big improvement over the K10D, and besides, I hadn't had my K10D very long then. When the K-7 came out, it looked nice, with some better things, but I'm not one to rush out and get the latest and greatest gear.</p>

<p>I'm glad I didn't. I'm disappointed that the sensor on the K-X appears stronger than the K-7, particularly at higher ISOs. Maybe the K10D is just a classic camera. But right now, another K10D sounds like the best thing for me. </p>

<p>That, and more glass.</p>

<p>Justin, I'm of the opinion that standing out in the crowd might just be the best thing for Pentax.</p>

<p>A sensor with lower noise would be nice, too.</p>

<p>This is extremely sharp at 100%.</p><div></div>

<p>This lens isn't a macro, but you can really get up close on things.</p>

<p>K10D, SMC Super Tak 50mm f/1.4</p><div></div>

<p>I've been playing with my Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4. This is a great piece of glass. Maybe a little soft wide open, but a stop down and this thing is very sharp.</p><div></div>