shots worth sharing

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<p>I'm always shooting too hastily, and I can't get far beyond this snapshot stage. Next I am always in the act of trying to make peace with the level of photography that I'm at.</p>

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<p>Heh--familiar feelings ;~) I like that first one.</p>

<p>Bird photography is on the back-burner because road work is kicking up too much dust for the health of my geriatric F*600 so here'sa a change of pace:<br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/The-Fun-House/The-Fun-House/i-sGGF2Dc/0/L/IMGP7713fs%20usmx-L.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="600" /></p>

<p><img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/The-Fun-House/The-Fun-House/i-5Fdd38N/0/L/_IGP7894cusm-L.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="571" /></p>

<p>I have a IIs and moire is rarely an issue--for my shooting. It really comes down to being somewhat more careful in pp (I've never had to <em>reduce</em> sharpness.) </p>

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<p>It's pretty neat thing to be able to do.</p>

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<p>It surely is!</p>

<p>Clara made her first appearance as an alumna in her old school's Homecoming field hockey alumni game yesterday. A plus was that they dispensed with the "goggles" (with the Sigma 100-300/4)</p>

<p><img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/photos/i-KBVVkSS/1/L/i-KBVVkSS-L.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="600" /> <br>

This is a mother/daughter pair: they always show up for the game--and they're really good!<br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/photos/i-XmrQWqp/0/L/i-XmrQWqp-L.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="600" /></p>

<p><strong>And...</strong><br>

(before we left for the game) a female scarlet tanager (F*600/4 & Tamron 1.4x)<br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/Nature/Fauna/i-7HQjjRm/1/L/IMGP7285CSM-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

 

<p>Doug, I think the bird is a vireo. Nice crab, btw--I'm a fan ;~) <br>

I really like Yury's beach photo--it captures a certain feel of the beach experience. <br>

Also Dorus's seed and Matt's first--looks like a rockin' party!<br>

Thanks, Howard! I shot that caterpillar with the Sigma 70/2.8 Macro--very sharp lens. </p>

 

<p>From the porch with the K-3 & F* 600/4:<br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/Nature/Fauna/i-wcj8qh9/0/L/IMGP6282cu.sm-L.jpg" alt="" width="429" height="600" /> </p>

<p>At a local salvage yard (sigma 18-35/1.8)<br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/The-Fun-House/The-Fun-House/i-7qV6L42/0/L/_IGP4395.csm-L.jpg" alt="" width="429" height="600" /></p>

<p>This one's for Doug: I keep a number of milkweed plants in the yard specifically for the purpose of hosting these monarch caterpillars. (Sigma 70/2.8 Macro):<br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/Nature/Fauna/i-f9T8bsS/0/XL/IMGP6372csm-XL.jpg" alt="" /></p>

 

<p>Congrats, Doug!</p>

<p>I thought it was a stupid idea to begin with (but, then, I suffer from an excess of prestige--those with a deficit may benefit from this item ;~)</p>

<p>Yeah, I don't get why you'd want to shoot at f22 (come to think of it, why is that even an option?) but I can relate to the K-3 noise issue.</p>

<p>As some of you may recall, I was totally blown away by the way the K-5 handled noise and the K-5IIs shares that characteristic. The K-3 is a different animal: because of the greater pixel density, noise has a different texture and it's taking me some time to get a feel for that. At this point, I tend to go back to the K-5IIs, if I'm going to be shooting in a high ISO situation. </p>

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<p>Sounds like the usual nitpicking to me.</p>

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<p>As a rule, I'm more of a fan boy than a nitpicker and the K-3 is the first model I haven't been wild about. I'm liking it more as I get used to it but there are some situations where a prefer the K-5IIs.</p>

<p>I think that was a good call, Michael. Now that I'm getting the hang of it, the K-3 does do better with sports and I'm looking to use the extra megapixies to extend my reach for wildlife photography but it does require good light--things start to get dicey above ISO 400. With the K-5IIs, I'm fine as long as ISO stays on the three-figure side of things. </p>

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<p>Matt #1 is dazzling.</p>

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<p>It <em>defines</em> dazzle!</p>

<p>Unlike Bob and other contributors, I'm notoriously wimpy about winter but cabin fever finally got to me last week after the last (I hope) snow so I went out with the Sigma 24mm Superwide II. <br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/Places/RHE-LOCAL-LANDSCAPE/i-6ZWGMMz/0/L/_IGP0073.II.csm-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/Places/RHE-LOCAL-LANDSCAPE/i-BV7wDKJ/0/L/_IGP0121.csm-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/Places/RHE-LOCAL-LANDSCAPE/i-Th44cZm/1/L/_IGP0169ccc%20sm-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Next week: Flowers?<br>

</p>

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<p>Run your K-3 DNG files through the free Adobe DNG converter app.</p>

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<p>p.i.t.a.--yes?</p>

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<p>Since I shoot in a lot of low-light hand held situations, including indoor or night action sports requiring higher shutter speeds, the excellent low noise high ISO performance of my K-5 is preferable for me.</p>

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<p>This makes sense to me. I 'll get a K-3 in the not-too-distant-future but I won't give up my K-5 (or K-5IIs). My take is that these bodies have quite distinct strengths & weaknesses. Fortunately, they all use the same battery. <br>

I think you'll like the K-5IIs. There's a distinct quality to the images which takes a bit of getting used to but it can breathe new life into old lenses--like my SMC 1000/8.<br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/Nature/Fauna/i-2Nxxrt9/1/L/_IGP8610csm-L.jpg" alt="" /><br>

</p>

<p>I'm from the "If I can't take my best photo gear, why bother going?" school of thought. Admittedly, sometimes there are compelling non-photographic reasons (like fishing or business) but I'd be hard pressed to leave the good stuff behind on a "trip pf a lifetime" like this. On our trip to China in 2012, I took a K-5, a K20D and six lenses including the Sigma 100-300/4. Yeah, it was a lot to lug around (in serious heat) but totally worth it as far as I'm concerned. </p>

<p>Nice photos of family fun, Hin! Tubing would be about my speed. </p>

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<p>only one picture this week</p>

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<p>But a good one.</p>

<p>I hope every one's having good times with family. It's the time of year for the FA 77/1.8 Ltd.</p>

<p><img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/People/Friends-Family-and-Strrangers/i-tH5Fw2r/0/L/IMGP6721cubwsm-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/People/Friends-Family-and-Strrangers/i-87jL8ML/0/L/IMGP6681ccubw%20cvcsm-L.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="600" /></p>

<p><img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/People/Friends-Family-and-Strrangers/i-GRksht7/0/L/IMGP6643c%20bwsm-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/People/Friends-Family-and-Strrangers/i-FLrBrJb/0/L/IMGP6695cusm-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Thanks, Michael! Definitely a warbler but I'm not sure which (Pine? Prairie?) It was very accommodating--not only got close but gave me both profiles ;~)<br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/Nature/Fauna/i-W99Wrc2/0/L/_IGP5615ccsm-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

 

<p>Great action shots, ME!</p>

<p>Some recent birds with the K5IIs & Sigma 500/4.5 & 1.4x TC:<br>

<br /> <img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/Nature/Fauna/i-dGQVxpp/0/L/_IGP5619.csm-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/Nature/Fauna/i-BWBdXpN/0/L/_IGP6075cu-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/Nature/Fauna/i-LjZ6GnC/0/L/_IGP7452csm-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Some odds and ends:<br>

Lost shoe on Elsinore Ave--where's Cinderella? [DA35/2.8 Macro Ltd]<br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/The-Fun-House/The-Fun-House/i-3X9Brcv/0/L/_IGP5737cSM-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Eastside Alley BW [DA35/2.8 Macro Ltd]<br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/The-Fun-House/The-Fun-House/i-RQ2vcHf/0/L/_IGP5742C%20BWSM-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Ever wonder what the world looks like to a flounder? [sigma 8-16/4.5-5.6]<br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/The-Fun-House/The-Fun-House/i-cBW7Lhc/0/L/IMGP7415%20copysm-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>If I were a serious hiker, biker rock-climbing canoey kinda guy, like some around here, I'd take notice of that lens.</p>

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<p>Looks like I will soon have to bid <strong><em>Sayonara</em></strong> to Pentax.</p>

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<p>Really? You're going to bail on Pentax because Tamron won't offer that lens in K-mount? I'm a telephoto enthusiast and I'm pretty happy with my Pentax options. I have a variety of long lenses but my ace combination at present is the Sigma APO EX 500/4.5 & K-5IIs (with or without the Sigma TCs.) I'm really happy with the results I get (when things go right ;~) I imagine that the substitution of the K-3 would further improve the output. And then there's the DA 560/5.6 (theoretically, at least--I have yet to hear of anyone actually owning one much less seen a photo taken with it) not to mention the rare, revered and magnificently expensive Pentax A*, F & FA uber-lenses.</p>

<p>Now, admittedly I'm really not up on the options in other systems and I'm sure there are drool-worthy alternatives. I'm also guessing they're no less expensive than Pentax. My thinking is that a crop-sensor camera is preferred for telephoto shooting and, from what I do read, Pentax makes some of the best (and best-handling) crop-sensor cameras on the market. And, for those without deep pockets btw, the DA*300/4 along with a good TC (Tamron A-1.4x-S or AFA 1.7x) is very capable.</p>

<p>Do what you gotta do but I don't get it.</p>

<p> </p>