staffan__gren

<p>Sorry to read about your disappointment! I also own that lens since six years back in time. I use it as my complementary telezoom when travelling, together with my Pentax 16-50mm/2.8 normal zoom. I also have the Pentax 60-250mm/4, which I prefer when not having to consider weight and size restrictions.<br>

The 50-135 zoom gives good picture quality (above medium quality I would say): I have never had any obvious problems with it regarding sharpness or the kind of exposure issues that you describe. The 60-250mm is however the better one of the two lenses, really giving fantastic picture quality in terms of sharpness. Both are very quiet when zooming which is convenient but I had to repair the SDM of my 50-135 when it stopped working once. The SDM is a weakness, I agree. The SDM of the 60-250mm, however, seems much more rarely affected.<br>

I think you got a bad copy so I recommend you to return and change it. I did so with my first 16-50mm and got a good copy instead. But the 16-50mm zoom also has had the SDM problem, twice in fact. One of these times they fixed it for free, I am happy to say.<br>

You can always go to Flickr to see some of my pictures. I have started to use an account there for picture presentations. They are still rather few but I have a couple of winter videos and a picture series from Iceland.<br>

www.flickr.com/photos/97622656@N05/sets/<br>

Wish you good luck with your lens problem!</p>

<p>Yes, like Mendel writes, the source of the threat was told to be bizonlinetables.net.</p>

<p>Look out! When I clicked on "You have new messages" on top of the Pentax Forum Page here at Photo.net, my firewall immediately responded that it had successfully blocked "Web Attack: Malicious Toolkit Website 14". When I reached the message page, there was no new message to read.<br>

Regards, Staffan, Sweden</p>

<p>I have just updated both my K-5 bodies, and with the new 1.12 firmware the overexposure with the tilted flash seems to be gone in both cameras! Hurray!<br>

Remaining however: the true worries about what will happen to Pentax now when they finally were closer than ever to the very best top level with K-5, ready to conquer the market with an even more developed K-something, and leaving all other APS-C behind.<br>

Will Ricoh give them a chance in that direction, or will some ridiculous business people of theirs sink the ship to the bottom instead? Introducing mirrorless systems that will just fill a lot of technical gaps of little interest to most photographers as regards IQ and handling in real life. What mental firmware will be needed to correct the route of Ricoh with Pentax?</p>

<p>Ken, I do not agree with you. The 50-135 does not have better sharpness numbers from the Photozone reviews.<br>

Both lenses represent excellent or very close to excellent MFT levels almost all over the line. The 60-250 seems to have some relative border weakness related to the smallest aperture numbers at 60mm and less at 135 mm, while the 50-135 has some border as well as center weakness with f/2.8 at 135 mm, and still some relative border weakness with f/2.8 at 90 mm. Generally, the 60-250 border MFT is more on par with its center MFT than the 50-150.<br>

Furthermore, it is important that a long and wide tele zoom really has good figures when it is maximally zoomed in, otherwise it is not worthwhile to carry around with the weight it has. I think the 60-250 mm really delivers well enough in this respect. It is also the lens that is highly recommended by Photozone of the two compared.<br>

The SDM quality has likely been improved now, but I agree that this AF motor technology is not as good as the ones chosen by Canon and Nikon.</p>

<p>Fun to see that dog rappelling, Justin! I will show these pictures to my son who is a climber. I suppose that he would like to see them as well!<br>

There is so much to see on the web. Swimming dogs in Australia hunting sharks beneath the water surface (yes, it's true!), dog surfing (another sea activity), some dog deliberately faking his own death etc. etc. Whatever you think of you can find, somewhere in the world!</p>

<p>Very interesting video! A victory for the freedom of speech and documentation at public areas. The policemen did their job well, and we should thank them I think! Terrorists are skilled enough to get what they want anyway since they know how to do it in a discreet manner.<br /> An advice to secret activities: move to a restricted area with large walls making it impossible to look in. And keep all activities indoors to avoid being photographed from aeroplanes.<br /> In Sweden we had a case where two plain-clothes policemen who checked subway passenger's tickets forced a journalist to delete pictures of them with his mobile phone, or they would arrest him for suspicion of drug use. A public prosecutor now will investigate if the policemen acted against the law. Most certainly they did as I see it!</p>

<p>Please, note the additional footnote regarding the 1.10 firmware: "Contents of [Version 1.03] will be also updated." Sounds promising.<br /> However, it is a pity to say that I see no reports on the web yet confirming anything more than the addition of GPU items in the menu. Then I mean improvements regarding bad low-light AF and overexposure with bounced external flashes. Well folks, still I refuse to lose my hope that Pentax will address these issues within reasonable time !?</p>

<p><em>a few things to note here are that macro lenses are not exactly the best wide open. a 77 or 85 will beat a macro lens at f/2.8</em><br>

<br />Asim, I do not totally agree with you. The popular Tamron 90mm macro lens is very good already at f/2.8, and you will see no noticeable difference compared with the 77 or 85, I believe (go to photozone.de to verify if you like).</p>

<p>I took a look at your pictures and you have certainly started you DSLR carrier in a way that shows personal dedication. The pictures confirm that K-r is a descent camera, if in the right hands. But I hope that all cats and birds go well together out there in your garden.<br>

One recommendation I have is to increase the vividness of some of your pictures. And avoid underexposed ones as your final products. It is does not get "nearer reality" or "more arty" with such dull pictures. With the K-r high ISO capability and, as a fallback, a good possibility to improve underexposed pictures afterwards, make use of these opportunities. You already seem to have a good feeling for DOF. Just my short advice!<br>

A software hint: buy Adobe Lightroom, and Nik Software Viveza, and you can do everything you want to develop your pictures to master pieces as regards detail clarity, colorfulness, and brightness (not least partially)!<br>

However, whatever you decide to invest in or not, I wish you all "photo maniac" fun in your continued shooting!</p>

<p>Andy,<br>

You are right about the Sigma chart when I checked it. I have the Sigma 2xTC for Pentax and it works very well including AF. I use it for my Sigma 70-200 mm/f2.8 EX APO which is an older version without the HSM, which I assume is the problem here.<br>

As long as Sigma seems so little interested in Pentax customers, there will be no TCs with HSM for Pentax. I am waiting for the new Sigma 85mm/f1.4 to come. The advertisements tell about Pentax as well, but the only ones possible to buy are the versions for Canon and Nikon. This is the fate that we Pentax owners all too often have to face. I hope that Sigma will change its mind now when the latest Pentax DSLR models meet increased interest.</p>

<p>Hi Kari, no, it is not some single batch it seems. Please, go to<br>

<a href="http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5-forum/119808-k-5-flash.html">http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5-forum/119808-k-5-flash.html</a><br>

and read about this issue. The problem is related to bouncing, i.e. tilting an external flash. It happens with both the Pentax AF-540 and the Metz 58, so it is not some pure flash issue. It can be cured temporarily by adjusting EV to -1 or -2 or to keep the aperture at f10 or larger values (smaller apertures). But a coming firmware fix is expected, since Pentax have been made aware of the malfunction. If not, they can be sure that I and many others will return our cameras for repair. Let us hope it is a firmware issue, making things simpler for all involved!</p>

<p>Many color rich pictures, I must say! Quite nice to see. I also have an Eizo, and I do not find the pictures underexposed or out of balance at all.</p>

<p>But there will be a K-r, according to the rumours. And they seem rather well-founded by this time! Isn't that the K-x Super, eh?!</p>

<p>Chris, I totally agree with you when you tell us what you want Pentax to improve!<br /> <br />There the similarity ends. I must confess, but I could not keep my hands from neither K20D nor K-7, so I have both (my son got my K10D). K20D is very reliable and absolutely worth upgrading to - for instance, the lens sharpness adjustment is very handsome. K-7 is a little smaller and I like that, and it is very easy to adjust all settings I normally use. There are many creative alternatives, and the whole camera feels very intuitive. In summary: very nice to shoot with! And the in-built flash is clearly better than the one of K20D.<br /><br /> But now this with the high ISO, the AF, and also more reliable SDM: could Pentax just fix those things by putting in a new sensor for instance, then what a fantastic camera it will be (now 90%, then 100%). I look forward to it all! Dear Pentax, hm, Hoya I mean: hear my prayers!<br /> <br />PS. I forgot: also adjustable AF when filming video!</p>

<p>Elizabeth, my advice is that you buy the Sigma EX 70-200/2.8 II APO HSM DG Macro + the latest Sigma 2x teleconverter to fit to it. I really like to own that combination but I have not got the new HSM which you can buy nowadays!<br />This advice will naturally give you a rather large lens to carry around, but still offers a relatively handy size/weight and good optical quality for a lens going up to 400mm (600 mm in 35-mm equivalents). The converter adds the 400 mm when you like, still with f5.6, remaining AF, and only little extra size added. Since the mentioned converter is optimised for this and a few other Sigma lenses, you lose very little optical quality by using it.<br />As usual, what tele lens you can choose in practice is in the first run a wallet question. There are about half a dozen of them, mainly from Pentax and Sigma that I would find interesting in your situation. The lens-with-converter combination from Sigma that I recommend is in my eyes the most versatile and best choice as regards optical quality, maximum focal distance and aperture size. Then I also consider its price level, and the needs of most amateur photographers. This opinion is of course based on my own limited (and biased) experience, but I hope it adds some more knowledge that may be advantegeous for you.<br />Good luck with your final choice!</p>

<p>Hello Jacques,<br />You already have an excellent and very well-reputed macro lens in the Tamron 90mm f/2.8, which I also own myself. Looking at the picture quality you have very little to gain, if even gaining anything at all with the Pentax WR. Since the Tamron is rather widespread and Pentax not among the largest brands, you will likely lose some significant amount of money on selling it, though it has good reputation.<br />If I were you I would buy a rain cover for DSLRs instead. Most probably much cheaper, and you will avoid a lot of water drops on the surface of the camera that you work with, which is not fun even if you know that the water will not enter the camera and lens bodies. And a rain cover can work with most of your lenses.<br />Moreover, how often do you take macros or even other photos in very rainy conditions? Is this with the WR actually a problem, or just a wish for you to own the best possible equipment? I know, I have a tendency myself to wish such things, but there are so many other products to spend money on in photography, so I recommend buying some other equipment that may trigger your skills in other respects. I mean, if your money really burns in your pocket. Just a well-meant advice from me...</p>

<p>As concerns high ISO and K-7, please do not miss to read the excellent hint at<br /><a href="../pentax-camera-forum/00W50k">http://www.photo.net/pentax-camera-forum/00W50k</a><br /><br />written by Ian Forsyth. There you get a description of how to handle the settings of K7 in a creative way. I tried it and it works for me as well!</p>

<p>Just for your information: the update was not so fresh, still version 4.11. I already had it installed.</p>

<p>It seems that this may be a problem similar to the one that I earlier proposed a solution for:<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/pentax-camera-forum/00Vwpp?unified_p=1">http://www.photo.net/pentax-camera-forum/00Vwpp?unified_p=1</a><br>

Thanks for the upgrade hint regarding the Pentax software! I will fetch that version now.</p>

<p>Very nice, indeed! What an architectural and cultural excursion for us at the forum! The pictures focus on small details as well as street views, statues, old history, and people, in a pleasant mixture. Even on a monkey in one case (no, it is not a Spanish talking inhabitant, I am sure!).</p>

<p>As far as I have understood from web reviews and forum talk, the two Metz flashes 48 AF-1 and 58 AF-1 work flawlessly, and the Sigma EF 530 DG Super as well. This is with the exception of maybe some small issue, which has something to do with the WiFi function if I remember things right. I do not understand where you have heard the contrary about Metz.</p>

<p>Please, note that the " signs shall be kept directly before and after the file address following the del (=delete) command, since Windows otherwise cannot interpret an address which contains separated words!<br>

I wish you good luck!</p>

<p>Hi Tammy,<br /><br />I had exactly the same problem but found a solution out on the web (as always)!<br /><br />Hint: make a .txt file and copy/paste the text below into it (but avoid the " signs at the beginning and the end, respectively)! Replace User name with the one of your user account in Windows that you have told your computer about, save the file, and then change the extension of the file to .bat and run it!<br>

As an alternative, you can go the hard disk address on your own and delete the file manually (make sure that hidden files are visible to see where to go). The file gets deleted, and whenever it gets back again and creates fuzz, you can delete it again. <br /><br />"@echo off<br />echo.<br />echo.<br />echo.<br />echo This will take away the file CheckInfo.ini to be able to run the Pentax Digital Camera Utility 4!<br />echo.<br />del "C:\Documents and Settings\User name\Local Settings\Application Data\Pentax\Digital Camera Utility 4\CheckInfo.ini"<br />echo.<br />pause<br />exit" <br /><br />That is how to do it! I hope this will solve the problem for you as well!</p>

<p>Somanna, I quote from the download page:</p>

<h5>Changes to V1.03</h5>

<ul >

<li>Lens Correction (Distortion, Lateral chromatic aberration) is settable for below FA limited lenses.<br />smc PENTAX-FA 31mmF1.8AL Limited<br />smc PENTAX-FA 43mmF1.9 Limited<br />smc PENTAX-FA 77mmF1.8 Limited </li>

<li>Improved usability by optimize the program of vertical position judgment. </li>

<li>Improved stability of recording movie for some SDHC Memory card. </li>

</ul>

<p>Then you of course have those hidden improvements that Pentax does not tell us about but realize that they had better do for the sake of their customers and potential customers. Ok, we do not know for sure but already Javier tells that he thinks he notices something.</p>