chune_hoong_pong

October 6, 2013

Hi all, Here are my 3 for the week. Taken in the vicinity of the Sydney Opera House, without the icon's presence. <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/_IGP8871.jpg" alt="" /> (1) Pentax DA 55-300mm @ f/8, ISO 100

<img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/_IGP8868.jpg" alt="" /> (2) Pentax DA 55-300mm @ f/8, ISO 100

<img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/_IGP8850.jpg" alt="" /> (3) Pentax DA 15mm @ f/8, ISO 100

December 9, 2011

Hi John, May I know which part of SEA you are referring to specifically? Based on my feeble personal knowledge, I believe Singapore to be marginally cheaper than Malaysia, although pricing variations do depend on which shop/website you decide to purchase from. Whereas for Vietnam, being one of the manufacturing locations for Pentax, I'd like to think it should be just as readily available, although I haven't the slightest clue. I know that the <a href="http://www.dscworld.com.my/">official distributor for Pentax here in Malaysia</a> would gladly direct you to stores that carry Pentax, on top of accepting potential walk-in customers. I think the K-5 + WR kit is competitive enough in pricing with B&H or Amazon (non Cyber Monday price, i.e.) for you to make a purchasing decision. Hope this helps.

December 4, 2011

Happy weekend everyone. I attended a music festival last week and here are a few captures. Thought I'd share a few for this week's POW. Pics taken with my K-r, which coasted through the driving rain : ) <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/_IGP1914.jpg" alt="" /> #1 Quantaray 70-300mm, ISO 4000, f/4.5, 1/320sec <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/_IGP1936.jpg" alt="" /> #2 ISO 3200, f/5.6, 1/250sec <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/_IGP1846.jpg" alt="" /> #3 FA 50mm f/1.4, ISO 4000, f/2.2, 1/40sec

May 17, 2011

Very charming set of pics Camus. Love the simplicity of the first image.

August 31, 2010

Great job Matt. Excellent!

August 27, 2010

Hi Stephen,

I have two rectangular hoods for the 49mm filter thread Pentax 28mm lenses.

The one on the left is of metal construction, whereas the one on the right is made of plastic.

Side-by-side, the metal hood is lengthier by about 3mm sideways, height shorter by 1mm, hence making the plastic hood a fraction more square-ish. The former features a twist-and-lock mechanism whereas the latter is a regular clip-on. I suppose there could be other versions out there as well.

If anything, I'd suggest you aim for the metal variety, simply because it's just more robust if you don't mind potential scuffing. The plastic hood is ... errr, just too plasticky and fragile.

Hope this helps.

August 15, 2010

Great start to the weekend folks. Jordan - Sweet little portrait, looks like she was really up for it. Michael E - 2nd macro shot is my pick of the lot. Was the vignetting intentional or natural? Markus - Some fun street images there. You have a great eye for capturing a slice of everyday life we often overlook. Just two for this week. Taken with my trusty K100D Super and Tamron 28-200mm. When I visited Bangkok earlier this year, I took some impromptu snapshots of a few fascinating and chummy characters whom I had the pleasure of meeting. I recently returned and decided to pay them a visit along with hard copies of their pictures. Both were taken at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatuchak_Weekend_Market">Chatuchak market</a>; the first is a sneaker vendor resembling Jonah Lomu, and the second is an attractive young Thai lady who was running a men's fashion boutique. It was all fun and giggles, and I'm thinking of keeping up this picture-in-a-picture tradition for as long as possible, until either they've moved on from the market, or decide to kick me to the kerb. <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP4801.jpg" alt="" /> Purveyor of fine sneakers (f/8, 1/30sec, ISO 400) <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP4806.jpg" alt="" /> The Empress' funky new clothes (f/4 1/60sec, ISO 400)

July 18, 2010

Hi everyone,

Great start to the weekend folks.

Here are 2 more casual snapshots taken in Bangkok.

The first is taken at the Chatuchak weekend market, where a couple of young chaps were making a bountiful honest living serving up a mean coconut ice cream.

The second image is of a cat who belonged to an old lady who I'm quite sure fleeced us over lunch.

<img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP2482.jpg" alt="" /> Coconut Ice Cream Delicacy (Quantaray AF LD 70-300mm 1:4-5.6 @ f/4.5, 1/1500sec, ISO 800)

<img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP3897.jpg" alt="" /> Curious Cat (SIGMA SUPER-WIDE II 1:2.8 f=24mm @ f/2.8, 1/10sec, ISO 800)

July 8, 2010

Great body of work there Javier.

Plenty of mood on show.

#1 Reminded me of a <a href="http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2009/10/gordon-lewis-print-offer.html">print that went on sale on TOP</a> awhile back.

My faves are #6, 7, 12.

Must say I was half-expecting to see the Loch Ness monster rear its head in the Holga double exposer.

Shucks.

July 4, 2010

Haig T - Great set of pics; #2 is my fave, the subtly muted colours really brings out the lines.

Robert B - Looks a very competent combo judging from the shot. Those waxwings have real attitude on their faces!

Two for this week, both taken during last week's City Arts Festival with the K100D Super.

The first shows one stage of a <a href="http://www.urbanscapes.com.my/news/2010/6/15/projek-angkat-rumah.html">house-moving project</a> where a crane had to be deployed to clear a security checkpoint. The rest of the house movement from Point A to Point B was accomplished via brute strength and cooperation.

Second is of local singer <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aiqahalimmusic">Aiqa Halim</a> during her live showcase.

House In The Sky (SIGMA SUPER-WIDE II 1:2.8 f=24mm @ f/6.7, 1/500sec, ISO 200)

Aiqa Halim (Quantaray AF LD 70-300mm 1:4-5.6 @ f/4.5 1/90sec, ISO 1600)

June 15, 2010

@ Peter Z - Those are great barns! Practically the sort conjured by my head when "barn!" is heard. @ Matt B - The colours rendered by the DA 40 is just amazing. Well-exemplified there. @ Javier G - I like the first pic a lot, would've liked it more if you found yourself directly facing the mural for a more direct perspective when the man stepped right into the frame. Still, I'm just nitpicking. @ Michael E - That's a whole lotta fun for one picture! Smashing team photo to boot. @ Patrick V - Well-crafted image, did you use a polariser for that shot? @ Dorus - Gonna start setting the camera lower and point it upwards more from now. @ Ben P - Excellent stuff from the Bigma. @ Howard T - Great set of flowers. My fave would be #3, strong and textured. @ Dave H - Lovely portrait, great capture of her mood. You're absolutely spot-on, the 24mm Sigma is really really fun; it's the one lens I don't leave home without now. @ Robert C - I thought the last pic was a closeup of alligator skin :) Clearly I know little about alligators ... or water. @ Dave S - Right place, right time. Well done! @ Tony E - Love 'em barns. The turrets is a fine b/w composition, but the walls look a touch washed out due to the direct sunlight though. @ William R - Handsome little fella, great catch! @ Bob M - The fish looks resigned to its fate :) There are plenty of charming photo-ops all along the streets of Bangkok, fascinating people and sights. As always, do ask permission if unsure and flash a wide smile. They're a very friendly bunch after all. @ Russel Y - Amazing indeed, lotsa detail in the landscape. @ Nick S - That's a great weekend or two in a nutshell! @ Julio C - Colours pop right out, superb pickings there especially the woodpecker with the mirror lens. Big thank you to all for your input, very much appreciated :)

June 13, 2010

Great pictures all around. Well done everyone :) Here are a few street shots taken in Bangkok early this year, a matter of weeks before the red-shirt protesters took over parts of the city. <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP2233.jpg" alt="" /> Grilled Octopus (SIGMA SUPER-WIDE II 1:2.8 f=24mm @ f/8, 1/60sec, ISO 200) <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP2270.jpg" alt="" /> Bangkok Skywalk Resident (smc PENTAX-A ZOOM 1:4 35~70mm @ f/4, 1/1000sec, ISO 400) <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP2374.jpg" alt="" /> Mangosteen Peddler (SIGMA SUPER-WIDE II 1:2.8 f=24mm @ f/2.8, 1/180sec, ISO 1600)

June 2, 2010

Sorry for the very late response, not much time in my hands of late. @ Andrew - I considered getting an Autoreflex on the cheap for film photography, but decided against it in the end. You're right, the bodies are downright robust, and the mercury batteries were another little issue I wasn't willing to contend with. @ Jeff - There are several examples of this 40mm hacked for 4/3s, it seemed a fairly straightforward and workable exercise. I have an M42 Super-Tak 35mm f/2 which I don't use often enough, it's bulky and focusing seems a little more miss than hit (probably user error). @ Nick - It's a sweet little lens, though not as thin as the DA 40mm but nonetheless still tiny. @ Richard - I agree with you, the operative word here is "unsightly", but given the circumstances it seemed acceptable. Here's a quick and dirty shot taken a few days ago, outside a Hindu temple on a reasonably busy night. No post-processing, size reduced only. Wide open, 1/60 sec, ISO 800, spot metering. <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP3827.jpg" alt="" /> Some brief observations: 1) Metering is accurate in AV mode; much more than I could've imagined compared to M42 lenses I've previously used which requires a little bumping up. 2) Purple fringing is clearly noticeable at wide open. Sorry, didn't get a chance to test it stopped-down; the viewfinder dimmed quite a bit by f/8 and made it hard to focus for a night scene. 3) It's reasonably sharp, colours are well-rendered. I will return in less than a week for more images. Thanks everyone for your comments so far.

May 22, 2010

Hi Everyone, Just wanted to share a little success story of sorts. Over a year ago, I picked up a good-to-excellent condition copy of <a href="http://www.buhla.de/Foto/Konica/Objektive/e40_18.html">Konica Hexanon AR 40mm f/1.8</a> for about $30 IIRC; fair price I thought. While I'm aware that it doesn't fit my K100D Super, curiosity got the better of me. I've been drooling after the DA pancakes (especially the 40mm) but just couldn't justify springing for any of them. In some twisted logic, forking out $30 for a lens which I can't use outright was somehow acceptable.

Safe in the knowledge that at the very minimal least, this Konica pancake will mount on a K-mount extension tube (and it did very securely, I tried it), it would make an inconvenient <a href="http://www.mail-archive.com/pdml@pdml.net/msg314605.html">closeup</a> lens. Anyway, my prime intention was always to have its mount converted. Having used the google to trawl through the internets, success has been a mixed bag. <a href="../photodb/user?user_id=2108934">Sebastian Januszevski</a> here on p-net has been potentially the most successful thus far. However I also stumbled across a fellow Pentax user on my local forum who has a knack for undertaking such modification projects on an enthusiast/non-professional level. He's accomplished some <a href="http://www.photomalaysia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81862">bizarre lens conversions</a> over the years and the very amicable chap named Jesster was up to the task when approached. Fast forward to about half a year later, it's finally back with me. Slightly rough around the edges, but it now has a K-mount! So yes, it can be done! I don't have a good grasp of the modifications he's performed internally, so I definitely am unable to divulge much technical or engineering substance. Here's a bunch of pictures though.

Looking at the rear mount, what's most conspicuous is the missing brass/metal plate where the contacts for KA/KAF mounts would usually sit, revealing a rather untidy sight. I believe he just lacked a few spare parts, and some very valuable time which he had already so graciously devoted to this project. You'll see some soldering done, as well as what looks like a small dollop of red melted plastic presumably to hold an certain unpart together, or something. <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP3825.jpg" alt="" />

The aperture ring has lost a little "depth" which makes it slightly more difficult to grip and manoeuvre. Due to its thinness, it does feel slightly flimsy and loose when unmounted. When mounted to the body however, it ceases to be an issue. <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP3822.jpg" alt="" /> This Konica lens is effectively a functional Pentax-M lens now, metering remains relatively accurate in AV mode or stop-down Manual mode.I haven't had much time to shoot with the lens yet, hopefully in the coming weeks. <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/DSC00085.jpg" alt="" />

May 12, 2010

Excellent, even for test shots. Well done Matt. Was dilly-dallying between the DA12-24 and the DA15. This looks to seal the deal.

March 2, 2010

Hi Phyliss, I've used a K100D Super since August 2007 and apart from my first month from using a set of <a href="http://www.hahnel.ie/index.cfm/page/batteries">Hahnels</a> , my mainstay has been Eneloops. However all 3 sets of 4 X AA Eneloops (which I'd alternated its usage fairly evenly) now fail to hold considerable charge on my camera. They charge fine, display full bar upon insertion, but crap out before the 100-shot mark. It doesn't even return me a single bar whenever i turn off/on the camera, when I had faint hopes of squeezing just a little more juice out of them. Furthermore, they're as good as dead when left unused after about a week. And I'm very certain that I'm nowhere close to its 1000-times recharge. While there's no doubt that they worked tremendously well (when they did), my Eneloop experience has been mixed. Anyway for the last half a year or so, I've been using NiMH <a href="http://www.tenergybattery.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=434&category_id=1&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=27">T-Energy</a> . They look like rip-off Sony rechargeables, but nonetheless serving me very well thus far. Pack of 6-cards and they were <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tenergy-Pre-charged-2300mah-Rechargeable-Batteries/dp/B001CX4H76/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1248288103&sr=8-3">pretty cheap</a> . They were supposed to come pre-charged, but were completely flat ... as I'd discovered tragically while shooting a wedding dinner.

February 12, 2010

In terms of focal lengths, the <a href="../equipment/tamron/28_75_Di/">Tamron 28-75mm</a> would be pretty useful for "a bit of everything" considering you plan to add an UWA and a telephoto lens each at a later date.

December 21, 2009

It's one of my favourite manual focus lenses. The focal length is slightly awkward on an APS-C sensor for me, hence I mostly use it as a portrait lens of some sort. You're right about the close focusing, and constant f/4 aperture ... though I wouldn't quite agree with the solid build quality. Does feel a little plasticky at times, and my copy suffers from a loose focusing ring. Nevertheless, it actually makes focusing a breeze, so personally it's of no bother at all. And FWIW ... loose focusing yes, zoom creep no. Renders images perfectly acceptable in my K100D Super. I'm not sure if the coating was any different, but most images were on the cooler side. No post-processing for the images below except for resizing and borders. <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP7654.jpg" alt="" /> #1 Union. f/6.7, 1/60sec, ISO 200 <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP7347.jpg" alt="" /> #2 Alarice Thio. f/4, 1/30sec, ISO 800

Hope that helps, good luck :)

December 16, 2009

I was also informed by the local Pentax rep that it's the same sensor as the D300.

December 11, 2009

Here's a <a href="http://www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html">link</a> I found while researching about old flash guns' compatibility with my K100D Super. The info's slightly outdated, but worth perusing for a basic guideline. Hope that helps, good luck.

November 22, 2009

Gorgeous picture George. She should be absolutely chuffed over such an unassuming candid portrait. I attended a 'Photographers' Night' held by the local photography forum several nights ago, and the local Pentax distributors saw it apt to organise a 'Touch and Feel Pentax K-x' session simultaneously. Very very impressive camera I must say. <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP0726.jpg" alt="" /> Photographer's Night (DA*16-50mm @ f/4.5, 1/20sec, ISO 1600) All those potential buying decisions led me to revisit some old pics, especially when I first got my K100D Super. Here's a modest attempt at "street photography" ... taken during a winter's night at Darling Harbour, Sydney 2007. <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP0299.jpg" alt="" /> Not Of Javier's Ilk :] (Kit lens Version I @ f/3.5, 1/4sec, ISO 800) Happy weekend, all.

November 21, 2009

Great captures, Javier. The tilt is largely subjective. If I hadn't known what the pics were about, I probably wouldn't think it played any part in your photographic process. Instinctively, too much tilt would simply pop out and rat itself out. I'd like to think we have a certain degree of acceptable level that's negligible until a picture just whacks you in the face for overdoing it. If the electronic level function on the K-7 had a voice, it would've went ballistic, "What, you're firing me?!" :) Also, I noticed that #1 and #6 were processed with a slightly cooler colour cast. Seems to have brought to the fore a bit more texture, lines, and patterns that would've been otherwise less impressionable. Was that intentional, or am I overreaching here?

November 8, 2009

Two random pictures taken at the <a href="http://www.i-putra.com.my/minisite/tamanbotani.html">Botanical Garden</a> several months back with the Tamron SP Adaptall-2 35-80mm f/2.8-3.8 01A zoom and K100D Super. <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP1840.jpg" alt="" /> Not Good With Taxonomy #1 (f/4.5, 1/60sec, ISO 200) <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP1863.jpg" alt="" /> Not Good With Taxonomy #2 (Wide open, 1/180sec, ISO 200)

November 6, 2009

Throughly enjoyable series, Somanna. Excellence in a very subtle manner.

November 3, 2009

I have a copy of the ubiquitous Helios 44-M 58mm f2, and my experience with the lens largely parallels those above. The bokeh is indeed pleasing, or at the very least, not busy. It's a sturdy chunk of metal, and eventhough my copy of the lens has a slightly stiff focusing ring, I still find it comfortably engaging when in use. Here are 2 image samples when I took it out for a run earlier this evening. Taken wide open at f/2 on my K100D Super, converted to .jpg from Raw without any adjustments. <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP0487.jpg" alt="" /> The DJ <img src="http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr235/hchune/Web%20Uploads/IMGP0499.jpg" alt="" /> Satay The 58mm f2 are a dime a dozen on that auction site, and it's hard-to-beat in terms of value for money. Easy and inexpensive way to get a headstart into Russian lenses.

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Posts posted by chune_hoong_pong