snippets, 5-16-2017

Susan Faludi: 'In my world, photographs lie' (NY Times). Disturbing, moving, fascinating.

snippets, 10-27-2015

These are all excellent: 2015 GDT European wildlife photographer of the year. (My favorite is Sprint at the Edge of the Forest. )

snippets, 6-27-2014

The middle-aged, who have lived through their strongest emotions, but are yet in the time when memory is still half passionate and not merely contemplative, should surely be a sort of natural priesthood, whom life has disciplined and consecrated to be the refuge and rescue of early stumblers and victims of self-despair.

- George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss, 1860

fawkes and whiskers

K-01, Super Tak 55/1.8.

Brief lens/camera evaluation: the 55/1.8 has oodles of character, but it's not as sharp as the 35/3.5. Haven't used the 135/3.5 or 200/4.0 much, but I like what I've seen so far. The longer focal lengths are just too hard to use with the LCD. I might get more use from them if I get a Swivi. Overall, I got a lot of good old glass for $70.

As for the camera, I like the IQ. The focus peaking feature is nice, but I don't really like using it; I'd rather trust my eyes. The focus zoom-assist is helpful, but all things considered I think I'd be happier with an OVF.

Aspirational? A K-3 with the HD 20-40mm and the DA* 60-250mm, maybe. That combination would run around $3,700. That's not bad when you're talking about quality camera gear, but it's roughly ten times what I paid for the K-01 and four Super Takumar lenses. I think I'm OK for now - but if a blue K-01 fell into my lap, I'd be tickled pink.

but what does it all mean

I was excited about the new Pentax K-3. From the spec sheet it seemed like a good upgrade from my K-7, but there was a considerable gap between what was left of my bonus and the K-3's price. Then I saw this video and realized a couple things: 1) I don't know any dancers, and 2) apart from the weather sealing, it's more camera than I really need.

So I went another direction. The Pentax K-01, soundly derided by photo forum curmudgeons on its release, has been discontinued (although rumor has it that Ricoh is putting the blue ones back in production for the Japanese market), so it's pretty cheap right now. It has a chunky body, slightly odd ergonomics, and no optical viewfinder. But after giving it a try, several photographers have decided it's fun, and its sensor (APS-C, as in the K-5 series) and image quality have earned some respect. As one reviewer put it, "if you're looking for the least expensive way to get a camera with the world's best resolution APS sensor...the Pentax K-01 has no competition."

So, yeah, rather than trying to bridge the gap between my savings and the price of the K-3, I decided to use a couple of gift cards and the remains of my bonus to buy a discontinued K-01 body. Then I jumped on eBay and sniped a set of four old Super Takumar lenses: a 35mm f3.5, a 55mm f1.8, an SMC 135mm f3.5, and a 200mm f4. (All but the 135mm are pre-SMC lenses, so they're likely around 50 years old.) I've been playing with them for a couple days now; they all seem to be in great shape. The 55mm is pretty beat up. The knurling is worn and the focus ring is a little loose; it looks like it was the former owner's best-loved lens. The 135mm was horribly dusty on first sight, but it was all external; the foam lining of its case is deteriorating. I think the SMCs used a radioactive element in the coating - nothing at all to worry about healthwise (holding a cellphone to your head is probably a lot more dangerous), but enough to turn the case's foam to dust after 50 years. Once I cleaned it up, the lens seems to be in good shape. The 200mm is pristine, but I'm finding it difficult to use; there's no viewfinder on the K-01 so the lens is tricky to hold and focus. I might have to get a monopod or a loupe/shade to enjoy it. The 35mm f3.5 is an absolute gem, a very lucky find - by itself it's probably worth three times what I paid for the whole set of four.

So, that's what the italic notes on the last few pictures have been about; I'm trying to keep track of which lens is doing what. I'm having a lot of fun playing with them, but the 35mm is the clear leader so far.

Does this mean I'm going to give up the dream of owning a K-3 and a collection of fine Pentax HD lenses? Heck no. But in the meantime, for about a third of the price of a K-3 body, I'm gonna have me some fun. And yes, I'm still using the excellent MX-1; in fact, the more I use it, the better I like it. :)

On a side note - does anyone know how to turn off Google's new auto-enhance feature? (It changes things that I upload here in unexpected ways...might have to think about a different blogging platform. Ugh. Later.)

aiiggghhhhh

Pentax K-3. Squeeeeeeee.

Multi-pattern white balance. Selectable anti-aliasing. Web-based remote shooting. 8.3 fps. (The limited edition silver is awfully pretty, too, but I'd probably skip the battery grip.)

I know a fellow who has a collection of Takumar lenses, including the legendary 85mm f4.5 Ultra-Achromatic (of which it's rumored there are only about 20 still existing). Can you imagine that lens on this body? Oy.

field notes, vii-xxix-xiii

more walkaroundcam thoughts

A couple more with the FZ-19.

walkaroundcam thoughts

After a week or so of pixel-peeping and coin-flipping I'm no closer to a decision on a walkaround camera; the leading contenders are still the Ricoh GR (for its size and image quality) and the Pentax MX-1 (for its versatility and price). One hesitant note is that I'm not sure I can compose with an LCD (all my experience is with SLRs), so I brought home a Panasonic FZ-19 from work to play. All I've really learned so far is that the FZ-19 is a fiddly little thing. It pocketed nicely, which leans in the Ricoh's favor; then again, though the MX-1 would be bulkier and heavier, that might not be a bad thing if it's more fun to use. I dunno. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

equipment notes

I take pictures with a Pentax K7. I mostly use an older SMC-A 50/f1.7 lens, along with a DA 50-300, and less often a DA 18-55.

I ride a Pashley Paramount. Coolest bike ever.