K-5 and pseudo-IR

 

The K-5 has so many features to grow with that it could take a year's full efforts to try them all. Multiple exposures, pre-focus "catch-in" images, time-lapse shots.. and plenty of filtering options. Convert to monochrome and you can choose tone, color-filter effects, hi/low key, and the one shown here that mimics an Infrared (IR) filter. It's a curious effect, and quite strong so that images that look rather ordinary through the viewfinder take on a new drama. This wasn't anything in particular, just cirrus in front of fir trees after all - but I really like the effect!

F550 ups & downs

  While I have generally been quite happy with the little Fuji, it has caught me twice by battery stoppages. I keep a spare in my vest pocket, yet every now and then I take the camera but leave the vest at home. Twice now that has happened, and it's very frustrating. I took a long walk with the camera yesterday, and had a fine time taking pictures of the city and this fine set of pansies - but today I missed a great sunrise when the camera failed to wake up. Drat.

This image is directly from raw; the jpeg blew out the far-right blue bloom. Other than resize this has not been processed.

Sadie with the Tamron 90

  Sadie is having hi-thyroid troubles, and the medication is only now starting to work. This makes her a very easy target for imaging! This was manually focused with the Tamron SP 90/2.8 Macro at f/3.2, cropped only. A very nice lens, and not merely for counting lenses in a bug's eye.



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This was one of our last shots of Sadie - after recovering from the thyroid issue the underlying cancer was revealed.  Rest peacefully, Sadie.

Duncan likes the quiet K-5 shutter

I have finally posted a few shots from the K-5. Yes, it does indeed show off the now-legendary 16Mpixel Sony sensor: this is a straight jpeg, no adjustments but cropped to reduce clutter from the scene. ISO 6400 is an acceptable speed for this camera, especially for simple snaps. Had I really been trying it could be a better image, but this passes the PGE test (Plenty Good Enough!) easily.

dwarf with a chip on his shoulder!

After being abandoned in our back yard, the elements had time to wear away a part of our friendly dwarf. Curious that it would choose his shoulder as the primary point of wear!
Taken with a Sigma 18-200 just before its departure - the budget is not going to allow a lot of duplication for a while, even though the 18-200 gave a good showing on the K-5. Maybe later..

Pentax K-5: so it begins

Pentax K-5, DA18-55wr and DA 35/2.4

Several packages arrived at our house today, heralding a new era in my imaging 'career'.  Lately, 'career' has been more like 'careen' as I hopped from one K-mount camera to another in the past twenty months, attempting to have the best possible camera while paying medical bills.  My wife finally called my bluff and my birthday-present arrived a couple of weeks early (but just in time for our 5th anniversary!).  Now I can't justify looking at sales sites for a few years.. unless one of my lenses happens to fail :^( but we won't let that happen, will we?

my new lucky number? Fives are everywhere!

This month I will turn 55, and I plan to celebrate appropriately by picking up a Pentax K-5.  It will make use of both DA 18-55wr and 55-300 lenses, and I will keep the Fuji F550 as my pocket shooter.  And anniversary #5 is also this month!  Almost like a trend or something..

new year's resolution will increase to 16M

One of my Christmas-season gifts from my bride was permission to step up to the K-5.  Our finances have been a roller coaster lately, and the camera kit has been sacrificed twice for short-term relief.  She appreciates what I have done to help out, and wants me to have the good stuff - and right now that's the K-5 (plus the lenses noted in the last post).  I will be in search of the best deal, but am in no hurry.  A few other funds came in to help with this without hurting our budget in other ways, but let's not be reckless and be forced to let it all go again. :^(

Anyway, I am looking forward to using a top-notch camera with controls all over it.  My transition to right-eye shooting had better hurry up though!

shot at Christmas 2009 with Sony A200