Shot with PENTAX K10D, processed using K10D Ver 1.30
While driving home yesterday, I had an idea during a break to attach the camera to the backseat with the safety belt. Having it on a tripod, it was surprisingly sturdy. I have a faint recollection of having seen this before, so I don’t want any credit for originality.
Having the camera at manual focus and 2 second timer mode allowed me to reach to press the shutter release without appearing on the image. The most interesting pictures were recorded on a freeway with good lighting on the sides. And man, that windshield is dirty!
Computer generated imagery of the Samsung’s planned Hybrid Camera
Shortly after the announcements of the new µ4/3-system, which is an EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder, Interchangeable Lens) system, Samsung announced to be working on an APS-C sensor size based hybrid system of their own. The new interchangeable lens ‘Hybrid’ digital camera system is to be released in Spring 2010, and is intentended to allow Samsung to gain a strong foothold in a new, developing market instead of fighting the slow war for marketshare in the already entrenched DSLR world.
Initial reaction to the first µ4/3-body, the Panasonic G1, was lackluster as the body was deemed too DSLR-like and large. It appears Samsung has taken heed, as can be seen in the new computer generated concept image that features a decidedly retro pocket camera type of body. It remains to be seen, if the large objectives attached on the camera is a sign of things to come, or if Samsung can find a way to put the superb miniature Pentax pancake lenses on the new camera.
Shot with PENTAX K10D, processed using K10D Ver 1.30 ISO200, 1/125s, f/8.0 at 250.00mm (aperture priority (semi-auto))
(I noticed the thumbnail generation of the blog software seems to eat away the colour in the image (and no, the image is not in aRGB colorspace). I’ll need to tweak the software and add a way to examine the larger image.)
Because of being busy with other things, the camera has stayed on the shelf for a while. I’ve felt bad about not photographing more, but if I don’t feel like, and there’s nothing in particular that would demand being photographed, then why should I feel guilty? But now, autumn and the colours and fantastic light it has brought with it forced me to take a camera with me on a little tour on the streets of my home town.
This photograph is from the yard of the old Orimattila spinning mill, now converted to a shopping mall with lots of small boutiques. The image was processed in Aperture (I have three days left of the trial version, I should write a bigger piece on the software before the trial period expires) only to straighten it to fit my view of the scene. The shallowish depth of field was obtained by the only way the nice walkabout glass Tamron 18-250/3.5-6.3 offers: by using the longest possible focal length, 250mm. I don’t know if I have my goals too low, but for the huge focal length range of the objective, I quite like the sharpness of the Tamron.
Following various photography forums, it has become apparent that people have many widely held misunderstandings regarding the co-operation and ownership between Hoya, Tokina, Pentax and to some extent Tamron.
The reason that so many people get confused about the relations between these companies is simple: the companies have co-operated with each other on lens design and manufacturing. Here are a few misconceptions that seem to surface regularily: (more…)
The Pentax K-m product brochure (in German) and an info leaflet have been made available at the Pentax Germany website. They also give out the official specifications of the camera. The dimensions of the camera are (as already stated) 122,5 x 91,5 x 67,5 mm, and the weight (without battery and lens) is 575g. (more…)
Perhaps the most interesting change in the roadmap is the new DA Super Telephoto marked at the 300mm mark, for which no other specification is yet given.
Pentax Km (499€ with 18-55, 599€ with 18-55 and 50-200)
DA* 60-250/4 (1,299€)
DA* 55mm/1.4 (549€)
DA 15mm/4 Limited
SDM 1,4x tele-converter
AF160FC Macro Ring Flash (499€)
The Pentax Germany web page leaked the details of upcoming of the new products Pentax is going to announce at the Photokina 2008 in Cologne. The releases followed very closely the rumours that have been circling in the various Pentax online forums.
Pentax manufactured Full Frame DSLR is probably the most debated topic in online Pentax forums these days. Although Samsung has announced the development of a FF CMOS sensor, there haven’t been any announcements about the availablility of such a camera in the Pentax lineup.
Let’s not discuss, for the moment, whether such a camera is in the pipeline or even necessary. Instead, let us look at a statement that is often perpetuated in the discussions. This is the myth of there being no FF (Full Frame) lenses available for Pentax.
If we do not discuss the issue of glass being good enough for digital FF (let’s discuss that another time), we can easily come up with a list of in-production Pentax lenses that cover the full frame. (more…)
Everyone can make of what they will of the ad. For example, should we read something into the flash not occuring on the mystery camera, but at the K20D? That the mystery camera is a K1D that’s only going to arrive a little later (PMA 2009?) and there will only be an upgrade to K20D available at the moment?
Shot with PENTAX K10D, processed using LightZone ISO160, 1/160s, f/8.0 at 47.50mm (aperture priority (semi-auto))
Let’s start this blog that is about photography, cameras, objectives, image processing software and other miscellaneous photography paraphernalia with a photograph. The photograph has been processed with LightZone, bought from the great MacUpdate promotion. I will probably be writing more about LightZone later.
The photograph is from Berlin, and the sun is just setting, creating an interesting lighting. It is really about nothing in specific, just the kind of “art photograph´´ my wife hates
