Re: Hi!
Hi Sylwester, on 16 Jan 05 you wrote in pentax.list: >Hello Heiko, nice to read you again :-) I hope you have sorted out your >personal problems and now everything is just OK :-) Not yet, but I'm working on it ;-) Thanks. >> Nevertheless - I have added a section "my equipment" to my homepage >Thanks, nice to look at :-) You've collected almost everything that >die-hard Pentax fan should use with *istD ;-) Yes, but only "almost" everything - there's still something left ;-) cheers, Heiko
Re: Hi!
Hi Keith, on 16 Jan 05 you wrote in pentax.list: >Was that Venus transit your efforts entirely? Impressive! What was the >telescope? Thanks. I don't have a professional astronomic equipment. I have used my Russian 1000mm mirror lens - the MC MTO-11CA (see http:// www.russianoptics.com/page6.html) and a special sun filter that I had made for the solar eclipse 1999. The MC MTO-11CA is a M42 lens and can be easily attached to the *istD. Focusing is quite difficult as the viewfinder gets very dark using a 1000/10.0 lens. Cheers, Heiko
Hi!
Hi, I just want to show a sign of life, as my last post is some time ago. The reason is that I have to cope with some major private problems and changes in my life. But I'm - at last - still reading the PDML ;-) and hope to put my life in order in the next weeks. Nevertheless - I have added a section "my equipment" to my homepage www.mycroft.de and hope, that you like it. If you have some suggestions to improve the language or correct mistakes, then feel free to send me an e-mail. Cheers, Heiko
Re: Samples from 14 2.8
Hi Timothy, on 25 Nov 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >Found whilst surfing and lurking! Shots from the new 14: You can find some shots on my homepage www.mycroft.de. cheers, Heiko
Re: Shipping options from Germany?
Andre Langevin wrote: I would like to have a lens sent to Canada from Germany. I am being told that shipping would be 35 euros (lower fare) or 50 euros by air mail. The prices seem to be those of the "Duetsche Post". There is a little error: Canada is "zone 3", i.e. the lower fare should be 29,- euro, but that's still a lot of money. I think UPS is even much more expensive. Cheers, Heiko
Re: FA 35mm f/2 European prices please
Hi Kostas, on 18 Oct 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >On Mon, 18 Oct 2004, John Whittingham wrote: >> @17.5% + handling charge + import duty. Best price I could find was >> US$299.95 at Adorama. >How about tekade? >http://www.tekade.de/Angebot/angebot.html >359 Euros The actual price in the tekade-shop is 309,- Euro (Shop -> Objektive&Konverter -> Pentax). I don't think that you will get it cheaper as the lens is no longer available from Pentax Europe. There only some remaining stocks (e.g. at Tekade). Cheers, Heiko
Re: Takumar 85/1.8 price
On 06 Sep 04 I wrote in pentax.list: >I've got the chance to get a Pentax Takumar 85/1.8 for 150,- Euro. Is >that a good price and should I go for it? Stan's website shows very good >comments on this lens. I just want to thank everybody for your answers. Unfortunately the seller was very unrelieable and didn't sell it to me :-( So I've something new to watch out for on eBay ;-) Cheers, Heiko
Re: CR-V3 rechageables
Hi Jens, on 08 Sep 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >Anyone tried to use CR-V3 rechargeables (1100mAh) in the *ist D? >Are they recommendable to use? Pentax.ch oficcially warns that theese rechargebles can harm a digital camera. I wouldn't use them. See: http://www.pentax.ch/index.php?id=443&type=1#1135 Cheers, Heiko
Re: Cotty without camera (was:Re: Sigma 12-24 f/4.5-5.6 vs Pentax DA 14 2.8)
Cotty wrote: What's going on, Cotty? Going to jump back onto the good old HMS Pentax? Don't be silly. Come on - it's not too late for a therapy... Cheers, Heiko BTW - it's hot in Germany, too. And I don't have a fan...
Re: DA 14/2.8
Hi DagT, on 02 Sep 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >I've got one :-) >One of the three that got to Norway in June. >I think Heiko has one too. Yes, I have. You can find some test images on my webpage (mycroft.de). cu, Heiko
Re: ENABLED limited ist D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Ryan, on 31 Aug 04 you wrote in pentax.list: ... >But hmm.. why is the Pentax logo gold? I assume it's because the brown >packaging of the wine box is reflecting.. but no! the shutter release is >gold too! and so is the ist D logo! And the arrow button on the back too and >just below the gold PENTAX on the back, it says 50 years in Australia. What the hell... Never heard of something like that... Send pics!!! Cheers, Heiko BTW - congrats and have fun!
Re: 15/3.5 sharpness?
Hi Alan, on 21 Aug 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >Just had my first roll of 15/3.5 pictures back. The first thing I have >noticed is, they aren't very sharp (maybe I should redo the test on cloudy >day). Hm, I would agree, that they are not as sharp as you could expect. But I couldn't say if it was the lens or the focussing I have some test images of the Pentax 14, 15 and 16-45 on my homepage - maybe they can help you to compare the results (www.mycroft.de/e_tests.html) cu, Heiko
Testimages online
Hi, I.ve updated my homepage and put some testimages of the following lenses online: smc-DA 14/2.8 SMC-A 15/3.5 smc-DA 16-45/4 SMC-FA 31/1.8 Limited SMC-FA 35/2 SMC-FA 43/1.9 Limited SMC-F 70-210/4-5.6 SMC-FA 77/1.8 Limited All pictures were made with the *istD. You find the pictures in the tests-area on www.mycroft.de. Comments are welcome! I also want to ask for a favour: could somebody check the test notes (http://www.mycroft.de/e_tinfo1.html) and mail me some corrections as I'm (obviously) not a native English speaker. cu, Heiko
Re: AF-500 FTZ
Hi Bill, on 04 Jul 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >I have a question for the 500 FTZ users . . . how long does yours >take to charge up on full batteries? I've tried using fresh Alkalines >and fresh Lithium,s, but it takes nearly 2 min to charge each time. Using fresh alkalines it takes some seconds, but never 2 minutes! I don't think that you can do something wrong, so maybe you have to take you flash to a service center. Cheers, Heiko
Re: First smc-DA14/2.8 impressions (read this Shel)
That Guy wrote: Ok Heiko, thanks. Perhaps I overestimated the capability of ED elements. The following helped put things in perspective for me though: ... The price for the above mentioned lens at Adorama?? $1,799.95... Yes, it's Canon L glass, yes it's 14mm and it also has problems with CA.Ok, so maybe it's just really, really hard to get CA out of an ultra-wide. I mean, if Canon has problems doing so in their premier L series glass, I think it's impressive that Pentax can sell a lens with metal construction and nearly the same performance for $1,000 USD less. Reviewers also stated that the canon lens has poor flare resistance... I think that the DA14 is a very good lens for reasonable price. Furthermore - the problem is not CA (which would be a problem of the lens itself) but "purple finging". Michael Reichman writes: "Purple Fringing Purple fringing, also known by its technical name bichrominance, has been the source of much discussion among photographers. It is quite distinct from chromatic aberration — though both are often seen under the same circumstances — namely strong back light areas of high contrast, such as shiny chrome or back-lit tree branches. Though there has been much debate about what causes PF (it now appears that microlenses on the surface of the sensor may be the major cause, especially when combined with small photo-sites, such as the 3 micron sensors on the Sony 8MP chip design), there is little agreement about how serious a problem it is. Some photographers find it everywhere, others are rarely bothered by it. I'm in the latter group. Early in 2004 I used a Sony F828 extensively including on an African Safari workshop. Over a three month period I shot some 3,000 frames with the Sony. Out of all those photographs I think I saw PF on maybe half a dozen. What does this have to do with the Minolta A2? Since it uses the same Sony chip, and presumably with the same micro-lenses applied, it likely should display the same degree of PF as did the Sony, and possibly the other new 8MP cameras as well. Frankly, I just don't see it. By way of testing I did lots of shots of trees with backlit leaves and shiny chrome on cars with nary a sign of the dreaded PF. I did see some traditional chromatic aberration, but it is minor and easily corrected, as seen further on in this review." (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/konica-minolta-a2.shtml) So purple finging is not necessarily a problem of the lens but of the whole lens/ccd/microlenses/filter-system. Cheers, Heiko BTW - I would prefer to know your name instead of writing to an unknown pseudonym.
First smc-DA14/2.8 impressions
Hi, yesterday my smc-DA 14/2.8 arrived. Here are some short impressions. Maybe I'll find some time to upload some images, later. - Very good built quality, no plastics, pure metal! - It has a smaller image circle than a 35mm lens (as expected) but I'm quite sure that the imgae circle ist wide enough for a larger CCD (maybe crop factor 1.3). - Although the difference to the 16-45 is only 2mm, the field of view is obviously larger - The shortest focussing distance is 17cm - that's fine - The new "Quick-Shift Focus System" works really good. The focussing ring is 1.5cm wide and moves smooth. - It is wide open (2.8) sharper than the 16-45 wide open (4.0); You have to stop down the 16-45 to 4.5 in order to get the same result. - The 16-45 is told to underexpose one stop. The DA14 exposes comparable to other lenses, i.e. a little bit lighter than the 16-45. Yesterday we had som really difficult light conditions: the sun was shining but there was a thin veil of cloud resulting in a light, white sky. I was making the test in an industrial ruin with dark areas so the range of contrast was very high. In the result there is some obvious purple fringing on pictures with open aperture. And as the DA14 takes lighter pictures than the 16-45 and has a wider aperture opening, this effect is more visible with the DA14. But as far as I understand this is not a problem of the lens itself (as CAs would be) but a common weakness of the CCDs. Summary: The lens makes a lot of fun (especially because I have missed a wide angel for my *istD). The built quality is superb. The image quality seems to be very good for this focal range, but it is too early for me to give a final conclusion. There will have to be more test under better conditions ;-) Cheers, Heiko
Re: Analog vs digital by Herbert Keppler
Hi Peter, on 17 Jun 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >Damn, either the 18-35 is very expensive in Germany or the 16-45 is >really inexpensive... fotokoch.org (beeing not the cheapest online shop) sells them both for 479,- Euro = 575,- USD. Cheers, Heiko
Re: Analog vs digital by Herbert Keppler
Hi John, on 16 Jun 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >> - He uses a relatively poor 18-35 instead of the DSLR-optimized 16-45 >Because that's what his target audience will buy. Most *istD sets in Germany are sold with the 16-45 or a Sigma lens. The 16-45 is not much more expensive than the 18-35. The 18-35 was sold in reasonable numbers before the 16-45 came out and when the *istD was available as a set, only. Cheers, Heiko
Re: Analog vs digital by Herbert Keppler
Hi Rob, on 16 Jun 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >I wonder if he has learned to use it properly yet? I found it amazing that he >compared colour casts between the film and digital prints when he had >knowingly set the *ist D to AWB. I felt the same reading Keppler's article. You have to use a DSLR (*istD) different. If you use it the same way as a SLR (*ist), than it is clear, that the analog camera wins. Some more strange things that made me wonder: - He compares only at wide angle range where all actual DSLR/lens combinations are weak - He uses a relatively poor 18-35 instead of the DSLR-optimized 16-45 Cheers, Heiko
Re: Pentax Mid-term Management Plan..
Hi Ryan, on 17 Jun 04 you wrote in pentax.list: ... >The good kilogram sushi scorpion mustache! >Very cool. ROTFL! I'll take a dozen... Try http://www.excite.co.jp/world/english/web/ (you have to choose the right button below the input field). Excite works better than babelfish, sometimes. But I don't think that it will get more out of that... Cheers, Heiko
Re: Cotty's GFM pics
Hi Cotty, You're shots are really good. And motivating... I must admit that I've seen the pictures and read the stores of all you lucky GFM attendants with envy ;-) >I'd love to do it again next year, although I might just arrange a >different format, involving my own transport and slower agenda. Cost will >decide it for me. Maybe I could manage it to take part next year and reinforce the European rabble... Cheers, Heiko
Re: Pics of the Venus transit
Hi Jostein, on 08 Jun 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >Really cool shot, Heiko. Thanks. >The extra mm's from 400 to 1000 really does the trick. Yes, but it is really hard to focus. >We never saw Venus that far away from the edge of the sun here. Next chance in 8 years ;-) Cheers, Heiko
Re: Samples from DA14/2.8!
Hi Rob, on 08 Jun 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >That's just natural perspective distortion as the lens was pointed >downwards, it could have been largely avoided if the shot was set up >more skilfully. Thanks Rob, that calms me down ;-) Cheers, Heiko
Re: KR Lens Stuck on IST-D
Hi tom, on 02 Jun 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >Where exactly is the pin? AFAIK this pin stucks into the AF-cluth of the camera. I know of a case, where the *istD owner managed to remove a stuck Ricoh lens himself. So it should be possible - but be carefull! Don't try to cut the pin as metal filing might get into the camera and cause even worse problems. Cheers, Heiko
Re: Can the istD capture Infrared images?
Hi Sid, on 28 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >I am close to purchasing a istD... one of my last minute hangups is my >wondering how well the istD does with IR capture. You can find some IR samples here: http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1935646 I have collected this and other links to the *istD on the following page: http://www.mycroft.de/e_istd.html Cheers, Heiko
Re: New Pentax DSLR's?
Hi Shawn, on 23 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >Not trying to be argumentative but it just occurred to me, that as you >stated earlier, there are still a variety of world markets where film is >dominant. Yes, absolutely agree, but... >So it still might be in Pentax's interest to do everything they >can to gain a foothold in those markets by releasing a high-end SLR. ... I don't think that an high-end SLR can help gaining market shares there. Those markets will take P&S and cheap SLRs. If you could sell more expensive products there, than you would probably sell digital cameras there, too. Further more - Pentax already has "its" high-end SLR: the MZ-S and I can't imagine that it has ever helped selling other Pentax cameras. I don't think that Pentax could earn any money with a newer or even more expensive analogue SLR. But that's only my opinion - we'll have to wait and see ;-) Cheers, Heiko
Re: New Pentax DSLR's?
Hi Pål, on 23 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >According to one source no Pentax digital slr are expected this year. >Pentax will concentrate on volume digital products this year as it is >of paramount important that Pentax increase volume in digital as the >Pentax volume segment, "upmarket" film zoom P&S, is evaporating at an >alarming rate. At the most, Pentax might show future DSLR's at >Photokina in the fall, but they will probably not be sold until next >year. AFAIK Pentax will show a low-end DSLR before Photokina. I'm quite sure that they will sell it this year. >Anyone know the deal about the rumor that Pentax is about to stop all 35mm >camera production? It's a rumor. You can imagine, that every manufacturer will observe the decending sales of 35mm cameras very attentively. But there are enough markets, where you can earn money with 35mm cameras and digital cameras are simply to expensive to sell. >An again, what is the deal about the MZ-S Limited? I don't think, that Pentax will make the needed investments into the development of a new high-end SLR. I would rather expect a high-end DSLR. Maybe Photokina? Cheers, Heiko
Re: Pentax Signpost
Hi Cory, on 21 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >I like your site but some more navigational tools would be appreciated. >In the gallery, I'd like to see some "next, back and home" buttons. You're right, but I "produce" those galleries with Photoshop Album 1.0 which doesn't offer those features. Maybe it will be better, when I change to a newer version or another gallery tool. Cheers, Heiko
Re: Pentax Signpost
Hi Jens, on 21 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >I love the *ist D gallery. :) Thanks. The pictures show a pre-production sample and it was really hard to wait, until my final *istD arrived, after that ;-) Cheers, Heiko
Re: smc-DA 14/2.8 pricing
Hi Collin, on 20 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >But what's the coverage? >Is it good for film and digital? It's an DA-lens, i.e. it has a reduced image circle. It should be good for DSLRs up to a crop factor of 1.3, I guess. Cheers, Heiko.
Re: smc-DA 14/2.8 pricing
Hi Sylwester, on 20 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >Wow! Damn cheap for this kind of lens! Yes, I had expected something around 900,- Euro, dropping to 800 somewhen. But better this way than another - I've already reserved one ;-) Cheers, Heiko
Re: Pentax sales performance
Hi Ken, >Following might be of interest to you. It is statistics published every >month by CIPA (Camera and Imaging Products Ass'n), and goes by >film/digital/domestic/export (by region too) and camera type (even by pixel >#) etc. Thanks a lot. That information is really interesting. Just the manufacturers are missing ;-) If you stumble on those websources offering such information, than please let me know. But don't put yourself to any trouble. Cheers, Heiko
smc-DA 14/2.8 pricing
Hi, German www.tekade.de offers to pre-order the new lens for 729,- Euro. Availability should be June. Cheers, Heiko
Pentax Signpost
Hi, I`ve updated my website and the "Pentax Signpost". The biggest update was moving to GoLive 6 for easier future updates. I hope you will find the link-lists useful and would be glad if you inform me about broken or missing links. www.mycroft.de Cheers, Heiko
Re: *istD Tv wheel problem
Hi Jostein, >Thanks, Heiko! You're welcome. Simple solutions are the best ;-) Cheers, Heiko
Re: Further Adventures with *ist D Flash
Hi Sven, on 18 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >I can't believe that the sensor reflectivity is a function of the set ISO??? You're probably right. Maybe it is not the sensor reflectivity itself but the measurement simply doesn't take the ISO setting in account. It seems to be calibrated for ISO400, only. Cheers, Heiko
Re: *istD Tv wheel problem
Hi Jostein, on 18 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >My *istD is acting up: >Sometimes, when I turn on the power on the battery grip, the Tv wheel on the >camera doesn't respond. Neither in P, Tv or M modes. The Tv wheel on the grip >works perfectly. This may happen, if the wheels on the grip are between two notches. It is even mentioned in the manual of the grip. Could be the easiest solution ;-) Cheers, Heiko
Re: 16-45mm DA
Hi Shaun, on 18 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >Has anybody got/used the new 16-45mm DA F4.0? What do we know about it? I've used it. It is a really good lens. Very sharp, no CA problems (at least I didn't notice one) and good built quality. It's plastic, but feels better than a FA 24-90. The optical quaity is comparable with that of the 24-90 and much better than that of the 18-35. And - 16mm are nice wideangle for your *istD. I would have bought it, but I'm waiting to see the first results of the smc-DA 14 as it might be a better addition to my 24-90. Cheers, Heiko
Re: Further Adventures with *ist D Flash
Hi Joe, on 17 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >All tests were done at ISO 200. That should be the problem. I wrote (some months ago): -- There's a German thread on incorrect flash exposures at http://www.digitalfotonetz.de/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4997&highlight= A source at Pentax Germany has explained that there exists a problem with the TTL-metering (I only repeat some statements of the mentioned link): The TTL-sensor measures the light that is reflected from the CCD's surface. But it seemes, that the reflection of the CCD differs depending on the chosen ISO setting. The exposure will be correct only at ISO400 as the development and testing of the TTL-measurement was apparently made at ISO400, only. At ISO settings below 400 the camera will under-expose, at setting above 400 it will over-expose.(*) This problem can probably not be solved by a firmware update as there is no upgradeble TTL-software but some kind of hardware solution. The problem does not exist if you use P-TTL. -- (*) In the meanwhile I could confirm this behaviour. Maybe changing to ISO400 will solve you problem. Hope it helps... Cheers, Heiko
Re: Pentax sales performance
Hi Ken, on 16 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >Following might be of interest to you. It is statistics published >every month by CIPA (Camera and Imaging Products Ass'n), and goes by >film/digital/domestic/export (by region too) and camera type (even by >pixel #) etc. Thanks a lot! I will take some time at the weekend to read those material ;-) Cheers, Heiko
Re: Word on New Digitals?
Hi William, on 17 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >A friend of mine is looking at digital SLR's, but doesn't want to >spend more than $1000 USD on such a beast. Canon has a model that fits >these specs, but I'd like her to buy a Pentax, so that we can trade >lenses around . . . I've heard from reliable source ;-) that the low-end Pentax DSLR will be announced before Photokina, i.e. we should see it in summer. Cheers, Heiko
Re: Pentax sales performance
Hi Ken, on 14 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >Somebody asked a Japanese translation of Pentax's corporate financial >report in English in response to my post on the revised sales forecast >by Pentax. I (thought) saved it for response but apparently deleted it, >sorry. I thought it was from Heiko (?). Yes, it was me. >Anyway, I could not immediately find the financial report in English but am >sure it exists as Pentax is an international company. I thought that, too, but I also couldn't find any English financial information. >I will certainly post it if and when I come across it. That would be great. >Meantime, you can get a pretty good idea of what's happening in Pentax in >the last 12 month by examining their post on the revised forecast. ... Works fine as you have given us the necessary Pentax-link. I would never have found that statement on the Japaneese website without help. >Good news is that their profit structure has apparently been improved, >i.e., they make more money for a given sales figure. Yes, the performance ist really remarkeble if you consider that Nikon e.g. makes losses. Do you know any information or sources on the regional distribution of sales and income (Europe/America/Asia and especially Japan)? Cheers, Heiko
Re: Pentax *istD sales figures
Hi Ken, on 13 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: ... >There are a lot of numbers there but just list a rather conservative set of >ones (in consolidated book), sales up 24.3%, profit up 48.4% and the net >profit up 351.2%. Sounds realy good! Are there any sources where I can read those numbers? Unfortunately Pentax.jp offers information in Japaneese, only (I don't understand Japaneese) and there are no financial information on any other page. I would really appreciate getting some financial information (e.g. annual reports) on Pentax in English. Cheers, Heiko
Re: Pentax * ist D doing badly in Fotomagazin test
Hi Arnold, on 11 May 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >The original Fotomagazin "test" of the *ist D was published in the issue >12/2003. If I remember correctly from reading in the shop (I never >bought that issue) the score on resolution was so low that it could have >been only cause either by misfocusing or some other manipulation. Those "testers" are simply mad: in the actual Colorfoto they've tested the Nikon D70 using a superb 60mm macro lens. All other DSLR tests before were made with simple zoom lenses (e.g. the 18-35 with the *istD). And now guess - the D70 has the best picture quality of all! There is a simple formula to calculate the test results - just multiplicate a certain factor with the number of adds that a producer buys ;-) Have you ever heard of a bad test of a Sigma or Tamron 28-300 superzoom? Gues why... ;-) Cheers, Heiko
Re: HELP!!! *ist D!
Hi William, on 25 Apr 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >Anyone know if this is a glitch that can be fixed easily, or am I >going to have to send my *ist D in for service? Try using the batteries either in the camera or the grip only, not in both battery compartments. Cheers, Heiko
Re: OT: Disk Defragmenter
Hi Shel, > In a few days I'm taking delivery of a new computer, with > two 160gb hard disks, and I want a faster, better > defragmentation program. ... > So, what disk defragmenter do YOU use on your Windows > machine? Windows XP is based on Windows NT, so it offers you NTFS as file system. There is also a disk fragementation when you use NTFS, but it is not as bad as on harddisks that are formatted as FAT16/32. With NTFS the Windows-integrated defragmentation tool is sufficient for my needs. Honestly - I use it very seldom and didn't notice any symptoms of disk fragmentation. Cheers, Heiko
Re: 18-35 vs. 16-45.
Hi Jeff, on 21 Apr 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >28-70 off there. I think I may just go for the 18-35, because it's >probably all I can afford right now. I just wanted to see if anybody >hated it. The16-45 is a real great performer. But the 18-35 is very good for its price - you cannot go wrong with it. It's built quite cheaply but works well. And - you can get it very cheap if bought used. There seem to be many buyer of the *istD/18-35 kit who want to upgrade to the 16-45 (at least here in Germany as there was a time, when you had to buy the kit as the body alone was unavailable). Cheers, Heiko
European PDML Meeting 2004 [3]
Hi, Cebit is over, but there were piles of work on my desktop. So sorry for this late mail. At first: of course lots of PDML-members will visit the Photokina ;-) and we will certainly meet. But that's not the point of this thread. The idea was, to organize an earlier meeting (February, March... LOL). There was some interest, but no decision where and when to meet. So here is my final suggestion: Let's meet in Germany, Ruhrgebiet, on Saturday the 3rd of July 2004. Sounds late, but I couldn't find any sensible date before that in my calendar ;-) If - let's say - at least four people will assure to participate, then I will prepare an (hopefully) interesting program with industrial and natural locations and of course a place to get some food and drinks. If you prefer Northern Germany, then we can also meet in Hamburg, but that would it make difficult for me to prepare the meeting. Cheers, Heiko
Re: Friends, Pentax and countrymen! ... (was Re: Pentax quotes and SLR production
Hi Raimo, on 01 Apr 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >Pentax does not do glass. I've heard (but can't confirm) that Pentax makes certain kinds of glass that is sold under the label of Zeiss and Hoya. Cheers, Heiko
Re: Can I use DA 16-45/f4 on my MZ-5?
Hi Guoping, on 07 Mar 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >this question bothered me a long time, and still couldn't find any answer. >Thanks. You can, but - you have no aperture priority as you cannot choose the aperture on the lens - the image circle is reduced at focal ranges below 22mm. Above 22mm the lens offers a full 35mm image circle Cheers, Heiko
Re: European PDML Meeting 2004
>a final vote. So please send me your suggestions for place and date, >but not more than three places and dates. E.G.: >Hamburg (Germany) >London (UK) >Amsterdam (Netherlands) >10. March >24. March >01. May Theese were examples - no real propositions ;-) Cheers, heiko
Re: *ist D & Formula 1 tests
Hi Cotty, on 27 Feb 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >[snip] >How about popping over to London in May and we'll buy you some decent >beer and you can check out my in-camera sharpening ? Good idea! I haven't been in GB before - might be a nice weekend trip to make a scientific examination of cameras, beer and whisky ;-) Cheers, Heiko
Re: *ist D & Formula 1 tests
Hi Cotty, on 27 Feb 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >On 27/2/04, DOCTOR HEIKO disgorged: LOL >>Yes, but the highest level of sharpening that the *istD offers, sharpens >>less than Canon's normal or even low setting. >Interesting. Do you have any references to substantiate this? Hm, I don't have a D60 to compare ;-) but I remember to have read something like taht in the web. At least Phil Askey writes: -- Image softness One niggle however must be the soft appearance of images from the camera, this I put down to two distinct areas. Firstly the lack of pin- sharp crispness (even when deliberately stopping down the lens) reminds me of the results we got from Nikon's D100 (which uses the same sensor). Secondly it does look to me as though Pentax has chosen to take a hands- off approach when it comes to sharpening, choosing to avoid sharpening artifacts and enhanced noise by keeping the in-camera sharpening algorithms to a lower level than we are perhaps used to seeing. I would have preferred Pentax to offer more latitude of adjustment of the in- camera sharpening. -- (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentaxistd/page15.asp) Michael Reichmann says: -- The Sharpening Issue In late October as this is being written, and during the few weeks that the *ist D has been on the market, there has been discussion on some Net discussion forums about the camera's images being "soft". Nonsense. Pentax has wisely avoided oversharpening images in the camera. When properly sharpened they leave nothing to be desired. Once again beginners and the uninformed are confusing resolution with sharpening. -- (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/pentax-istd.shtml) Steve writes: -- The in-camera image sharpening is very low on the "normal" setting and only just a little bit sharper when the "hard" setting is used. For my tastes I ended up using a good amount of Photoshop's USM (unsharp mask) to my final images to get the look I was used to from my Nikon D100. I imagine that Pentax has kept the in-camera sharpening low to help reduce the apparent image noise, especially in the lower contrast shadow areas. -- (http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_reviews/istd_pg7.html) But again - this is no direct comparison. I think it would be the best, if yousent me your D60 and I will make some comparisons ;-) Cheers, Heiko
Re: *ist D & Formula 1 tests
Hi Cotty, on 27 Feb 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >Just as a point of information, the sharpening can be set in these DSLR >cameras to the desired level. Yes, but the highest level of sharpening that the *istD offers, sharpens less than Canon's normal or even low setting. >I keep sharpening set to low - I am much >happier deciding if and how much to sharpen a pic later on the monitor I like my *istD's pictures most with sharpening set to high. But that might simply be the same as your low-setting ;-) Cheers, Heiko
Re: HELP! I erased my ist-D images
Hi jerome, on 21 Feb 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >I remember someone mentioning a program or something that I can use to >retrieve "deleted images" from CF cards even when they appear to be >trashed. Any help / suggestions to offer... or am I just SOL? I have used this program: http://www.goto.onlinehome.de/dsc/jpegdump.htm It isn't nice (no gui), it is slow, but it did a great job. Hope it helps, Heiko
Re: sensor makers
Hi Edwin, on 19 Feb 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >Nikon now makes its own sensor for the D2h, presumably precisely to >avoid this problem. AFAIK Nikon has designed the new chip but they don't produce it themselves. >Who made the full-frame sensors for the (not) MZ-D and the (not long) >Contax N1D? Not Pentax, I'll bet, and probably not Contax. Perhaps >the same sensor? Yes it was the same sensor, produced by Philips. But it was much too expensive and they had a lot of rejects. Cheers, Heiko
Re: Pentax DSLR ? Less or More ?
Hi Dario, on 19 Feb 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >It is my guess (just guess, neither info nor rumors), that we'll see an *ist >D50 (D300/D70 competitor) sooner, as it is easier to manufacture and hits a >wider market and then an *ist D super I second that. >(I wonder which sensor such a camera could use). The same as the *istD. Look at the couple 10D/300D and you can imagine a *istD/*istDlight, the latter one based on the analogue *ist's plastic body. Cheers, Heiko
Re: *istD grip... arghhh
Hi Bruce, on 07 Feb 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >There have been previous threads on this. If I get a low battery >reading, I turn the camera off and on and then it is ok again. Yes, it's a known problem. It only occurs if you use rechargebles in the camera _and_ the grip. AFAIK Pentax Japan is working on it. Let's wait for the next firmware ;-) Cheers, Heiko
Re: rechargeable NiMH batteries, ist-D and last night
Hi, on 19 Jan 04 you wrote in pentax.list: >I have never experienced such a problem - it must be dependent on the camera. >I've had very good battery life so far. The batt. grip rocks, AFAIAC. There are several identical observations here in Germany. In fact - we haven't found one *istD/D-BG1-combination that has no problem. Try the following: put some NiMH batteries in your camera and the grip. Connect the camera to your PC via USB. Switch on the camera an copy some images from/to the camera using USB. If you don't see any problem, than repeat it 2-3 times (switching the camera on/off each time). Somewhen the camera will tell you that the batteries are empty and switch off. Now take the batteries out of the grip and switch the camera on. It will work fine although it has told you that the batteries are empty only a minute ago... Cheers, Heiko
