Nikon 50/1.4D Vs Zeiss 50/1.4ZE Shootout on Canon 5D3

Test Conditions: f/1.4 to f/11 in one f-stop stepping; Manual focus to Infinity according to focus indication in-body, until the green dot is lit up permanently. Photos were taken at closest time as possible and for the same scene. The weather was good but it was a bit hazy, though. Camera was mounted on tripod and was fired using 2-sec self-timer. Of course, all image settings were kept the

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How Choice of Camera Brand Says About You

Read this somehow old article, that is interesting and funny!

http://shutterfinger.typepad.com/shutterfinger/2010/10/what-your-choice-of-camera-says-about-you.html

"Pentax owners
 You’re the sort of person who would
buy a $1500 DSLR body so your stash of thread-mount, K-mount and M-mount
lenses from decades ago (collectively worth $75.00 at a flea market or
yard sale) won’t go to waste;

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More K-50 Full Samples (Unofficial)

Here, at the Digital Camera Review:-

http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?newsID=5346&news=pentax+k+50+image+quality

Click on the images and download the full original images, which were produced directly out of the K-50 without any modification.

As before, I don't like the colour response by the way. All Prime M bodies, including the K-01, K-30 and now the K-50/500 do have a strong

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Sony RX100 II Announced

http://store.sony.com/p/20.2-megapixel%2C-RX100/en/p/DSCRX100M2/B

Will you consider this instead of the new Ricoh GR or Pentax Q7, or even over the old Pentax MX-1? Undoubtedly, the RX100 II is far more versatile and it compromises well for its features set, performance, sensor size, camera size, image quality and then the price! Well, it does support an EVF and has a flipped monitor, too!

In

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Updated Q Lens Roadmap to Show Effective AoV with Different Sensors

http://www.pentax.jp/japan/products/lens/images/Q_Mount_Lens.pdf

01 to 07 lenses on Q/Q10 against Q7 are shown. The crop factors / multiplying factors of the 3 toy lenses are complicated, as they are all different on the Q7!

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Pentax Q7 Brief Hands-on at PF

http://www.pentaxforums.com/news/pentax-q7-first-impressions.html

I think the only useful information that is provided is the following:-

"The Pentax 03, 04, and 05 lenses do not support the Q7's larger
sensor.  These lenses will automatically be used in a crop mode on the
Q7.  With adapted DSLR lenses, the crop factor has changed to 4.5x, down
from 5.6x."

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A Set of K-5 Vs 6D Real-life Direct Comparisons

http://forum.xitek.com/thread-1138503-3-1-1.html
(in Simplified Chinese)

Two cameras were used at almost the same time to shoot almost the same thing. The Pentax lenses used were DA*16-50 and the FA77LE. Canon lens used was only the "cheap" EF24-105L kit zoom.

There are many sets of comparisons. As direct linking is not allowed by the Xitek server, please click on the small sample pictures in

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Yet Another Ricoh GR Review with Full Samples

http://www.dcfever.com/cameras/readreview.php?type=&id=8320

The review is in Chinese, but it doesn't matter if you can't read. The pictures speak for themselves. And just download the full sample pictures and measurbate! Do note that the Original pictures can be accessed via the links marked as "Ori".

Btw, I've seen moires and false colours in samples. Your take to find out where they are! :-)

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New Metz Firmware to Support HSS on K-30 and K-5II/s

After more than one year, the solution finally comes! :-o

http://www.metz.de/en/flash-units/firmware-download-flash-units/mecablitz-50-af-1-digital/pentax.html

This is for the Mecablitz model 50 AF-1 for instance. New firmwares for other current major metz models are also available, which is the solution to enable the High Speed Sync when using their flashes on the K-30 or a later Pentax DSLR

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New Ricoh GR Review at DPR

Let's jump to the Conclusion before looking back at each section for details! ;-)

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/ricoh-gr/17

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Friendly Reminder: Backup/Migrate Your Google Reader Subscription Data Now! (If Not Yet..)

The Google Reader will soon disappear and be out of service within two weeks. I have been lazy enough to do my own migration to Feedly just a few minutes ago!

As for how to migrate from Google Reader to Feedly, here is a tutorial:-

http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/tools/feedly/

In short, just download the Feedly plugin for your browser from feedly.com, run it and you will see this starting page:

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First Looks of the Q7 and K-500 at EPhotoZine

Q7: http://www.ephotozine.com/article/pentax-q7-hands-on-preview-22178



K-500: http://www.ephotozine.com/article/pentax-k-500-dslr-hands-on-preview-22177



The K-500 preview reminds me of how Pentax could make "two" new camera"s" by just: One bundled with a lithium battery and then the other with an AA battery holder plus without the installation of the weather sealed rubbers at the factory,

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Yet Another Rumour: More Pentax DSLRs to Come This Fall

Roland Mabo, the long-time Pentax Internet supporter, has recently posted this rumour at the PF:-

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/227880-swedish-distributor-hints-new-products.html

This is the key statement that told: "In fall 2010 Ricoh bought the camera division of Pentax, and with this came big resources for development of new products. Now we can see the first fruits

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Q7 Official Full Samples

8 nos.:http://www.pentax.jp/japan/products/q7/ex/index.html

Not too bad in general, but purple fringing is obvious and this issue is common.

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K-50 Samples

1. @ DPR (Full Size Available):-

http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/reviewsamples/albums/pentax-k-50-preview-samples

2. @ Pop Photo (Full Size *Original*):-

http://www.popphoto.com/gallery/sample-images-pentax-k50-k500-dslrs-and-q7-ilc

Well, it seems that Popphoto and DPR went to the same press conference and shot the same targets.. Nevertheless, the Pop Photo samples indicate that the

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More K-50 and Q7 Stuff at Pentax.jp

1. The colour simulator (with matching for a few lens models) for the K-50:-

http://www.camera-pentax.jp/k-50

Meanwhile, this is the classic desert military colour that I have made:-




Note that the DA"L" 18-135 WR lens should be a typo. From the photo of the lens, it should be the old DA 18-135 WR lens, just!

2. Next, there is also a Q7 colour simulator:-

http://www.camera-pentax.jp/q7

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K-50/K-500 and Q7 are Now Official

Read the news/press releases/preview over DPR:-

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/06/12/Pentax-launches-k-50-k-500-16MP-mid-and-entry-level-16MP-DSLRs

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/7885360476/first-impressions-of-the-pentax-k50-and-k500

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/06/12/Pentax-announces-Q7-with-larger-1-over-1-point-seven-inch-12MP-BSI-CMOS-sensor

As DPR has commented, the suggested

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Q7 Specs and There is a K-500 Also (Not K-50)

Above: Q7 with a "new" 01 prime lens in black colour.

- 12.4 MP effective 1/1.7" CMOS sensor
- New "Q Engine" image processor
- 25 zone AF, improved sensitivity down to EV0
- ISO Sensitivity 100-12800
- Shutter speed 30 to 1/2000s mechanical, up to 1/8000s in combination with electronic shutter
- In-camera shake reduction (SR) up to 3 stops approxmately
- Full HD video recording at 30fps,

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Q7 Vs Q10 Sensor Size Compared (Animated Image)

With the leaked image from Digicame Info of the Q7 and the old Q10 image from Pentax Imaging, I have made this:-



How much "bigger" is the new sensor? Your take! :-)

Besides, after almost half a year, the Pentax Q-mount body cap lens will be marketed very soon! Well, they really needed another six months to make it come true since their last/first product announcement?! >:-o



Via Digicame

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Rumour: Pentax Q-7

See this latest rumour about the "upcoming" Pentax Q-7:-

http://www.mirrorlessrumors.com/new-pentax-q7-will-have-a-larger-11-7-inch-sensor/

The new Q-7 will be in Q-mount (of course) but will incorporate a larger 1/1.7" sensor, source of "leaked" information from the Japanese Digicame-info.com (Google-translated), which should be reliable enough for their past track records.

Btw, the Q-mount

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New Pentax P&S DC Efina and White Colour WG-III

For details, see the press releases at DPR here.

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New K-5IIs Supplement Review at IR

This is the supplement review by the IR for the K-5IIs:-

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/pentax-k5-iis/pentax-k5-iisA.HTM

The previous original IR review of the K-5II can be found below:-

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/pentax-k5-ii/pentax-k5-iiA.HTM

So, what are the differences, go figure out yourself!


Related:-

The Much Belated DPR K-5II/s Review

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Pentax K-50 Leaked

http://photorumors.com/2013/06/05/pentax-k-50-dslr-camera-leaks-on-retailers-website-in-france/

How is the "new" camera different from the old K-30, except for now the more traditional appearance and a stereo built-in microphone (still no mic-in socket of any!)? Is it really so difficult for Ricoh to make a true new body? And, where is the compact DSLR body of Pentax? E.g., a K-x successor,

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Italian Navy Officer Uses Pentax Gear

Source: Navy.81.cn (in Simplified Chinese, Goggle-translated English page here.)

The body and lens combo seems to be a FA*24/2 on a K-5.


Read Also:- 

Pentax Weapon Used by an US Soldier at Afghanistan

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The Much Belated DPR K-5II/s Review

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentax-k-5-ii-k-5-ii-s/18

This review finally arrives after 10 months of the original product announcement for this "stop-gap" product! I am afraid that the body have already reached the end of its product life cycle actually! In fact, it has existed just for too long whilst the real gap has become larger and larger! >:-( So, mission failed!! :-o

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40mm FF Shootout 2: EF40/2.8 Vs FA43/1.9LE Vs FA645 45/2.8 on 5D3

Above Left to Right: Pentax FA 43/1.9 Limited, Pentax FA645 45/2.8, Canon EF 40/2.8 STM; Tested on a Canon 5D3 135 Full Frame Body. (Remark: Both my Pentax lenses were Japanese made.)

Further to my last shootout test of the same, I've done the test again on a bright day, but on a different scene. Apertures from f/2.8 to f/11 have been tested per lens, at nearly the same time and at the same

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Copy 120 Films Using an ILDC/DSLR with a Macro Lens

First inspired by Petapixel, this is what I have tried and done myself:-

1. These are the tools that I've used: A white fluorescent desklamp at 6000K, two 77mm UV multi-coated filters, a lens hood with outer diameter in 77mm, some "white" milky transparent paper:-



2. Turn on the lamp, mine is a Panasonic with invertor circuitry which enables the lamp operated at a high frequency:-



3. Put

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