Hi from Alfie.

[alfie Wright]

Hi all,

I've been an occasional lurker here since Hamish announced his new forum over on AoS. Yes, another audiophool has arrived to bug the hell out of you asking newbie questions.

I've snapped away on point & shoots for years, thinking one day I'll get myself a nice DSLR & learn how to take decent images. Well, I've finally gone & done it! Bought a DSLR that is, not learnt how to take decent images that's why I'm here.

I'm now the proud owner of a Pentax K-5 bought with 18-55mm kit lens & then quickly aquired a 50-200mm & a 35mm prime 2nd hand for not to much money. They're both Pentax's DA lens so entry level stuff but all a bit better than I am at the moment! I've been out & about loads since buying the kit & am loving the exercise & fresh air as well as the learning. TBH most of my shots so far have been test type stuff to try & get my head around sunny16 rule, apertures, shutter speed & ISO etc.

Seems a nice place with a whole load of experiance to be tapped into! Hope your ready for the newbie Q's!!

 

[Hamish Gill]

Hi Alfie

Welcome to RPF ... Good to see another aos member making there way over
Would I be right in thinking you are Alfie2902 on aos?

It sounds as though you are going about learning the right way with the sunny 16 etc ... Learning all the old ways to do things is definitely an advantage on the learning curve!
How are you getting on?

Newbie questions more than welcome

Here is a thread to get you started/help you feel at home
http://www.realphotographersforum.c...y-related/3461-show-off-your-hifi-thread.html

 

[Brian Moore]

Welcome, Alfie. Sunny 16? (That's what I do 'cause too few of my cameras have functional meters--or any meter at all for that matter.) Anyway,...good for you!

 

[alfie Wright]

Hi Hamish,

Yes, the one & same alfie2902 from AoS.

I'm loving the K-5 & enjoying the learning atm, pretty slow progress tbh though. I read a bit on the web or read a chapter in Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure" (Great book for beginners btw) & then try & get out & practice what I've read. So lots of test type shots so far, but a few I'm quite happy with to keep spurring me on.

HeHe I'm sure I'll add a little to the HiFi thread at some point soon. There's just to much to read here atm, input, input, input...

 

[alfie Wright]

Welcome, Alfie. Sunny 16? (That's what I do 'cause too few of my cameras have functional meters--or any meter at all for that matter.) Anyway,...good for you!

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the welcome. The K-5 seems to meter pretty well, I've been shooting in Av quite a bit, but want to be comfortable in M mode & I'd like to be able to look at the light & scene I want to capture & have an idea about what ISO, F-number & Shutter speed i'd need to use or at least be close by. Rules like Sunnyf16 are really helpful. You can't beat experiance, but that can only come with time & practice.

 

[Hamish Gill]

I seem to be saying this a lot at the mo ...
I personally think aperture priority is your friend for most photography ...
It's definitely good to get to know how to set a camera manually but when you are using a camera with a built in meter why not let that meter automate a third of the process of setting exposure
I often have my x100 set to aperture priority and auto ISO ... This letting it automate 2 thirds of the process
I know that I can acheive the photo I want by having control just over aperture so why not speed up my process by letting the camera help me!
That said, I taught my self the effects of aperture using a fully manual camera... Having to use something in fully manual modes forces the learning curve!
It's also easier to learn about aperture with older cameras as there tends to be more travel in the focus control and as such easier to read DOF scales ...
If you haven't seen it already, have a look at this
http://www.realphotographersforum.com/content/281-how-zone-scale-focus.html
It was that exact camera that cemented my understanding of aperture, DOF and the relationship of aperture to shutter speed and ISO...
I have said to a lot of people ... Once you figure that relationship, the rest just comes easily
We still haven't got arround to finishing this ... But here is the first part of something else that might help!
http://www.realphotographersforum.c...s-exposure-part-1-understanding-aperture.html

 

[Hamish Gill]

Just or clarification on the above, the point I was trying to make with the first bit is that where it is important to get to grips with how a camera works and how to manipulate it ... In the process of learning, don't let getting bogged down with that stuff get in the way of enjoying taking pictures ...
It's, IMO almost vital to learn that stuff, but in the mean while some reliance on automatic modes is not something to worry about ... After all, even those of us who fairly well grasp the basics and can quite happily use a camera in fully manual, often go back to using automatic fetures for their ease ... (Brian excluded of course )
I the second part of my ramblings, I was recomending an ageing film camera if our want to learn quicker ... Eg the voigtlander vito b (or variant)
Just ignor me for the most part this evening, it's late and I've had a couple of shandies

 

[Brian Moore]

My wife likes a shandy too sometimes Hamish!

 

[alfie Wright]

I enjoyed the links Hamish, very helpful & will look forward to the next ones.

I'd like as full of an understanding of my camera as I can learn as it will be nice to know how to shoot fully manually even if I then choose aperture priority for the shot. I'm using all modes atm to learn, so I'm not letting myself get bogged down with the science of it all, but knowing the science helps to get the the shots technically right. The art seems to be in being in the right place at the right time & recognising what will make a good shot.

One of the things that drew me towards the K-5 was the range of Pentax's small prime lens, the "Limiteds" especially. Their price will mean they will be picked up slowly, when I know what I need or which I want to try & the biggie when funds permit. Some of the Pentax (& other brands) older manual primes might make some sense financially, but I need good camera craft first. I've got enough lenes to learn for now (would like a macro though), but I see a fast 50 happening in the future & probably a manual one for cost reasons as well as the quality of the old glass. Plenty of learning to do yet though & one of the best bits for me is getting out & about walking & then finding something nice to shoot. I'm enjoying it that much atm I'm kicking myself for buying a decent camera years ago.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Welcome on board Alfie - nothing like a new camera and some spring weather to fire up the photographic juices.

Perfect place to hang out, post some pics, and share the knowledge

As you've already seen, we're a friendly bunch

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Welcome, Alfie. Lots of help here, as you are finding. I've learned a lot in just a few weeks. Don't be afraid ask questions.

 

[Pete Askew]

Welcome Alfie. I too arrived via AoS but for me it was the other way round. Although I've been intersted in Hi-Fi for years, my primary passion is photography. So when Hamish mentioned this place on AoS I soon signed up and have not regretted it. I hope you enjoy it here as much as I do and I'm certain you'll get all the help you need. Looking forward to seeing shots from the new (and maybe even your old) camera.

 

[Hamish Gill]

My wife likes a shandy too sometimes Hamish!

It must be a coloquialism? Whe I say shandies, I don't mean shandies ... Although I did used to like a "lager top" when I was a teenager ... Fosters top it was, although god knows why it tastes watered down even before the cm of lemonade is added to the top...
No, it's fair to say, I'm not a shandy drinker ... That said, I do like some "girl drinks" ... I've been hit on by men in bars after they have clocked me with a white wine... And a g&t on a sunny summer Sunday afternoon goes down a treeeet!

 

[Hamish Gill]

Alfie
Those limited lenses are sexy eh? I know a chap who shoots Pentax in Worcester he has a few of them and swears per focal length they are as good of not better than anything else you will find on the market ... And they have a green ring around them ... Dunno why, but I'm drawn to that like a magpie whenever I go into London camera exchange!

Sounds like you have your head in the right place regarding getting to grips with it all anyway

As for a 50mm we have an excellent photographer who pops in from time to time by the name of Rense
Have a look at this http://www.realphotographersforum.com/flora/4675-pulsatilla-vulgaris-helios-44k-58mm-f2.html
The lens he used there (as it says) is a Helios 44k - the k denotes K mount, so it would fit right on your camera ... It would be eqiv of 90mm on your camera so would make for a lovely portrait lens and they are not to expensive at all!
In fact, looking at this thread http://www.realphotographersforum.com/flora/4752-cherry-blossom.html#post43647
He also has a k5 ...

As for not buying a camera years ago ... I keep telling people it's the best hobbie going ... ...
And if you can get your head around a fraction of the stuff they talk about on aos... Photography is a lot less complicated

 

[alfie Wright]

Many thanks for the very warm welcome, guys.

Welcome on board Alfie - nothing like a new camera and some spring weather to fire up the photographic juices.

Perfect place to hang out, post some pics, and share the knowledge

As you've already seen, we're a friendly bunch

Hi Chris,

Yes, I think buying a camera just as spring has sprung was a good move, the nicer weather & good light will spur me on!

Welcome, Alfie. Lots of help here, as you are finding. I've learned a lot in just a few weeks. Don't be afraid ask questions.

Hi Rob,

I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions to ask once I've settled in & got used to the place a little.

Welcome Alfie. I too arrived via AoS but for me it was the other way round. Although I've been intersted in Hi-Fi for years, my primary passion is photography. So when Hamish mentioned this place on AoS I soon signed up and have not regretted it. I hope you enjoy it here as much as I do and I'm certain you'll get all the help you need. Looking forward to seeing shots from the new (and maybe even your old) camera.

Hi Pete,

There seems to be a few AoS members here, I don't get to AoS so much now, but can I ask who you post as over there?
I'll post a few of my beginners shots with the K-5 pretty soon, but I've not got much to show from the little Cannon IXUS it even managed to produce grain at high ISO's.

 

[Pete Askew]

HI Alfie,

As petea but I didn't post a lot and haven't so for ages.

 

[Paul Lange]

Hi Alfie and welcome.

 

[alfie Wright]

Alfie
Those limited lenses are sexy eh? I know a chap who shoots Pentax in Worcester he has a few of them and swears per focal length they are as good of not better than anything else you will find on the market ... And they have a green ring around them ... Dunno why, but I'm drawn to that like a magpie whenever I go into London camera exchange!

Sounds like you have your head in the right place regarding getting to grips with it all anyway

As for a 50mm we have an excellent photographer who pops in from time to time by the name of Rense
Have a look at this http://www.realphotographersforum.com/flora/4675-pulsatilla-vulgaris-helios-44k-58mm-f2.html
The lens he used there (as it says) is a Helios 44k - the k denotes K mount, so it would fit right on your camera ... It would be eqiv of 90mm on your camera so would make for a lovely portrait lens and they are not to expensive at all!
In fact, looking at this thread http://www.realphotographersforum.com/flora/4752-cherry-blossom.html#post43647
He also has a k5 ...

As for not buying a camera years ago ... I keep telling people it's the best hobbie going ... ...
And if you can get your head around a fraction of the stuff they talk about on aos... Photography is a lot less complicated

Hi Hamish,

A very welcoming place you've got going here!

Mmmmm... The limited are very sexy indeed, seem to produce some pretty nice images too! I love the DA-40mm LTD it looks like you forgot to put a lens on & you're shooting with body mount cover on! I really like Pentax's range of very small high quality primes, something Nikon/Cannon haven't got. My only concern is is most of the new LTD's are being produced for the crop sensor camera & one day I might want to go full frame. Pentax atm don't make a FF camera so it could be a blind ally.

FF is just to expensive for me atm but I do like the way it deals with lower light conditions & as I don't really like flash photography & like to shoot at night & indoors, a very fast lens & FF seems a good way to go, but I've alot to learn yet.

This is what brings me to fast primes. Some of the older Pentax M, A & even F range have some very fast 50mm's with nice glass at f1.7, f1.4 & f1.2 & can be picked up for reasonable money. The f1.2's are a bit more costly, but I love the very shallow DOF they can do! The Helios 44K4 has been on my radar for a while, in fact it may have been Rense's thread that sparked my interest.

Common sense tells me to make the best use of the lens I have now, but I've got my eyes open for any bargains in any of the above.

Anyway, mate, well done for putting a great forum together! I already feel comfortable here as a newb!

 

[Hamish Gill]

Have you seen the new "xs" its even smaller

the limited

The xs

its less the a cm thick ... I think it is normal k mount
Its the kit lens for the K01 K-01 - Digital Mirrorless - PENTAX Photo
Id like them to build something similar for the little pentax Q ... that would be a very cool little bit of kit!
not sure how possible it is though...

I have a Nikon pancake lens from the late 50's that i have modded to work on my d3 etc but its no where near as thin (or af) as the pentax kit http://www.realphotographersforum.com/lenses/350-modification-pre-ai-nikon-lenses-use-some-dslrs.html

As for FF ... im not sure about pentax's plans ... with the fact they have quite a few lenses geared up for Digital only ("DA") it would surprise me if they went down that road without releasing more "FA" lenses first
Its hard to say when it comes to this sort of thing though!

as for 1.2 and other ultra fast lenses ... yeah... I love them! I have a Nikon 50 1.2 , its actually a late model but the design was the same for a long time ... its a lovely thing, not perhaps my first choice for ultimate sharpness but thats not what id use it for!!

Common sense tells me to make the best use of the lens I have now, but I've got my eyes open for any bargains in any of the above.

Yeah, I suspect you are right ... but there is always a time and a place to ignore such things

Anyway, mate, well done for putting a great forum together! I already feel comfortable here as a newb!

Cheers, and im glad, thats good news!

 

[Brian Moore]

I like the notion that you can use old lenses with that Pentax K5. I was considering buying one just because of that a while ago,...but then the 7d presented itself to me in a remarkably-attractive deal. Still kinda wish I had that K5 and old lenses. (Like the Helios--although I do have an M42 screw-mount version of that lens.)