My Favourite Pentax DSLR— "The first shall be last and the last shall be...

What PENTAX Values Most in Future Cameras

When I started in photography the first SLR film camera I purchased was the Pentax Spotmatic 2.
I loved the camera and in time starting doing wedding photography with it.I have many other Pentax cameras both Digital and Film and I have posted this to encourage beginner photographers and others to try the Pentax way.

A review of the Pentax mzs 35mm film camera.

I have just posted this on youtube. The Pentax Mzs 35mm SLR. Arguably the best 35mm camera Pentax ever made. I used it many times on weddings and lots of other assignments.
If you can find a good working one for sale I recommend it if you are into film.
The pentax *istD was the first digital SLR that followed on from this. For the first few weddings as I went digital I shot both cameras on the same wedding.

 First some film shots on the Mzs in Central Australia in 2009
The five bottom shots wee taken from a moving car.

An Overview of the Pentax 6x4.5 Film SLR Camera. Another Friday Flashback!

This is an overview of the Pentax 6x4.5 Film Medium Format SLR camera.

Friday Flashback. Wedding Photography outfit.

I did wedding photography for many years. I started with film and then transitioned to Digital. I am now no longer doing weddings but occasionally get asked. Before auto focus and digital my cameras were mainly Pentax. Pentax 35mm and Pentax 645.The Pentax Super A was my favourite from those days and coupled with a Metz Flash and Quantum battery pack I was ready for anything.

Photo Walk With Pentax *istD

Yesterday I went for a walk in my neighbourhood and took my trusty Pentax *istD digital SLR with me.
This is a six megapixel camera and the first digital slr that Pentax made.
Still one of the best in my opinion.
Here are some pics.

For Pentax Enthusiasts- The Pentax K1

Well for the long list of Pentax camera fans the long awaited full frame Pentax Digital SLR has arrived.
See a  link below to DP Review.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/7158808396/worth-the-wait-a-look-inside-the-pentax-k-1

It's a wonderfully "specced" camera with some of the features I like the most.

1. Full frame and can use all my old pentax lenses.

2. High megapixel count and 204,000 ISO.(When I started photography we were mainly shooting Kodachrome at ASA 25. (same as ISO).

3. External flash connection socket.

4.Built in WIFI and GPS

5. Dual card slot.

And lots of other features.

The one I anticipate I will find frustrating is the strange articulated screen.

The one on the Canon DSLR's works a treat.

Great for taking shots from any angle and for lining up video self capture.

It almost looks good enough to tempt me out of retirement as a wedding photographer.

Favourite Lens -Pentax A 28-135mm F4 Zoom

Today I coupled up my Pentax 28-135 MF  with my Pentax Kr and took some pics in the garden.I think it is just about my favourite lens.
It is a precision instrument and all class.
Constant F4 maximum aperture
It also has a macro setting but did not use this today.

This week(6/2/15) has seen Ricoh anouncing a new Pentax Full  Frame DSLR is in the pipeline.
This lens should be great with that.

My wife is the gardener not me!

Cameras I have owned or would like to.

The Pentax MZs.

The MZs is really  the last flagship of professional 35mm film cameras by Pentax before all went digital.
Before the MZs the Pentax Z1 and also the LX were classed as professional 35mm film slr.
I used the the Pentax Super A(Pentax Super Program in USA) for some years in wedding photography and in my opinion it could have been classed as a pro camera also.
It was a 35mm version on the Medium Format Pentax 645 which was a professional camera.
In the last couple of years as a wedding photographer, before I went digital, I was using the MZs on weddings.
A very capable and still sought after film camera.
Below is how Australian Camera reported on it at first testing in July 2001.
I was looking at a second hand Nikon F5 recently and the shop salesman said he preferred the MZs to the Nikon.
He also owned an MZs.
If you can find one on the second hand market a great camera to use and own.
A feature is that it does imprint settings  info about each frame on the negatives.

Pentax Kr Special Effects Filters

I have always been a Pentax fan since the 1970's(Pentax Spotmatic) and really enjoy the digital special effects you can do in camera on their latest digital Cameras.
I love creating an artistic look sometimes out of mistakes.
When you have a Pentax it's a good case for not quickly deleting failures.
I took these today of two of my Grandchildren playing the piano.

Original mistake

Original cropped and saturated a little in iPhoto on the Mac

Abstract effect applied to original from Pentax Kr effects filters

retake of original but using in camera effects on Pentax Kr

Pentax Kr special effects combination

Pentax Kr special effects

Australia v South Africa-Adelaide Oval

Today was day 1 of the Adelaide Oval test match between South Africa and Australia.
The first of 3 games was drawn in Brisbane.
This is the second match in the series.
Australia started well and looked to be in control then they lost Cowan,Quiney and Ponting in a very short time.
Dave Warner was batting in his usual aggressive style while the wickets went.
With Michael Clarke's arrival at the crease and a disaster for South Africa(Kallis pulled a hammy), Australia immediately went back on the offensive.
Warner went on to score a century before getting out then Mr. Cricket,Mike Hussey, joined Clarke.
Together they amassed a huge total by stumps.
Ponting on 224  not out and Hussey out on what became the last ball of the day for 103       .
A great days cricket if you were Australian.
Australia will bat on tomorrow and declare or be dismissed with a formidable total.
All phootos taken ona Pentax KX Digital SLR.There has been no editing or enhancing.
I also took a few frames on my Pentax Super A Film Camera for the fun of it.
They will be published at a later date.Maybe!
See also how Adelaide Now reported on this day and Michael Clarke
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/cricket/aussie-skipper-michael-clarke-pushes-proteas-and-donald-bradman-aside/story-e6frectl-1226522270549

To look at previous posts on this blog with cricket photos go to the below link or click on cricket photography in the index on the side. You will need to click on older posts athe bottom of the page once you have done this.

http://geoffthompsonsblog.blogspot.com.au/search/label/cricket%20photography

Warner brings up his hundred

Michael Clarke hits a four for his 200.

Hussey hits a six for his 100

Hussey is out

Stumps day 1

It was Michael's day