HinTheMan Blog

I try to have a simple write up on how I handle purple fringe (colored fringes along edges on areas of high contrast.) This happens more often on Tamron 70-300 Di LD Macro but it does not stop me from finding the lens dependable as the cost of the lens is so inexpensive and I just learn to work around the problems. In general, I pay more attention to the shots made with this lens

• Avoid backlit area with high contrast
  
• Use smaller aperture. Use f/8.0 instead of f/5.6 for long end in the zoom
  
• Use higher iso instead of bigger aperture

And the following picture is sample of purple fringe around the rock area as well as the off focus area with purple color in the bokeh

And without photoshop and other commercial tools, I manage to use the following free software tools:

• XnView
• An free utility for viewing and converting graphic files.
• Accepts Photoshop plugin
• PFree
• A free photoshop purple fringe plugin

Once I get PFree plugin to properly install on my XnView, I can call and execute the plugin on the above picture. I used all the default settings from Pfree and the results come out way better than the original picture, I am happy as a clam for the results

The easiest area to spot the difference is on the rock area. I also have another image tool viewer called Irfanview which works more advanced than XnView and it also accepts photoshop plugins and I will report back how PFree works in Irfanview

Related:

• Tamron 70-300 Di LD Macro f/4.0-5.6
• Tamron 70-300 Di LD Macro Closeup Test Shots
• Tamron 28-75 f/2.8
• Hin’s Camera Gear
• Hin’s Picasa Demo

I like this widget a lot and I have replaced my previous BlogRush widget with this slideshow widget that displays a slideshow of pictures streaming from my RSS feed. Included above is a demo of the widget from Hin’s Photo Blog and I have it installed in my right sidebar as an Archive viewer. Thanks to blogsJam.

Right: Genuine Pentax M42 to K Adapter
Left: 3rd party adapter
Right: Genuine Pentax M42 to K Adapter

The Genuine adapter has less wording in the engraving. It is the right one on the above two pictures with engraving for “Asahie Pentax” on top and “Japan” on bottom. The 3rd party adapters such as those from Kalt and Bower share the same mechanical build as the genuine adapters but they are bought with a tool for dismounting the adapter

Dismounting tool from 3rd party adapter

Bower adapter on bottom

In general, I recommend others to get the genuine adapter as the best adapter to use with M42 on Pentax latest dSLR. It is easy to use and dismounting can be done without the use of additional tool. With practice, I find myself frequently remove the adapter with thumb and index finger holding on the two holes in the K mount and dismount the clip with inward direction followed by a anti-clockwise turn of the adapter to unmount the adapter.

Genuine adapter:

• The easiest to use, especially in dismounting
• No need for dismount tool
• Well built in mechanics
• More costly like $30 to $40 dollars
• Difficult to find
• New one comes in a green pouch

For 3rd party adapters such as those from Kalt and Bower, I ran into spring plate getting stuck in my K100D body creating panic moments to unmount the adapter.

3rd Party adapter:

• Cheaper in cost from $10 to $20
• Share the same mechanics but require removal tool
• Quite difficult to dismount with the given tool
• Lots of panic moments in dismounting from various users
• Spring plate easy to get worn out with the adapter stuck in K mounted body

I end up using both, but I prefer to use the Genuine adapter for ease of use. For 3rd party adapter, I remove the spring plate and mount the 3rd party adapter directly onto the lens

Where to find Genuine Adapter:

• Pentax Store
• http://www.pentaxwebstore.com/detail/PTX+30120
• The item carries the adapter ‘B’ in description and ‘B’ actually refers to Bayonet mount, which includes the KAF2 mount in the latest Pentax dSLR as in K10D/K100D etc.
• Please call to confirm
• Some discussion seems to suggest that henrys.com in Canada may carry it in stock, cost of shipping may be expensive dependent on location, please call to confirm.

• KEH may have it

• Find it used and new in ebay, be warned of non-genuine copy
• New one comes in a green packet and check wording printed on adapter as a guide. Make sure to ask question if it comes from eBay to confirm it is the genuine copy.

• Local store with special ordering from Pentax

Related & Resources:

• Pentax M42 Adapters
• Warning on 3rd party adapter
• How to convert M42 lens to K mount lens
• Instruction on dismounting
• Custom settings on M42 lens
• Hin’s Camera Gear

I put this miniature SLR camera into my to-be-sold items and so far I am undecided whether I should part away with this cute camera. The first roll of test film was destroyed when I found that I had a dead battery and the battery was inside the film compartment and I am onto the fifth frame of test shots on the 2nd roll of Kodah 200 film. If you think that I should not sell it to my good friend, please comment and show your support that I should keep it.

I know once I see some good pictures from this camera, I would have a harder time to sell it. This camera is very small and I can have it in my backpack similar to another point & shoot. And I have three lens with the camera 18mm, 24mm, and 50mm when I purchased it as a set with winder and 8 different filters for $120. So far, I am very impressed with the viewfinder and the picture taking with it is quite easy to handle. I get stuck in deciding to trim this or not, please comment and show your support.

Related:

• Hin’s Camera Gear

I have been busy trimming down my gear. Just want to show my Pentax Auto 110 camera that I purchased few months ago. Here is the debut of my CBA (Camera Buying Addiction) evidence, the shame, the glory, and fun that go with camera collection. Pictures are taken from K10D with Tokina 28-70 f/2.8-4.3 shooting wide open, I can’t sell my Tokina, the product shots are as good as those from my Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 except on the colors.

Related Resources:

• Recommended labs for film development
• http://www.frugalphotographer.com/catPhotoLab.htm

• Info on 110 films
• http://www.frugalphotographer.com/info-110.htm
• http://www.frugalphotographer.com/cat110.htm
  
• A great detailed page on 110 from Rick Oleson
• http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-116.html

• Sample images taken by 110
• http://www.pbase.com/cameras/pentax/auto_110
• http://www.pbase.com/nickinnagoya/pentax_auto_110

Related:

• Ultimate Film Camera
• Pentax SuperProgram
• Hin’s Camera Gear

All test shots are done hand-held with Pentax K10D in iso 100 with JPG setting on bright image tone with +2 on sharpness and -1 on saturation on some of them. Post processing are done in Picasa

Initial Impressions:

• Very capable close up work with this zoom with 1:2 magnification in long end of the zoom from 180mm to 300mm
• Amazingly sharp for its price and that it is a zoom lens, I paid only $90 for a used copy of this zoom. New one only costs $129.00 as of this writing
• Color are rich and have good contrast and details
  
• AF is effective but a bit slow in the macro zoom range.
  
• AF.C is working reasonably well with little bug around flowers
  
• Though manual focus ring has a large focus throw, it is difficult to use manual focus as the macro only become available in 180mm to 300mm in which the zoom extends to a greater length making it difficult and awkward to focus hand held manually.
  
• I used f/8.0 throughout the test and use negative Ev compensation to reduce purple fringing in scenes with high contrast.
• Unlike my Pentax SMC-A 50mm f/2.8 where I need to stay very close to the subject like 0.5 feet to get to 1:2 magnification, the Tamron zoom keeps a good distance from the subject like 3 feet away making it easier to setup with tripod and picturing bugs around flowers.
  

Related:

• Tamron 70-300 Di LD
  
• Pentax SMC K 100mm f/4.0 Macro 1:2
• Pentax SMC-A 50mm f/2.8 Macro 1:2
• Hin’s Camera Gear

Related:

• Tamron 70-300 Di LD Macro
• Pentax K 100mm f/4.0 Macro 1:2
• Hin’s Camera Gear

Initial Impressions:

• Off focus rendering is excellent in this lens
• All test shots are done in f/8.0, I have not tested wide open aperture
  
• Quite sharp
• 1:2 macro
• Great focusing ring for precision
  
• K version instead of M and I see no ‘M’ on the front
• Though difficult, the lens manual focusing can catch up with bee in my 1st attempt. With practice, I think I can use this Macro on moving insects

Related:

• Tamron 70-300 Di LD Macro
• Pentax SMC-A 50mm f/2.8 Macro 1:2
• Hin’s Camera Gear

I bought this lens a while ago and it is a shame that I have never gotten a single shot with this lens until last weekend. Few test shots were taken as JPG snapshots with my K10D in wide open aperture in f/4.0. Due to wind in a hiking trail, I used mostly ISO 400 to avoid motion blur. To my surprises, K10D is much noisier than my K100D in JPG.

I love the lens so far but just I have too many overlapping lens with similar focal length that I don’t get to use this prime as often. For one thing, I like the built-in lens hood and sharpness of the lens. There are various shots that I have problems with color not matching the original scenes. Orange looks more like yellow and brown looks more like grayish black. But my problems may be attributed to unfamiliar JPG settings in K10D and I currently don’t have a work flow and tool with Raw file in K10D.

I am somewhat disappointed with JPG on K10D. Having been a loyal fan of Pentax K100D on JPG for over a year, I am stumbled to find poor quality of JPG on K10D. I am still hopeful that I will find the right settings and proper raw file workflow to correct all of my JPG problems in K10D.

Initial Impressions:

• Very capable and sharp wide open. Most of my test shots are done in f/4.0
• Focusing is precise and smooth
• A great and effective built in lens hood
• My copy is in pristine condition, cosmetics gives it a great looking lens
• Color is a bit off in some of my test shots, may be due to wrong settings with JPG in K10D and my post processing with Picasa
• Lens is well built in construction, I like the built in lens hood and focusing ring on this lens
  
• A bit on the heavy side but still quite good for hiking with a need for longer reach
  

Related:

• Pentax SMC FA 28-105 f/3.2-4.5
• Tamron 28-75 f/2.8
• Hin’s Camera Gear

Some test shots with Pentax PZ-1 and Pentax SMC FA 28-105 f/3.2-4.5. I love my PZ-1, this film body reminds me of Pentax K10D. It has two command dials very similar to the Pentax K10D and I feel no stranger in using all the hyper mode with the film camera. When I bought this used, I didn’t even have the manual and I was no stranger to the camera on first shooting.

It is a sweet film camera from Pentax and its Auto Focus seems even faster than the digital brethren and its shutter noise is well controlled and the whole gadget doesn’t seem dated at all. Overall, I am well pleased with this film camera and it has more than what I would expect from a serious amateur film camera.

I used Fujifilm 400 film and Pentax SMC FA 28-105 seems to do work well with Pentax PZ-1. I actually prefer the color form SMC than that from Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 when I tried the camera on two lens. Somehow, I find the lens with good color and contrast though the Tamron shows better sharpness in indoor shooting. I developed two rolls of film one from Pentax PZ-1 and the other with Pentax Super Program testing Spiratone 28mm f/2.8 and I find PZ-1 results more appealing in myt first attempt. Metering seems more accurate in the PZ-1 results. And I look forward to the selection of B&W film for the ultimate purpose of trying out film camera for b&w photos.

Related:

• Pentax SMC FA 28-105 f/3.2-4.5
• Tamron 28-75 f/2.8
• Pentax SuperProgram
• Spiratone 28mm f/2.8
• Hin’s Camera Gear