DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register) 
 

DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Confusion sets in...
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 6 of 6, (reverse)
AuthorThread
 05/19/2008 03:29:52 PM · #1
OK. Been away for a while due to 'life', and after all the frouforaw settled out, ended up getting a new camera.

Bought the Pentax K10D last week, and since my last camera (that BROKE) was a little Oly P&S, it's been a bit of a learning curve.

Here's what I got:
K10D and 18-55 kit lens (F3.5-5.6AL)
Battery Grip
Adapter ring (for fitting older lenses to the body in the future)
UV filter

Also got a new tripod and a mini-whitebox studio setup.

Now, I've spent the past few days (haven't even had it a full week yet) figuring out how to use the thing. I know I'm nowhere near proficient with it yet BUT... I'm already getting frustrated with the limitations of the kit lens.

I tried taking pics with for the dappled light challenge and was horribly disappointed in the results. I either had LOTS of really really bad hot spots, or everything but the bright bits was totally underexposed (and out of 103 photos I'm only able to salvage about four of them). Yes, some of it is me just not knowing how to fully utilize the camera. But I feel like some of it is the limited aperture range of the lens.

I got so used to being able to go from F2.8 to F8.0 at the push of a button, and now I'm restricted to F3.5-5.6.

So here's my questions:

How do I compensate for the restricted aperture range without buying a new lens? Any tips or tricks?

When I do get a new lens, which ones are recommended? I'd like a fixed length portrait lens (Artyste at one point eons ago recommended a 77mm f/1.8) and a nice mid-length zoom for landscapes.

Also, what other filters, accessories, etc. would you recommend? What do you use most?

Thanks for any help!
Sara
05/19/2008 03:35:18 PM · #2
If you can both over-expose and under-expose the same scene, then range of aperture values is not your problem. The whole "challenge" of dappled light has to do with shooting when the lighting conditions exceed the dynamic range of your sensor.

This might be a good opportunity (if it wasn't a Basic challenge) to apply HDR processing to some of the images you captured (if exposure's the only difference).
 05/19/2008 03:37:56 PM · #3
Originally posted by saracat:


I got so used to being able to go from F2.8 to F8.0 at the push of a button, and now I'm restricted to F3.5-5.6.

So here's my questions:

How do I compensate for the restricted aperture range without buying a new lens? Any tips or tricks?



i think you're confusing something here. the F3.5-5.6 is just the info about the fastest end of lens when used at wide angle (18mm@ 3.5) and "tele" end (5.6@55mm). however the you can definately stop down to at least 16 or 22, so you're not restricted to using the lens wide open all the time.

anyways grats on the new toy and don't be desperate about messing everything up at first it takes a lil while to figure stuff out :)

Message edited by author 2008-05-19 19:39:13.
 05/19/2008 03:39:44 PM · #4
I have had some success playing with the ISO and shutter speed. I shot aperture priority for a long while but there are other knobs on a camera
 05/19/2008 04:00:25 PM · #5
>sheepish grin<

so I guess most of it then is just me figuring out how to use the new system. It figures. :)

What about the "next stuff on the shopping list" though? Are polarizing filters really that helpful? What about neutral density (yeah- good for waterfalls, but what else)?

Thanks!
Sara
 05/19/2008 04:17:13 PM · #6
When I had a chance to buy filters, the first ones I got were a circular polarizer, and a graduated ND

The polarizer helps with skies and water reflections, and can also function as about a 1/2-stop ND filter.

The graduated ND filter can help anytime there are large bright and darker areas, most usually a landscape with a bright sky, but mine rotates, and could also work for an area where the frame overlaps a vertical shadow.

I think those are the two most "general purpose" filters, useful in the widest range of circumstances. and are often not too expensive -- I think I got both of mine (Tiffen 58mm) for under $80.
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 04/11/2025 11:16:12 PM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/11/2025 11:16:12 PM EDT.