Hello K-7, Goodbye K20D

Well after some months of consideration, I finally did it... I upgraded to the new K-7. The K20D had given me sterling service and it was hard to part with it considering that I had the special moulded rubber grip added on by the Pentax agent and that I had also replaced the stock focusing screen with a split image rangefinder focusing screen to aid manual focusing.

But move on we must and the catalyst for change was a meeting a few months ago with Pentax professional photographer Mark Dimalanta as he was en route for an assignment. As fate would have it he had a pre-production K-7 plus a bunch of lenses on hand including the DA* 60-250mm f/4 which had not yet been release for general sale then. Over lunch we had the opportunity to hear first hand about his exciting work plus the opportunity to try out what he had. Simply put I was sold.



To me the standout feature of this new camera was the 100% view viewfinder and the extremely silent camera shutter. Nevermind the fact that in spite of the smaller size compared to the K20D, the camera feels much more solid due to the all magnesium shell on steel chassis that's weather sealed. Much quicker AF with a a higher camera frame rate and with the inclusion of HD video, it's like having both a still and a video camera in a single package.

There are some nifty features the new camera sports like the electronic level that provides a visual indication of whether the camera is level or not as you prepare to take the picture. Then there is also the orientation sensor that automatically rotates the camera information and image. A wider exposure compensation range, AF assist light for low light focusing, Lens Correction function that adjusts for distortion and chromatic aberrations with DA series lenses, improved Live View and 77-segment metering system and a few other feature ensures the K-7 is a much improved camera over the K20D.

One significant improvement is the better white balance, particularly under incandescent lighting. Image quality is roughly on par with the K20D. Noise at high ISOs can be noticeable but this is where Pentax takes a conservative approach, opting for detail retention instead of heavy handed correction. Nothing that a dedicated noise reduction software like Nik Software's Dfine 2.0 can't handle. The larger 3 inch LCD and improved information display is the icing that makes the K-7 a lot better camera in so many little ways.

The smallest Pentax

Came across a good condition Pentax 110 recently and although I'm not into collecting vintage camera gear, I was prepared to keep this one for the timeless looks and its unique place in photographic history. It is such a cute camera that I wish Pentax would re-issue a modern digital version.



Briefly the Pentax 110 was Pentax's smallest SLR camera, and the smallest interchangeable lens SLR with TTL metering ever made. The camera has a proper TTL viewfinder, split image rangefinder focusing, programmed auto exposure using a center weighted metering silicon photo diode with shutter speeds from 1 sec to 1/750th, an exposure range of EV 3 to 17 at ASA 100, with an aperture range from f/2.8 to f/13.5. There were 6 lenses available, and the 24mm f/2.8 standard lens shown here (equivalent to 50mm on 35mm film) has a very smooth focusing ring with distance scales, has 6 elements in 5 groups, focuses down to 0.35m and weighs... a mere 13 grams!

The small format means that the camera has a lot of depth of field and is almost like a modern 4/3 format digital camera with a 2x crop factor. In fact the lenses have been modified to fit some current micro 4/3 cameras. The issue of usability with this camera is hampered by the limited availability of 110 film. Nonetheless this camera continues to marvel many even today.

Never a dull moment with the Nokton

I like the ubiquitous 50mm lens, once produced in prolific numbers and the starter lens that was usually bundled with the camera body until the onset of the zoom lens. Perhaps because it is supposed to be close to what we see in terms of field of view for 35mm film cameras or perhaps because it is so common, the versatility of the standard lens is undisputed.



I've had the pleasure to own several 50mm lenses including the FA 50mm f/1.4 and the A series lenses in f/1.4, f/1.7 and f/2, not counting several 50mm macro lenses, but as I already had the FA 43mm Limited, I was looking for something with a fast maximum aperture to straddle between it and the FA 77mm Limited.



The answer was the Voigtlander Nokton 58mm f/1.4 SLII. I already knew about it for quite some time, being a Cosina re-make on the renowned Topcor 58mm but I didn't really thought too much of it until recently. I had just installed a split image rangefinder focusing screen (the Nikon K3 screen) that makes manual focusing a breeze and seeing some recent stunning images taken with the lens got me to belatedly sit up and take notice.

Even though one could get an autofocus Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 or the manual focus A 50mm f/1.4 cheaper, there is something to be said for the build quality and optical performance that makes the Voigtlander Nokton a special lens. What one gets is a big hunk of metal and glass, with a generously solid metal lens hood thrown in. Value doesn’t necessarily mean a low price: it means you’re getting a lot for what you’re paying. The Nokton may not appeal to those who want AF from their lenses but for the photographer who wants full manual focusing and takes a more deliberate approach, this lens fits the bill well.



As to how it delivers image wise, I'm thoroughly impressed with it more and more all the time. There is little chromatic aberration wide open and I'm pleased with the smooth bokeh from the 9 aperture blades. The slightly longer focal length over the standard 50mm does give a little better background separation and slightly flatter perspective when shooting portraits. The colour rendering and contrast is very good as is the overall sharpness. In all it has met my requirements perfectly and a lens I heartily recommend.

The Missing Memory Card

Going through an old camera pouch, I stumbled upon an SD card with images that I had shot that I had somehow misplaced. Wondering how I could have somehow missed it, I decided to check out the images that were taken back in 2007 with the K100D. Well this was like finding an old exposed roll of film and as I paused to reflect on how I looked at subjects in the past and whether I had changed in manner and style compared to today, I just can't help feeling that I'm looking at a slice of time. The slivers of memory brings back associations of the past and my past excitement with my camera then.

I can only say that this old memory card has spurred me on to want to shoot even more, the wish for more slices of time today that I can savour in the future. It's a timely reminder that the photograph may be static for the viewer but for the photographer, it represents an encapsulation of space and time, of location and of emotion and recollections.


K100D Tokina 28-200mm

This was a shot of a worker at the back of a pickup truck. I noticed the bright gold earring that stood out against his dark complexion and by chance there was a out of focus figure in the background. Converted and toned in Photoshop CS4 and Silver Efex Pro.


K100D Tokina 70-210mm

This shot of my son with his Nikon (eek!) digital point and shoot just brings me back to the day we were out at the park. Perhaps not the best in terms of aesthetics but I like the nice colors and the natural framing of the gazebo.

New and Old

Came across this mature tree during a walk through the park and was immediately struck by the contrast between the rough edges of it's bark and the small plant growing upwards towards the light using the tree as a foothold. An interplay of different stages of growth, of soft, pliable and flexible versus the old, firm and secure. Converted this image in Photoshop with Silver Efex Pro.

A is for Angry Ant, B is for Bee Bokeh

Just last week I was feeling kinda low mentally so to spend time reflecting, I decided to go out and shoot with no specific agenda. Armed with my trusty macro lenses, I took a quiet stroll and shot anything that I thought looked interesting. I guess not expecting any specific subject allowed me to see things a little differently and I came away with two macro shots that I happened to like.

This angry ant was shot using the FA 100mm f/2.8 Macro with my cute little Pentax AF-200FG flash unit in fading light.



The bee bokeh was quite a difficult shot because I had to manually focus the Sigma 50mm f/2.8 Macro on the brisk moving bee perched on very tiny flowers with a hint of a breeze blowing. To top it all, I had some tourists who wanted a quick chat while I was shooting. Shot hand held using available light with the K20D.

Pink Gerbera

My wife had this pink gerbera lying around and with a little time on my hands, I decided to use my K20D mated with the Sigma 50mm f/2.8 Macro to record some images of it before it started to show signs of wilting.

Pentax Digital Camera Utility 4 tryout (2)

Some more interesting conversions with a PEF RAW file. Shot during the Garden Festival last year with the K20D and FA 77mm Limited.

Silkypix give pretty pleasant colours of this indoor shot of orchids, Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) renders less colour saturated images. For practical purposes, output from DNG or PEF looks the same if processed through ACR or Silkypix respectively as each software will render according to their respective algorithms. Just for versatility I would opt to shoot with the DNG format. Interestingly, the jpeg straight from the K20D is pretty good too.


Pentax PEF RAW file converted to jpeg by Silkypix


Pentax PEF RAW file to jpeg by ACR 5.4


Pentax PEF RAW file converted to DNG to jpeg by ACR 5.4


Jpeg from RAW+Jpeg straight from K20D