Marina Barrage Pentax Shootout

We had our latest Pentax user meet-up on 15 November at the Marina Barrage. By way of introduction, the Marina Barrage is a new dam spanning the Marina Channel, forming Singapore's first reservoir in the city. Flowing into the channel is water from the Singapore and Kallang rivers. The dam serves to control flooding, provide an additional source of water supply and offer a new waterfront experience in the area.


Sigma 17-70mm


Sigma 17-70mm

We had a healthy turnout of Pentax users and even though the area was new, there was a lot to shoot, from city skyline to water features to people enjoying themselves. The weather was largely overcast, which meant our pictures were devoid of nice blue skies. The lighting was flat, soft and diffused outdoors but we all made the best of it.


DA 21mm Limited


DA 21mm Limited


DA 21mm Limited

Posted here are just a few pictures that I took at the place with the K20D using various lenses.


FA 50mm


Tamron 70-300mm

Walkabout with the FA 100mm f/2.8 Macro

Not too long ago, I had in my possession the DFA 50mm f/2.8 Macro as well as the DFA 100mm f/2.8 Macro lenses. Well these two are fine lenses, I didn't particularly like the build quality. So recently through a mutual swap with a couple of my Pentax friends, I replaced the two lenses for the FA 100mm f/2.8 Macro and FA 135mm f/2.8 telephoto lenses.

Ixora


Fern leaf unfolding


I really like the look and build quality of FA lenses and it complements well with the other FA lenses that I already own. The FA 100mm f/2.8 Macro is a much bigger and heavier lens compared to the newer DFA version. It gives excellent sharpness and colour and offers lifesize magnification without the need for additional extension tubes. The FA macros lack the Quick Shift manual focus override but there however a focus limiter to limit the focusing range for this lens.

Small mushrooms


I really like the images from this lens. Here's a couple of shots taken at the Singapore Botanic Gardens with the K20D. It is a lens I would recommend to all Pentax macro shooters.

Vanda Miss Joachim (Singapore's national flower)

Little India Pentax Outing - Monochrome

Just a few more shots from the recent Little India Pentax user outing. I decided early on that the people and location shots should be in monochrome. All shots taken with the K20D using the same lenses as in the previous post.

Dunlop Street

DA 21mm f/3.2 Limited

Provision shop

FA 28-200mm f/3.5~5.6

Exhale

Sigma 90mm f/2.8 Macro

Old biker

FA 28-200mm f/3.5~5.6

General worker

DA 21mm f/3.2 Limited

Weight on my shoulder

FA 28-200mm f/3.5~5.6

Little India Pentax Outing

Last month, we had our October Pentax user outing to shoot the area known as Little India, a predominantly Indian area that has many shophouses and merchants. We had a good turnout and as usual friendly banter as we slowly made our way among the shops, shooting the people and the many objects of interest.

Tomatoes 90 cents

FA 28-200mm f/3.5~5.6

Fruit shop

Sigma 90mm f/2.8 Macro

String of bananas

Sigma 90mm f/2.8 Macro

Unfortunately this post comes up only now as it has been a little hectic on the work and domestic front, so I've neglected post processing and writing on this blog. I had to run off a little early but still managed to take a couple of interesting images. Definitely a place that has a lot of captivating images waiting to be shot.

Squash

Sigma 90mm f/2.8 Macro

Carrots and radishes

FA 28-200mm f/3.5~5.6

Radishes and bitter gourds

FA 28-200mm f/3.5~5.6

Anyway about the outing, I've always liked shooting Little India simply because there is much to shoot. As it was going to be a street shoot, I packed my K20D with three lenses, the lowly FA 28-200mm superzoom, the DA 21mm Limited pancake and the Sigma 90mm Macro.

Lotus

Sigma 90mm f/2.8 Macro

Hibiscus in a pot

DA 21mm f/3.2 Limited

The FA 28-200 is essentially a rebadged Tamron. I picked it up at a used computer shop awhile back. Optical quality is decent but it makes up for it with a wide range of focal lengths. I needed a compact wideangle in the DA 21mm and used a macro to pick out and isolate interesting subjects.

Folded leaves

Sigma 90mm f/2.8 Macro

Parasols

FA 28-200mm f/3.5~5.6

DA* 200mm f/2.8 Tryout

I've been quite busy with work and have not had the opportunity to shoot too much. I'll nevertheless begin to post those images that I've taken over the last couple of weeks.



Just recently I managed to get my hands on the DA* 200mm f/2.8 ED telephoto courtesy of the local Pentax agents here. This is a lens that doesn't really get too much attention as many photographers usually favour the focal range versatility of the DA* 50-135 f/2.8 zoom or opt for the longer focal length offered by the DA* 300mm f/4. Being weather and dust resistant, it makes a perfect companion to the weather sealed K20D.



Optically the 200mm delivers sharp and contrasty images straight from the camera. Focusing is a tad faster than the DA* 50-135mm and during my brief encounter with it, I've grown to like it a lot, perhaps even more than the excellent DA* 50-135mm. For many, perhaps the only bugbear of the 50-135mm is the feeling that it could have gone all the way to 200mm.



With a minimum focusing disrance of 1.2m, this is a lens that can deliver a respectable close-up. The lens uses internal focusing, which allows the lens barrel to remain the same length. AF is simply quick and silent.


In terms of what this lens can do, I'm suitably impressed to seriously consider putting this excellent lens on my wish list.

Spiral

Something from awhile back. My wife's hair thingy in black and white.
I was fascinated by the effect of the lines.


K100D Sigma 90mm f/2.8 Macro

More From MacRitchie Reservoir

A few more infrared images with the DA 18-55mm II kit lens. These were taken near the Singapore Island Country Club.

Some Images From MacRitchie Reservoir

About two weeks ago we had our September Pentax users outing at the MacRitchie Reservoir. We had quite a good turnout as well as workout walking through the park and forest trail. Took more shots with my infrared modified *ist DL2 than with my K20D.





Been really busy with work that I've just not been able to upload the images that I took. Here's a selection, all with the DA 18-55mm II kit lens, truly a very useful lens for IR photography.



Along the forest trail, the light was diffused and light levels were pretty low, making shooting a challenge.





Particularly liked the shots under a bright intense sun with water in the foreground.