Asking for Advice on a walkabout lens.

[GSiGuy]

I like your photos -- the compositions and colours and style; I can't tell you are new to DSLRs actually, but nor do I care. And you sure do get around to some cool places!

Just one tip, if I may, and nothing to do with the photos. Captions.. maybe I'm the more literary type, but I find that well-written, descriptive captions always make the photos that much better.

Thanks!

For Egypt, i was really anxious. I read and even bought an ebook on tips of where to shoot. Before that trip, i also read Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure so i used alot of Brother Blue Sky for exposure. Composition-wise, i just kinda keep the rule of thirds in mind (not that it happens in practice always).

For Melbourne, i was more relaxed and just kinda left the camera on multi-segment metering most of the time and focused on far points for most landscape shots (can't apply hyperfocal distance on 18-135mm as no distance gauge nor had i any idea how far is the correct hyperfocal distance) but most of the time i noticed pictures were quite ok... i do astutely check the f-stop i'm shooting on most of the time (unless i decide to just freewheel and leave it on P mode).

I go to cool places cos the better half is a keen traveller. I tend to be more passive when it comes to travel plans...

When you say captions, you mean put it in the description box on flickr? or in the picture like a watermark?

 

[GSiGuy]

I like all the ideas coming on shooting with primes, man!

 

[GSiGuy]

haha thanks!
and for those who wants to know the extent of the versatility of what a DA40 can do, check out my mini-review: http://mkvlln.posterous.com/lens-review-pentax-da-40-limited-the-true-pan

cool review! i like the DA40 mostly because of it's size. i've taken it out as my sole lens on outings before. i just kinda sling my cam like it was a small bag and never worry about a large lens knocking all over the place.

but your review is correct in that it tends to be abit too close for comfort for portraiture except for your closer friends who dun mind...

i have a 43mm now so i wonder if that makes a big difference

Edit: sorry i realise i'm getting a little off-thread... will rein it in. Hope the TS dun mind.

 

[le petit prince]

When you say captions, you mean put it in the description box on flickr? or in the picture like a watermark?

I was referring to short description of the photo.. Where, what, who, why. Even a simple title will do.. Seeing file numbers or just numbers alone makes me feel something is missing. But it's just my bias, good photos are good regardless whether they are titles or captions.

An example of how I title/caption my photos..
http://lepetitphotographe.smugmug.com/Landscapes/Places/7760236_b3hCU#509980638_bTVhX-A-LB

 

[pinholecam]

Nice photos of Egypt and Australia. Makes me want to go there

 

[Supersimon27]

Ha , an advice thread had become a wonderful photo sharing thread . Nice

Gsiguy , nice collection u got there . Esp the Egypt one

Same for le petit , Yr photo are just amazing .

Not forgetting those photo from da40

 

[GSiGuy]

I was referring to short description of the photo.. Where, what, who, why. Even a simple title will do.. Seeing file numbers or just numbers alone makes me feel something is missing. But it's just my bias, good photos are good regardless whether they are titles or captions.

An example of how I title/caption my photos..
http://lepetitphotographe.smugmug.com/Landscapes/Places/7760236_b3hCU#509980638_bTVhX-A-LB

awesome pics, my friend! we may have visited some similar places...

yes, thanks for the advice. actually i did extensive write-ups to caption my Egypt pics in my facebook albums (almost becomes a history/geography lesson). Maybe i will copy it over.

I guess i didn't think about doing it on flickr as the download was purely to showcase the 18-135

 

[GSiGuy]

Nice photos of Egypt and Australia. Makes me want to go there

Ha , an advice thread had become a wonderful photo sharing thread . Nice

Gsiguy , nice collection u got there . Esp the Egypt one

Same for le petit , Yr photo are just amazing .

Not forgetting those photo from da40

Thanks, guys. I am really bowled over by le petit prince's pics. it looks so professional!

 

[le petit prince]

Thanks, guys. I am really bowled over by le petit prince's pics. it looks so professional!

Thank you. But mm.. I'll only dare call my photos 'pro' if I ever managed to sell any prints! :bsmilie:

 

[GSiGuy]

Thank you. But mm.. I'll only dare call my photos 'pro' if I ever managed to sell any prints! :bsmilie:

Heh! Have you tried putting them into some of the stock photo sites?

 

[le petit prince]

Heh! Have you tried putting them into some of the stock photo sites?

Eh, no. It's a hobby lah, just like the case for most of us here. (Mmm. Any pros around?)

I'm happy to make prints for friends who ask, and that's it. I love prints, by the way.

And thanks again, very encouraging to know people like the photos. A lot of it is down to luck though - right place, right time and all that. I guess we did end up at the usual spots in Melbourne. Your shot of the Melbourne train terminal is much better, mine was so crap that i don't even bother to put it up.

By the way, the FA43 works great for portraits too; I have quite a few shot with it, but yeah mostly friends/people I know. Maybe it's kind of wide for head shots (or need to get up too close for comfort for that), but up to half-length body is fine. I use it as a walkabout/only lens with the K-7 which I carry out most days.

 

[GSiGuy]

Eh, no. It's a hobby lah, just like the case for most of us here. (Mmm. Any pros around?)

I'm happy to make prints for friends who ask, and that's it. I love prints, by the way.

And thanks again, very encouraging to know people like the photos. A lot of it is down to luck though - right place, right time and all that. I guess we did end up at the usual spots in Melbourne. Your shot of the Melbourne train terminal is much better, mine was so crap that i don't even bother to put it up.

By the way, the FA43 works great for portraits too; I have quite a few shot with it, but yeah mostly friends/people I know. Maybe it's kind of wide for head shots (or need to get up too close for comfort for that), but up to half-length body is fine. I use it as a walkabout/only lens with the K-7 which I carry out most days.

i haven't printed much of my digital pics yet. i just got round to having my 1st roll of film (in like 20 years) developed and printed and the anticipation is exciting (i bought a super program from a forumer some time ago but don't use it much). i think will be shooting film abit more. Got a pz1s from Feng Wei too but haven't use it yet.

yes there is something really quite nice about the FA43 Limited. It's colour reproduction is very nice! I definitely will use it more on both film and digital!

 

[killjoysg2000]

I am envious of your shots, CSiGuy and le petit prince...being a noob myself, I really hope that I can take shots like these. I always have problems with composition...haiz. well, I guess that is for another time.. I was at the outing today, I am using stock lenses, the 18-55mm & 50-200mm... I do find it a chore to switch between them. any recommendations for a walkabout lens with macro and decent range? Saw FW walking ard with something like that (think his is 90mm at the long end). Until I get one of those, I will be sticking with my Raynox 250 on the stocks.

 

[Gengh]

I am envious of your shots, CSiGuy and le petit prince...being a noob myself, I really hope that I can take shots like these. I always have problems with composition...haiz. well, I guess that is for another time.. I was at the outing today, I am using stock lenses, the 18-55mm & 50-200mm... I do find it a chore to switch between them. any recommendations for a walkabout lens with macro and decent range? Saw FW walking ard with something like that (think his is 90mm at the long end). Until I get one of those, I will be sticking with my Raynox 250 on the stocks.

Zoom, 90mm on the long end, with macro? Don't think there's such a lens... Maybe the closest thing will be the Sigma 17-70mm, or Pentax DA17-70 (not sure about the max magnification on this though). Don't forget, jack of all trades, master of none. 70mm is not long enough when you really need tele (it's still 3 times short of 200mm), the macro is not really macro, and they're fast but not as fast as the constant f2.8 lenses. But they will certainly be a nice upgrade from the 18-55mm kit lens. My point is, getting a jack of all trades lens doesn't mean you don't need to switch lenses, it depends on what you're really after...

 

[pinholecam]

I am envious of your shots, CSiGuy and le petit prince...being a noob myself, I really hope that I can take shots like these. I always have problems with composition...haiz. well, I guess that is for another time.. I was at the outing today, I am using stock lenses, the 18-55mm & 50-200mm... I do find it a chore to switch between them. any recommendations for a walkabout lens with macro and decent range? Saw FW walking ard with something like that (think his is 90mm at the long end). Until I get one of those, I will be sticking with my Raynox 250 on the stocks.

FengWei was using the DA100/2.8 WR Macro. One of the best and most worth it lens in the Pentax range imho. Long enough for almost all macro work, 1;1 macro, rounded aperture; weather sealed.

Actually a Raynox 250 with a zoom lens works pretty well.

 

[killjoysg2000]

FengWei was using the DA100/2.8 WR Macro. One of the best and most worth it lens in the Pentax range imho. Long enough for almost all macro work, 1;1 macro, rounded aperture; weather sealed.

Actually a Raynox 250 with a zoom lens works pretty well.

Thanx for the clarification man, think that lens easily cost $700-$800 plus.

 

[detritus]

Thanx for the clarification man, think that lens easily cost $700-$800 plus.

the dfa100wr is good as a "walkabout macro lens" but not something u use as a "walkabout" lens for every situation.

i thought that a 50-200 with a raynox would be pretty versatile.

 

[Lightbulb]

That is why I am hopeful that primes come with wr just like the dfa100 wr. At the very least just add an O ring to the metal mount, how expensive and difficult can it be? And literally, screw the sdm!

 

[Bridgerock]

That is why I am hopeful that primes come with wr just like the dfa100 wr. At the very least just add an O ring to the metal mount, how expensive and difficult can it be? And literally, screw the sdm!

Yeah...the SDM makes me worried everytime I use it. SDM to me sounds like "Surely Damaged Motors". -___-"""

 

[Lightbulb]

There was an unofficial comparison where usm failure rate is around 2 to4 % and 10% or so for sdm. Problems are sdm uses micro motor where others use ring motor. Also sdm die easily if you use manual too often. Please add salt where necessary.