[HELP]Pentax K-x : recommend a fast lense

[reallygong]

Greeting Everyone,

I would like to take this opportunity to say hello to all the members in this forum. I am new member and newbie to photography.

I got myself a Pentax K-x recently with the duo lenses set. After about 2 weeks, I notice that I can't take good shoot with Shutter speed more then 1/500 secs. I was trying to take photo for my 1 year plus old daughter. She's very active and most of the time I miss those interesting moment or those shoot just too blur or too dark. I shot most of the shoot in door and I do not really like using flash.

Looking at the future, I think I will need for the various shooting purposes.
- Wide angle Lense
- Macro Lense
- Fast Lense (smc PENTAX FA 50mm F1.4?)

The info I got from the forum these are the shop with good reputation Manly, SLR and 3:16. Any other good shop that selling lenses in a very attractive price that you guys highly recommend?

Any of the member can share a few tips with me on taking photo for fast moving objects in door with poor lighting? I would be very thankful.:thumbsup:

 

[Reportage]

Greeting Everyone,

I would like to take this opportunity to say hello to all the members in this forum. I am new member and newbie to photography.

I got myself a Pentax K-x recently with the duo lenses set. After about 2 weeks, I notice that I can't take good shoot with Shutter speed more then 1/500 secs. I was trying to take photo for my 1 year plus old daughter. She's very active and most of the time I miss those interesting moment or those shoot just too blur or too dark. I shot most of the shoot in door and I do not really like using flash.

Looking at the future, I think I will need for the various shooting purposes.
- Wide angle Lense
- Macro Lense
- Fast Lense (smc PENTAX FA 50mm F1.4?)

The info I got from the forum these are the shop with good reputation Manly, SLR and 3:16. Any other good shop that selling lenses in a very attractive price that you guys highly recommend?

Any of the member can share a few tips with me on taking photo for fast moving objects in door with poor lighting? I would be very thankful.:thumbsup:

attractive price dont have. 3:16 got sell Pentax???

Most users will recommend 50mm f/1.4 but take note that your camera is a crop camera.

I would recommend instead Sigma 30mm f/1.4 or Pentax 35mm F2.0 if you really need to take pictures in the dark. Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 is also a decent performer for a close range all rounder.

Maybe all you need is a flash that can go 1/250s.

 

[chuanzuya]

you can opt for 50mm f1.4 if ur shooting portraits, if u wanna save some cash, can get the mf version.. if u have high budget, go for sigma 30mm f1.4

 

[madmartian]

Welcome to CS

 

[reallygong]

Thanks for the welcoming message as well as the advises.

I do have a limited budget, the 50mm f1.4 sound good. BTW, AF vs MF estimated price different is how much? Anyone got any idea? The last time I check with 1 of the shop I listed. It was around 600+ and is out of stock. He did not mention to me whether it's AF or MF.

Since my camera is not a full film size SLR. Is there an issue with the 50mm f1.4 other then I cannot get the max frame?

Reportage : Sorry, I have not been to 3:16.:dunno: So, I do not know whether they sell Pentax stuff. I quoted them in my post because, someone recommended them to me. So in general I listed those that I've been recommended by either friends or members in this forum.

 

[reallygong]

Sorry a shameless self push. :embrass:

 

[watchthewaves]

Some tips:

(1) If you pop over to the Pentax subforum here, you'll probably get much faster replies.

(2) Because Pentax allows you the use of all its legacy lenses (but some with limited functions), you have lots to choose from. MF will be cheaper than AF.

(3) For Pentax, try SLR Revo, Manly, OP. I don't think you'll find anything in John 3:16.

(4) And while you are deciding what to get, you may currently not be maximising the potential of your kit lens(es). You mentioned shooting indoors - what light? "Normal" living room lighting or the darker type of "mood" lighting? How high have you tried pushing the sensitivity to? Have you tried lowering your shutter speed? I think you can go slower than 1/500 to capture kids.

 

[pinholecam]

Hi there and Welcome!

You might get more Pentax focused answers if you posted in the Pentax sub-forum.

Firstly, you might want to check what you are not satisfied with for your photos. You mentioned that if can be poor even if its at a shutter speed of 1/500 :think:
Many times, focusing on the right technique is more important than the next better gear.

OOF (out of focus) - baby moved out of focus before picture is taken.
Work on focusing; Pre-focus on object on the same plane; Use manual focus; Use a flash with AF assist; Anticipate movement and focus ahead;

Movement blur/Camera shake - Use a flash; Use bounced flash; Choose a higher ISO; Choose a brighter location (eg. nearer window/balcony);

Shallow DOF (depth of field) - Aperture set too wide and focus is inaccurate (as OOF above); Stop down the aperture while adjusting for appropriate shutter speed (usually 1/60, 1/90 or higher to stop movement);


I re-emphasize that an external flash will make all the difference, especially if its bounced and even more so when its bounced at an angle. I know many parents fear flash use on babies, but firstly the flash is bounced, secondly its never direct into eyes, and lastly, its a myth.


Now, on fast lenses. The cheaper ones (~500 -$600+) would be a FA50/1.4; Tamron 17-50/2.8; FA35/2;
The MF (manual focus) lenses can only be bought 2nd hand (very common in BnS here on the Clubsnap Pentax BnS subforum). A 50/2 can go as low as $65, a 50/1.7 around $110.

Shops to by from :
Manly
OP
SLR Revolution
MSColor

If you want more information, and have a feel of all the lenses old and new, do join the monthly Pentax outings.

 

[reallygong]

I have some sample I took this morning in my house. I have large windows at my living room so the lighting is good. But the shoots I took are underexposed.:embrass:

Sample 1

Pentax K-x + PENTAX DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II
ISO : 400
Aperture : F5.6
Shutter : 1/125 secs
Focal Length : 55mm
Metering Mode : Spot
WB : Daylight
Image Tone : Vibrant

Sample 2

Pentax K-x + PENTAX DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II
ISO : 400
Aperture : F5.6
Shutter : 1/100 secs
Focal Length : 55mm
Metering Mode : Spot
WB : Daylight
Image Tone : Bright

Sample 3

\
Pentax K-x + PENTAX DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II
ISO : 400
Aperture : F4
Shutter : 1/200 secs
Focal Length : 77.5mm
Metering Mode : Multi-segment
WB : Daylight
Image Tone : Bright

I actually wanted a total freeze shoot, but with Shutter Speed around 100~200, I still see some motion blur in the shoot. Is it due to my newbie skill or I need a faster lense? :sweat:

Thanks in advance for the tips and help.

 

[Royaux]

up your iso some more. K-x is known for great entry level high iso performance.

 

[reallygong]

Hi there and Welcome!

You might get more Pentax focused answers if you posted in the Pentax sub-forum.

Firstly, you might want to check what you are not satisfied with for your photos. You mentioned that if can be poor even if its at a shutter speed of 1/500 :think:
Many times, focusing on the right technique is more important than the next better gear.

OOF (out of focus) - baby moved out of focus before picture is taken.
Work on focusing; Pre-focus on object on the same plane; Use manual focus; Use a flash with AF assist; Anticipate movement and focus ahead;

Movement blur/Camera shake - Use a flash; Use bounced flash; Choose a higher ISO; Choose a brighter location (eg. nearer window/balcony);

Shallow DOF (depth of field) - Aperture set too wide and focus is inaccurate (as OOF above); Stop down the aperture while adjusting for appropriate shutter speed (usually 1/60, 1/90 or higher to stop movement);


I re-emphasize that an external flash will make all the difference, especially if its bounced and even more so when its bounced at an angle. I know many parents fear flash use on babies, but firstly the flash is bounced, secondly its never direct into eyes, and lastly, its a myth.


Now, on fast lenses. The cheaper ones (~500 -$600+) would be a FA50/1.4; Tamron 17-50/2.8; FA35/2;
The MF (manual focus) lenses can only be bought 2nd hand (very common in BnS here on the Clubsnap Pentax BnS subforum). A 50/2 can go as low as $65, a 50/1.7 around $110.

Shops to by from :
Manly
OP
SLR Revolution
MSColor

If you want more information, and have a feel of all the lenses old and new, do join the monthly Pentax outings.

My situation is that she is learning to walk so Outdoor is not a good option. What I wanted to shot is a total freeze movement shoot. You know those precious moment of her learning to walk and fall time. :heart: I want to freeze those special moments in a total freeze mode.

In the entire house my living room is the only place that is well-lighted up by natural sunlight. I do understand using the Flash, but currently I have only the build-in flash which shot direct to her eyes. As a father, you will try not to do that even though it's not proven harmful. hehehe...

As for the MF, I totally screwed up on that as she move around unpredictable and "Fast N Furious" :bsmilie: I guess need a lot of try and error on this.

I did try using higher ISO, but the the shoots taken were too much noise for my liking. I have turn on the Noise reduction in my camera starting ISO 400 and High-ISO NR on High. I have also turn on the Anti-Shake feature in the camera as well.

Thank you so much for the tips and advise. Keep them coming. Love you guys :lovegrin:

 

[night86mare]

threadstarter -

images are underexposed, like you said, because normally metering tends to underexpose by half to one stop. you can use av mode and compensate.

there are several ways to overcome the limitations of your equipment -

remember that our eyes are a lot more adaptable than the camera sensor, so what appears bright to you is not really that bright. anything indoors tends to be relatively low light, even in the daytime, unless your kid happens to be spotlit by circumstance by means of the sun direction, etc.

firstly, i note that you are shooting at iso 400. the k-x is more than capable of getting up to iso1600. something to think about.

next, there are various factors that cause blur.

1) handholding limitations. this has to do with shutter speed, your handholding technique. basically it is not that the shutter speed is too slow, it is because the camera is moving too much to capture a sharp picture freezing motion. even if motion is frozen, because you moved the camera, the image is blur. bump up the iso for this one, open up the aperture, and if still cannot, use flash. when holding, make sure you hold it correctly. cameras are generally designed for right handed people, so your right hand should be firmly on the grip, left hand supporting the lens from below.

2) improper focus lock. for that, has a bit to do with lens, also has a bit to do with knowing your equipment. this is more or less hit and miss for kids, i guess. i won't know, haven't really shot active kids.

3) shutter speed too long for the motion to be frozen. once again, up iso, open up aperture.

i suspect if you use iso1600, all these problems will go away. all these seem more like a problem of #3, rather than other things. using iso1600, will allow you to use the same aperture, while having 2 stops gained on shutter speed, i.e. 1/200 sec becomes 1/800 sec and if your kid's actions cannot be captured by 1/800 sec, then you have one very hyperactive child. :bsmilie:

 

[aspenx]

You can also try switching on the lights...

Yes, even in the day, it makes quite a difference to the camera.

 

[cleonbus]

Greeting Everyone,

I would like to take this opportunity to say hello to all the members in this forum. I am new member and newbie to photography.

I got myself a Pentax K-x recently with the duo lenses set. After about 2 weeks, I notice that I can't take good shoot with Shutter speed more then 1/500 secs. I was trying to take photo for my 1 year plus old daughter. She's very active and most of the time I miss those interesting moment or those shoot just too blur or too dark. I shot most of the shoot in door and I do not really like using flash.

Looking at the future, I think I will need for the various shooting purposes.
- Wide angle Lense
- Macro Lense
- Fast Lense (smc PENTAX FA 50mm F1.4?)

The info I got from the forum these are the shop with good reputation Manly, SLR and 3:16. Any other good shop that selling lenses in a very attractive price that you guys highly recommend?

Any of the member can share a few tips with me on taking photo for fast moving objects in door with poor lighting? I would be very thankful.:thumbsup:

Lens.Not lense...

Anyway TS,welcome to CS

 

[pinholecam]

LOL, but you will need to be realistic.
Indoors, ISO 400 or less, erratically moving tot, no flash allowed, kit lens shooting at max aperture of f4-f5.6 is a tall if not impossible task

Lets look at the sample pictures 1st :
1) Exposure is low : a) adjust during PP b) Add a +0.3 or +0.7 bias to the exposure compensation c) Go up in ISO
What mode are you shooting in. I'm actually surprised that its 1/125 at f5.6 and ISO400, by looking at the photos. #1 looks more like you'd need ISO800, 1/90, f4.5. The place may look bright enough from our human eyes, but may not be so for the camera.

2) Metering at spot metering : You move the camera to re-compose or follow the tot, and the spot is now pointing at something else (giving you a wrong exposure). I'd recommend to stick to multi-segment for now.

3) If you find ISO above 400 to be unacceptable, and thats on a Kx, then can't really help you here. You might need a FF or MF camera
Certainly ISO800 is usable if not 1600.

4) Focus is out and movement blur- the sample picts are small to make out, but its more obvious on #2. Notice that the floor tile about 1 feet behind is in focus vs your daughter who is more forward. Since she is moving toward you, the focus was on a spot she was previously on. Few ways to this :
a) Wait for the movement to die down a little. (Eg. she reaches her target spot). A picture of her moving forward is aimless anyway in terms of picture composition. A picture of her at her intended spot (eg. playing a toy; fiddling with the hi-fi controls) tells a better story IMHO.

b) Switch to MF, focus as best you can and start shooting. Don't take your eyes off the camera until you have taken enough. You will miss lots, but there will be a few keepers.

c) Use AF-C (continuous AF);

aspenx brought up a free and good point. Maximize your chances and turn on the lights

Lastly; Flash.
It need not be 'harmful' or artificial
If you don't have a budget for one, do up a reflector card to bounce your on camera flash to the ceiling. To make the reflector, simply take a piece of cardboard, stick on aluminum foil to it using scotch tape.

Here is one taken with off camera flash. Bounced from the left wall.

Sorry, but I don't have more active shots here in the PC that I'm using ATM.

 

[reallygong]

I setup a reflector card(as per pinholecam's suggestion) for my flash and it work like a charm. The exposure is much better and the flash is not so obvious on her face. The only problem is the build-in flash only allow me to set my shutter speed max at 1/90 secs.

:sweat: External Flash vs Fast Lens? I can only get 1 at the moment. Got to build up my arsenal very slowly...

Once again to all of you, thank you so much for all the sharing, tips and help and of course the right Lens and not "Lense":embrass:

 

[night86mare]

I setup a reflector card(as per pinholecam's suggestion) for my flash and it work like a charm. The exposure is much better and the flash is not so obvious on her face. The only problem is the build-in flash only allow me to set my shutter speed max at 1/90 secs.

shouldnt it be 1/180sec?

 

[night86mare]

I did try using higher ISO, but the the shoots taken were too much noise for my liking. I have turn on the Noise reduction in my camera starting ISO 400 and High-ISO NR on High. I have also turn on the Anti-Shake feature in the camera as well.

Thank you so much for the tips and advise. Keep them coming. Love you guys :lovegrin:

thats interesting,

k20d with iso800 is very usable and noise-free,

you shoot with jpg, or you shoot with raw and forget to apply noise removal process after that?

 

[reallygong]

shouldnt it be 1/180sec?

thats interesting,

k20d with iso800 is very usable and noise-free,

you shoot with jpg, or you shoot with raw and forget to apply noise removal process after that?

After reading your post I went to check every setting in my Flash mode. When I set it on on Trailing Curtain Sync Mode it's Max at 1/90. In Manual Flash Discharge mode I can get 1/180. Thanks for the head's up.:thumbsup:

I shot with JPG and with Noise reduction auto-activate starting from ISO 400 and High-ISO NR on High. I did try using Shutter Priority and Aperture Priority and ISO on Auto(100-12600), those shoots totally unacceptable. So most of the time I just set the ISO between 100~800.

 

[reallygong]

Pentax K-x + PENTAX DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II
ISO : 640
Aperture : F5.6
Shutter : 1/180 secs
Focal Length : 55mm
Metering Mode : Center-weighted average
WB : Auto
Image Tone : Natural
*Edited using Photoshop Auto-Level and Auto-Contrast. Should have use Higher ISO 800~1000. Looking at this photo I am so much happy now after taking all the advises from you guys.

Cheers!