GAS GAS: Please Share your Latest Acquisitions Big and Small

GAAAASSSSS…..😂


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Panasonic 9/1.7 arrived. I couldn't find it locally (Vancouver, Canada) so I ordered from BHPhoto in NYC. Opened the box 10 min ago so haven't put it thru its paces but I am very happy with its size and light weight. Usually I don't get enthused by polycarbonate construction in a lens but in this case it's perfect for my requirements: a light, compact, super wide lens for travel. I'll put it thru its first image testing on a trip to Hawaii at Xmas and then I'll use it for the real reason for purchasing: the Galapagos Islands and Quito, Ecuador. Keeping my kit as compact as possible will be crucial for the Galapagos trip.

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Ever since the first camera I ever bought, around a thousand years ago (a Pentax Spotmatic), I've had a soft spot and a fondness for both Pentax cameras and lenses. Not to mention having taken quite a few fine photographs with various Pentaxes. I have survived fine without a Pentax DSLR for the past several years, but after handling and playing around with some fine older Pentaxes (K10d's) that belong to some friends and fellow Cameraderie members (@rpthomas and @Gerry M) I couldn't resist the siren song of buying another Pentax. The additional fact that some older DSLR bodies are being sold for stupidly inexpensive prices being an additional factor, I finally gave in and purchased one of the K bodies I've heard a lot about over the years, in the Pentax universe - a K-5iis (the updated K-5 with no anti-alias filter) and it finally arrived. I'm not surprised to discover that it has an extremely solid in-hand feel, and most of the controls feel familiar from previous Pentaxes; in build quality (and this is an admittedly subjective impression), it seems to rival the tank-like solidity of my last Pentax, the fine KP. Plus, it looks rather classic--

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The only lens I have for it is a curiosity: a compact, relatively lightweight and largely plastic-bodied general purpose zoom from the FA series, an FA 20-35mm. While the FA zooms don't have the stellar reputation of some of the FA Limited primes, this particular one is rather highly regarded among hard-core Pentaxians, mainly as an ultra-wide for FF K-1 bodies, but also for the APS-C Pentaxes. It was also embarrassingly affordable. I once had an inexpensive plastic-bodied FA 50mm prime which ranks among the best lenses I've ever used, so in spite of my tendency to hold out for DA primes, I'm taking a chance on this one. One of the first sample shots taken with it - handheld at maximum aperture (wide open at f/4), at a highish ISO (1600) and a relatively slow shutter speed (1/15 of a second...thank God for Pentax IBIS) actually came out rather decently--

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And it converts to monochrome rather decently as well--

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I'm curious to see how it will do at lower ISO's and under better (outdoors) lighting conditions. I'm not going to be sacreligious and suggest these are as good as the shots I used to get with my late, departed DA 21 Ltd, but they're not bad.

I'd forgotten how nice Pentaxes are to hold and shoot with. It's good to remember, sometimes...
 
Finally - I think someone may have released a decent quality optical viewfinder for hot shoes.


I got a cheap one from Amazon for $25 for my GR III...but TTArtisan should be able to put out one with a bit better build. For $50 delivered, should be a decent one, I hope.
Will drop a review of it once i get it and use it for a bit. I believe it is coming direct from China, so they are estimating delivery for it between Nov 29 and Dec 15.
 
Ever since the first camera I ever bought, around a thousand years ago (a Pentax Spotmatic), I've had a soft spot and a fondness for both Pentax cameras and lenses. Not to mention having taken quite a few fine photographs with various Pentaxes. I have survived fine without a Pentax DSLR for the past several years, but after handling and playing around with some fine older Pentaxes (K10d's) that belong to some friends and fellow Cameraderie members (@rpthomas and @Gerry M) I couldn't resist the siren song of buying another Pentax. The additional fact that some older DSLR bodies are being sold for stupidly inexpensive prices being an additional factor, I finally gave in and purchased one of the K bodies I've heard a lot about over the years, in the Pentax universe - a K-5iis (the updated K-5 with no anti-alias filter) and it finally arrived. I'm not surprised to discover that it has an extremely solid in-hand feel, and most of the controls feel familiar from previous Pentaxes; in build quality (and this is an admittedly subjective impression), it seems to rival the tank-like solidity of my last Pentax, the fine KP. Plus, it looks rather classic--

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The only lens I have for it is a curiosity: a compact, relatively lightweight and largely plastic-bodied general purpose zoom from the FA series, an FA 20-35mm. While the FA zooms don't have the stellar reputation of some of the FA Limited primes, this particular one is rather highly regarded among hard-core Pentaxians, mainly as an ultra-wide for FF K-1 bodies, but also for the APS-C Pentaxes. It was also embarrassingly affordable. I once had an inexpensive plastic-bodied FA 50mm prime which ranks among the best lenses I've ever used, so in spite of my tendency to hold out for DA primes, I'm taking a chance on this one. One of the first sample shots taken with it - handheld at maximum aperture (wide open at f/4), at a highish ISO (1600) and a relatively slow shutter speed (1/15 of a second...thank God for Pentax IBIS) actually came out rather decently--

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And it converts to monochrome rather decently as well--

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I'm curious to see how it will do at lower ISO's and under better (outdoors) lighting conditions. I'm not going to be sacreligious and suggest these are as good as the shots I used to get with my late, departed DA 21 Ltd, but they're not bad.

I'd forgotten how nice Pentaxes are to hold and shoot with. It's good to remember, sometimes...
The 20-35 was a favorite lens of mine on the APS-C bodies. The 30-52 equivalent just worked for me, and it was my primary lens on the *istD during my six week trip with students to India. Sadly, it was dropped and never focused correctly after. Congrats on the new camera!
 
Finally - I think someone may have released a decent quality optical viewfinder for hot shoes.


I got a cheap one from Amazon for $25 for my GR III...but TTArtisan should be able to put out one with a bit better build. For $50 delivered, should be a decent one, I hope.
Will drop a review of it once i get it and use it for a bit. I believe it is coming direct from China, so they are estimating delivery for it between Nov 29 and Dec 15.
Very nice! It looks to block off the parts of the optics which would like outside the frame, rather than having bright lines. But still, great price for good optical glass and metal!
 
Small but critical. I somehow bent the on-camera bayonet mount on one of my Nikons sometime back and have been swapping a good one back and forth. I finally found one for sale on ebay.

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A little bit of attaching and now both my D7100 and N90S are happy again.

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So...it walked home with me today....I didn't realize the price was so inexpensive on these used a-mount lenses.

Maxxum(Dynax) 7D, 70-210/4, 20/2.8, 50/1.7 AF lenses.
Did better in the low light of my living room than I expected. Can't wait to get them outside in good light and see how they perform.

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New Artisan & Artist strap from Funleader's modestly discounted Black Friday sales.

Looking into if I can get a British retailer to ship Finland. Looking to possibly get some accessories for my Billingham. This retailer (Clifton Cameras) has 20% off of some select Billingham stuff.
 
Not out of the question but for now it's the Sigma 56. :)
Since we’re good at spending other people’s money. I’d love to see what you would do with the 50 f1.


I've actually used the 56 and the other two of the trio on an A6400. Great lenses for sure.
A friend of a friend just went GFX and sold me his trio. Took them out for a spin this morning. Output looks very good.
The XT5 sure looks like a nice offering. And that Sigma 56 is a great lens. My brother uses a Sony a6400 and I suggested this lens for his portrait needs - the results are beautiful and the lens is nicely compact and well made.
 
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I almost reunited with the E-M1.3. KEH has them for really cheap, AND they have a Black Friday sale going on. One can get an EX+ body for $710 today. I'll try to have some restraint and stick with the E-M5.3 instead. Haven't shot (or posted) much lately, which maybe helps cool the trigger finger.

In terms of crap BF deals, DxO is selling PureRAW2 for $89 currently. Upgraders don't get any deals, so it's still $79. Kindofa slap in the face to existing customers, IMO.
 
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