Photographing Flowers Using Multiple Exposures With the Nikon D300

Some DSLR cameras now offer multiple exposure modes. These include the Nikon D3, D300, D2H, D2x, D200, and D80, the Pentax K10D, and *istD, Pentax Optio 550, and the Fujifilm Fine Pix S5, S3, S2, and S1. This may not be a complete list so check your camera manual to see if your camera has this option.

While you can combine multiple captures using layers in Photoshop and other imaging software, there a several advantages to being able to combine exposures in camera as you are able to do with film. The Nikon D300 uses raw data from the camera’s sensor and can combine the information/data from up to 10 exposures into one file. This eliminates the need to work with the layer opacity and blending mode of multiple files and provides smoother image integration with less effort. By using the auto gain function there is no need to adjust individual exposures after setting the initial aperture and shutter speed.

While it is possible to use a fixed focal length macro lens when capturing multiple images, a zoom “macro” lens provides the advantage of not having to adjust the camera or flower position with each successive exposure. For these photographs I used a Tamron 28-300mm AF Aspherical XR Di LD (IF) 1:3.5-6.3 Macro lens. While not a true macro lens it does provides a 1:3 reproduction ratio.

One of the key ingredients of successful multiple exposure photography is choosing a subject that lends itself to this process. Flowers provide a variety of shapes, tones, and contrasts that blend well in the final image. These attributes contribute to the unique photographs produced when employing multiple exposures. By employing the techniques discussed in this article you can achieve a luminosity and transparency that surpasses single exposure flower photography.

Setting a custom white balance (WB) is preferable to allowing the camera’s auto WB to determine the color temperature. By shooting in RAW format you can also adjust the WB after exposure to complement each image. If you experiment with WB settings you may achieve hue variations that will enhance the photograph.

A dark background provides a nice contrast to lighter colored flowers and also blends well with successive exposures. I use black seamless paper for most of the white, yellow, and pink flowers. It is a good idea to check the initial and final proposed zoom settings to see the proportion of flower and background in the frame. A technique that I like to use is to begin at the shortest focal length where a large amount of background is in the frame and then gradually adjust focal length with each exposure. Each successive zoom setting changes the focal length until reaching the maximum extension. If we use the 28-300mm zoom as an example the total change from shortest to longest focal length is 272mm. Let’s assume that we will record 10 exposures. Our first exposure will be at 28mm and our last at 300mm so that leaves 8 exposures in which to divide our range. Using a little approximation for ease of focal length positioning, this calculates to settings of 28, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, and 300mm for the 10 exposures. Sometimes rather than adhere to strict divisions I just look through the lens and adjust the zoom according to what appears to look good to me as I record each exposure.

You can also begin at the closest zoom setting with the flower filling the frame and then gradually zoom out. It is important when using this technique to begin with camera quite close to the flower. In the case of the Tamron 28-300mm lens, the shortest distance that lens can focus to is approximately 19 inches. The zoom is then adjusted in successive increments such that at the final exposure the flower nearly fills the frame with just a little of the background showing.

The final image produced using multiple exposures is often difficult to visualize. One of the advantages of digital is the capability to review the photograph immediately after capture and make any adjustments to camera and flower positioning.

Lighting is just as important in multiple exposure photography as it is in single exposure photography. I am fortunate to have a skylight that provides a diffused light source to the flowers. If it is necessary to use strobes I would recommend using umbrellas or a soft box to preserve the textural details of the flowers.

Because of the length of time needed to take multiple exposures in the manner described above, it is necessary to control positioning of the flower, camera, lighting, and background.

Because when I start I don’t know exactly how long I will be photographing an individual flower, I like to use fresh water prepared with some plant food which most flower stores will give you for free when you purchase the flowers. If the photo session stretches into several days as you come up with new ideas you will be thankful you provided the flower with some nourishment!

I begin by leveling the surface upon which the flower will be placed. It is a good idea to start with a fairly long stem on the flower and to place the flower in a vase which provides a stable support. By leaving a long stem you can photograph the flower from below which provides a unique perspective that I have seldom seen in flower photography as most people concentrate on the petals, pistil, and stamen from either the top or side. With the flower supported and on a level surface you can rotate the vase to achieve any angle that you wish. As the flower is rotated the illumination on the petals changes as well as the position relative to the camera lens. Many different shapes and contrasts can be obtained by employing this technique and often a very abstract pattern can result that can be quite appealing. By rotating the flower about a singe point a spiral effect can be achieved.

The use of a tripod is highly recommended to stabilize the camera. I would also recommend using mirror lockup/exposure delay and a remote shutter release or self timer. Position the tripod at the height for the first photograph and level the camera. It is also a good idea to position the angle of the camera lens parallel to the plane of the flower, and if maximum depth of field is desired to adjust the aperture to f/16 or f/22. Generally I photograph in aperture priority mode.

I hope that these suggestions and guidelines provide a good starting point for your exploration of multiple exposure photography.

Pentax Digital Cameras – Waterproof Models Are Well Worth The Money

To say that Pentax digital cameras are at the top of the waterproof digital camera market when it comes to the needs of the casual picture taker would not be going overboard. Who doesn’t want to be able to snap plenty of photos while on vacation or at special events?

If you are not a professional photographer or even an amateur photography enthusiast you are likely not looking to spend a large sum of money to purchase an expensive digital camera that is loaded with a bunch of features that you really have no interest in.

Optio W30 is the premier waterproof brand of Pentax digital cameras. While these digital cameras will not be taking any high definition photographs hundreds of feet beneath the ocean they will however take fantastic underwater photos up to a depth of ten feet underneath the water.

The closest competitor to the waterproof line of pentax digital cameras offers a digital camera with the capability of takeing underwater pictures up to a depth of thirty-three feet. This model of waterproof digital camera is much more expensive then the more reasonably priced Optio W30 making it a much smarter purchase.

A depth of between 31-34 feet would be excellent for a shallow water snorkeling experience, unfortunately those that enjoy scuba diving are not likely to be attracted. Digicams that use waterproof casings are an alternative for those that may be requiring more advanced equipment. If you are simply looking for a great waterproof digital camera that is affordable and easy to use then you will be more then pleased with what the waterproof line of Pentax digital cameras can provide for you. An Optio W30 provides great additional value to consumers as it takes fantastic pictures both in and out of the water.

Those that are looking for a great quality digital camera will be more then pleased with the level of resolution that the Optio W30 will give them. The waterproof line of Pentax digital cameras is extremely popular due to it’s affordability making in a great alternative to the pricier lines of high end waterproof digital cameras. The Optio W30 facilitates great quality close up pictures through having a 6x optical zoom in additional to face recognition and macro photography capabilities which allows the picture taker to capture their subject as close as a half inch away.

When you are changing the batteries or removing the memory card in the Optio W30 you need to do so with care, making sure that your hands are completely dry as the accessories in this digital camera are not covered by the waterproof function.

The Best Wildlife Camera To Take On Safari

Good wildlife camera equipment on safari can make the difference between pictures you will be proud to show your friends and family when you get back and ones where it’s difficult to figure out exactly what you were photographing because it’s only a fuzzy black dot surrounded by green vegetation.

I take wildlife photographs for a living and I have had to quickly figure out what the best cameras and lenses are to get the job done effectively.

Digital or Film – Which is better for a safari?

Wild animals are very unpredictable. That’s one aspect of safari photography that makes it so exciting because you never know what you are going to get but this also means that the number of pictures you need to take to get a keeper increases.

And if you use film that can become very expensive whereas with a digital wildlife camera you can take as many as you want and then just delete the ones where the lion has ducked behind a bush, the cheetah has blurred because the autofocus locked onto a twig in front of it and the exposure of the hippo was way off because of the reflected sunlight in the water.

You can also make consistent use of bracketing to get the perfect exposures without worrying about cost or running out of film which can be a problem in certain remote areas of Africa where safaris take place.

So more is better in this case but what about quality? The fact is that digital quality is fast catching up to film unless you fall into the professional category and are going to be selling your safari pictures or entering them into competitions. In that case it might be better to stick to film because the trained eye will be able to spot the difference but in most other cases digital quality is more than adequate.

Digital also gives you valuable feedback while you are still on safari so that you can try and improve on that elephant picture with the ear cut off the next day. You also have a lot more control over the final product because you can use software like Photoshop to enhance and fine tune your pictures.

Digital SLR or Compact Wildlife Camera

A safari is the dream trip of a lifetime and it’s a great opportunity to get some fantastic wildlife pictures but it’s not necessary to buy the latest and greatest digital SLR and lenses to get them unless you are planning to take nature pictures for a living or are a serious photography enthusiast and are going to make regular use of the camera and lenses after the safari anyway.

The cost of a digital SLR wildlife camera is high compared to a compact but that is only half the story. The lenses that you need to purchase for decent wildlife photography often cost more than the camera itself making it a very expensive business indeed.

And a bulky camera body and multiple interchangeable lenses do add to the weight of your luggage and the inconvenience of carrying everything around with you.

Digital compact cameras on the other hand are not extremely expensive and the results that you can obtain from them are almost on a par with a digital SLR camera and you don’t have to worry about any additional lenses if the compact you buy has a decent zoom covering the range from 80mm to about 300mm. There are a few of them on the market that do have lenses like this and the range of the zooms increase every year.

And compact cameras live up to their name by being relatively small and light and one lens means no additional weight or carrying and no time wasted changing to another lens to suit the situation.

The Best SLR Digital Wildlife Camera for Nature Photography

If you have decided to go with a digital SLR then by all accounts the best one to purchase for wildlife photography at the moment is the Canon EOS 20D due to the blinding speed of its shutter release (near instantaneous) and its continuous shooting speed of 5 frames per second to a maximum burst depth of twenty three frames. It also powers up in next to no time at all.

This wildlife camera is as fast as you will ever need to freeze wildlife action and get the picture in the can before the animal moves off into the undergrowth.

There are other SLR cameras that are nearly as good like the Nikon D70 and the Pentax ist D so take a look at them too before making a decision.

The Best Compact Digital Wildlife Camera for Nature Photography

Canon comes up trumps again in the compact camera category with the Canon Powershot S2 IS. The factor that makes this camera ideal for safari wildlife photography is its huge 12X optical zoom lens (36 – 432mm equivalent) with a built in image stabiliser which cuts down on blur when using such a massive zoom lens.

A 5 megapixal sensor is more than enough to produce stunning safari images and as long as you can live with a slight shutter release lag and power up delay this compact wildlife camera is perfect for a safari trip.

How To Find Digital Camera Bargains

Recognizing a good digital bargain, is only part of the challenge. Knowing where to find them is the real trick. You could check the usual suspects. eBay or Craigslist perhaps? The problem is you and another million or so internet shoppers are thinking the same thing. Garage sales can be hit and miss, and chances are your buddy next door is not interested in selling his camera just because Sony and Canon have been unleashing new gadgets every other day. Don’t even think about buying from family, that almost never ends well. Unless of course you plan on leaving the country.

So, where and how does one go about find digital camera bargains? For starters look where no one else is looking. The best places, are usually the least obvious.

Amazon is not a bad choice, as most people think they only sell new stuff. The truth is, a lot of smaller independent sellers use their online site to move their inventory. There are plenty of used and discontinued cameras to found if you spend a little time surfing the site. The best part, is everything you buy is backed by the Amazon name, and their generous return policy.

A real hidden gem for bargains is discussion forums. There are all kind of forums related to digital cameras out there. Photography forums, Canon camera forums, Nikon camera forums, professional photographer forums, paparazzi forums, Pentax camera forums, nude photography forums, glamor photography forums, and so on and so on… Just Google around a bit and you’ll find them. Now because photographers are frequently upgrading their equipment, they often have older pristine condition camera gear to unload. These forums often have sell / trade / buy pages specifically for this purpose.

Canadas Digital Cameras, Digital Camcorders and Cheap Memory Cards Canada

Digital SLR Camera or Digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera is an ideal camera for professionals and amateur photographers. They usually having interchangeable lenses and are known for capturing superior quality images. They come with many advanced features like megapixels, zoom, memory cards, batteries, comfort and more. One of the great appeals of digital is the ability to shoot in “raw” format.

We carry the following digital camera and camcorders brands. Check out:

• Fujifilm Digital SLR Camera

• Konica Minolta Digital SLR Camera

• Olympus Digital SLR Camera

• Pentax Digital SLR Camera

• Samsung Digital SLR Camera

• Casio Digital SLR Camera

Buy FinePixS3Pro, Finepix S3 Pro (HS-V2 software included), Pentax: *istDS Kit w/ DA18-55 lens and more…

Digital SLR Camera Features

Before you buy a digital camera, you should equip yourself with its complete feature, brand and price information. Find out the best brands and compare the features. Here we have for you some useful information that will help you enhance your knowledge about digital SLR cameras.

Lens Interchangeability

Digital slr camera has a unique and powerful feature of lens interchangeability. This feature enhances the digital slr camera ability to shoot on a wide range. For example, using Digital slr camera with different lenses one can take wide-angle, telephoto, or close-up shots.

We here provide excellent digital slr cameras such as canon digital slr camera Canada . Canada digital camera provides the facility of using a wide range of lenses. The shorter the focal length (mm), the wider the view will be. And, the longer the focal length, the more telescopic the picture will be. Depending upon your need, you should choose the right one from our numerous collection of Digital SLR cameras providing excellent features.

Autofocus

Digital slr camera has another feature called Autofocus that allows you to focus manually. It enables Canada digital camera to automatically focus. But if one wants to change the focus point you have to simply select the AF points which are in the middle and set them accordingly. To view the subject’s details like its display, colors, expressions, etc. you can view them by using viewfinder. The image output makes a Digital SLR camera better and a serious camera as compared to point-and-shoot camera.

Exposure Compensation

Another feature of Digital slr camera is exposure compensation. This is used to make the appearance of white objects white. This is done in case of overexposure or underexposure. By default this exposure value is adjusted automatically. This automatic setting of exposure value is known as Auto Exposure.

Lens & Sensors

Various types of digital slr camera are made by different combinations of small lens and large lens and small sensor and large sensors. The benefit of large sensors is that they provide superior quality image even in dim light.

Reflex Mirror

Digital SLR cameras have a reflex mirror that swings up when you press the shutter button. It allows light from the lens to pass through to the sensor. The picture is then recorded. Since a single lens and a reflex mirror are used, this type of camera is called “single-lens reflex” (SLR). Noise is almost always more prominent in the shadow parts of an image, and this is the first place to go looking when evaluating an image.

Features

Digital SLR cameras are more expensive than point-and-shoot cameras. To know the reason for this, review the advantages of digital SLR camera:

• Easier and faster to shoot

• Flexible, allows lens interchangeability as a feature

• Autofocus feature enables automatic focusing

• Excellent image quality even in situations with low light availability

• Frame images more quickly

• Maximum control

• Superior quality

We give our customers the Lowest Price Guarantee on all our products that include digicams, camcorders, memory cards, batteries and chargers, photo printers and scanners, accessories and more.

Also refer articles on:

• Pentax Digital SLR

• Nikon Digital SLR

• Minolta Digital SLR Camera

• Fuji Digital SLR Camera

• Advantages Of Digital SLR Cameras

Choosing a New Camera

With so many camera models to choose from where do you start? Well, the way I choose any new toy these days is to start at the end. What do you want it to do? Err . . . take pictures. Yes but what kind of pictures and what are you going to do with them? The other burning question is how much are you prepared to learn?

As you are reading this and have actually made it to paragraph two, I think we can assume that you are prepared to learn at least a little. So what do you want to do? Do you want something that you can keep in your pocket at all times so you can snap the kids? Do you want a camera that will allow you to take pictures in any lighting conditions from any distance (with the right gadget screwed on the front of course)? Is this going to be a hobby or just some quick snaps?

The Learning Curve

I haven’t seen any cameras on sale in recent years that do not have a fully automatic ‘point and shoot’ mode, most will automatically switch on the flash for you when it is needed so you may wonder why we need all the other manual and semi automatic modes and an instruction book to make your head spin. The answer is that, although the camera can produce good exposures most of the time, there are times when, to get the results we want, we have to apply a little knowhow and select more appropriate settings than the camera would automatically choose.

Before choosing a camera with lots of knobs and dials it is a good idea to consider whether you are ever going to bother to learn what they are all for. I’ve been around cameras for many years now, and I’m still learning what all the settings on my latest camera actually do. I never bother to learn how to do something until I need to. So there are certain obscure settings that I have yet to find a use for. Of course it would be nice if we could choose just the buttons we need and have each camera custom made for us but in the real world all we can do is choose the level of control based on how much we think we might want to get involved. Generally speaking an SLR will have more knobs, dials and menus than a compact camera which will give you more control over your pictures but will have a much steeper learning curve.

SLR or Compact?

All the cameras on the market can be categorised into a few simple groups. The most important two groups are fixed lens and interchangeable lens. The fixed lens cameras tend, with a few exceptions, to be smaller, lighter and more pocketable, therefore you are more likely to have it with you when you need it. Well that’s the theory anyway but I think we can say that you are more likely to be bothered to take it with you on that outing to the beach or the zoo.

However even with today’s zoom lenses, which are pretty wonderful, you will often find that you are too far away or too close to get the picture you want so you need to be able to change the lens for a longer telephoto or a wider angle. The other major advantage of these single lens reflex (SLR) cameras is that you are actually looking through the lens instead of a separate viewfinder so what you see is what you get, although this is less of an issue now that we can review our photos on the screen of the digital camera. The down side of these SLR cameras is that you very soon end up with quite a heavy bag of gadgets and are less likely to carry it everywhere with you. However much I yearn for a compact camera for it’s handyness I know I would be frustrated by it’s shortcomings so for me the choice is SLR every time.

Digital or Film?

Do they still make film cameras? Oh yes they do and I wouldn’t mind betting that they continue to do so for many years and I wouldn’t mind betting that at some time in the future there will be a retro backlash and a large number of ’serious’ photographers will return to the darkroom. Some will probably claim that they have never used digital at all, ever.

You might think from the remarks above that I am a diehard supporter of film. Nothing could be further from the truth actually I am now fully converted to digital and loving it. I am going to make the pros and cons a separate discussion that will be posted soon but, for now, I’ll just say that I am completely sold on digital and do not feel that I have lost anything significant by changing.

Which brand?

This, of course, is the big question that you really want an answer to and you know that nobody is going to give you one. If you ask anyone who already has a camera most will support the brand of the camera they have unless they have had some trouble with it, even then people are very forgiving. I think the reason for this is that people think that, if they have made the wrong choice it is because they have somehow failed, and they are not going to admit their failure. Back in the 1980s I had a camera shop in England and at the time a lot of people, who already owned an SLR, were buying compact cameras ‘for the wife’. They would ask me which brand was the best and, if I didn’t already know, I would discreetly try to find out which brand of SLR they owned, then I would recommend the same brand of compact camera.

Trying to sell them another brand was like telling them they had made a wrong choice when buying their old camera and was likely to lose me a sale. So I’d better have a really good reason for not recommending the Canon, Olympus, Nikon, Pentax or whatever and I didn’t have one. All of the well known brands produce similar cameras at similar prices and, by and large, you get what you pay for.

I will stick my neck out a little bit here and say that in my humble opinion the manufacturers who make the best film cameras the Japanese Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Pentax, Minolta and the German Contax and Leica seem to make the best digital cameras. I would not be too happy to put my trust in brands whose traditional expertise is in other fields when there are such good cameras available from the traditional sources. I will probably get a lot of hate mail from people who have bought Sony cameras or Hewlett Packard and are perfectly happy with them. If I wanted a printer Hewlett Packard would be top of my list and I am a huge fan of Sony video and TV equipment but my first choice for a digital SLR would be one of the names mentioned above.

How Many Pixels?

Until recently the quality of digital cameras was measured by how many pixels they boasted. Now we have cameras that can produce tens of millions and it has ceased to be the only test of quality. In the real world the number of pixels you need depends on how big you want to print your pictures. If you mainly want postcard size or A5 then I would consider 4 million pixels to be perfectly adequate. Even at A4 size I would be hard pushed to tell the difference between my 4 million pixel camera and my 6.5 million pixel camera. Don’t forget though that your cropping in the camera may not always be perfect so you may be enlarging only a portion of the image and so only using a portion of the available pixels.

Although an adequate number of pixels is important, the quality of your picture will be greatly affected by the quality of the lens. When Canon recently updated the EOS 300D (digital rebel) with 6.5 million pixels to the EOS 350D with 8 million pixels, the general consensus amongst reviewers seemed to be that the money you needed to spend on an upgrade would be better spent on a better quality lens. So the answer to the pixel question is that we seem to have now reached a point where enough is enough.

There is also a school of thought that we have reached the limit of the number of photo sensors that we can fit on a chip and that a greater number will cause the individual cells to be too small compared to the space in between them. Usually though, when someone says something like that, the following week the boffins announce a breakthrough which makes it all nonsense. You may have seen adverts for cameras, costing many thousands, that have 16 or 20 million pixels. These have sensors that are twice the size of those in the consumer cameras, hence the price. To me, the resolution of a 6 or 8 million pixel camera with a decent lens seems good enough for most purposes and on a par with the quality I used to get from a 35mm film camera.

In the past I have spent a lot of time and money in the pursuit of ultimate quality, I have owned a 5×4inch plate camera, a Hassleblad and two Mamiya medium format cameras, every major brand of 35mm camera and in the end, I would be hard pushed to tell you which photo on the wall was taken with which camera. A fellow photographer once observed that photographers tend to smell pictures rather than look at them, by which he meant that they were more interested in the graininess and sharpness of the image than the actual image itself.

I Find A Photography Goldmine, A Closet Full Of Camera Equipment

I was going through one of our closets looking for something. It was a closet that I normally don’t go into because all it has in it are towels and bathroom stuff. I happened to look up on a shelf and I saw an old tan leather case which I knew contained some of my wife’s old camera stuff. Years ago, before we met, she was involved in photograhy.

She used to take pictures of weddings and special events and then take orders for prints. She had totally forgotten what type of camera equipment she had.

Well, being the curious sort that I am I took the case down and laid everything out in the floor. I was shocked, she had a goldmine of all kinds of photography equipment. I found two Pentax 35mm film cameras. Plus, all different kinds of lens. I found a telephoto lens that will go up to 300mm and a 24mm wide angle lens.

There were several other lenses in between. If only I could make them work on my digital camera I’d have it made. Well, I guess I’m going to have to take some film pictures now that I have access to all this equipment. A little more study required, but I’ll bet it will be worth it.

Pentax K20D 14.6MP Digital SLR Camera with Shake Reduction and DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II Lens

• 14.6-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for poster-sized prints
• 2.7-inch LCD display; Kit includes 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II Lens
• Dust-proof, water-resistant construction; comprehensive Dust Removal system
• New Live View function
• Capture images to SD/SDHC cards (not included)

I’ve owned the K20D for six months now and it’s a great camera. I’d like to offer some advice, learned the hard way, to people thinking of buying one.

Firstly, buy it! At this price….

Secondly, I wouldn’t buy the kit lens. I did, and I hardly ever use it. It’s OK, well built and not expensive. But it won’t give you those WOW factor photos you’d expect from your investment in a top quality DSLR. If you want that WOW factor, I personally recommend you move fast to find a good deal on the Pentax FA 50mm f1.4 prime lens. If you can get one for under $260 (at time of writing), you’ll have a wonderful, low cost prime. But do it right now, before it goes the same way as the top rated 35mm f2, which is now hard to find and expensive. It’ll help you take wonderful photos, particularly portraits in-doors without flash. Its very, very sharp outdoors. I’ll guarantee friends and relations will say: great photos, what camera are you using? And camera experts will say: great photos, what lens are you using? You may have to jump around a bit to get a good composition with its focal point – but why not look like a serious photographer? It you can’t or don’t want to invest in a top quality lens, then I’d stick with a point and shoot or consider the next two options.

Thirdly, for maximum entertainment, I’d buy a value-for-money zoom lens like the Tamron 70-300mm macro. This lens isn’t the best of breed. You can go that route when you’ve mastered all the “photographer’s at fault” issues – or if you have money to burn. It’s a lot of fun outdoors and it’ll produce very fine photos (up to around 250mm). I’ve used it for numerous photos of my 6 and 7 year old girls playing with pets, friends, creepy crawlies, as well as other “Daddy objects” far away, like planes and the moon. Plus it has a macro feature that is a bit of a hassle to set but works well. In other words – it’s a lot of fun!

Fourthly, try an old Pentax/Takumar lens on the body. Go shopping on eBay you’ll find some of the greatest ever lenses/glass for sale at ridiculous prices (compared to new lenses). Buy a proper Pentax adaptor, change the aperture ring setting so that the shake reduction will work on a totally manual lens, and you’ll be able to take some fantastically evocative photos. I’ve got three 35 year old Takumars, and its amazing the range of photo styles I can produce – from razor sharp to creamy “1960s” looking colors. You’ll really get to know how to use the camera to its full potential. My Takumar 55mm is the my pick. The only real problem is that with manual focus its hard to catch fast moving children. But then its back to the FA 50mm.

Finally, the expert reviewers are right, you DO need to (and shouldn’t have to) + EV compensate most times to get a perfect exposure, but that’s just a little quirk…also…if you have Canon software from your point and shoot digital camera, use this for managing and sending out your photos, its easier than learning the Pentax software…

This review will be brief, so take it for what it’s worth. So much has been said about the K20D, that I would only be repeating what you probably already know: This camera is a winner! I’ll leave the technical reviews to more qualified people out there.

I got it mainly for its weather-resistance and because it has received such positive feedback here on Amazon and on other sites. Now that Pentax has finally released 2 weather-resisitant lenses,

PENTAX DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Weather Resistant Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Camera

PENTAX DA 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED Weather Resistant Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Cameras

I feel like I have the perfect setup for my needs.

This is my first DSLR, and when I started looking for a DSLR I only considered Canon and Nikon. But this Pentax does everything I want it to. And usually it does it very well.

No camera is perfect. But for the price, the K20D is certainly one that you might want to seriously consider. Canon and Nikon make good stuff, but don’t feel inferior with the K20D. It is one sweet piece of equipment!I continued my travels through the Pentax family since I learned to shoot with the old K1000 and all my lenses were bought for this camera, I just hated the idea of starting over from scratch. I upgraded to the MZS several years ago but finally made the leap to digital with the K20d this spring after missing graduation pictures of a niece due to rewinding film. I have absolutely loved the in camera shake reduction. My general use lense is a Sigma 28-300. I was shooting a pickup basketball game at our church this weekend at around 200 handheld in shutter speed priority and getting excellent shots. I’ve used all the modes at some point in the past six weeks or so and they all work wonderfully well though I can’t imagine when ISO priority will actually be my main consideration in a shoot. I have only had one complaint and that came shooting lightning shots at night. The camera takes about 80% as long to write the information to the card as the aperature was left open. I have done some research and have learned that card speed might be a factor so I have some 30m cards coming,… I’ll update if these improve this weakness. The data capture with each shot will be helpful in learning becuase this camera tracks everything but moon phase and wind speed involved with taking the shot. It can only greatly improve the leaning curve. I owned it less than a year, but the camera has been handled less than perfect. It has been dropped at least three times, but the true test was a complete soak. My daughter had around her neck, while trying to get closer to the ocean, at cliff walk’s 40-steps, Newport. She slipped and went completely down to the water. The camera went completely under water with her. I took battery as a precaution and noticed inside compartment was dry. I let it dried for few days just to be sure before tried to use it again. Well, it worked perfectly, like nothing ever happened to it. I had 18-250 lens at that time, and unfortunately, it did not survived. I wish I had one of those weather-sealed lens.

On the side note, it does capture good images and I agreed with other reviewers. I have owned Pentax cameras for 25 years. They are simple easy to use cameras with the controls in just the right place to give the operator complete freedom to take any shot. You won’t find yourself winding into a pretzel in order to make a simple adjustment.

The K20D is a fantastic camera that performs like one 3 or 4 times its price. I have shot images of all types and brightnesses and have found it to be excellent. The brightness curve is a little low and will need to be brought up a little but this is far better then being too high and blowing out detail.

The battery life is excellent allowing me to get 750-1000 shots before needing to make a change. I use little flash so I can enjoy the full colors of my setting without blown out spots and bad reflections.

I have great night vision and the auto focus will start to loose it a little before I do. I can quickly switch to manual focus and keep on shooting. I avoid pushing the ISO over 800 to minimize noise. You will find the detail is still excellent at high ISOs where other cameras will sacrifice detail to keep the noise to a minimum. I personally would rather have a full detail shot with a little noise of that important moment then a low noise low detail shot.

My lens choice is the DA 18-250mm. This is a fantastic lens that surprisingly does the whole range well. When I shot film I was constantly in need of lenses and would often carry 3-5 on me. This lens will almost do it all. I am still planning on getting a wide of 10-12mm and a longer zoom of 400m or more.

The in body shake reduction system allows me to shoot down to 1/2 second while holding the camera. I have been doing this for a long time and have trained myself to hold very still but with it off, the best I can do is 1/15th. I would still recommend a tripod but knowing I can still take the shot in almost any condition is very comforting.

The bottom line is that this camera is well worth the money. It is the best value for anything even remotely close in capability. Don’t let the fact that Cannon and Nikon hog all the press keep you from giving this a serious look.

Price: $779.95   Buy This Camera

Pentax K2000 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 DA L Lens and AF200FG Flash

• 10.2-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for poster-sized prints
• Includes 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 DA L lens and AF200FG flash
• 2.7-inch wide-view LCD panel; Shake Reduction Technology
• Dedicated, reprogrammable Help button displays information on LCD
• Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)

This camera takes excellent pictures both outdoors and indoors. The menu is easy to access. Buttons are similiar to other Pentax cameras. The largest print I make is a 5 x 7. Noise is minimal, even at ISO 3200 indoors. I went to a museum and took some shots using the museum setting (no flash), again great pictures.

I use an 18 – 200 zoom lense. When using the flash I do have to be careful not to zoom. I have had a few pictures come out to dark because I was beyond the range of the flash. However, using a higher ISO takes care of this problem, or just moving in closer.

I use AA Lithium Ultimate batteries. I haven’t used up a set yet, I’ve used them before and am sure they will last for over a thousand pictures. Camera is always ready, I don’t need to worry about charging batteries.

Sure there are additional features available on more expensive cameras, but I’m not willing to pay the money. I don’t strive to be any type of professional photographer. I just wanted a camera that would take better quality pictures at higher ISOs than compact point and shoot cameras. This one is it.

I’ve used some of the maual settings with success, a fun camera!

The camera was shipped as requested to my son’s place very promptly. however, the ad did not tell you that the built in flash on the camera did not function. I feel it was a rather misleading. But when I received it the 30 day return had gone by.I bought this as a birthday gift to my wife. She likes it very much. This camera is very light and using 4 AA batteries, which is good for traveling. The white balance is accurate and the focusing speed is faster then previous DSLRs form Pentax, such as K100d.My K100D still works great, but it’s starting to feel a bit dated with its slower autofocus system and lack of SDM lens support. Since K2000s are getting so inexpensive, I decided to pick one up for a minor upgrade.

My initial impression was that the K2000 is heavy. It actually weighs slightly less than the K100D, but the smaller hand grip makes it feel heavier to me. The hand grip is less bulbous so it doesn’t fill into my hand nearly as well, but I suppose that the hand grip was the only part that could be drastically reduced in size without making the camera feel unbalanced.

I also immediately noticed the missing LED screen at the top. Fortunately, all of the information is clearly and brightly displayed on the back LCD screen now. The new interface is actually very, very well designed. It’s familiar enough that I could jump right in, and intuitive enough that I quickly figured out the new shortcuts and features. I’m finding the autofocus to be pretty quick and camera operation a bit quieter. Overall, I find the K2000 to be extremely usable.

The switch to the 10MP sensor finally gives me ISO 100 and smaller ISO increments for more control, but I’m also noticing much more noise than with the wonderful 6MP sensor in my K100D. With my K100D, I found ISO 800 to be very usable, but I’m afraid of pushing beyond ISO 400 with the K2000. I think this is something that I’ll just have to get used to when I’m framing and exposing scenes.

The DA L kit lens seems to be about the same as my old DA 18-55mm, except for the plastic mount and sticker badge. You also don’t get a lens hood. I haven’t really tried the AF200FG flash because I have the AF360FGZ, but it seems appropriate for an entry level kit flash.

Pros (relative to the K100D):

+ Smaller and slightly lighter than the K100D.

+ 10MP sensor that gives more control over ISO.

+ Incredibly intuitive interface.

+ Sv (sensitivity) mode! I didn’t have this before on the K100D.

+ Excellent mix of pro and non-pro features like the Help button, which can also be changed to be the RAW button.

+ Despite the cheaper construction, the kit lens still feels solid and comparable to my old 18-55mm that has a metal mount.

Cons (Relative to the K100D):

- The 10MP sensor is noisier than what I’m used to. I’ve seen some amazing pictures taken with this sensor though so I’ll have to learn the limits of this camera.

- The ergonomics of the body aren’t quite as good as the K100D. It’s probably perfect for people with smaller hands though.

- The DA L kit lens has a plastic mount, a sticker badge, and no lens hood.

UPDATE 7/28/09: I took my K2000 to San Diego Comic-Con and I must say that it performed admirably at ISO 800. I found that as long as I expose properly (preposterous!), the noise levels are totally acceptable. It’s a bit more fussy than the K100D when underexposing at the same sensitivity, but I’m no longer afraid of using this sensor at ISO 800.This is one great camera for those jumping to DSLR from Point and Shoot. I like that it uses AA batteries and they seem to never run out. It also uses SD memory cards so getting good deals on memory should not be a problem.

The bundle has a nice external flash. Yes, no tilting but it does have a diffuser and it is way better than any of the build in flashes of any entry level DSLR.

The kit lens is of good quality and very light. My only issue is that it has a plastic mount. I upgraded to the Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II as my regular walk around lens but the one you get is still a great lens for a kit lens.

My favorite feature is the picture preview option where a picture is taken, not saved to memory, only to buffer and will show shadow and highlight warnings.

I recommend changing to Picture color Natural for more accurate colors. I shoot Raw (DNG in this case) and use Adobe Photoshop to develop and I get amazing quality.

Do note that Noise Reduction is disabled by default and that there is a small firmware update over at the Pentax web site. I set the Noise Reduction to weakest with good results.

The camera feels solid, shoots fast, focuses fast and the price is right.

As I said before, I got the Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II and then plan to get the Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens and the Pentax SMCP-FA 50mm f/1.4 Lens to complete my other needs.

I would recommend this bundle to anyone moving to DSLR, you will not be disappointed. I have 7 other cameras, all of them Point and Shoot and I can’t match the quality pictures of this camera under any lighting condition with them.

Price: $599.95   Buy This Camera

Pentax X70 12MP CCD Digital Camera with 24x Optical Triple Shake Reduction Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD

• 12.0-megapixel resolution for photo-quality prints up to 11 x 14 inches
• 24x wide-angle optical zoom; equivalent to 26-624mm
• Triple Shake Reduction technology; HD-quality video capture at up to 15fps
• 2.7-inch LCD screen; Face Detection AF/AE
• Capture images to SD/SDHC cards (not included)

I have spent hours playing with this camera and love everything about it. I am not a professional by any means, but it takes such great pictures, people seems to think I am. It’s simple to use. Bought it as a newer better camera to my 2 year old Sony H5B, and was surpried it took bad pictures. Received the camera at 6 pm by UPS, opened box at 7pm,charged battery, and at 10 pm started to play with camera. At 1030 pm I boxed it back up and got return paper work to ship it back. My old, old Digital Casio takes beter low light pictures.

Nice face recognition, nice zoom length.

Even the movies taken were as grainy/staticy, and blurry as the stills.

I have read other reviews, and am baffled. I would not recommend this camera. It may be a fluke/defective camera. I don’t care. I am leaving for Alaska on the 29th, and now do not have a better camera than my Old Sony H5B.This is a great camera. Its zoom really reaches waaaay out and was perfect for my trip down the Oregon coast. I took over a thousand photos and was extremely pleased with the Pentax. I purchased this camera after reading reviews and looking at several other cameras. I have taken a little over 300 pictures along with a few minutes of video just to see what it would do in the video setting. You can’t use the optical zoom while shooting video, but you can use the digital zoom. If you want a good video camera, then you should invest in one that is for that even though this one is pretty good as a backup.

I am very pleased with the camera so far. Very good color and most of the pictures are sharp, although I did have a few that were softer for some reason. I have made some adjustments to the camera since then, but have not taken any pictures since the adjustments. Lots of great features and of course the 24x zoom is one reason I bought it. I am just a hobbyist but have an Olympus C765 that took great pictures but had a shorter zoom and fewer megapixels.

I found the menu to be easy to use and the owner’s manual is easy to understand. I have referred to it on several occasions due to the many features of the camera. I do highly recommend spare batteries since it goes through them pretty quickly. You have to take into consideration the large LCD screen, powerful zoom, flash, etc. that all eat up battery life. I also recommend a good LCD screen protector. I found a nice glass one for under $10 made for the Pentax screen. So, all in all, this camera has most everything I wanted in a digital camera without all those lenses to lug around. The video was pretty good for not being a regular video camera.

Pros- Great zoom, excellent color, good picture quality, lightweight and small size, good menu layout, good flash, focus assist light, loads of features.

Cons- Low battery life, no lens thread for filters, touchy zoom lever.

AT FIRST I DID NOT LIKE IT SO MUCH BUT ONCE I GOT FAMILIAR WITH ITS SETTINGS THIS LITTLE POINT OF SHOOTER GAVE ME THE BEST SHARPER PICS THAN ALL THE POINT OF SHOOTERS I OWN ..THIS IS NO BULL I SHOT WITH THIS CAMERA FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES FROM MY WINDOW NO LESS THE SHARPNESS WAS SUPERIOR THAN ANY CAMERA I OWN BY COMPARISON, I LIKED SO MUCH THAT I BOUGHT A SECOND ONE AS BACK UP. I SET THIS CAMERA AT HIGH BURST CONTINUOS SHOOTING THAN I SET IT TO SPORTS AND BELIEVE ME THIS COMBINATION OF SETTINGS WORKS MIRACLES AS FAR AS SHARPNESS IS CONCERNED..I ADMIT THE BATTERY COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BEAFIER AND THE AUTOZOOM COUD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE FASTER BUT IF YOU MASTER THE TOUCH IT COULD GO A LOT FASTER,OVERALL THIS LITTLE ZOOMER AT 24X ROCKS.

Price: $399.95   Buy This Camera