Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Pentax K20D examples from an Cyrillic (Russian) Website. Pretty cool!

Dear Pentaxians,

I stumbled on this site today. I guess it is written in Russian, I am told, and I can't read the captions, but the pictures speak for themselves. I posted some of them here but you can see the entire article and pictures by visiting the site below. It's pretty informative.
The site is : http://www.kroupski.ru/photo/Pentax-K20D-UAE.htm
You can actually use http://babelfish.altavista.com/ and paste the above site in the appropriate box and select translation from Russian to English. It's a little rough but accurate.
Of course all the pictures are copyrighted by kroupski.eu

Here are some of the pictures.



Thanks for looking,


Yvon Bourque

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Websites and Blogs worth looking at. You be the Judge.

My blog is starting to have a substantial list of links to other Pentax and sometimes General Photography Websites and Blog Sites. This past week or so, I found some new interesting sites that you should check.

I want my blog site to be a friendly place with a good resource for photographers using all brands of cameras, but with an emphasis on Pentax cameras because that is what I have been using for a long long time.

If you have a good site that you think we should add to the list, please let us know.

Here’s what I found this week.

1. Chasing Light…

This site is hosted by Mark Dimalanta of Huntington Beach, California. I don’t know Mark personally, but found his Blog when searching for the new Pentax K20D and K100D. The site has an emphasis on surfing but also contains valuable information. He uses Pentax equipment and was lucky enough to try the K20D. Check him out.

2. ClubSNAP

I found a new Photography Community site in Singapore, in English. The site also has forums for all brands of cameras and of course, you can discuss and make new friends that also own Pentax equipment. It has over 55,000 members and that’s pretty big by any standards. Check it out. It has a lot of information and it’s easy to join.



3. ACE Indexes

This site was established in 1996. I simply forgot to put a link to this site. It is an index of most photographic equipment manufacturers, photo labs, repair shops, magazines, and publications from all over the world. If you are looking for something photographic, you will find it here. You really need to visit this site.


Special Blog site: OK1000 Pentax


This site is not a new site, but I encourage you to visit it. It is the site that actually inspired me to start this blog. It is owned and maintained by Michael Gaudet. Michael finds stuff about Pentax Equipment that is always unique. I have no idea where he gets his material, but he must have good connections and know a lot of people in the business. He once interviewed Herb Keppler, vice-president and publishing director of Popular Photography Magazine, who has recently passed away.

The site really caught my attention with the posts about green photography. Check it out, it's very inspiring. Michael lives in New York City, and what a great City if you are in photography. I would love to be able to shop directly at B & H or Adorama. If it exists, it's in New York.

Michael is a very nice guy and goes out of his way to follow up on the many comments he receives. Many thanks for the inspiration you gave me and keep writing, you have a gift.

Thank you all for reading,

Yvon Bourque

I encourage you to leave comments below by simply clicking on "Comments" or you can send me emails directly at yvon@k10dbook.com Your comments and feedbacks help us posting what you like.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Why you shouldn't get a Pentax K20D!

Reasons not to get the new Pentax K20DThere are so many negative posts that are bashing the new K20D and that even though the camera is not out yet. Like the K10D, the new K20D will win numerous awards and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if it was named camera of the year 2008 or 2009. So instead of listing what I would like the K20D to have, I listed what innovation the K20D offers and if you don’t like those innovations, the K20D is not for you.



* To begin with, if you think that silver halide pictures are better than the new generation of digital single lens reflex cameras, don’t buy the K20D.

* If you don’t like a CMOS sensor, which gives the K20D some immunity against noise at higher ISO and also uses less power, giving you about 740 shots per battery charge compared to 500 with the K10D, then don’t buy the K20D.


* If you don’t like the fact that the K20D is backward compatible with around twenty-four millions lenses sold by Pentax since the beginning of their first single lens reflex camera, then you don’t want the K20D.


* If you prefer buying a new battery grip designed just for one model, instead of using your Pentax K10D grip on a new K20D, don’t get a K20D.

* If you want your RAW files in the manufacturer specified format only and not have the capability of also saving your RAW files in DGN format, which is compatible with all Photoshop products, then the K20D is not for you.
* If a 2.7” monitor is too big for you, don’t get the K20D.



* If you don’t need or will never need a flash sync for studio photography, don’t get the K20D.


* If you like to pay between $2,000.00 and $5,000.00 for a DSLR with about the same features as the K20D, but maybe with a smaller 10MP or 12 MP sensors instead of a 14.6 effective MP, you won’t be able to find a K20D at that price. You will have to spend about $1,299.00 U.S. to get a new K20D.

* If you don’t need digital or real-time preview, with capability of keeping the previewed picture, you don’t need the K20D.

* If you don’t want a rugged camera with dust and humidity protection so that you can keep shooting in any weather, the K20D is not for you.

* If you don’t want a great dust removal system, which included the only available “Dust Alert” system available today that shows a reverse image where the stubborn dust remains on the sensor, or want to purchase a $109.95 sensor scope to see whatever dust has remained accumulated on the sensor, then you certainly don’t want the K20D as it is the only DSLR that has the “Dust Alert” technology.

* If you think that live-view with an available grid display and zoom with AF selection is not useful in some situations like low angle shooting, etc, then maybe you don’t need a K20D.

* You don’t need focus adjustment for your lenses collection, there is no point to purchase the K20D.

* If you think that a burst mode of 20 images per second @1.6 MP could be useful in documenting an important event that can easily be transformed into a MPEG or other video format, you don’t need a K20D.

I could go on and on, but you must get the idea by now. There are more features in the new K20D than ever before in the history of photography, and somehow some of us still want more. Stop counting the pixels, stop comparing images enlarged 100 times, stop reading specifications and go out there and take pictures. Do you want to take pictures or do you want to program pictures?

Thank you for reading,

Yvon Bourque
I encourage you to leave comments below by simply clicking on "Comments" or you can send me emails directly at yvon@k10dbook.com Your comments and feedbacks help us posting what you like.

New skin.

We have changed our skin for clearer text and easy reading. Let us know if you like it better. Use the comments or email us: brqyvn@aol.com

Thank you,

Yvon Bourque

I encourage you to leave comments below by simply clicking on "Comments" or you can send me emails directly at yvon@k10dbook.com Your comments and feedbacks help us posting what you like.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

New Pentax K20D and K200D

New.......Here is Pentax's official pamphlet for the K20D and the K200D. It's very impressive. Also check most of the Forums and Blogs listed to the right of this blog site, most contain news about the K20D, the K200D or the five new lenses introduced.

http://www.pentaximaging.com/files/product/k20.k200brochure.spread.pdf




• New 15.5 megapixel with an effective 14.6-megapixel CMOS sensor with Dust Reduction.
• Shake Reduction (SR) up to 4 Exposure Levels
• 11-point AF with 9 cross sensors
• Sensitivity to ISO 100 - 6400
• Pentax KAF2-Lens
• Adjustable white balance with bracketing function
• 14 bit analog/digital converter
• File formats: JPEG , RAW ( DNG or PEF)
• Preview features: realtime view, and Optical Digital Preview
• Optional battery grip
• SD and SDHC Memory Cards
• Dimensions: 141.5 (W) x 101 (H) x 70 (T) mm, Weight: 715 grams (without battery and SD memory card)
• EUR 1299, - with 18-55mm lens kit II.
• Available March 2008.
• 2.7''monitor with a resolution of 230,000 Dots
• Live View
• Sensitivity ISO 100 6400.
• Custom image with 4 color profiles.
• 36 programmable custom functions.
• Flash sync terminal for studio flash systems. 180th second
• Image burst mode @ 20 images per second - 1.6 MP JEPG.
• Finer gradations in JPEG format.
• Series with white balance function.

Here are some pictures of the K20D:



The K200D will still be an entry level camera with the same CCD as the K10D, and most of the features found on the current K10D. A new battery grip will be available and the LCD will also be at 2.7". It will be available in February 2008.

Here are some pictures of the K200D:


Thank you for reading.

Note that PENTAXDSLRS.com will have new K20D and K200D Books on each of the new cameras as soon as March 2008.

I encourage you to leave comments below by simply clicking on "Comments" or you can send me emails directly at yvon@k10dbook.com Your comments and feedbacks help us posting what you like.

Monday, January 21, 2008

New Technology meets old technology in this 1930 Model A Ford.

Isn't that a beauty?
Hi photographer friends and especially Pentax users. The pictures below were all taken with the Pentax K10D. I used the DA 16-45mm and the DA 70mm limited lenses. The results are what you get when you blend the new technology with the old.

As stated a few weeks back, I am posting pictures of old cars every week. This week’s car is special as I met Connie at Goody’s where my wife and I usually go for breakfast every Sunday. When I saw the car in the parking lot, I told my wife that I had to take pictures of that beautiful restoration. While inside the restaurant, I asked our regular server “Roseanne” if she knew who owned the car. She pointed me toward Connie and I asked him if it would be okay to take some pictures of his car sometime. He was agreeable to the idea and we actually met today, Monday January 21st, in the parking lot of Goodie’s.

Connie even brought me a few pictures of the car before restoration and wrote the letter below, depicting the story of how the car’s restoration came about and how he got the car.

You can certainly see how much work had to be done to restore the Model A to what it looks like today.

‘This is a model A Ford 5 window coupe. It was restored by my brother over a period of several years in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. It was given to him by his wife as a hobby project when he retired from his job. It was restored in his garage in Custer Park, Illinois and painted by a good friend who I had the pleasure of working for after school when I was 14 years old”.

“The model A is known as a “ginny” meaning it has been restored to nearly it’s original condition. The engine, running gear, suspension and all systems are as near as possible to the way Henry Ford made it when new”.

“I received the car upon the passing of my brother in 2006. I try to honor his memory every time I drive the car and thank him for allowing me to have it. Some of the pictures with this note show how much effort he put in restoring this car. I have only had to do minor repairs to bring it to its’ present condition. The car runs extremely well with a top speed of nearly 50 miles an hour”.

“I had to have the car certified by the California Highway Patrol before registering it to my name and the officer checked the engine number and told me it was an original 1930 engine and not to replace it”.

“Since the car was in Illinois and I was in California; that presented a slight problem. I purchased a car hauling trailer and my nephew towed the car to Flagstaff, Arizona as he has a business in Tucson, and I picked it up there.”

“My brother wanted the car to be used and shown so others could see how it was in the early years. I have had the car in several shows this past year, including the San Bernardino County Fair “Show and Shine” spearheaded by Richard “Tex” Navarro and the Route 66 car show sponsored by the Route 66 museum in Victorville, California., as well as a car show sponsored by the Sterling Inn, Victorville, California. I routinely drive the car to an off-the-cuff car show at a coffee shop called “The Grind” where a group of hot rod custom car owners meet on Saturday mornings. I also drive the car to a restaurant called “Goody’s” in Victorville and have had several interesting conversations about the car usually from older people who relate to having one like it or similar to it during their younger years. One lady told me that she and her boyfriend, later her husband, had their first date in one just like it. I can only imagine what was going through her memory at that time. So it’s not only me that enjoys this car, it touches many people in many ways. Another gentleman told me that he worked at the River Rouge Plant and remembered working on the assembly line in 1930 and helped build them. (He really must be old)”

“I wish to thank Yvon for putting my story on his website and I hope everyone enjoys the pictures and the story.”.

Connie Trimby

This car saw America in an uncomplicated time, when there were no computers, no cell phones, no iPods and certainly no digital cameras. The highways were uncluttered and the gasoline was cheap and abundant. We will probably never see such simple life in our future, but it’s nice to see some relics from the long gone era. The cameras of the 1930’s couldn’t have taken the pictures herein with such color rendition and clarity. Progress is a two sided sword.

It doesn't have sleek lines like the current cars, but it certainly had character.

A lot of love went into rebuilding this car.

The stereo system is missing! Actually, instead of auto-everything like today's cars, it had manual everything.

I would be smiling too if I owned a beautiful piece of american history.

Yep...we were zipping through at an astonishing speed.

This is what a 1930 engine looks like without all of the polution devices.

I want to thank Connie for his wonderful story. It was a privilege for me to have the opportunity to take pictures of this beautifully restored 1930 Model A Ford, and to meet Connie. As a bonus, I even got to take a ride in it.

Thank you for reading,

Yvon Bourque

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Photo opportunities- Pasadena, California, Rose Bowl Flea Market

Other than photography, flea markets are both me and my wife’s favorite Sundays outing. Today we drove to Pasadena which is about one and one half hour from our home. The temperature was around 70 degrees F, which is so much more comfortable than Montreal’s winters, (where I was born and lived through my 25th birthday).

Here is my wife looking at something we didn't know we really needed.
Here's a reflection of me in an antique mirror, pushing the cart half full with treasures. Does my butt look big in those pants?


Of course we never go anywhere without our Pentax DSLRs. I had my K10D and she had her K100D. I think that the Pasadena Rose Bowl flea market must be the largest in the Country. In about four hours of walking, looking, photographing and purchasing, we only covered about 20% of the grounds.

I swear that you can find just about anything there. There was some camera gear, but I didn’t see any digital cameras. There were a lot of antique cameras and a lot of 35mm SLRs. Unfortunately, it seems that the sellers have not caught on about digital and most were asking way too much for film cameras.

There wasn't too many photographic equipment for sale, but we only covered a small part of the grounds. Maybe there were more.

Taxi anyone? Here is a replica of a replica of an old Taxi pedal car.

I did find a nice case for all my filters and a mini tripod perfect for keeping in the car just in case. I always bring my K10D and the DA 16-45mm lens everywhere I go. By the way, many of you are hesitating to bring such camera in your car for fear of theft. I have an old cooler that I leave in the car with the camera inside. Nobody wants to break in a car with only an old cooler inside. It also keeps the camera from getting too hot.

One more important point, the Rose Bowl Flea Market is always the Second Sunday of every Month which often coincides with the Pasadena Camera Show on Colorado Boulevard. Now there is a great place to purchase all kind of camera gear. If you ever are in the Pasadena area, find out about this camera show.

This is Scott Corbett. Scott and his family have been selling at the Rose Bowl for more than 30 years. They specialize in antique wind-up phonographs.

They carry beautiful phonographs. sdcorbett@earthlink.net

This is my kind of dog. I like big dogs, and this one apparently doesn't bark and is house broken.


After our late lunch, we went to Sammy’s camera, downtown Pasadena. I have to be frank with you all; I was very disappointed with the attitude of the sales people behind the counter. They were rude with all customers, and there is absolutely no reason for that. Still, I waited for my turn to get insulted. I had my K10D with me and I asked if I could try a DA 10-17mm and a DA 12-24mm. He was quick to tell me that they didn’t stock them. He said he could try to order one for me but the market for Pentax is not big enough, hence the reason they do not stock them. They mostly sell to Professional Photographers and stock mostly Nikon and Canon. I guess if you don’t carry but a few Pentax lenses, it would be pretty hard to be successful at selling Pentax lenses. I cannot imagine B & H Photo treating their customers that way. Yes, I could have ordered a lens from them, but I can do that through a friendlier place and for less at: B & H Photo . If all of those sales people are so good and professional, they wouldn’t be working at a camera store, they would be out in the world making money from photography. If they don’t want my business, someone else will.


I love all makes of cameras, but a camera store like Sammy’s makes me wish that Pentax would get real big again…and they might!

Thank you for reading. Keep taking pictures,

Yvon Bourque

Friday, January 11, 2008

Old Cars Weekly Post - Chevrolet Towing Truck from a Pentax K10D viewpoint

As I wrote last week, I will post pictures of old cars and trucks once a week.

This week, I found some pictures of an old Chevrolet towing truck I took last spring. The pictures were taken with my Pentax DSLR at the entrance of Sequoia national park. If you know what the production year this old truck is, let me know.


This old towing likely rescued many stalled vehicles and from its size, other big rigs as well. I assume that this is going to be is final location, except if the owner is thinking of restoring it to its former glory. That would be a great project. I have never seen an old towing like this one before. In the early years, towing trucks were usually much smaller.

If you happen to drive to the park, the towing was located in the town of Three Rivers, about one mile before the official entrance to the park, on the right side of the road when driving toward the park.



Thanks for reading,

Yvon Bourque

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Pentax K10D owners; Solar Power follow-up

See Previous thread/post

Well, I have been doing a lot of reading, testing, and hands-on experimenting this past week. I know now that it is indeed possible to power a small photography home studio (1000 to 1500 watts) and be off the grid most of the time. However, it is a little too costly to have a solar system supplying power twenty four hours per day via battery stored power. The amount of batteries required to continue supplying the power after sunset or during rainy days, is too expensive. At the present time, I only have 2 solar panels, one 12v deep cycle battery (for storing excess), one solar charge controller and a 400 watt inverter and a APC UPS. That is a good enough system to power my laptop, printer, and external larger monitor. Of course it has all the capabilities to recharge all my K10D and K100D camera batteries, Flash, cell phones, iPod, etc. My current backup battery ($153.00 at Costco) stores enough power to keep me going about 1 to 2 hours after the Solar Panels stop functioning. In order to keep my equipment from damages, I installed an APC Surge protector/battery back-up. If the power gets dangerously low, the APC Uninterrupted Power Supply takes over, and within it’s 5 to 10 minutes reserve and software, securely shuts down my system and save the files so that nothing is lost. Keep in mind that the laptop also has its own battery, which can add another hour or so to the system. I still prefer using my Desktop when working with Photoshop. It’s a much faster system. I suppose I could purchase a better laptop, and maybe that’s the answer.

This is my current system.

In the months to come, I will acquire wind generator, for additional 12v DC input to the system. This will compensate for night and of course when it’s raining, and providing it’s windy.


I live in the red zone, great for sun and wind.

I live in the desert and not only is it sunny most of the time, but like clockwork; it gets windy every afternoon around 1:00 P.M. through the next morning. It rains very seldom, so it should work great in this area. .Once both systems are in place, adding additional Solar Panels will eventually be enough to power my complete Desktop system and maybe more. The wind generator is available right now from Amazon for less than $500.00

This is my future expanded system.

My total cost for the current system is about $450.00. It will take a long time to save enough on my electric bill to justify the system monetarily wise, but ecologically wise, I’m doing my small part. Once I add the wind generator, I will reach the $1,000 theshold for my project.

Thanks for reading,

Yvon Bourque