PENTAX DSLRs

A year later, I regret my decision of buying another Windows base computer. I now switched to Apple, iMac, iPhone and iPad.

2012-01-31T23:42:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Almost one year ago, I was writing about being at the crossroad again. It was time for me to upgrade my equipment. No, I wasn't looking at other camera brands to replace my Pentax equipment. I have been a Pentax user since I was a teenager, and that will never stop...well as long as I'm still kicking. I was looking at upgrading my computer system. I received many comments, all praising their platform of choice. Mac ot PC?

Well...last year, about this same time, I analyzed both systems and opted to go with a PC upgrade because of the cost of moving to the iMac platform.

I should have listened.

I should have listened. Six months ago, I purchased two iPhones, one for me and one for my wife. I was so impressed with the ease of use that I soon follow with the purchase of two iPad 2, again one for me and one for my wife. Apple came up with the iCloud and that made sharing images between all four devices easy and seamless. I produced videos using my iPhone with better results than everything I had ever tried before, and each video post processing took minutes, not hours. That included presentations with video clips, images, title and text, sound track and on some of my projects, voice overdub. Here's one example:

That might not seem like a breakthrough to many, but after trying to put videos together on my PC for over a year, nothing seemed to be easy. My PC would slow down to a crawling speed when using the Adobe video tools such as Adobe Premier Elements, or Sony's video program for PC and a few other. I gave up video as I thought it would be to costly and hard to go through the learning curve.

My main gig is still photography. Of course I use all of the Pentax cameras and their fine lenses. Thus far, on my PC platform, I used Lightroom, from version 1 through version 3. Photoshop and Elements plus a lot of third party plug-ins. I spent about $1,000 and more doing that. Lightroom 3 is a good application...until you try Aperture 3.

So a little over a week ago, I purchased the iMac 21.5" with the Intel i5 quad core processor, one TB hard drive and immediately installed 16 GIG RAM. I also purchased two 1TB G/drive external hard drives. They even look like the iMac design.

They come already formatted for Apple and use the faster FireWire 800, running at up to 800 mbps. I am using the iMac internal drive for applications only, and G/drives for data. I save all my images and videos to external drive No.1 while I back up the same to G/drive No.2 once a week. I keep the G/drive No.2 at work in case either place would ever burn down or something, I have my images backed up. I don't really trust the online backup companies...here today, gone tomorrow.

Gone are the daily upgrade from Adobe and Microsoft. (Aren't you tired of that?) Gone are the malware and viruses. So far, they don't affect the Apple platform. When I brought the system home, all I had to do is connect the power cord and I was ready to work within five minutes, including the WiFi setup for my network and WiFi printers as well.

I Installed my $300 Lightroom 3 because it works on both platforms. The installation took about half of an hour. The next day, after playing with iPhoto, I decided that I would immediately do my editing and file management on this iMac and purchase Aperture. Apple calls their compatible software "Apps". You buy them directly from your Apple device and they are automatically installed on all your Apple devices in your system through iTune and pushed to all devices with iCloud. Everything is wireless, including the keyboard and smart mouse. I paid $79.00 for the Aperture app and I was up and running with it in less than 10 minutes. I still have my PC and will keep it for other tasks (Word, Excel, Power point, etc.). I transferred all my images to the iMac. I'm in Photography post-processing and image management heaven.

If you made it to here, thank you. I probably made this blog a little too long. What can I say? I'm very impressed and excited!

We will stop here for now, but I will write a part two and maybe a part three. There is just too much excitement to keep it all to myself. The iMac of today and not the iMac of just a few years ago. They now RULE.

Meet you here in a few days,

Yvon Bourque.

Rumors and rumors...will Pentax introduce a mirorless camera?

2012-01-25T20:16:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

There are plenty of rumours going around the internet about an upcoming Pentax mirrorless digital camera. First of all, why describing a camera with what it doesn't have, "mirrorless camera" because it doesn't use a mirror? Why not describe a new camera "tiresless" because it doesn't have any tires, "Gazless camera" because it doesn't run on gaz! My opinion doesn't have a lot of influence on naming cameras, but I hope the leading manufacturers will find a suitable and universal name for this new kind of cameras.

The rumors goes on to say that the new Pentax camera model will be the K-01. Frankly, it doesn't matter what the model will be, as long as they don't use the "*" for Starist" like the early Pentax DSLRs.

Again, according to the rumors, it will have the following specifications, and if it does, I will be a happy ~~camper~~... eh! photographer.

"921,000 dot" 3-inch, VGA LCD screen from the K-5
K-5 image processing and sensor (16.3 Mp)
1080p HD video at 30fps
1/4000s-30s shutter speed range
Contrast-detect autofocus (81 metering points)
Built-in flash
12.1cm wide x 7.9cm high x 5.9 cm deep
560g loaded with battery
New DA 40mm kit lens
Available in 3 lens kits
3 different colors
Electronic viewfinder

Pentax is in the best position in the industry to introduce such cameras because of their line of limited lenses. I once blogged here about what a Pentax camera could look like. I can just imagine a Pentax "Hybrid" camera, with the K-5 sensor, maybe a 3" LCD screen that rotates and an included or optional EVF equivalent to what the Sony NX7 uses. That would be the perfect camera for me, especially for travelling.

One clear advantage would be the number of frames per second, since no mechanical parts have to move, and Auto Focus in all modes, making videography simple. More importantly, all my current lenses would fit and my Limited lenses would be happy.

This is not a real camera. It is what an Hybrid camera from Pentax could look like, based on their old partner "Samsung" model, my imagination and PhotoShop.

Thanks for reading and may the good lighting be with you,

Yvon Bourque

When will Digital Camera Manufacturers stop comparing lenses of various format to 135 (35mm defunt format cameras)?

2012-01-19T22:07:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

For years now, we have been buying lenses that are designed to a certain focal length, (say a 50mm lens) but when used on a digital camera, with a smaller sensor than the old 35mm film camera standard (24mm x 36mm), we are told that with a multiplying factor our new lens will have a different equivalent in 135 /35mm format. i.e. a 50mm lens attached to an APS-C digital camera with a sensor having a 1.5 multiplier will be equivalent to a 75mm lens.

A 50mm lens is always a 50mm lens in terms of focal length, and the perspective is always that of a 50mm lens no matter what camera it is attached to. I think it's time to drop the equivalency to the old 35mm film cameras and stop confusing entry-level photographers.

Assuming that you are already aware of the crop factor and 35mm format equivalency, and without going to a lot of explanation about it, (learn about the crop factor here and here if you are not familiar with it or just Google it), the final true result is really the angle of view.

During the film era, various format existed. There were the 35mm cameras, the medium formats (6 x 6, 6 x 4.5, view cameras in 4 x 5, 5 x 7, 8 x 10, etc. Nobody ever used conversion factors to describe what a medium format lens would be equal to in 35mm cameras.

When the first Digital SLR cameras began to appear, manufacturer opted to use 35mm bodies and lenses, ( good economic decision but stupid photographic decision). The problem was that technology of the time only had developed sensors were much smaller than a 35mm film plane, hence the birth of the crop factor and equivalency to 35mm film cameras format.

Most young photographers don't know much about the old 35mm film cameras and they don't care. All they know, or need to know, is what a particular lens of a particular focal length looks like when viewed through their own digital camera viewfinder. That comes with minimal usage and experience. Once they know, they will be able to understand and pre-visualize what and when to use a particular lens on their camera.

It becomes even more ridiculous when describing a digital camera, having a sensor of the same size of the old 35mm film camera (24mm x 36mm), as a full frame camera. Hello! All camera are really full frame in their own format. Think about the Pentax 645D or the Leica s2. Should we call them super full frame or describe their lenses as a equivalent in 35mm format?

So I say... just continue making and sell lenses with their correct focal length stamped on but let the users figure out what they will be like on their particular cameras. It would be a short transition, but this equivalency is nuts. Lens are indeed labelled correctly, but described as equivalent to 35mm in magazines, camera manuals, advertisement, on the internet, etc. Please just stop the conversion factor. It all about what you see in your viewfinder.

When you look at an object, you likely can tell its size fairly accurately. For example, If you live in the U.S. you could visualize an object and recognize it as being about 1" inch long. You wouldn't have to know its metric equivalent, would you? The opposite is true if you live in a region that uses the metric system. Why using an equivalency with lenses and cameras?

Thanks for reading,

May the good lighting be with you,

Yvon Bourque

2012-01-18T20:04:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Check this link from our friend Miserere at Enticing the light.

How expensive were the Pentax SLR cameras and lenses in 1972?

2012-01-18T19:42:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Just a few days ago, I wrote an article about "One Camera and one Lens". I received the following email

from Fred Frederiksen

6:05 AM (13 hours ago)

Hi Yvon,

I just recently came across your Pentax DSLRs Blog Spot and quite enjoy it. Your most recent article on lens costs is interesting

I thought some of our readers would enjoy this. Keep in mind that the prices in Canada were probably higher than in the United States. If the same prices could only still be current today, what a collection I would have. But yet, "One Camera and one Lens" would still apply, wouldn't it?

Thank you for stopping by and reading.

May the good lighting be with you,

Yvon Bourque, and as a long time Pentaxian I happen to have some early Canadian Pentax brochures from the 1970s. I'm attaching two files (these brochures were printed on 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper and folded in thirds), front and back, for the 1972 brochure. You might find this useful in the context of how equipment costs have changed over time. In any case, feel free to use the images as you see fit.

All the best,

24-hour quiet period to raise awareness about internet freedoms - 1001 Noisy Cameras

2012-01-18T08:05:00.000-08:00

24-hour quiet period to raise awareness about internet freedoms - 1001 Noisy Cameras

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Dear followers and readers. Every time a new law is passed under the pretext of protecting our rights, we end up losing some of our freedom. I hope that the ability of our government to monitor and censored what they don't like will not come to past.

"One camera one Lens" It might be more applicable now than ever before..

2012-01-14T23:18:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

The "One Camera, One Lens" applies for all makes, Pentax, Canon, Nikon, you name it. I own Pentax equipment and therefore I show Pentax equipment on this blog.

Hi Photographer friends,

Have you compared 2012 prices of lenses to just a few years ago? Lenses have become more expensive than ever. I believe that the ratio of camera$ / lens$ prices is out of control.

We used to say that the camera bodies were replaceable every-so-often, but that lenses were an investment for life. I don't think that holds true anymore. The sensors are so advanced now, that they often outresolve the lenses, especially the older lenses. So maybe lenses are not a lifetime investment anymore.

In addition, manufacturers are making us believe that, to be a good photographer, we need an arsenal of lenses that we couldn't possibly bring to all of our photo shoots even if we wanted to. Some preach that prime lenses are the only quality lenses one should use, while other recognize that today's zoom lenses are far better than the old school zooms. The reality is that everybody is right, (regarding primes or zooms) but we don't all have a bank account that allows us to purchase all we want. Most of us have a bank accounts that allows us to purchase what we need and maybe a little of what we want.

If you want to become a better photographer, all the lenses in the world won't do you much good if you don't learn how to use them efficiently and wisely. An extreme zoom lens or telephoto will bring a far away object in the viewfinder, but the perspective will be all screwed up. It's the same for a wide angle lens, you may catch the scene almost behind you, but the perspective will also be screwed up.

Try to get acquainted with each of your lens, and practice a lot. In most situations, a normal lens (that is a lens that shows you the scene about the same as what your eyes normally see) will render the best quality images. For an APS-C DSLR, 28 - 30 mm lens is a normal lens, for what we now call "Full Frame", a 45 - 50 mm is a normal lens.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_lens

Film/Sensor format	Image dimensions	Image diagonal	Normal lens focal length
9.5 mm	8 × 11 mm	13.6 mm	15 mm
Half-frame	24 × 18 mm	30 mm	30 mm
*APS-C*	*16.7 × 25.1 mm*	*30.1 mm*	*28 mm, 30 mm*
*135- 35mm (Full Frame)*	*24 × 36 mm*	*43.3 mm*	*45 mm, 50 mm*
*6 × 4.5 (645)*	*56 × 42 mm*	*71.8 mm*	*75 mm*
6 × 6	56 × 56 mm	79.2 mm	80 mm
, 6 × 7	56 × 68 mm	88.1 mm	90 mm
6 × 9	56 × 84 mm	101.0 mm	105 mm
6 × 12	56 × 112 mm	125.0 mm	120 mm
Large Format 4 × 5	93 × 118 mm (image area)	150.2 mm	150 mm
Large 5 × 7	120 × 170 mm (image area)	208.0 mm	210 mm
Large Format 8 × 10	194 × 245 mm (image area)	312.5 mm	300 mm

Only after you master photography with a normal lens, should you venture into the Wide Angle, Telephoto and Zoom lenses. Okay...you don't have to, but it would make you a better photographer in the long run.

Even if you currently have an arsenal of lenses, maybe you should spend some time practicing with a normal lens. It's the old adage "One camera, One lens". Most of today's photographers seem to have forgotten the correct usage of each lens. We see photographers stand at the same position and change the angle of view (zoom lenses). This changes the coverage area without a corresponding change in perspective. Perspective changes not because of the focal length, but due to the position of the lens in relation to the subject. Changing to a normal lens and changing the position of the camera can drastically change the perspective. The "One camera, One lens" teaches you to use your legs (instead of zooming from one position), and puts you, the camera and the lens in the most appropriate position to obtain the natural perspective. Once you try and practice this, you will get to know each of your lens intimately and will be a better photographer because of it...and who knows what other photographic opportunities will be discovered by walking closer or farther to your subject.

May the light be working with you :)

Thanks for reading,

Yvon Bourque

Pentax cameras poster, 1952 to 2011

2012-01-13T11:24:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Thank you to Dirk Lorenzen for sending us this poster.

Front or Back Focusing Problems? Free test (Lens Alignment) charts for Pentax, Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus.

2012-01-08T21:19:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Autofocus Fine Adjustment

Did you experience front or back focusing problems? Hopefully your camera model has a built-in adjustment, otherwise, you may have to send your equipment back to the manufacturer.

Back and Front Focusing Problems, and how to test your lenses / Cameras.

I personally never had any auto-focusing problem with any lens or camera I ever owned. It seems that these days, members of every blog and forum sites are talking about checking and adjusting the auto-focus on their lenses or DSLR. I think there is a perception that many lenses or DSLR cameras are having front or rear focus problems. In reality, I am inclined to think that inexperienced photographers, “Pixels Peepers”, and inquisitive hobbyists, influenced by the available internet information, are finding problems where there are none. If a particular lens consistently gives out-of-focus results, when all other lenses used with the same DSLR are okay, you might have a focusing problem with that particular lens. If most of the pictures taken with the same DSLR, but with various lenses, are out-of-focus, you might have a DSLR camera-focusing problem.

If you think there is a focusing problem, several "Free" auto-focus testing charts are available from forums, blogsites and websites. I probably downloaded most of them and found inaccuracies with all of them. They are either too small, or too cluttered, or have measurements that are not to scale, etc. Some charts are available for purchase but I find that the prices are way too much.

Back or front focusing problems are more notorious with subjects that are within a shallow depth of field, such as macro pictures or selective focusing pictures, and with the lens used at its widest aperture. The following three images illustrate this. The middle picture is the way it should be as the cat’s eye was the focusing target. The picture on the left shows a front-focusing problem, and the picture to the right shows a back-focusing problem.

That alone would not mean that the lens or camera has a focusing problem, it could be the photographer’s error. However, similar results time after time could be the first hint that you might have a focusing problem. Perhaps a logical next step would be to test the lens in question under a controlled environment. A controlled environment could be where there is no wind, with the camera set on a tripod, and with good lighting. An auto-focus testing chart could be used, preferably one approved by the manufacturer if they have one available.

Solution

I do not believe that manufacturers have an AF checking chart available to the public. That is the primary reason I took it upon myself to design one. After reading every blog and information about the subject on the internet, after reading comments from the readers of my blog site and threads on various forums, I deducted that one chart could not do it all. Three charts were designed because the minimum focusing distance varies from lens to lens. The smaller chart (Chart–1) works well for close-up lenses and lenses that have macro capabilities. The medium sized chart, (Chart-2) works well for normal lenses, say 30mm to 100mm, which have a minimum focus distance needing a target a little bigger than Chart-1. The third chart (Chart-3) is for lenses that cannot focus very close. One could keep enlarging the last chart, but I believe that the three charts attached herein will be functional for the majority of lenses.

There are various opinions whether a chart should be viewed at 45° from the lens centerline axis, or at 30°, or any angle or even flat. The reality is that it should work at any angle between 1° and 99°, but 45° is the easiest to read. Chart-1 and Chart-2 were design for viewing at 45° from the lens’ centerline axis. The measurements on the viewing surface were corrected for accurate reading when viewed at a 45° angle. The Charts could have been designed for viewing at 30°, giving more viewable depth of field for both front and back. However, I opted for the 45° because the charts could fit on a 8 ½” x 11” standard sheet of paper (Letter size).

I chose a circular focusing area. The bottom half is black and the top half is white. When viewed perpendicularly or flat, it has an oval shape, because the chart is meant to be viewed at 45°. When viewed at 45°, the focusing area appears as a perfect circle. That also helps verifying that the lens is at a 45° angle. "Simple geometry"

Camera Settings

Set the camera to:
* -Autofocus single.
* -Leave the Shake Reduction off if you use a tripod (recommended).
* -Use the Aperture Priority mode.
* -Set the lens aperture to its maximum.
* -Set the AF point to center.
* -Use a remote for the shutter release or use the camera timer to avoid any movement.

The two smaller charts were designed so that they can be cut and taped together in a way that they can stand at a 45° angle when placed on a table, desk, or flat surface. The camera / lens is then leveled and preferably positioned on a tripod so that the lens’ centerline is aligned with the center of the chart. Place the lens as close as you can to the center of the chart target while it can still focus on the intersection of the black / white section, then back it off just a little. Position the large chart flat (horizontally) and the camera / lens angled at 45° from the chart.

After choosing the chart that will work best with your lens, and once the chart and camera / lens are position correctly, start by trying to focus on the white area of the chart. The lens should not be able to focus correctly and it should be “hunting”. If it achieves focus while pointing to the middle of the white area, it means you could actually be in focus with the lines surrounding the white area and you need to use the next larger chart.

Next, move the camera / lens angle slowly downward until it auto focuses. At that point, you know that you are focused on the intersection of the black / white portion of the chart. That is the center of the chart. The measurements (Metric on the left and English on the right) are at zero on both sides of the chart horizontal centerline. Take the picture and look at the results. The center target line (00) should be perfectly clear while the top and bottom target lines and text should get increasingly and proportionally out of focus. The top target lines represent the back focus area while the bottom target lines represent the front focus area. Repeat this test several times to make sure you have done the test correctly. If the center target line is in focus, but the front and back target lines are not proportionally getting out of focus, there shouldn’t be any serious problems with the lens. Remember that this test is done with the lens opened at the maximum aperture and that the depth of field will increase with smaller aperture. Most of the lenses have a “sweet spot which is usually 1 to 2 stop smaller than the maximum aperture. Therefore, you should only be concerned if the center target line is not in perfect focus while either the back or front lines are.

Understand The Results

Image A: The perfect lens should return a result similar to the image above.

Image B: Acceptable Focusing

Image C: Back Focusing Problem

Image D: Front Focusing Problem

A lens with acceptable Auto Focus should have the center target line in focus, even if the back and front focus lines are not equally or proportionally out of focus. Image B
A lens with back focus problems will look like Image C, while a lens with front focus problems will look like the Image D

Word About Auto Focus Sensors

Sensors are either vertical, horizontal or cross type. Most DSLRs now use cross type sensors, check your camera manual. Vertical sensors detect the sharpest horizontal contrast within its area of coverage and lock the focus on that point. Alternatively, the horizontal sensors detect the sharpest vertical contrast within its area of coverage and lock the focus on that point. You guessed it; the cross type sensors detect the highest vertical or horizontal contrast and lock the focus on that point. Since we use the center focus point of our camera, which is usually a cross type sensor, our chart was deliberately designed without any vertical lines in the center so that the focus can only lock at the intersection of the black and white portion of our target. Note that in your viewfinder, you should see an illuminated point showing the focus point. The cross sensor is not necessarily dead center and in perfect alignment with the illuminated focus point. It merely shows you the area of the sensor, but is not an exact focus point and the sensor will only lock on the point of maximum contrast.

Difference Between 45° And 30° Charts

The above charts, one at 45° and one at 30°, illustrates why the depth of field is proportional to the angle of the chart.

These charts will give the same results regardless of of what camera brand you use. However, at the time of design, I was using a Pentax K-5 and the following depicts how to adjust the front/back focus on the K-5.

Refer you your camera user manual for more information on how to adjust your camera specific model.

The K-5 Custom Setting Number 26

In the Custom Setting menu, navigate with the four-way controller to AF Fine Adjustment, Setting number 26 ►.

Use ▲ ▼ to turn the AF Adjustment On or Off. When choosing On, press ► and select if you want to adjust the lens attached or all the lenses ▲ ▼. Choosing Apply One would correct the current lens attached and would keep the results in memory. Choosing Apply All would apply the corrections to all lenses mounted on the camera. The camera can retain settings for up to 20 different lenses. Using the rear rotary dial, you can adjust the values from minus (-1) to minus (-10) and plus (+1) to plus (+10). You can reset the camera to the factory defaults anytime by navigating down ▼ to Reset and confirm Reset.

Disclaimer

Although the Charts have given me good results, you should fully understand how they help analyzing the Auto Focus accuracy. Read the above paragraphs several times until you completely grasp the procedures. You can adjust the focus of all Pentax lenses, as they are non-permanent changes. You can reset the Auto Focus to factory defaults at any time. As for the other Pentax camera models that do not have the “AF Fine Adjustment”, you should only have a Pentax trained technician adjust the Auto Focus of your lenses or DSLR cameras.

Download the charts here: AF CHARTS

Print the charts on your own printer for the best quality possible. It is best to print on heavy mat paper.

Nikon announces their new Flagship, the D4. Only 16.2 megapixels. What's the message here?

2012-01-06T10:15:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Nikon just announced their new flagship DSLR, the D4. I'm a Pentax user and why do I post this announcement about Nikon? Check the D4 on B&H Photo.

This new announcement from Nikon sends a clear message...to me anyway. They are using the FX sensor for this camera. but it's only 16.2 MP. This is a clear message that the Full Frame megapixels sensors are over-rated. Technology has come a long way and APS-C sensors are capable of taking better images than what our eyes can see. This full frame non-sense was the way manufacturers got away cheap by making the old 35mm film format the defacto standard of what full frame should be and a way to reuse the 35mm format lenses.

Every sensor is a full frame sensor, it's the lenses used that are not matching the sensor. Nikon has chosen a 16.2 megapixel CMOS sensor. 16.2 megapixels is good enough for 99% + of the time and produces file sizes easily manipulated with today's computers for post-processing.

Pentax is the smartest camera maker out there. They use APC-C sensors or Medium format like the 645D. They were ridiculed for making color camera bodies, but now the entire industry does. They designed the "Q" and once again ridiculed, but Nikon copied the concept immediately.

Long live Pentax :)

Trey Ratcliff proclaims the upcoming Death of DSLRs - 1001 Noisy Cameras

2012-01-04T21:54:00.000-08:00

Trey Ratcliff proclaims the upcoming Death of DSLRs - 1001 Noisy Cameras

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Must read. Great find 1001 Noisy Cameras.

New Year's resolutions

2012-01-02T19:49:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Happy New Year to everyone. I haven't posted anything since last year, but I'm back. That was a long week ago.

It's new year's resolutions time;

I think this year, I'm going to get back to taking more pictures. After-all, that's what I really like to do. I'm not going to abandon this blogsite, and I won't stop writing e-books either. What I will stop doing is trying to develop new products like the "Stabilizers" I introduced to the market last year. New equipment is so expensive to develop, having it patented, marketing it and establishing the infrastructure... and so on. I did all the preceding steps for the Stabilizers, and although I sold hundreds of them, I'm still under by a several thousands of dollars. At least, I tried.

You all know that I am a hardcore Pentaxian, and I will continue using their fine cameras and lenses until I can't hold a camera anymore. However, this coming year, I will write more e-books and maybe for more than just Pentax cameras. I will venture into the Ricoh cameras, Nikon and Canon brands and maybe Sony. My e-books have been very successful with Pentax DSLRs users, and I think it's time I publish my e-books "Everything you need to know...and then some" to a broader audience. I will publish my next e-books on this blogsite as well as on Amazon and perhaps through Apple. The format will remain basically the same. The user's manual tell you what the camera can do and my e-books tells you how to do it, in a non-technical way.

Last year, I started my "Keeper or Dud?" series and it's turning out that it takes a lot of time and work to follow up everyday. If you like the "Keeper or Dud?", let me know by using the comment section below this post, or email me. I also post a mirror of this blog on Google+, Twitter and Facebook.

Thank you for reading,

Yvon Bourque

You can' make that up

2011-12-28T12:09:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Keeper or Dud? 26 of 365

2011-12-23T19:31:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

This is an old image from Maine. I actually took this picture with a 3.35MP Nikon Coolpix around 1999-2000. Iwish I could retake this image with my Pentax K-5 with 16MP, but I can't.

I hope Pentax and all other Camera Companies copy the design of the Sony NEX-7.

2011-12-23T17:04:00.000-08:00

That is a Digital Camera I would love to own.

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Yes, I'm probably one of the biggest and most loyal fan of Pentax equipment and that will never change. However, with the soon-to-be-available Sony NEX-7, I am hoping that Pentax will develop a similar Digital Camera. The availability of the NEX-7 has been delayed because of the flooding in Thailand, but once the shipping resume, I believe it's going to be one of the most sought after Digital Camera.

The camera seems to incorporate everything that photo enthusiasts have been asking for. It includes a APS-C (23.5mm x 15.6mm) sized 24MP CMOS sensor, the first really usable Electronic View Finder (EVF), a mirror-less body, a small footprint, interchangeable lenses (any lenses with adapters, including Pentax, Canon, Nikon and more), a 3" 921,600 dots tilting and swiveling LCD Monitor, 12 fps shooting, 1080p movie @ 60P and 24P just like the Pro Film Makers, Object Tracking AF, etc, etc,.

You can read a review here by Luminous Landscape.

Sony makes sensors for other brands of camera makers, Pentax included. I believe that the next DSLR or Mirror-Less camera from Pentax will incorporate this 24MP sensor. I just hope that they make a mirror-less camera with this 24MP sensor and make it compatible with all Pentax DA / DA* lenses. An APS-C mirror-less camera from Pentax would complement the K-5 or any future Pentax DSLR.

The most promising Digital Camera on the horizon for 2012.

EVF and articulated LCD is a perfect combination.

One of the best all around layout and size.

Do you have a Pentax K-5? Are you buying him/her a Pentax K-5 for Christmas? You need this e-book.

2011-12-22T21:44:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Do you own a Pentax K-5, K-r, K-x, K20D, K10D or K100D? Are you buying him/her a Pentax K-5 for Christmas? Then...you need this e-book. It's never too late for this as a Christmas gift as the e-book is electronically downloadable within 15 minutes or less, after purchased.
We also carry e-books for most of Pentax DSLRs.

You can also download a demo to check it out.
We also have e-books for most Pentax Digital SLRs. Link:

Keeper or Dud? Image 25 of 365

2011-12-22T15:29:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Sequoia National Park in California, is it a keeper or a dud?.

Your opinion matters. I cannot judge my own pictures. I like them all equally. I am putting a coffee table book together for my friends and family, with a collection of my best "keepers" out of 365.

Thanks for looking,

Yvon Bourque

The new generation of photographers, iPhone, smart phones and mirror-less cameras.

2011-12-21T19:29:00.000-08:00

Cellular phone, Digital camera and video cam, computer, all in one small package.

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

The new photographers

You would have to live under a rock not to know how far photography has evolved in just the last few decades. It’s pretty much a given, when you talk to someone about photography, that you are talking about digital photography. Chances are that if you are under twenty years old, you never used a film camera in your life. That’s not a bad thing, it’s a good thing.

Technology has evolved so much, that even an iPhone can capture equal or better pictures than most of the currently available digital point-and-shoot cameras. The new iPhone 4S has a Sony 8-Mega Pixel backside-illuminated CMOS sensor and a newly designed f/2.4 lens with an equivalent focal length of 38mm (when compared to a 35mm camera). It can produce good 8” x 10” print and even bigger. However, less and less people care about printed images.

I my SLRs cameras but I guess technology is about to pass me by if I don't do something soon.

The newer generations of photographers don't make prints, they share their images on the Internet and email them to each other. There is nothing wrong with that, it's a young people's world after all, and it has always been that way. Did you know that Flickr has more images posted that were taken by iPhone, than any point-and-shoot or DSLRs. It's just so practical. The iPhone (or other smart phones) are with you all of the time. You can take a still image or a good video, and post that on the Internet in minutes.

Big and heavy DSLR, my favorite type of camera, in Pentax, Nikon and Canon.

The size is obviously an advantage. Speaking of sizes, DSLRs have to be somewhat bulky because of the prism and mirror. Sony has recently announced the NEX-7, a compact digital camera with interchangeable lenses, 24 MP sensor, great Electronic View Finder, tilting LCD screen, and top-notch image quality.

Sony new NEX-7

I love my DSLRs, but soon, I too will probably get a mirror-less camera because it just makes sense and it's so portable. Companies have tried for several years to introduce a good mirror-less camera, but the Sony is the first that makes a lot of sense. It has an APS-C sensor with 24 MP. Now that's the wave of the near future.

I will always keep my DSLRs, as I also kept many of my 35mm SLRs, now gathering dust... but I like to look at them. They will soon have new companions...the DSLRs.

You either go with the flow or you are left behind. The day I stop going with the flow, is the day I will start pushing daisies.

Thanks for reading,

Yvon Bourque

Keeper or dud? Image 24 / 365

2011-12-21T18:07:00.000-08:00

It feels different when a rattle snake is actually staring at you from just a few feet away.

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

I guess this is just another boring image of mine. I still would appreciate your opinion...keeper or dud? I cannot judge my own images. I like them all.

P.S. Here's a comment I received today. Maybe some of you will understand why running a Blogsite, for free, using my own time, is not always rewarding.

*******************************

Martin has left a new comment on your post "Keeper or dud? Image 21 / 365":

What the hell happened to your site? I have followed for years and enjoyed the advice. Contiued to follow you even when I switched from being a Pentax user to Nikon. This reader does not enjoy looking at your photos, good and bad everyday - who cares - I do not. There numerous other sites better suited for those who want to demo their skills and be evaluated by others. Your blog has become boring not informative. I'll keep with you for a few weeks more, then it is decision time.

*******************************

Well Martin, whoever you are, this blog is not solely written for you. I regret that I don't have time to write articles just for you, but there aren't enough hours in a day to do that, and even if there were! I guess it's your big decision time.

If that isn't a demonstration of "Entitlement*", what is?

* entitlement (plural entitlements)

the right to have something
something that one is entitled to (or believes that one is entitled to)
(politics) a legal obligation on a government to make payments to a person, business, or unit of government that meets the criteria set in law, such as the Pell Grant and social security in the US.

Keeper or dud? Image 23 / 365

2011-12-20T22:10:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

At the end of the 365 consecutive image ratings, I am planning to turn the keepers into a book for my friends and family, or anyone that would like a copy for that matter. The book will be made with "Blurb" and available to anyone. It is very difficult to evaluate your own images because you remember the location as you saw it, you remember the smell and hear the sounds, all of which do no help in being unbiased toward the photo.

Keeper or dud? Image 22 / 365

2011-12-19T17:07:00.000-08:00

Keeper or dud? Image 21 / 365

2011-12-18T18:12:00.000-08:00

Keeper or dud? Image 20 / 365

2011-12-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Keeper or dud? Image 20 / 365

Keeper or dud? Image 19 / 365

2011-12-16T16:14:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Keeper or dud? Image 18 / 365

2011-12-15T14:20:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Keeper or dud? image 17 of 365

2011-12-14T22:04:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Keeper or dud? 16 of 365

2011-12-13T21:54:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Keeper or dud? 15/365

2011-12-12T07:11:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Keeper or dud? 14/365

2011-12-11T19:11:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Keeper or dud? 13 / 365

2011-12-10T22:06:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

The iPad 2, increasingly becoming a serious tool for photography - Workflow for iPad 2.

2011-12-10T15:53:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

I purchase my iPad 2 about seven or eight months ago. I bought one with Verizon 3G capabilities. The Verizon 3G is only $20.00 for one Month, no contract required, and you can repeat that indefinitely or just the months you need it. I wanted one specifically because of the Wi-Fi and 3G Verizon network capabilities. I purchased the 32 GB and thought it would be enough but wasn't sure because pictures do take a lot of memory space.

There wasn't all that many outstanding apps for photography then, other than pictures emailing and all sort of fun applications. There wasn't much available to seriously edit photographs. I never thought that the iPad 2 could be good enough for my photographic workflow, photo albums, and other activities tied up to photography.

It's still not fast enough to replace my Asus PC equipped with the i7 processor, 12 GB of RAM, a 23" monitor and software such as Lightroom 3, Photoshop CS5, or a good iMac with Aperture, but it's getting closer.

The game changer with the iPad, in my opinion, is when the operating system was upgraded to the iOS 5 operating system. The biggest bonus that tagged along with the new operating system is the implementation of the iClouds. With iClouds, files, images, emails, etc don't necessarily have to reside on your iPad 2, occupying precious memory space. You can sync your iPad 2, or all other Apple devices, and even a PC with iTunes installed, to the iClouds. Apple gives you 5 GB of space for free on iClouds, but you can purchase more. It's $40.00 for an additional 20 GB or $50.00 for another 50 GB of space, with a renewable fee once a year. That's not bad at all.

Now, the iPad 2 is still useless unless apps are available to import images from your camera, or other computer, or from the Web. For serious editing, you really need to be able to import RAW files as well as JPEG files, from your camera. With RAW files imported to your iPad 2, you could have a first pass at the full image parameters, such as white balance, exposure, major crop,etc. Then a good post processing app could be used to do the final tuning to your converted file (usually JPEG). Finally, you should be able save your final image, send it to a printer, or email it, or post it on a Social Media such as Twitter, Facebook or send the image to a Web Album such as Picasa or Flickr. That's a lot of work for a small device such as the iPad 2, which has a limited amount of memory. I didn't think the iPad 2 could perform these tasks.

Well, I'm here to tell you that it can be done. This makes travelling so much easier. Although Laptop Computers are small enough to carry, they are still cumbersome. The iPad 2 can fit in most camera bags or you can simply hand carry it. In a plane or public transportation, you can use the iPad for other entertaining purposes as well, while going to or from a photo shoot..

Of course you can import images in RAW from a photo album, a file sharing app such as DropBox, or file sharing from iTunes. That's not really what I need. I am assuming that the use of the iPad 2 is for when you are away from your home or base computer, just you, your camera and the iPad 2.

You need a Wi-Fi connection (maybe at the hotel where you are staying at or campground or at many of the coffee shops and restaurants). All McDonalds have free Wi-Fi. If Wi-Fi is not available, the iPad 2 has the capability to log on the internet via a Cell Phone Provider. In my case, I use Verizon 3G and likely will have access to 4G when it becomes available everywhere.. That service is also available with AT&T and soon with Sprint.

So...here's is my iPad 2 workflow:

Apple Camera Connection Kit

Photoraw app

I use Pentax DSLRs but any camera that records RAW and uses SD memory cards will work. PhotoRaw app, available on the Apple App Store, is what I use. Apple has a camera connection kit. It accept a USB connection from a camera or an SD card. (I suggest that you carefully look at your images on the camera screen first and decide which image(s) you want import). The reason for this is that the iPad 2 doesn't have the crunching power to load hundreds of RAW images at one time. In fact, I usually import one image at a time, adjust it to my liking and then save it to the iPad 2 albums as a JPEG for further processing later. Now it's on the iPad or iClouds for access from any of my iClouds' specified devices.

Snapseed app

Once this process is completed, one picture at a time or a bunch of them, I use Snapseed, which has won this year's photography "iPad app of the year", available from Apple App Store. It is from NIK Software and it's absolutely astonishing. It's similar to Photoshop, but it has a different approach to applying filters. They include Auto correct, Selective adjusting,Tune images, Straighten and Rotate, Crop, Details, Black & White, Vintage films, Drama, Grunge, Center focus, Frames and Tilt-Shift.

Once you are done with the post-processing, you can share the image(s) through Email, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter or print them if you have a wireless e-printer. There is a new breed of printers that you Email your image to and it automatically print whatever you email to it.

Try it, you will be surprised.

P.S. I never erase the content of the SD memory cards until I'm home and can import them to my main computer with Adobe Lightroom 3, which is my main catalog.

Other apps I use:

Photo Transfer App, which allows receiving or sending images and video files, wirelessly, to and from your iPad or your computer.

Image metadata viewer, which allows you to see all metadata from any images in your photo library.

SIMPLY HDR

Simply HDR-HD, which simulate HDR photography...not real multi-images HDR, but good enough for some situations.

Pano, which does a decent job using the camera in your iPad or iPhone. It not really good enough for printing, in my opinion, but it's good to capture a total view of a location.

I will write about each app in the coming weeks.

Thank you for reading

Daily: "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.12 / 365

2011-12-09T22:08:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Daily: "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.11 / 365

2011-12-08T16:05:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

* Keeper or dud?

* Worthy of enlargement and framing?

* Could it be incorporated in a future book?

* Could I sell the image to the public?

* Should that particular image be available through a Stock Photography Agency?

* Whatever?

Daily: "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.10 / 365

2011-12-07T23:09:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

* Keeper or dud?
* Worthy of enlargement and framing?
* Could it be incorporated in a future book?
* Could I sell the image to the public?
* Should that particular image be available through a Stock Photography Agency?

* Whatever?

Download the free Manual for the AlettA Stabilizer Generation-II

2011-12-07T19:55:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Download the free Manual for the AlettA Stabilizer Generation-II and see what it's all about. We have only a few dozens Stabilizers left in our inventory that are guaranteed to arrive at your home before Christmas (USA only). Our next shipment will arrive in January. What a great gift for your beloved photographer. Check it out: alettaphoto.com

Daily: "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.9/365

2011-12-06T20:08:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Today we have an image that was post-processed using NIK software "Silver Efex Pro 2". Post-processing is not for everyone as it does alter the image you actually captured in your viewfinder. However, with today's available tools, one could look at pure photography as well as manipulated photography as a form of Art. I personally draw the line when you alter an image by adding additional objects or persons in the photograph. This is especially true if you are shooting an event or practicing photojournalism.

Daily "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.8 of 365

2011-12-05T16:43:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Yesterday, I received several comments about the Sprinklers image of Yesterday. Many wanted to see a landscape image of the sprinklers photo shoot. I decided to display it today.

My daughter's newly published book: The Loki Variation.

2011-12-04T21:46:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

The Loki Variation

My daughter "Sabrina" is very talented when it comes to writing. She writes like I wish I could. She has just published this science fiction on Amazon. I read the book and from the first paragraph to the last paragraph, I was on edge. She did a lot or research before writing the book, and what's scary is that it could actually happen in real life. Take a look at it from the link or by going to Amazon.com and search for "The Loki Variation".

Book Description

Sasha is woken up in the middle of the night by the screams of a little girl she doesn't know, and she never imagined that her next few moves would put her in the middle of trying to survive the end of the world.

Derek's vacation hadn't even started when he found himself fighting for his life against something he had never dreamed could be possible. With his dog, Ripley, he must find a way to make it in an unfamiliar town teeming with unspeakable horrors.

Sanjeev unknowingly helps create the epidemic that threatens to annihilate the population, but his options have run out and he is forced to choose between his humanity or his scientific endeavors.

Strangers meet under apocalyptic circumstances, and have to rely on each other for survival. What begins as an unsteady, uncomfortable partnership to stay alive turns into a make-shift family who will do anything to save each other from the threat of the Loki Variation.

Thankyou for reading,

Yvon Bourque

Daily "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.7 of 365

2011-12-04T19:58:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

What do you think?

Sprinklers

Daily "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.6 of 365

2011-12-03T19:43:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

December 3, 2011

Hi Photographer friends,

Is this a keeper or a dud No.6?

I am continung the one picture a day for the next 365 days. I want to see what I can produce in a one year period. Out of these 365 pictures, how many will be keepers? This is also posted on Twitter, Google + and Facebook. If you'd prefer to view this year long essay through a social Media, let me know. Include your email, and I will send you an invitation. brqyvn@gmail.com

* Keeper or dud?
* Worthy of enlargement and framing?
* Could it be incorporated in a future book?
* Could I sell the image to the public?
* Should that particular image be available through a Stock Photography Agency?
* Other comment:

Comments are not always pleasant, but they let you know what people think.

Daily "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.5 of 365

2011-12-02T20:05:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

December 2, 2011

Hi Photographer friends,

Is this a keeper or a dud No.5?

I am presenting one picture a day for the next 365 days. I want to see what I can produce in a one year period. Out of these 365 pictures, how many will be keepers? This is also posted on Twitter, Google + and Facebook. If you'd prefer to view this year long essay through a social Media, let me know. Include your email, and I will send you an invitation. brqyvn@gmail.com

Keeper or dud?
Worthy of enlargement and framing?
Could it be incorporated in a future book?
Could I sell the image to the public?
Should that particular image be available through a Stock Photography Agency?
Other comment:

Comments are not always pleasant, but they let you know what people think.

Welcome The Holiday Season In A Digital World

2011-12-01T19:47:00.000-08:00

Welcome The Holiday Season In A Digital World

By: Yvon Bourque

The holiday season is here, and it is time to celebrate, time to share, and time to use your digital camera. Holidays bring out the shutterbug in all of us. Children, decorations, foods, and the signs of winter are all wonderful memory makers and keepers.

Don’t wait for the first celebration to pull out your camera. Right now is the time to check that your system is in good working condition. Check batteries and order spares, download existing images from memory cards or buy more, shine lenses and LCD screens with a lens cloth and invest in a case to protect it all. If your camera needs to be replaced, the latest technology is available at some of the lowest prices ever.

Time To Shoot

One of the benefits of the latest digital cameras are advanced features that help users capture images that rival those of the pros. While there are many benefits to hiring professional studios, a do-it-yourself digital endeavor can produce great results. Here are some tips:

The holiday season is a wonderful time to capture childhood. Children move around so take consecutive shots, since most expressions will be more candid on the second take. Try shooting sporadically from unusual angles while they are engaged in a holiday activity. Experiment by kneeling down as if you were a child looking up, and then climb to a higher point-of-view and shoot down. Remember not to shoot directly into their eyes when using a flash to avoid “red eyes” or set your camera on the red eye reduction mode if available.

Invest in a tripod or stabilizer and set your camera’s timer to be sure you show up in some of the holiday images. Just compose your picture in the viewfinder or LCD with a spot held at which you can quickly move into. Start the timer and quickly assume your position in the group. This technique always makes everyone laugh and is a perfect way to freeze your happy holiday moments.

Because light is so tricky inside and out during winters hours, take advantage of in-camera shake reduction technology built into both digital SLR and compact cameras. The shake reduction function allows you to shoot in low light at slower speeds without flash and avoid blur.

Even though it’s chillier outside this time of year, step outside for some of your most stunning holiday images. Nature offers beautiful landscape and snow scenes. The “golden hours” of low winter light in the early morning and late afternoon hours can help cast a bronze glow on your images.

Move close to all your holiday subjects. A common mistake in photography is the tendency to want to include everything and everyone in one picture. The results are often tiny little people lost in the overall picture or a mediocre image with too many details to appreciate. Get close to your subject. When you think you are close enough, take the picture and then take another one even closer. Holiday memories are everywhere, and not just on faces. Zoom in to capture a snow-capped pine cone, a delectable dessert, or beautiful ornament hanging from a tree.

Even if the weather is frightful or the tropical beach getaway is delightful, shoot to your heart’s content with one of the new weather-resistant compacts and digital SLRs available in the market. PENTAX offers the weather-resistant bodies and lenses in its K series digital SLR line as well as compact cameras. E-Books are available for most Pentax DSLRs.

If you have made the leap from a compact to a digital SLR and you use an external flash with bounce capabilities, point the flash at an angle toward the ceiling. It will bounce off the ceiling and produce a softer light. Better yet, most DSLRs are capable of shooting at high ISO with excellent results, using only ambient lighting.

Experiment with action shots with your DSLR camera using a tripod and slow the shutter speed down. Check the results on your monitor and keep trying until your shots are sharp except for a slight blur of the moving subjects to create a feeling of movements. The slower shutter speed also works without the tripod. If children are running around (which they usually do) handhold your DSLR and follow your subject on a horizontal plane. Take the picture as the subject passes in front of the camera, while following the movement. This is a technique called panning. Your subject should be in focus, while the arms and legs are blurred, and the background laterally smeared, giving a sense of action.

Don’t shy away from night photography. Colorful holiday lights on homes, trees and in parades are perfect subjects if you set the camera on a tripod and set the timer or a remote shutter release for longer exposures without flash. Another beautiful effect is the cross-like reflection of each light you can obtain from various filters, or just try using a piece of window screen placed directly in front of the lens for similar results.

Know which digital SLR lens is best for each setting. Standard lenses offer angle of view nearly equivalent to that of the human eye for general photography. Wide angle lenses are great for group shots around a holiday table, landscapes, or whenever more surrounding subject information is desired in the shot. Macro lenses are for close-ups of small subjects such as flowers, greenery, jewelry, and ornaments. Zooms offer a range of focal lengths in one lens for close-ups of action and wildlife from a distance and allow photographers to change composition while staying in the same place. Telephoto lenses are for high-magnification in order to get close to the action including wildlife, portrait and sports. The photographer moves or changes focal length in order to change composition.

Time to Share

In addition to print and online cards, consider creating CDs or DVDs of images you’ve captured throughout the year. Most computers and some cameras include software to help you. You can even set the slide show to music with MP3 music files and add movies you’ve captured with the movie mode on your camera. Your local photo retailer has more details.

One of the hottest gifts over the past year is the digital frame. If you’re giving one this season be sure it is pre-loaded with images and ready to play right out of the box. Displaying digital frames and playing CDs during parties and celebrations is a festive idea to bring everyone closer.

Join an online photo sharing site and share your images with friends and family all around the world. Just like your photo dealer, many sites offer printing services as well holiday gifts such as t-shirts, coffee mugs, calendars and more, adorned with your favorite pictures.

If you are one of the millions of scrap bookers who create memory books to give as gifts, check out some of the latest digital camera technology that features in-camera photo frames, icons, and other features to embellish your images.

Will this be the year you join millions of others in the blogosphere? January is a perfect month to initiate a blog filled with images so you can look back twelve months from now at the year 2011.

In today’s digital photography world, the equipment, processing, and techniques that were once reserved for professionals are available to everyone. Your local camera dealer and the Internet are valuable resources to learn more and shop for your photography system. Enjoy and happy holidays!

Yvon Bourque is a freelance author and photographer. He and his wife, Anne, live near the Mojave Desert in California. His blog, http://pentaxdslrs.blogspot.com is a popular rendezvous for photo enthusiasts all over the world.

Daily "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.4

2011-12-01T19:22:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Is this a keeper or a dud No.4?

I am presenting one picture a day for the next 365 days. I want to see what I can produce in a one year period. Out of these 365 pictures, how many will be keepers? This is also posted on Twitter, Google + and Facebook. If you'd prefer to view this year long essay through a social Media, let me know. Include your email, and I will send you an invitation. brqyvn@gmail.com

Keeper or dud?
Worthy of enlargement and framing?
Could it be incorporated in a future book?
Could I sell the image to the public?
Should that particular image be available through a Stock Photography Agency?
Other comment:

Comments are not always pleasant, but they let you know what people think.

Is this a keeper or a dud No.3?

2011-11-30T20:01:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Is this a keeper or a dud No.3?

I am presenting one picture a day for the next 365 days. I want to see what I can produce in a one year period. Out of these 365 pictures, how many will be keepers? This is also posted on Twitter, Google + and Facebook. If you'd prefer to view this essay on a social Media, let me know, include your email, and I will send you an invitation.

Keeper or dud?

Worthy of enlargement and framing?
Could it be incorporated in a future book?
Could I sell the image to the public?
Should that particular image be available through a Stock Photography Agency?

Other comment:

Comments are not always pleasant, but they let you know what people think.

Keepers or duds? No. 2

2011-11-29T22:05:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Keeper or dud?
Worthy of enlargement and framing?
Could it be incorporated in a future book?
Could I sell the image to the public?
Should that particular image be available through a Stock Photography Agency?
Comments are not always pleasant, but they let you know what people think.

Keepers or duds?

2011-11-28T21:45:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

I’ve been shooting for more years than I care to admit. Let me just say that my first good camera was a Pentax Spotmatic, when they could still be purchased new. That said, my shoe boxes full of memories are in a closet and will likely only be revisited by my children when I’m pushing daisies.

I embraced digital photography from the day Digital cameras were available. Yep! I started with a Sony Mavica, then several Nikon Coolpix cameras and finally went back to my preferred brand, Pentax. Pentax has always built excellent cameras and they have been at the leading edge of technology for more than fifty years. No…they’re not the top seller, but they are the best bang for the buck.

My first Pentax DSLR was the *ist-D, then the K100D, and the K10D, the K20D, the K-x, the K-7, the K-r and currently the K-5. I acquired a lot of images with my digital cameras and have thousands of saved image files on my hard drives.

I have written several books on photography, all from the point-of-view of using Pentax equipment. I’ve given myself a new project; I am going to retrieve what I consider my best shots, tweak them with today’s more advanced Photoshop, and present one image a day. The subjects are going to be all over the map. What I’m looking for is comments about these images.

Keeper or dud?

Worthy of enlargement and framing?

Could it be incorporated in a future book?

Could I sell that image to the public?

Should that particular image be available through a Stock Photography Agency, and so on?

Comments are not always pleasant, but they let you know what other people think.

Take one fully developed image, add a layer of blur, a pinch of contrast, a teaspoon of brightness, and see what you get!

2011-11-26T21:49:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Sometimes, it's just plain fun to experiment with old images, sort of giving them a new life. Here, I took six images at random in my collection and played with them. First, I duplicated the image. Then I used the vertical or radial blur to the point I couldn't recognise the image. I added that image as a second layer to the first image. Using the eraser with 90% transparency I erased the top layer portion that was shadowing the main subject(s). I added contrast and brightness and saved the results.

I'm not going to win any award with the resulting images, but it's a bit out of your ordinary, run-of-the-mill images. It made my Saturday night blues go away.

Thank you for stopping by,

Yvon Bourque

Our first outing with my new Travel Trailer / Photo Studio

2011-11-25T18:35:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

A few weekends ago, we took my Travel Trailer for our first outing. I purchased this Trailer several months ago and wanted to rebuild it to it's original condition...and then some. I'm almost completed. I converted the inside so that it could also serve as a field photographic studio. I have the same computer equipment and printing capabilities in it as I have at home. We have Internet by using the Verizon cellular service. WE have our own electricity when we need it via a Honda quiet generator and also a 1200 watts inverter hooked up to the Chevy Silverado.

We chose a very desolated place for our first trip. It's called Mojave River Fork campground. It's part of the Mojave High Desert, and if one needs some quiet time, that's the place. All we could hear was the wind and the birds.

I worked on testing my new AlettA Stabilizers Generation II and had fun doing it. There weren't anybody around. My spouse was a little reluctant to join me at first, but she ended up coming, and she enjoyed the quietness a lot.

Unlike a regular trek, I was able to bring all of my photographic equipment. That is all of my Pentax lenses and four cameras, The K-r, the K-7, the K-5 and the new Pentax Q. Here, in Southern California, we can camp all year round. It gets a little cold at night but the trailer has a good heater. It's really a home away from home. The best part, is that I purchased it for about the same price as a Pentax K-5 with a good lens attached. I added lot's of work and about $1,000 in repairs and upgrades.

We had the choice of space as we were alone.

It was a beautiful day, with a moderate temperature of about 70 degrees F.

It took all but five minutes for Anne to get a long chair and soak up the sun.

I'm not a birder, but they were all around and unafraid.

A lone tree, among the rocks and tumble weed.

Our tax dollar at work...a fire hydrant in the middle of nowhere.

This is a close up of a dead tree trunk. I liked the pattern.

Testing the K-r with the DA* 300 mm set on the Stabilizer G-II, QR system and L-bracket.

Here, we have the K-5 with the DA*300 mm on the G-II. Perfect horizon on not so perfect surface.

Testing the K-r with the DA 18-55 mm set vertically on the Stabilizer G-II, QR system and L-bracket.

Thank you for stopping by,

Yvon Bourque

alettaphoto.com

The AlettA Stabilizer Generation-II, for Pentax, Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Olympus is now shipping. Starting at $79.95. Get yours today.

2011-11-19T20:23:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

I've been involved with photography for decades. It's my passion and I know it's yours too.

Are you using a Pentax, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, or Sony DSLR?
Cameras have come a long way and today's Digital Cameras are producing image quality beyond what we ever thought possible. However, one thing that hasn't changed for ages is how, we as photographers, compose our images. The composition rules of the last Century still apply today. One of these rules suggests that you use a tripod to keep your camera from shaking.

Think about it! Any photographer will tell you that using a tripod is still the best best way to produce sharp images. That is especially true with telephoto lenses. Even with an "in-camera" Shake Reduction System, it is always better to use a tripod. Unlike cameras, tripods haven't changed all that much. They are still composed of three extensible legs and a camera mount. They are still a "pain-in-the-neck" to carry around. You often don't have one with you when you need one, and when you bring one with you, you often can't use it for one reason or another. I own several tripods and I have used them for years, but It's almost 2012 and it's time to bring the tripod stabilization to a new level.

The DSLR/G-II StabilizerI up side down

to show how it fits in your camera bag,

while still attached.

The common tripod has finally evolved. We have designed a device that stabilizes your camera wherever and whenever you shoot. It can stay attached to your camera at all times and still fit in your camera bag. When your camera is attached to a tripod, the distance between the camera and the points of contact can be as much as five feet. It's no wonder that tripods are not always stable in windy situations. Our device points of contact are not even two inches away. With our accessories, you can go from portrait (vertical) picture taking to landscape (horizontal) picture taking, in a flash. Arca-Swiss and other Quick Release (QR) systems are supported.

Our device, the "AlettA Stabilizer Generation II" is what you need.

You're wondering about Generation I, aren't you? Well...we sold a multitude of Generation I Stabilizers and asked our clients for feedback and suggestions. We got some good feedback and we have incorporated many of the suggestions. We think our Stabilizers are what you need. Simplicity and functionality is what we were aiming for and we believe we've succeeded. All the improvements are compatible with Generation I and current owners of our Generation I Stabilizers can purchase the upgrades at a discount.

A basic tripod costs around $150.00. A good tripod system will cost on the upper side of $400.00 and more. We wanted to produce an expandable system, using the highest quality materials, while keeping a low retail price. We use aircraft grade aluminum and our parts are machined on CNC equipment, and powder coated for durability. Our prices are more than competitive... We really believe this is the best investment for your hard-earned money.

Here's why our Stabilizers will improve your photography and why you need one.

We are photographers and we know that a picture is worth a thousand words. Here's more pictures and fewer words...the language we all know. So,

This is the top view of the Basic Stabilizer G-II. Note the three slots, they allow mounting of any Digital cameras, from Pentax, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony and others. The green material is called "egrips" and it keeps the camera from sliding out of position. The bubble level helps in leveling the camera.

This is the bottom view of the Basic Stabilizer G-II. A stainless steel mounting screw with a D-ring is included to minimize efforts in tightening the camera to the Stabilizer. Note the rubber leveling leg extremities? They keep the camera from slipping.

Three sets of legs are supplied with the Basic Stabilizer G-II; 1/2" long, 1" long and 1 1/2" long.

This is the Real World use of the Basic Stabilizer G-II. Notice how the camera can be set on irregular surfaces.

This is the Stabilizer G-II with the Extended legs assemblies. It gives an even bigger footprint and the legs are adjustable in all three axis. The center of gravity can be adjusted for the lens being used or the surface on which the system is set up.

This is the underside of the Stabilizer G-II with the extended legs assemblies. The assemblies are mounted underneath the G-II and can swivel about 200 degrees horizontally.

The G-II Stabilizer front view, equipped with 2 1/2" long legs in the back and 2" long legs in the front. (Standard supply). The legs' height can be adjusted from the top side of the G-II, making it even simpler than the previous Generation. Longer legs, including the rubberized ends, can be purchased separately. We can make them as long as you want.

Another Real Life example of using the G-II with a DSLR, including the battery grip, and a 300 mm lens on an uneven surface...stable as a rock.

We also have an L-bracket for when you want to take vertical (Portrait mode) pictures as well.

Along with the Basic Stabilizer G-II, this is an economic way to stabilize your camera in Portrait (Vertical) or Landscape (Horizontal) mode.

Shown here with a medium size DSLR. The only hassle with this arrangement is that it takes some time to go from Portrait to Landscape.

This is the same L-Bracket outfitted with an Arca-Swiss compatible Base Plate and two Quick Release (QR) plates. This makes changing from Portrait to Landscape straightforward and quick. You can use your own Base Plate and QRs , and not necessarily Arca-Swiss compatible.

The Arca-Swiss compatible is consist of of one base plate, two QR plates + attachment screws, and one 3/8" to 1/4" adapter bushing.

Shown here is the complete system. It includes the Stabilizer G-II with the Extended legs assemblies, the L-Bracket and the Arca-Swiss compatible Base Plate and QRs.

One minute, you are in Landscape mode...

and the next minute you are in Portrait mode.

Real World use of a complete system.

When I first started designing the Stabilizer, my goal was to keep my camera from tipping over when a telephoto was attached. Once I got started, I realized that I could do a lot more with such system.

Other than standing on water, The G-II system can be used on essentially all hard surfaces. It won't replace a tripod for studio work, but because it's lighter and stays attached to your camera, you can use the G-II in 95% of the situations when stabilization is needed.

It's great for trekking. It only adds about 12 ounces to your camera and it takes no time to set-up. There are always some surfaces that can be used for stability, a rock, a tree trunk, a fence, or even the ground. Once you use a Stabilizer G-II, you will realize how practical it is. Simplicity and functionality is what we were aiming for and we've achieved it.

It really doesn't come easier than that.

The Extended legs assemblies, a set of four, are available separately so you can start with the Basic Stabilizer G-II and grow to a full system. Who knows what we will come up with for additional accessories!

PRICES:

AlettA - G-II Basic Stabilizer: $79.95
AlettA- G-II Stabilizer with extended legs assemblies: $129.95
AlettA - L-Bracket: $39.95
AlettA - Arca-Swiss compatible Base plate and QR plates: $99.95
AlettA - Set of four extended legs assemblies: $49.95
AlettA - G-II Basic and L-Bracket: $109.95 (You save $10.00 from purchasing separately)
AlettA - G-II with extended legs, and the L-Bracket: $149.95 (You save $20.00 from purchasing separately)
AlettA - G-II with extended legs, and the L-Bracket,and the Arca-Swiss compatible setup: $229.95 (You save $40.00 from purchasing separately) * Best deal.

To make a purchase, log on to our e-commerce store:

alettaphoto.com

or email us at brqyvn@gmail.com Subject:Stabilizers

The AlettA Stabilizers fit Nikon, Pentax, Canon, Olympus, Sony and all other makes.

The AlettA Stabilizer G-II is 5-1/2" wide (side to side) x 5" deep (back to front) x 1/2" thick. The extended legs add another 1" each in the horizontal plane and the maximum elevation change is about 2" front to back and side to side.

A word about the differences between the Pentax K-x and the newer K-r. The K-x e-book is also the e-book for the K-r.

2011-11-15T12:48:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Pentaxian friends.

Here is a quick differences between the K-x and K-r:

The visual differences between the K-r and K-x are limited to the AF-assist light (underneath the mode dial), a boxier prism and more angular top plate, accompanied by a larger, higher resolution screen on the K-r. All other elements of the body design including the external buttons and dials are identical to the K-x. The new prism means the K-r is about 3/16" taller than the K-x, but aside from that they're essentially the same size.

The functionality differences are minor and I didn’t write a new e-book for the K-r. The K-x e-book explains how to use the camera adequately since the two cameras are essentially the same.

The K-r has a bigger LCD screen, 921,000 dots resolution and a 3” size. The K-r uses a rechargeable battery and can also use AA batteries with an optional holder. The K-r offers visual confirmation of the AF point. The K-r can shoot at 6 fps compared to 4.7 fps for the K-x. The K-r has an AF assist light.

The sensor is the same on both cameras and the IQ is the same.

The Pentax K-r

The Pentax K-x

As you can see, the operability remains the same as the K-x and that's why I found that writing a new e-book just for the K-r would be abusing my customers. The newer e-books now sell for $14.99 but the K-x e-book is still only $10.95.

Yvon Bourque

This weekend is my maiden trip with my renovated travel trailer. Going with all my Pentax cameras.

2011-11-11T12:36:00.000-08:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends.

This weekend is my maiden trip with my renovated travel trailer. I will be going to Mojave River Forks campsite, here in California. This is a highly secluded site and the perfect place to try it out. I'm equipped with everything I could need, including a small generator, solar power, computers, food, water, etc. I am self-sustained. I transformed this Travel Trailer to a home away from home and it has all of the computing accessories for me to write on this blog and has access to the Internet no matter where.

I also have my 12 gauge shotgun in case someone decides to invade my privacy, inside the trailer. You never know who you will meet in the backwoods or in the middle of nowhere. I used to do the same when I was tent camping with my old Jeep.

This weekend will be the perfect time for me to try and complete my new e-book for the Pentax Q and the operating manual for the new AlettA Stabilizer Generation II. I will upgrade my e-commerce store site so that photographers can purchase the newer Stabilizers. I've listened to all comments and suggestions from the photographers that purchased the Stabilizers Generation I and I have incorporated as much as I possibly could in this new Generation II. Most of the upgrades will work with the Generation I and current owners will be able to purchase the upgrades at a discounted price. I will publish all the details next week. I am very excited about this new Generation II and my beta users all had positive comments and reviews.

The best upgrade to the Stabilizers is that they are now Universal and that any and all DSLR cameras will fit on it. An available attachment allows Portrait or Landscape photography, and is compatible with Arca-Swiss Quick Releases and other brands..

I will officially launch the new AlettA Stabilizer Generation II and accessories early next week. Come check us out.

Thank you,

Yvon Bourque

AlettA Stabilizers Generation II coming this week. Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony, and all other brands...We got you stabilized.

2011-11-07T22:32:00.000-08:00

Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony, and all other brands...We got you stabilized. Works with all cameras, allows Portrait and Landscape photography, Compatible with Arca-Swiss and other QR systems, Allows stabilization on any hard surfaces regardless of shape, Smaller and lighter than tripods, Fits in your camera bag, etc. There's nothing like it anywhere. Check us out this week as we go through all of what this Stabilizer can do for you. It's a complete system that you can grow into, one option at a time, if you prefer

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

It's easier than ever to read your favorite photography magazines with the iPad 2, iPhone and other smart phones and tablets. It's cheaper too.

2011-11-05T14:32:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

With tablets and smart phones taking a bigger share of what people are using to surf the internet, it stands for reason that more site would cater to these devices. The world of applications (Apps) for Apple and Android are covering just about anything one would like to do on the internet, and that from your portable device. I happen to use an iPhone 4 and an iPad 2, but is works pretty much the same way with all portable devices.

Looking back just one year ago, I used to visit the local Barnes and Nobles store weekly to see what new photography magazines had come in. I don't like to subscribe to magazines as every time I did, we would move away and the interruption of home delivery of my magazines would be disrupted for months.

Now, that's all changing rapidly. Most magazines are available on-line. Prices per issue or one-year subscription are reasonable, and certainly cheaper than single printed copies at the magazine stands. You don't have to drive anywhere to get them, you can get them as soon as published, and it doesn't matter if you are in California or London, you get your magazine. It seems that the most popular site is called "Zinio"

Another clear advantage of getting your magazines on-line, is that the magazines, being digital, are also interactive. You can log on to links within the magazine and come back to the same page you left. Some magazines include videos that you can just click from within the pages. It's a whole new experience. You get text, pictures, and sometimes, videos and sounds.

Reading a magazine in bed is probably what many people like do. With a printed magazine, you have to leave some lights on, which doesn't always works well if you have a spouse or partner. Reading a portable device in bed is not as disturbing to others, and you can even dim the screen brightness.

So like it or not, I can already see that what has been predicted for years, is happening. Book stores will pretty much go away and eventually very few reading material will be printed. A few generations will argue that printed books are better, but when today's children reach maturity, it will be mostly digital in some form or another. Science Fiction of yesteryear is today's reality. Who knows what it will be like in fifty years from now... holograms?

Thank you for reading,

Yvon Bourque

I use Zinio.

Most Photography magazines are publishing on-line.

These are some of the magazines I subscribed to.

The image herein is not representative of how clear it is on the iPad. I took the pictures during the day with my iPhone.

You can view one page at a time (portrait) or two pages at a time (landscape).

Firmware upgrade for the Pentax Q now available.

2011-11-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Pentaxian friends.

Firmware upgrade for the Pentax Q now available.

http://pentaximaging.com/support/download-details/446

Highlights of our trip to Maryland, visiting my new grandson, my daughter and my son-in-law.

2011-10-31T22:38:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Last week, my wife and I visited Maryland. The main purpose of our trip was to meet my new grandson "Henry Scott". We spent five full days with my daughter, my son-in-law and my new grandson "Henry Scott". He's another miracle. Each time we have a new grandchild, we realize how lucky we are to have a growing family and to live in a continent as free as ours. Henry Scott is beautiful. Of course all my grandkids are beautiful, but he's the newest one. There is another one on the way and April 2012 will be delivering, yet, another grandchild.

This was our first trip to Maryland and we were pleasantly surprised at how beautiful of a state it is. We drove to the country side one day and were astonished of how green it was. We walked, in a state park, to a secluded waterfall. It was just beautiful.

While there, my wife and I decided to drive to Philadelphia, to see some historic sites. WOW! We could have spent several days there. There are so many historic events that took place there, but we only had time to visit the Independence Hall, yes...where the declaration of independence was signed. We took the guided tour and our guide was fantastic. I've learned more about the independence of the United States in one hour than I did in all of my school years. Of course I'm Canadian eh! and we didn't learned much about the other countries, still eh!

While in Philadelphia, we had to have a Philly cheese steak sandwich. Yum...good for the taste buds, but not so good for one's health.

This was a wonderful trip and I just wish that we could all live closer to each other, but as it is now, we have children in all corners of the United States. Thanks for the internet, Facebook and Skype.

Thank you for stopping by,

Yvon Bourque

P.S. This week, I will introduce my new line of Stabilizers. I listened to you and I have incorporated your suggestions. The Stabilizers Generation II are easier to adjust, fit on any camera, allow Portrait as well as Landscape photography and is compatible with Arca-Swiss Quick Release system, and other systems as well. It's all the stabilization you need, without carrying a heavy tripod.

Mom and Henry Scott.

It's a big job, taking care of a newborn. Gotta sleep sometimes.

A new soup or stew recipe...Henry Scott flavored.

A picture of us, using the AlettA Stabilizer, and the self-timer on the Pentax K-5.

Beautiful water falls...taken with the Pentax K-5, mounted on the AlettA Stabilizer Generation II and set-up on the side of the rocks.

The Maryland country side is beautiful.

I made a friend, but he went away when my grass wasn't any better than his.

A beautiful Old Church, like there are many in Maryland.

This is the Independende Hall, the original one, but of course restored some.

A painting of the writing and discussions that led to the declaration of independence.

That's the same room depicted in the painting above, but it's the real thing.

Last day for 25% discount on all e-books purchased before midnight October 31,

2011-10-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com
Join us on Google +
Join us on Twitter

Hi Pentaxian friends.

The 25% discount on all e-books purchased before October 31st is almost over.. All you have to do is to enter the coupon code below at purchase time.

IKT0A0H058HD

You can actually cut and paste the code to your order.

You can order the e-books here:

http://www.alettaphoto.com/categories/e%252dbooks/

Spending quality time with my grandson, Matthew and Marisa and my wife Anne, in Maryland

2011-10-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi friends.

I just wanted to post a few pictures of our time in Maryland this week. We are enjoying our grandson, my daughter Marisa and our son-in-law, Matthew.

About three years ago, my daughter sent me information about an 86 years old pentaxian she had met while trekking near water falls in Maryland.

http://pentaxdslrs.blogspot.com/2008/11/eighty-six-years-old-pentaxians-hiking.html

Today, I visited the same place with my daughter, and took pictures of the same waterfalls.

This may be a good year for Pentax. Stranger things have happened before. Read the facts.

2011-10-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Pentaxian friends.

This may be a good year for Pentax. All over the internet, there are talks about the production problems of the major camera players. With the flood in Thailand, Canon, Nikon and Sony have been forced to cease operations and a good majotity of their cameras are not currently being manufactured. It is unfortunate, but buyers may have to pospone their purchases or look for another brand, while this shortage continues.

FACTS:
Nikon cameras affected are: D3100, D5100, D7000, and D300s. Apparently 90% of Nikon's DSLR production is from Thailand.

Sony says it is postponing production of its new A77, A65, and NEX-7 cameras due to supply and production interruptions in Thailand, a result of the extensive flooding there.

Canon makes printers in Thailand and some of their DSLRs, although I'm not certain which they are.

Western Digital Hard Drive production facility was badly damaged and there are talks that Hard Drive prices and availability worldwide will be greatly affected.

Olympus also has some problems. The ousted CEO of Olympus says he was fired for raising questions about more than 675 million in alleged improper payments made during acquisitions by the company between 2006 and 2008. Olympus shares plunged by one-quarter on Monday following an 18 percent fall. I'm not sure what impact this will have on camera production, but it will one way or the other.

Pentax, on the other hand, has no factory affecting production of it's DSLRs and lenses. They are lucky. With the acquisition by Ricoh, and the unavailability of some of the major cameras and lenses at this time, Pentax may inherit some sales by default. Stranger things have happened before.

Ricoh's goal:

The goal of the Acquisition is to establish a firmer presence in the consumer business, which has been a considerable challenge for Ricoh.

Ricoh believes that the borderline between office and home will fade and this will be reflected in a major change in products and services. Ricoh aims to provide more consumer–oriented offerings not only in the field of digital cameras but also video conferencing systems, network appliances, and others, to their customers around the world. The Acquisition is the first step in this direction.

Ricoh intends to maximize the synergy from the merger between Ricoh’s digital camera business and PENTAX Imaging System Business in various ways.

1) Strengthening the digital camera business

Enhanced interchangeable-lens cameras to meet expected future growth

Expansion of product lineup and interchangeable lens portfolio

2) Creation of new business delivering added value to consumers

Creation and development of value-added businesses such as making it easy to view, save and retouch photos.

3) Other benefits

Possible entry into the image archiving business using medium format digital cameras Expansion of security related products .

*************************************************************************

As a precursor to my upcoming e-book for the Pentax Q system, and in appreciation of your encouragement, I am giving a 25% discount on all e-books purchased between now and October 31, 2011. All you have to do is to enter this coupon code at purchase time.

IKT0A0H058HD
You can actually cut and paste the code to your order.

You can order the e-books here:
http://www.alettaphoto.com/categories/e%252dbooks/

Biggest improvement to the AlettA Stabilizer Generation II, available for all DSLRs from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olympus, Leica, and others. Pentax e-books 25% off through October 31st.

2011-10-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends.

The number one suggestion I received from users of the AlettA Stabilizers Generation I, is the need for longer and easier to access extension legs. With the goal of upgrading Stabilizers Generation I as well, I designed additional extension legs mounted on "outriggers". They are sturdier and longer. Instead of adjusting the legs from the undeside, you can adjust the legs' height from the top. In addition, the legs are bigger, (1/4" diameter), and there are no limits to the length you can use, within reason.

The outriggers"can be mounted under the Stabilizer, with the supplied hardware or with the smaller legs supplied with the Generation I Stabilizers. The extension legs also permits the mounting of even bigger lenses.

The AlettA Stabilizer Geeneration II does the following:
(New or upgrades from Generation I.)
It protects your camera from scratches.

It works with any DSLRs or any type of cameras. Three new 1/4" wide by 3" long slots, stratigically spaced, allows for the mounting of any camera with a standard 1/4" ripod mount. It will work with your current camera and your future camera purchases.

It protects the attached lens or lens' hood from damages when resting on a table or other surface.

It incorporates a spirit bubble level, slightly offset for better reading, assuring horizontal level.

It includes a 1/4" threaded hole to install the whole camera system on a tripod for studio work.

It allows the use of Arca-Swiss or other brand of Quick Release.
It uses a genuine non-slip "egrips" on the top surface to prevent camera shifting.

It is made with aircraft aluminum, CNC machined for durability and quality.

It is powder coated with a durable black semi-gloss finish, matching the look and durability of your camera finish.

It has (3) sets of interchangeable and adjustable legs, allowing up to nearly 1-1/2" elevation differences.

It offers optional sturdier and longer extension legs, offering even more stability and flexibility.
It allows you to take pictures at very slow shutter speeds.

It makes telephoto handheld picture taking sturdier by providing a support point for the left hand

It allows low-to-the-ground picture taking.

With Generation II, the weight of the AlettA Stabilizer has been reduced from 12 ounces down to 9 ounces.
It conforms to almost any surface, levels up to perfect horizontal position, and permits shake-free and blur free images.

Additional uses reported by users:

"I was at a restaurant and my camera was on the table with the stabilizer. My wife spilled her drink. It got everybody wet, except for the camera. The Tequila flowed under the camera." The Tequila flood was avoided with the Stabilizer island.

"Taking street photography, the camera can we held up against a wall for low light photography. I also set the camera on a table at an outside Coffee shop and took several candid shots of people walking by. I got some great shots."

I took pictures of flowers and wanted an ultra-low perspective. By setting the camera on the ground with the stabilizer my image came out perfectly, as I imagined...but without having to put my face in the dirt.

Downside:

Be prepared to answer questions from other photographers everywhere you go. They are intrigued by the Stabilizer.

*********************************************************************************
As a precursor to my upcoming e-book for the Pentax Q system, and in appreciation of your encouragement, I am giving a 25% discount on all e-books purchased between now and October 31, 2011. All you have to do is to enter this coupon code at purchase time.

IKT0A0H058HD
You can actually cut and paste the code to your order.

You can order the e-books here:
http://www.alettaphoto.com/categories/e%252dbooks/

We are in Maryland for the next seven days.

2011-10-21T06:27:00.001-07:00

We are on the East coast for about a week. I'm here to meet my mew grandson "Henry Scott".I'm sure I will get some good pictures of him and the area. Fall colors are all over. I will still post about the AlettA Stabilizers Generation II.

Here's my grandson. If that is not the meaning of life, what is?

Adapter for Portrait Photography... AlettA Stabilizers Generation II, available for all DSLRs from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olynpus, Leica, and others. Pentax e-books 25% off through October 31st.

2011-10-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends.

New with the AlettA Stabilizer Generation II , the portrait photography adapter can make a difference in your composition.

The L bracket is attached to the Stabilizer via the D-screw, same D-screw used whenyour DSLR is mounted in Landscape mode.

Note that for stability, The L-bracket is secured with the D-screw(left) and a set screw (right). E-grip non-slip material is glued to the vertical portion of the L-bracket so the DSLR stay in position when attached. Arca-Swiss compatible and other quick release systems can be used with the AlettA Stabilizers.

Here is a view with a large DSLR attached, including the battery grip.

Another angle. DSLRs with large telephoto lenses can also be stabilized. this way.

It works with all DSLRs.

As a precursor to my upcoming e-book for the Pentax Q system, and in appreciation of your encouragement, I am giving a 25% discount on all e-books purchased between now and October 31, 2011. All you have to do is to enter this coupon code at purchase time.

IKT0A0H058HD

You can actually cut and paste the code to your order.

You can order the e-books here:
http://www.alettaphoto.com/categories/e%252dbooks/

More on AlettA Stabilizers Generation II, available for all DSLRs from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olynpus, Leica, and others. Pentax e-books 25% off through October 31st.

2011-10-19T19:46:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Pentaxian friends.

Here's more pictures of the upcoming AlettA Stabilizer Generation II:

Shown abovw are three typical setups for the new AlettA Stabilizers Generation II. Light Duty with DSLR in Landscape mode, Ligh Duty with DSLR in Portrait mode, and Heavy Duty with extended legs. I will cover each application in the next few days, and show how versatile the Stabilizers are.

The new AlettA Stabilizer Generation II has three slots for mounting any DSLR. Note that the deburring around the slots took more than three ounces off the total weight...from 12 ounces down to 9 ounces. Note the 1/4" female threaded hole in the center, allowing the stabilizer to be mounted on a tripod when necessary, all without removing it from your camera.

This is a view of the DSLR mounted on the light duty Stabilizer Generation II. The legs are interchangeable and permits up to 1 1/2" elevation changes front to back and side to side.

View of a DSLR mounted on the stabilizer Generation II. Note the difference in legs extension. The Stabilizer is small, portable, and can stay attached to the bottom of your camera, even when stored inside your camera bag. It sure beats hauling a tripod everywhere you go.

Check here tomorrow for more.

First look at the Aletta Stabilizer Generation II. More will be revealed every day. All my Pentax e-books are 25% off through October 31, 2011.

2011-10-18T22:26:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

As a precursor to my upcoming e-book for the Pentax Q system, and in appreciation of your encouragement, I am giving a 25% discount on all e-books purchased between now and October 31, 2011. All you have to do is to enter this coupon code at purchase time.

IKT0A0H058HD

You can actually cut and paste the code to your order.

You can order the e-books here:
http://www.alettaphoto.com/categories/e%252dbooks/

Yvon Bourque

Watch this site in the coming days, I will be introducing the next generation of Stabilizers, available for all brand of DSLRs, including Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olympus, Leica and essentially all brands of cameras. I listened to all my customers of the first generation of Stabilizers, and incorporated the features most requested. This will include a universal mount, the ability to stabilize in Portrait or landscape, Additional mounting legs design, and more.

The original "Stabilizer". This particular Stabilizer was designed specifically for the Canon EOS 5D Mk II. The Stabilizers were only available for some of the most popular DSLRs only. (Canon 5D and D700, Nikon D700, D7000 and D300S, Pentax K-7 and K-5)

What's new with the AlettA Stabilizer Generation II? Tonight, let's look at the top view.

This is the "Stabilizer" Generation II. It is a universal fit and any DSLR will fit on this Stabilizer. Note the three slots, separated by 1/4" and 3" wide. This allows the mounting of any camera, while keeping the camera centered on the Stabilizer. The square opening, that was used to attach a handgrip is discontinued and has been replaced by a new attachment method, that permits the quick removal/installation of a handgrip. With this new design, more metal was removed underneath the Stabilizer, bringing the weight down from 12 ounces to 9 ounces.

Tomorrow, I will show the new attachment for taking Portrait photographs, while still stabilizing your camera. Please come back.

Check videos of the Stabilizer Generation I.
http://alettaphoto.blogspot.com/2011/06/aletta-photographic-stabilizer.html

Thank you for reading,

Yvon Bourque

Testing iPhone

2011-10-16T17:32:00.001-07:00

Testing blogging from my Iphone and iPad 2.

2011-10-15T15:06:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Pentaxian friends.

This is a short video depicting the new Pentax Q capabilities. It's in German, but the images speaks for themselves. The music is also great.

I got my Pentax Q two weeks ago and I love it. It's turning out that I'm using it more often than my K-5.

Yvon Bourque

Are DSLRs (Digital single lens reflex) giving way to smaller non-reflex cameras?

2011-10-11T17:22:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends.

Are Digital single lens reflex cameras giving way to the smaller non-reflex cameras.

(A single-lens reflex (SLR) camera is a camera that typically uses a semi-automatic moving mirror system (hence the name "reflex", from the mirror's reflection) that permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system.)The trend with the newer generation of photographers seems to be the use of small cameras without the pentaprism/mirror arrangement of typical DSLRs. I always liked big cameras because they are easier to stabilize...more weight = less shaking. However, this is all changing with technology. Most digital cameras now have some kind of shake reduction system. With the evolution of technology, smaller sensors can now produce images as good as the top DSLRs of just a few years ago. The EVF cameras (Electronic View Finder) have evolved as well and there are no latency anymore.

I recently acquired the new Pentax Q cameras. It is currently the smallest interchangeable lens camera system in the world. I suspect it won't be for very long as other manufacturers are introducing models of their own. To my surprise, this little camera is very capable despite the small sensor. I believe we have definitely entered in the mirror-less digital cameras.

Wind the clock back just ten years, and big was in. Now big is on its way out and small is in. There are always going to be some people that will not accept new technology and will swear that in the good old days, camera were better built and that you had to be a real photographer to use one of these. At weddings, you would see the "Uncle Bob of the world" with their SLR cameras, but the Professional Photographer was always easy to spot with the big (D) SLR, Medium format camera or the good old twin-lens Mamiyas, that used to be the king of wedding photography.

The new generation of photographers, (the new generation period), don't give a hoot about big and impressive cameras. It's not about impressing others anymore, it's about taking pictures, anywhere, anytime, with or without a degree in photography. Just put your mirror-less camera in auto-everything and you're good to go. Heck, cell phones now have cameras built-in with image quality better or equal to expensive dedicated digital cameras. Furthermore, with the cell phones, you can send your image via the internet immediately to friends and family. How cool is that?

I can't understand why no camera maker has come up with a Digital Camera with built-in internet access through cell phone companies 3G and now 4G networks. Look at the Apple iPad 2, it has a camera and for only $20.00 per month, you can access the internet via Verizon and AT&T. It's time to wake up manufacturers. Don't let technology pass you over. Just think of the generations of tomorrow, everything will be done instantly via an even better and faster internet system.

You can hang-on to your big cameras, (and I personally will) but soon, they will join other items on dusty shelves as relics of the past. It just the way it is. You either embrace progress or eventually you are left behind. It's a young people's world, always has been and always will be.

The best you can do to stay young, is to adopt the way of young people. This is the Twenty-First Century, you don't have be in a rocking chair and wait for the big one.

Thank you for reading, and don't get mad, it will come to past,

Yvon Bourque

A thousand marbles.

2011-10-07T22:02:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

Here is a little story that I read many years ago. I stumbled upon it as I was cleaning my old files. Here goes:

A THOUSAND MARBLES

The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the
quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the
unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few
hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.

A few weeks ago, what began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one
of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time. Let me
tell you about it.

I turned the volume up on my radio, and I heard an older sounding chap
with a golden voice. You know the kind, he sounded like he should be in
the broadcasting business himself. He was talking about "a thousand
marbles" to someone named "Tom".

I was intrigued and sat down to listen to what he had to say. "Well, Tom,
it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well
but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much.
Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours
a week to make ends meet."

"Let me tell you something Tom, something that has helped me keep a good
perspective on my own priorities. "And that's when he began to explain
his theory of "a thousand marbles".

"You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average
person lives about 75 years. I know, some live more and some live less
but on average, folks live about 75 years."

"Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900 which is the
number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime."

"It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in
any detail", he went on, "and by that time I had lived through over
twenty-eight hundred Saturdays. I got to thinking that if I lived to be
75, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy."

"So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended
up with 1000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside a large clear
plastic container next to the radio. Every Saturday since then, I have
taken one marble out and thrown it away."

"I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the
really important things in life. There is nothing like watching your time
here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight."

"Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my
lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble
out of the container. I figure if I make it until next Saturday then I
have been given a little extra time. And the one thing we can all use is a
little more time."

"It was nice to talk to you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your
loved ones, and I hope to meet you again someday. Have a good morning!"

You could have heard a pin drop when he finished. Even the show's
moderator didn't have anything to say for a few moments. I guess he gave
us all a lot to think about. I had planned to do some work that morning,
then go to the gym. Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a
kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast."

"What brought this on?" she asked with a smile. "Oh, nothing special,
it's just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the
kids. Hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy
some marbles."

Author Unknown

Modifying "Freedom" to living quarters and field photography studio. Any good ideas?

2011-10-06T03:40:00.000-07:00

The day I bought the Travel Trailer and what it looks like now.

View from Dinette/Photographic workplace toward the bedroom.

View from the Dinette/Photographic workplace toward the kitchen.

Dinette/photographic workplace with equipment I would usually bring with me.

Dinette/photographic workplace with just the computer.

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends,

My recent purchase of a 20 years old travel trailer (baptised "Freedom") was a great deal, I believe. There were no water or structural damages. I'm in the process of modernizing it to fit my needs as traveler and photographer. So far, I spent about $1,000.00 re-painting it, changing wheels and re-packing bearings , installing a new water pump, upgrading the air conditioner, repairing the awning, repairing the refrigerator, removing the old carpet, changing the mattress, and coating the roof with rubberized sealant, just in case. The outside of the trailer now looks much better, and the inside is the next step.

All conveniences such as the gaz stove/oven, the microwave oven, the heater, the air conditioner, the stereo system, and refrigerator, all work flawlessly. The toilet and shower are in excellent working order. The trailer is very livable as it is.

If we camp in a facility that has all hookups such as water, sever and electricity, it's going to be like being at home, but...we will likely be camping in remote areas where no hookups are available, that is if I want to take pictures in the wilderness or remote areas. In such places, we will still be somewhat autonomous, but cannot run the air conditioner, micro wave and all other 110 volt electrical devices. Here, in the desert of California, the temperature gets up to 100+ degree F in the summer.

My truck does have an inverter that can supply up to 1000 watts of power, but obviously not enough for the AC.

That brings me to the electric requirements, especially when using the travel trailer as a field photographic studio. Although I have a laptop that can run on its battery for about six hours, and an iPad 2 that can run even longer, I would like to run my printer, and maybe the future flat screens. As for internet access, my Verizon iPhone and iPad 2 can communicate on the web, but only if Verizon 3G is available. My iPhone can even work as a hot spot for up to four devices...as long as I have Verizon signals available.

I will purchase a generator a little down the road, one that will supply 3500 watts peak and 3000 watts continuous. That will probably supply all the power necessary.

Now...some of you are electricians or electrical engineers. Can you help or give me some ideas about setting up my photographic portion of the trailer. I want to run a regular PC, monitors, a printer, and dvd player with the flat screen. Would an array of solar panels (not bigger than two feet by six feet) with a 12 volt deep cycle Optima battery as reserve and the a power converter be enough to run that during the day? How long would it last at night?

Any other ideas? Did some of you already converted a similar camper?

I know it's probably silly for me to want all of these, but it's all about photography and convenience.

Hope to get good ideas and advises on this site or through my email. brqyvn@gmail.com

It would be nice to make it as "Green" as possible.

Thank you for your visit.

Yvon Bourque

Steve Jobs dies at 56.

2011-10-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

Thank you for everthing Steve.
Image from unknown designer.

Spread the word...free work, as posted in Atlanta's Craig's list.

2011-10-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends.

I saw this on TOP and thought all photographers would like to read this. Read it on http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/

Photographer Looking For People to Do Their Job Without Pay (Atlanta)--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Date: 2011-10-03, 11:37PM EDTReply to: gigs-jyd8r-2613342389@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------I am a photographer and since people are always looking for free shoots I assume that they must also do their job, or provide their services, for free.I am looking to hire all types of people to do all sorts of jobs for me, as long as I do not have to pay anything. Just think, you will gain more experience, and I will put the word out for you and let everyone know what wonderful work you do. This opportunity will bring you a ton of unpaid work, but everyone will love you. So if you have a job or service you provide, and will do it for free, please let me know, because I am sure I have work for you and will hire you in a second.Feel free to email me with the service you can provide, when you can start, and please include references.I look forward to you free service.Thanks,:)

Today's photos, are a good example of fun image manipulation, by Josh Adamski

2011-10-03T18:58:00.000-07:00

All images above are copyrighted by Josh Adamski and are presented here for viewing only.

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Photographer friends.

My images/site of the day goes to Josh Adamski for surreal images. I don't do much of surreal image manipulation, but if I were, maybe I would do some like Josh's images. From his profile, Josh currently live in Tel Aviv.

My hat goes off to you Josh. Good work!

Thank you for your visit,

Yvon Bourque

P.S. If you have a portfolio that you think could be features as a site of the day, email me for consideration. I don't care about what equipment you use, I just want to share images with other photographers.

We have reached our one millionth visitor today. 1,000,000

2011-10-01T16:37:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Pentaxian friends.

I don't know the person that is our one millionth visitor, but as the information below shows, he/she is from Newton New Jersey and use an Apple Mac system.

Thank you again for all of your visits,

Yvon Bourque

VISITOR ANALYSIS
Referrer	No referring link
Host Name	nj-71-48-100-173.dhcp.embarqhsd.net
IP Address	71.48.100.173 [Label IP Address]
Country	United States
Region	New Jersey
City	Newton
ISP	Embarq Corporation
Returning Visits	0
Visit Length	22 hours 54 mins 49 secs
VISITOR SYSTEM SPECS
Browser	Safari 5.1
Operating System	MacOSX
Resolution	Unknown
Javascript	Enabled

This weekend or maybe today, we will hit one million visitors since we started to count, about a year and one half ago. Thank you so much.

2011-09-29T22:16:00.000-07:00

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Pentaxian and photographer friends,

We certainly are not a big blogsite, compared to some, but in the next few days we will hit one million visitors to this site since we started to count. We're not breaking any records, but one million visitors from all over the world is good enough for me.

I will post where the one millionth visitor came from.

Although we are mainly a Pentax blog, we love photographers using all brands of cameras. I have been shooting with Pentax cameras since I was in High School and I like to stay loyal to the brand.

The latest acquisition of Pentax by Ricoh will prove to be the best thing ever to happen to Pentax. Hoya, as we all know, never intended to push the imaging side of the company. Ricoh, on the other hand, is already a player in the photographic arena and will use Pentax's expertise to further develop their imaging capabilities. We can expect great cameras and lenses in the years to come.

Pentax Imaging USA already moved from Golden, Colorado, to a prestigious building in Denver, Colorado.

Thanks a million, for your visits,

Yvon Bourque

PENTAX DSLRs

A year later, I regret my decision of buying another Windows base computer. I now switched to Apple, iMac, iPhone and iPad.

Rumors and rumors...will Pentax introduce a mirorless camera?

When will Digital Camera Manufacturers stop comparing lenses of various format to 135 (35mm defunt format cameras)?

How expensive were the Pentax SLR cameras and lenses in 1972?

24-hour quiet period to raise awareness about internet freedoms - 1001 Noisy Cameras

"One camera one Lens" It might be more applicable now than ever before..

Pentax cameras poster, 1952 to 2011

Front or Back Focusing Problems? Free test (Lens Alignment) charts for Pentax, Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus.

Nikon announces their new Flagship, the D4. Only 16.2 megapixels. What's the message here?

Trey Ratcliff proclaims the upcoming Death of DSLRs - 1001 Noisy Cameras

New Year's resolutions

You can' make that up

Keeper or Dud? 26 of 365

I hope Pentax and all other Camera Companies copy the design of the Sony NEX-7.

Do you have a Pentax K-5? Are you buying him/her a Pentax K-5 for Christmas? You need this e-book.

Keeper or Dud? Image 25 of 365

The new generation of photographers, iPhone, smart phones and mirror-less cameras.

Keeper or dud? Image 24 / 365

Keeper or dud? Image 23 / 365

Keeper or dud? Image 22 / 365

Keeper or dud? Image 21 / 365

Keeper or dud? Image 20 / 365

Keeper or dud? Image 19 / 365

Keeper or dud? Image 18 / 365

Keeper or dud? image 17 of 365

Keeper or dud? 16 of 365

Keeper or dud? 15/365

Keeper or dud? 14/365

Keeper or dud? 13 / 365

The iPad 2, increasingly becoming a serious tool for photography - Workflow for iPad 2.

Daily: "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.12 / 365

Daily: "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.11 / 365

Daily: "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.10 / 365

Download the free Manual for the AlettA Stabilizer Generation-II

Daily: "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.9/365

Daily "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.8 of 365

My daughter's newly published book: The Loki Variation.

Daily "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.7 of 365

Daily "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.6 of 365

Daily "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.5 of 365

Welcome The Holiday Season In A Digital World

Daily "Is this a keeper or a dud"? - No.4

Is this a keeper or a dud No.3?

Keepers or duds? No. 2

Keepers or duds?

Take one fully developed image, add a layer of blur, a pinch of contrast, a teaspoon of brightness, and see what you get!

Our first outing with my new Travel Trailer / Photo Studio

The AlettA Stabilizer Generation-II, for Pentax, Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Olympus is now shipping. Starting at $79.95. Get yours today.

A word about the differences between the Pentax K-x and the newer K-r. The K-x e-book is also the e-book for the K-r.

This weekend is my maiden trip with my renovated travel trailer. Going with all my Pentax cameras.

AlettA Stabilizers Generation II coming this week. Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony, and all other brands...We got you stabilized.

It's easier than ever to read your favorite photography magazines with the iPad 2, iPhone and other smart phones and tablets. It's cheaper too.

Firmware upgrade for the Pentax Q now available.

Highlights of our trip to Maryland, visiting my new grandson, my daughter and my son-in-law.

Last day for 25% discount on all e-books purchased before midnight October 31,

Spending quality time with my grandson, Matthew and Marisa and my wife Anne, in Maryland

This may be a good year for Pentax. Stranger things have happened before. Read the facts.

Biggest improvement to the AlettA Stabilizer Generation II, available for all DSLRs from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olympus, Leica, and others. ***Pentax e-books 25% off through October 31st. ***

We are in Maryland for the next seven days.

Adapter for Portrait Photography... AlettA Stabilizers Generation II, available for all DSLRs from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olynpus, Leica, and others. ***Pentax e-books 25% off through October 31st. ***

More on AlettA Stabilizers Generation II, available for all DSLRs from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olynpus, Leica, and others. ***Pentax e-books 25% off through October 31st. ***

First look at the Aletta Stabilizer Generation II. More will be revealed every day. **** All my Pentax e-books are 25% off through October 31, 2011.****

Testing iPhone

Are DSLRs (Digital single lens reflex) giving way to smaller non-reflex cameras?

A thousand marbles.

Modifying "Freedom" to living quarters and field photography studio. Any good ideas?

Steve Jobs dies at 56.

Spread the word...free work, as posted in Atlanta's Craig's list.

Today's photos, are a good example of fun image manipulation, by Josh Adamski

We have reached our one millionth visitor today. 1,000,000

This weekend or maybe today, we will hit one million visitors since we started to count, about a year and one half ago. Thank you so much.

Biggest improvement to the AlettA Stabilizer Generation II, available for all DSLRs from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olympus, Leica, and others. Pentax e-books 25% off through October 31st.

Adapter for Portrait Photography... AlettA Stabilizers Generation II, available for all DSLRs from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olynpus, Leica, and others. Pentax e-books 25% off through October 31st.

More on AlettA Stabilizers Generation II, available for all DSLRs from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olynpus, Leica, and others. Pentax e-books 25% off through October 31st.

First look at the Aletta Stabilizer Generation II. More will be revealed every day. All my Pentax e-books are 25% off through October 31, 2011.