What's going on in the Pentax Digital Camera world?

Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

 Hi Photographer friends,

The entire Digital Camera world seems to be quiet at the present time.

• Not surprisingly, RiceHigh's blog keeps making a fool of himself by yet publishing another rumor about a Pentax Full Frame by next Halloween. Whether or not this actually materialize, it is about the tenth time he makes predictions about what Pentax will do next. Eventually, he'll have it right just by persistence alone. He will then claim that he is the only one that knew what Pentax was up to. Google his site and you will see what kind of egotistic person he is. He is "special" ! 

• Pentax Forums has a write-up about Pentax lens prices going up again.  

Are Pentax lens prices going up again?

• PENTAX FULL-FRAME DSLR MYSTERY DEEPENS Pentax Ricoh Imaging will neither confirm nor deny that is working on a full-frame DSLR, following remarks reportedly made by a top official in China.

  Read more 
  
  
  
  
• Adobe Photoshop is discontinuing the release of future revisions of its software package. They have decided to sell subscriptions instead. That means working in the clouds, and sometimes that is not possible. You may be in the field where no internet connections are available or where it's very expensive. How are you going to work on your images then? TOP has a complete article about. Must read.

• The latest new Pentax DSLR is the K-30 which was released at the end of  the third quarter of 2012.   The upgraded K-5 (K-5 II / K-5 IIs) were released a little later the same Month. There is no doubt that the K-5 series of DSLRs has been the most successful DSLRs they have produced yet. If you have a K-30 or any of the K-5 series, look at our e-books covering these cameras and many more. 

Click on the e-books below to download a partial sample of the K-5 or K-30 e-books.

See all our e-books for Pentax Cameras.

Thanks for reading,

Yvon Bourque

The instruction manual that should have come with the Pentax K-5. Maybe this is it.

 Email: brqyvn@gmail.com

Hi Pentaxian friends.

It's a universally known fact that EOM Manuals (Pentax, Nikon, Canon and others) are complex and ambiguous. They are translated in multiple languages and the original, being in Japanese, often becomes vague in another language. The e-book presented here was written specifically for the Pentax K-5. It contains 300 pages of information pertaining to the K-5 as well as photographic “How-to”, color photographs as examples of what it being taught, lots of theory and hands-on explanation, all written in a not-so-technical way that everyone can get something out of this e-book. This is the most complete e-book in our series of e-book published for the Pentax line of DSLRs.  In addition of the demo pages below, a free and more complete sample download of the e-book is available here. You can also purchase the e-book here for the price of a few Starbucks coffees.

I am an Indie publisher, basically meaning that I am a self-publishing author, not part of the Amazon or big publishing companies. Unless you sell millions of books, there are absolutely no monetary benefits in belonging to a global publishing company. I don't ask for donations to write and maintain this blogsite nor do I post Google ads. There are no negative reasons in asking for donations or posting Google ads or being sponsored by the big camera stores like B&H or Adorama, etc. It's just not my cup-of-tea. My blogsite will never grow to the enormous sizes of some of the other sites, because I'm almost strictly Pentax.  Pentax accounts for about 5% of global camera equipment sales.  I'm okay with that. I'm a diehard Pentax user and will stay that way.

I received many positive comments about my e-books, and that makes me feel good, and justifies the long hours it took to write my e-books. I appreciate my blog readers and e-books buyers. I hope to be able to continue this endeavor for a long time.

Thank you for reading my blog and thank you for your encouragement.

Yvon Bourque

By the way, if you have suggestion about what you would like to read on this blogsite, let me know.





A few camera books for sale on our Amazon.com Store

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470250747?ie=UTF8&seller=A2MFXWCTRO7VRA&sn=Annies%20Market#noop

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0740780964?ie=UTF8&seller=A2MFXWCTRO7VRA&sn=Annies%20Market

Our new book prices are always the cheapest on Amazon. Check us out.

Annies Market, on Amazon.com.

Yes, this is a Pentax blog. However, we now sell books on Amazon as well.

Visitors to this page also like "Recommended Reading" on the right column. Email: brqyvn@aol.com

Hi Pentaxian friends.

This post is a little off-topic, but I wanted to let everyone know that I now sell books on Amazon. I am fortunate to have found a book source. All books are new and come directly from a bookstore shelves. After they sell a predetermined amount of the same title or after a title sells less than their quota, I can get the books at a very discounted price.

I pass that discount to my clients and if you visit my book store, you will see that my books are almost always the lowest priced.

This new book Store is called " Annies Market" and it's on Amazon.com.

I never know what books will be available to me, so check the site often.

New Press Release, from my friend "Michelle Martin" Pentax Imaging USA

Visitors to this page also liked: See "Recommended Reading" on the right column.
We honor reciprocal links.

Hi Pentaxian friends.

Here is a press release from Pentax:

PENTAX ANNOUNCES BOOK TO BENEFIT CHILDHOOD CANCER RESEARCH GOLDEN, CO (February 19, 2009)…..PENTAX Imaging Company is pleased to announce the PDML Photo Annual comprised of artwork from 59 photographers from around the world. This book will benefit Childhood Cancer Research. The project, led by Mark Roberts, an instructor in multimedia at Youngstown State University, with photographers Doug Brewer of Richmond, KY, Bill Robb of Regina, Canada, and Scott Loveless of Harrisburg, PA, brought together 59 artists in 15 countries to create this work. Their Internet-based approach facilitated coordination between the editors and dozens of contributors scattered around the world. Photographers uploaded their images through a web site, where the editors could view them and exchange ideas and opinions through email. The book was assembled electronically and uploaded to an online publishing site where copies are printed whenever orders are placed through the web.

Mark Roberts' partner, Dr. Lisa Teot of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, is a pediatric pathologist and member of the Children's Oncology Group, so they decided to use the book to raise money for the National Childhood Cancer Foundation's CureSearch project

(http://www.curesearch.org/). The PDML had previously undertaken a project selling photography-oriented items online to raise money for the CureSearch project, a charity dedicated to raising private funds for childhood cancer research by the Children's Oncology Group, the world's largest cooperative cancer research organization. (In addition, one of the photographers contributing to the project, Dr. Rick Womer of Philadelphia Children's Hospital, is a COG member.) 100 percent of the profits from sales of this book will be donated to the National Childhood Cancer Foundation.

The PDML (PENTAX-Discuss Mail List) is an email list of photographers all over the world, whose subject matter and styles are as varied as the countries in which they live. What they share is a sense of camaraderie and community, a deep love of the art of photography and the use of PENTAX cameras and lenses. Participating photographers came from United States, Canada, Great Britain, Norway, Israel, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Spain, Serbia, Iceland, the Philippines, Italy, Hungary and India. The photographs range from sweeping landscapes to urban documentary, fashion shots to abstracts and from still-life to wildlife. The PDML Photo Annual 2008-2009 is available now at

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/573542.

For more information on the PDML Photo Annual, see

http://www.robertstech.com/pdmlbook or contact Mark Roberts at

msroberts01@ysu.edu or 412-687-2835. For more information about the National Childhood Cancer Foundation and the Children's Oncology Group, contact Dr. Lisa Teot at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 412-623-3746.

PENTAX Imaging Company is an innovative leader in the production of digital SLR and compact cameras, lenses, flash units, binoculars, scopes, and eyepieces. For 90 years, PENTAX technology has developed durable, reliable products that meet the needs of consumers and businesses. With headquarters in Golden, Colorado, PENTAX Imaging Company is a division of PENTAX of America, Inc.
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Do You Know What You're Doing?

by Miserere


I'm referring to what you're doing with your camera, of course. Over the last few months of wandering around internet forums looking for inspiration (much like an insomniac roams the streets at night waiting for sleep to come) I occasionally run across very nice photographs that make me stop and pay closer attention. Often they are taken by skilled photographers who have honed their art through years of study and practice. But sometimes, they are taken by people who have a camera and no idea what they are doing with it. I'm going to be elitist here and dub them people-with-cameras.

If you don't know buy yourself a piano but have no idea how to play it, would you call yourself a pianist? Why then when somebody buys a camera do they automatically consider themselves a photographer?

Maybe I'm more obsessed with my hobbies and interests than the average person, which leads me to read as much as possible about a subject when I become interested in it, simply because I want to learn all about it. I understand not everyone is like this, and modern digital cameras are so automated that you don't need to understand any of the most basic principles of photography in order to take pictures. But if you don't know what you're doing, how can you become better at it?

These are some true stories I have read on the internet that span across countries and camera brands:

• A person who takes pretty pictures of sunsets and flowers is hired by their friends to photograph their wedding after they see these great pictures. After the wedding the person-with-camera asks why all her pictures inside the church are so noisy and blurry and if maybe the kit lens she used is broken.
• A person who photographs models and is looking to make a living from photography who asks exactly what those numbers (500, 250, 125...) in the viewfinder actually mean.
• A person who is charging people to take their portraits and asks what camera or software program can be used to make the eyes be in focus but blur out the rest of the face.
• A person who posts a high-key photograph taken by somebody else and asks what lens to buy in order to take pictures like that.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. It's not that these aren't legitimate questions, it's that they're being asked at the wrong time in these people's photographic "career". It's like a pilot who calls the control tower while in mid-air and asks what those long things sticking out on either side of the plane are for. Would you want to be in that plane?

Taking pictures is easy. Taking good pictures isn't. Taking pictures that people will be happy to pay money for is even more difficult. If you've taken up photography as a hobby, please do a reality check before charging people for your work. You may take great photos of flowers or landscapes, but if somebody wants you to take a portrait of them or photograph their wedding, do you know how to light them correctly? Do you even have lighting equipment? Do you know how to best use your camera and lens(es) to achieve the result your client wants? Will your current gear even be able to produce the results your client wants?

So how can we remedy a lack of preparation? Easy! If you are reading this blog, then you have access to the internet and the World is at your fingertips. On this blog's sidebar you'll find links under "Links to: Digital Photography tutorials" that take you to a number of sites that offer instruction in all things photographic. I particularly recommend Cambridge in Colour and Ron Bigelow's tutorials. Another great resource are the tutorials on The Luminous Landscape website. To learn how to use flash to your advantage, nothing better than The Strobist.

For those that like reading books, there are many out there, but few I would actually recommend. My #1 choice by far for the beginning photographer is Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure. It was written in the days of film SLRs and has been slightly updated to the digital age. The fact that so little was actually changed stresses the point that the principles of good photography have not changed with the advent of CCD cameras. Everything you ever wanted to know about how to use aperture, shutter speeds and ISO to obtain the picture you want is explained clearly, and with a wealth of photographic examples, by Mr Peterson.

Lastly, I'll point out that even if you know everything there is to know about proper lighting and exposure, you will not be able to get the photos you want unless you know how to operate your camera correctly! Again, help is in front of your eyes, as Yvon Bourque has dedicated a lot of time to writing manuals for the major Pentax DSLRs. These are much more than instruction manuals, they are working manuals, how-to books. They don't just say "this button engages auto-focus", they actually explain what auto-focus does, how it affects your camera usage, and why you would want to use it, or not. Given that Yvon has decided to make them available for $5 if you download them, there really is no excuse for you to look at your new fancy Pentax DSLR and wonder "how the hell do I take a picture with this thing...?"

Learn. Practice. Then learn some more. Taking a good picture should not be a lucky occurrence. Don't just own a camera, be a photographer!

Thank you for reading.

Miserere

Is it just me?

Once a week or more, I can be seen in Barnes & Nobles, looking at what's new on the shelves in the photography section and the magazines section. I usually find all of the new photography magazines on the rack and bring them with me in the coffee section. I sit at a table, order myself a Starbuck coffee, and I scan through all the magazines.

The first thing I do is look if there are any reviews of any of the Pentax equipment. I then put those magazines aside. Here in California, or at least where I live, you can get all of the American published magazines, one from Canada and most of the magazines published in the United Kingdom. The American magazines are priced from about $5.00 to $8.00. The Canadian Magazine "Photo Life" is priced at $5.95 and the United Kingdom magazines are very expensive at $10.00 to $12.00 and more. (It's understandable because of the shipping costs, I guess).

The magazines from the U.K. usually have a lot more detailed "How to" sections about photography in general. The advertisements are not very useful to me as equipment prices are generally higher than here in the United States. So, most of the times, I read the U.K. magazines at the book store and put them back on the shelves except when they have very informative Pentax material. They simply cost too much for what you get out of them. If they were priced about the same as the U.S. magazines, I probably would buy them all.

Next, I go through all the U.S. magazines that have no special review or article about Pentax. I'm looking for articles that can help me be a better photographer. I have been reading or buying photography magazines since I was about fifteen years old. It is amazing to see the same subjects coming back over and over again through the years. They are brought back by new authors, with a few twists for the Digital SLR cameras, but Aperture, Shutter Speeds, Rule-of-Third, Depth of Field, etc, are still meaning the same as before. It is useful for folks that are just getting into photography and want to learn as much as they can. Frankly, Photography Books are a better resource for entry-level photographers. They have a lot more to offer in terms of learning the trade. They are a little more costly than magazines, but you usually get all what you need in one book, instead of many magazines. That said, magazines do sell a lot, otherwise there wouldn't be so many on the stands every Month. I buy at least $50.00 of magazines myself every Month and occasionally, I buy a new book. I tend to buy books about the computer side of photography, such as Lightroom, Photoshop, etc.

Books for the Pentax DSLRs are rare and I believe that here in the USA, the Magic Lantern publishing company and I are the only two resources for Pentax DSLRs cameras. Although I write books for the Pentax cameras, I have purchased the Magic Lantern K10D and K20D books. If there were more Pentax books, I would buy them all.

I always purchase the Canadian magazine "Photo Life". I like their approach to photography and it always remind me of where I'm from, being a Canadian expatriated to California.

When I visit my family in Montreal, which is not very often, I always purchase every magazine available in French. I do like "Chasseur D'images" which is published in France but available in Canada. I tried to subscribe to it but it seems that they do not ship their magazine to the United States. Oh well...

Now, back to the magazines with Pentax reviews that I have set aside, I'm usually done with my coffee by then, and I just proceed to the check out and purchase them all. I put myself to sleep every night reading my magazines. It sometimes takes me a week to read a magazine because I fall asleep in the middle of an article and try to get back to it the next night, or the night after that, all depending on how tired I am. I read every article, every ad of all the magazines I purchase. I clip everything Pentax so that I can refer to them when I write a new book about Pentax DSLRs or just for reference.

I would say that I might be a little obsessed with my Pentax equipment, but isn't it what all Pentaxians do?

Thank you for reading, and I hope you didn't fall asleep at the keyboard. That's best done with magazines. Let me know what your approach to magazines is.

Yvon Bourque