Camera
Saturday, 24 October 2009 11:17
Gear
Pentax K10D
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10 megapixel APS-C CCD
We fully expected and Pentax delivered, ten million pixels for their new flagship digital SLR was an absolute (marketing) requirement. Interestingly this CCD has slightly different specifications than the Sony unit used in a few other ten megapixel digital SLR's so we can't be sure of its origins. It's 23.5 x 15.7 mm with 10.75 million total pixels, 2-channel read-out.
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22 bit Analog to Digital converter
If accurate this could potentially deliver a very fine number of gradations, especially useful in shadow areas. However don't forget that this will always then be down-sampled to eight bits per channel for JPEG conversion or stored as 12 bits in RAW. How relevant this '22 bit ADC' is to the final image quality is yet to be proven. |
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'PRIME' Image Processor
Pentax has followed Canon and Sony in giving a name (a branding) to their image processor. For the K10D this unit is called 'PRIME', that said they aren't giving much away other than to state that it is built on 90nm production process and supports DDR2 (800 MB/sec) RAM which the K10D utilizes (and according to Pentax is the only SLR to do so). |
Shake Reduction
Pentax has implemented the same design of CCD-shift based Shake Reduction that we saw on the K100D. It is a slightly different design than other CCD-shift systems as it utilizes permanent magnets, ball bearings and four coils on the CCD plate giving the ability to move in x and y directions but also rotationally around the lens axis (click for diagram). Pentax are claiming between 2 and 4 stops over non-SR.
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Dust Reduction / Removal
Pentax also couldn't avoid but get involved in the whole 'dust removal' movement. Their solution involves applying a 'fluorine-type coating to the low-pass filter' to reduce the chances of dust sticking and also using the shake reduction system to shake the sensor either manually or automatically at startup (dust is gathered on a sticky pad below the sensor).
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Dust and weather resistant seals
The K10D body has no less than 72 seals which provide dust and weather (splash) resistance. These are located along seam lines and button / control points. The optional battery grip is also dust and weather resistant with 38 seals.
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Source : www.dpreview.com
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Lens
Saturday, 24 October 2009 11:48
Gear
Today, I only dispose of one lens.
Tamron AF18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di-II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro
 
Specifications
| Model |
A14 |
| Lens Construction (Groups/Elements) |
13/15 |
| Angle of View |
75°-7° |
| Type of Zooming |
Rotation |
| Diaphragm Blade Number |
7 |
| Minimum Aperture |
F/22 |
| Minimum Focus Distance |
17.7in.(0.45m) |
| Macro Magnification Ratio |
1:3.7 (at f=200mm MFD 0.45m) |
| Filter Diameter |
ø62 |
| Weight |
398g (14oz) |
| Diameter x Length |
ø2.9 x 3.3in.
(ø73.8 x 83.7mm) |
Flash
Saturday, 24 October 2009 12:10
Gear
Pentax AF-540FGZ P-TTL Wireless Flash
Specifications
- Type : Clip-on-type auto-zoom P-TTL auto flash with active spotbeam projector
- Flash control : TTL-series-control auto flash; manual flash
- Flash modes : P-TTL (TTL corrective auto flash, contrast-control auto flash); TTL (TTL auto flash); A (programmed auto flash); M (manual flash); SB (spotbeam emission only)
- Discharge angles : 31 degrees to 78 degrees horizontally (98 degrees with wide-angle panel); 23 degrees to 60 degrees vertically (85 degrees with wide-angle panel)
- Bounce flash : Variable-angle type; vertical click-stop settings
- Focal-length coverage : Zoom type, covering angles of view for 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 70mm, 85mm lenses (in 35mm format). 20mm angle of view covered with wide-angle panel
- Guide number : 54 maximum (at ISO100/m). Manual setting at 7 levels
- Flash range (in P-TTL, TTL and A modes) : (1) Film speed coupling range
- Flash interval and battery life : Approximate 6-second interval, approximately 200 full-level discharges (with alkaline batteries); approximate 6-second interval, approximately 350 full-level discharges (with lithium batteries); approximate 6-second interval, approximately 250 full-level discharges (with Ni-MH batteries)
- Consecutive discharge : More than 50 discharges (at 1/16-level setting and 2 frames-per-second speed, with alkaline batteries)
- Color temperature balance : Daylight
- Wireless modes : MASTER (discharge level control and main discharge by optical control); CONTROL (discharge level control by optical control); SLAVE (contrast-control discharge by optical control, or slave discharge at main discharge)
- Synchronization modes : Leading-shutter-curtain sync; trailing-shutter-curtain sync; contrast-control sync; high-speed sync
- External LCD indication : Format; Flash mode; Zoom; Channel; ISO speed; Discharge level compensation; Spotbeam; F number; Discharge level; Wireless mode; Bounce flash warning; Sync mode; Discharge distance; Out-of-coupling-range warning. LED illumination available.
- Format indication : Coupled with digital, 35mm, 645, 67 formats. Zoom display function available.
- Other functions : Auto power-off (user cancellation possible); test discharge; modeling light; spotbeam projector; red-eye reduction; wide-angle panel (covering 20mm angle of view in 35mm format); catch-light panel
- Power source : 4 AA-size alkaline batteries; 4 AA-size lithium batteries; 4 AA-size Ni-MH batteries; TR Power Pack II
- Dimensions (H x W x D) : 142 x 76 x 107 millimeters (5.6 x 3 x 4.2 inches)
- Weight : 380 grams (13.4 ounces) without batteries
Tripod
Saturday, 24 October 2009 14:14
Gear
Manfrotto 055CX PRO 4 + head 484RC2
My tripod is essential for the realisation of my favorite pictures which are HDR images.
 
 
Specifications of the tripod
| center column |
rapid |
| closed length |
54.5 |
| color |
black |
| column cross-section |
three-faceted |
| column tube diameter |
28mm |
| Is not sold separate from kit |
false |
| leg angles |
23°. 47°. 66°. 89° |
| leg cross-section |
round |
| leg sections |
4 |
| legs tube diameter |
29.2 . 24.8 . 20.4 . 16 mm |
| load capacity |
8 kg |
| material |
carbon fiber tubing + magnesium castings |
| maximum height |
170.0 cm |
| maximum height (with center column down) |
135.5 cm |
| minimum height |
11.5 cm |
| weight |
1.70kg |
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Gear
