Not Another Lens

I'm In!

2009-11-10T23:03:00.004-05:00

Wahoo! After a couple rounds of rejections, I've finally had an image accepted into the official Pentax Photo Gallery! The "PPG," as it's known, is an impressive selection of images created by Pentax shooters, and I'm honored to be among such a talented group of photographers. Please visit my Artist Page, then check out all the other great images on the site! I have four more images under review, so cross your fingers for me that they also make the cut. :)

www.pentaxphotogallery.com/jasonbecker

Fall Weekend in Columbia County, NY

2009-10-13T12:09:00.009-04:00

A few shots from Columbia County, NY. No time to write now, but I'll add commentary soon.

Pentax K20D with DA 14mm f/2.8. Three bracketed images (+/- 2 EV, f/8, ISO 400) combined with Photomatix Pro.

Pentax K20D with DA 35mm f/2.8 Macro ltd. Captured at 1/500, f/4, ISO 400

Pentax K20D with DA 35mm f/2.8 Macro ltd. Captured at 1/50, f/22, ISO 100

More to follow soon.

35mm Portraits: The Digital Kind

2009-10-05T12:41:00.023-04:00

I was browsing Pentax Forums, my favorite of my few online communites (I suppose the occasional facebook login and this sparse blog are its only competition), and came across this thread: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/general-photography-techniques-styles/74938-show-me-your-portraits-35mm.html

35mm focal length lenses on Digital SLR cameras with crop sensors* (most DSLR's) give you a perspective very close to that of a 50mm lens on a full frame sensor DSLR or a good ol' 35mm film SLR. Back in the day, nearly every SLR had a nifty fifty lens to go with it, which was the only lens many people used--so a 50mm lens was a walkaround/portrait/landscape/indoor lens by default for many, so why can't we take portraits with 35mm focal length lenses now? Today, we've got fancy zooms and plenty of primes to choose from, but many of us (including myself) could use a fresh perspective from, well, an old perspective.

Here are some 35mm portraits I dug out of my external hard drive:

Pentax K10D with FA 35mm f/2.0 Captured at 1/50, f/2.8, ISO 400

I took a little off the top of the above shot to crop it for a 5x7, and maybe got a little crazy with the Adobe Lightroom presets, but I think it's still a charming shot--would have been a little better at f/4 to get both my girlfriend and our new puppy Lefty in better focus. One detail off: too often the story.

Pentax K10D with FA 35mm f/2.0 Captured at 1/15, f/2.0, ISO 400

Staying with the same camera-lens combo and the pets of my household theme, here's another 35mm portrait. Longer focal lengths can make backgrounds less distracting but similar things can be done simply by getting close to your subject, which can make for a more intimate portrait experience. I think the background of the following shot was served pretty well by the 35mm lens I used to capture my youngest brother inside Atomic City Comics of South Street, Philly.

Pentax K20D with DA 35mm f/2.8 Macro Limited. Captured at 1/30, f/4.5, ISO 200

I like how the background is visible enough to play off my main subject. The 35mm Macro Limited forces me to consider the background more carefully whether I'm shooting at open apertures or macros.

Pentax K20D with DA 35mm Macro Limited. Captured at 1/500, f/2.8, ISO 200.

There he is again, outside the shop. And I can't post two photos of him without adding a shot of my other younger brother (I have a twin, too, but I'm sure he won't mind if I don't post photos of him).

K20D DA 35mm Macro ltd. 1/13, f/3.5, ISO 400

Set the EV to +0.7 for this back lit shot, and I nailed the exposure, but the focus and depth of field is a bit off. I was already pushing it at 1/13 even with SR turned on. I should have put my flash in the bag that day. We were in a crowded area, and all things considered, I'm not too upset by this shot.

As you can see, I made the switch from the FA 35 f/2 to the DA 35 f/2.8. Both lenses have acquired cult status--the DA for its close focusing ability and its quality at a variety of settings; the FA for its sharpness at f/2 and its relative inexpensiveness (especially when compared to the legendary FA 31mm ltd.). I loved my FA 35, but I like the extra versatility offered by the DA. The DA is all metal and well crafted like the other Pentax Limiteds. I got the DA 35 at a great price and sold my FA. Since my purchase, the prices of Pentax lenses have gone up quite a bit, and the FA was discontinued. Now we're looking at prices heading toward $400 for used FA's, and over $500 for new DA's. Ouch. I suppose price has finally caught up to quality. :(

Last one, I promise:

K20D, DA 35, 1/1250, f/4, ISO 100, you got it by now.

35mm does the trick for longer portraits, too (I like to be a little wider for full body shots, but I don't mind 35mm if I have the space). She very graciously allowed me to take her photo while doing some old fashioned sewing on Market Street. Philly's got more charm than it likes to admit (and some great vegetarian and vegan options, if you're of that persuasion). I enjoyed getting reacquainted with that city this summer. I'll be up in Hillsdale, NY and Berkshire County, MA later this week, so I should get some nice landscapes. My Pentax DA 14mm and I can't wait.

*Four-thirds sensors (Olympus, Panasonic) are smaller and offer a 2x perspective.

My first real HDR attempt

2009-07-29T11:34:00.004-04:00

Just got Photomatix Pro yesterday, and I'm pretty impressed. The software's tone mapping controls blow away anything Photoshop can do HDR-wise. Here's my first attempt at an HDR image--more to follow very soon!

Pentax K20D with DA 14mm f/2.8
5 bracketed images captured at f/13, ISO 100

Not another lens: Tair 11-A

2009-06-23T16:12:00.012-04:00

I just received a copy of the Soviet-era Tair 11-A today--all the way from St. Petersburg, Russia! This M42 screw mount 135mm f/2.8 lens has a tough socialist realist exterior of hard geometric shapes, and an elegant and intricate interior of well constructed lens elements and twenty (yes, twenty!) aperture blades. The result is a lens that produces sharp images even at f/2.8 with wonderfully rounded bokeh.
Here's the lens:

Check out the aperture blades:

I couldn't resist immediately putting my M42 adapter on my Pentax K20D so I could take a few shots around the house:

Pentax K20D with Tair 11-A 135mm f/2.8
Captured at 1/60, f/2.8, ISO 200 (EV -0.7)

Pentax K20D with Tair 11-A 135mm f/2.8
Captured at 1/60, f/2.8, ISO 400

This lens should be a lot of fun. Even if I don't wind up using it much, it's certainly some unique glass that'll add a bit of character to my lens line up.

DA 35mm f/2.8 Macro Limited in Union Square

2009-06-23T01:49:00.009-04:00

Brought the DA* 50-135mm to PhotoTech Repair Center in NYC today. They're going to send it to Pentax for me, and I should have an estimate in about a week. I used to manage a camera/photo store, and I've worked with PhotoTech for over seven years. They've always taken good care of me, and I don't hesitate to recommend them for camera repairs and cleaning. For old film bodies, and medium or large format equipment, Nippon Photo Clinic is a great place to go if you're in or around NYC.

Here are two shots I snapped of an intense hackey sack player in Union Square on the way home:

Pentax K20D with DA 35mm f/2.8 Macro Limited
Captured at 1/200, f/5.0, ISO 100

Pentax K20D with DA 35mm f/2.8 Macro Limited
Captured at 1/125, f/5.0, ISO 100

I suppose I should have raised the ISO so I could shoot at a higher shutter speed to freeze motion. Next time. :)

Weather sealed at Citi Field

2009-06-22T22:42:00.009-04:00

I went to the Mets game on Saturday with my uncle and his fiancée. Since the weather called for rain most of the day, I thought it'd be a good idea just to bring my DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 and a DA* 50-135mm f/2.8 graciously loaned to me by my buddy Raul. I needed the wide angle to get a decent shot of the new ballpark from the outside:

Pentax k20 with DA*16-50mm f/2.8
Captured at 1/30, f/10, ISO 100

I enjoy shooting with the 16-50mm below 24mm--I have a lot of fun using the wide end of the lens, and I couldn't live without it when shooting portraits in tight spaces. The lens also showed its worth here:

Pentax K20D with DA* 16-50mm f/2.8
Captured at 1/30, f/9.0, ISO 100

Both the Pentax DA 16-45mm f/4 and the DA* 16-50 f/2.8 render outdoor colors beautifully and vividly. I had a lot of trouble deciding which one to keep when I recently lucked out and became the owner of both lenses. Although the DA* is known for having serious QC issues, I feel that I have a decent copy of the lens (a little soft in the corners at 16mm/2.8, but what zoom wouldn't be?), and that it's weather sealed makes me feel a bit safer. I got the DA* at a price I couldn't refuse, too. If you're contemplating purchasing either of the lenses, I would recommend getting 16-45 and putting the money saved toward something else like the DA 70mm f/2.4 limited for a little extra reach in a small package.

The DA* 50-135mm f/2.8 does not have a legacy of QC issues. It's an outstanding lens, and some feel that its image quality rivals that of prime lenses in its range. Unfortunately, I didn't get to use it very much because I dropped it on its mount before the game even started!!! Luckily for me, my buddy Raul was more than understanding, and the lens is already en route to Pentax. Cross your fingers that they quote me a low price!

I did manage to get a few shots in before my great Luis Castillo impression:

Pentax K20D with DA* 50-135mm f/2.8
Captured at 1/80, f/9.0, ISO 100

Pentax K20D with DA* 50-135 f/2.8
Captured at 1/25, f/9, ISO 400

Oh yeah, the Mets lost.
I'm a Yankees fan. :)

Ugh. Not another blog.

2009-06-22T20:21:00.002-04:00

Greetings. My name is Jason, and I'm well aware that the internet needs another blog like New York needs another photographer.

I hope you enjoy my photos.

K20D w/DA 16-45mm f/4
Captured at 15 seconds, f/16, ISO 100