New to photography andfeeling stupid.
Sep 3, 2017 19:36:45 #
Sep 3, 2017 20:39:08 #
In previous eclipses, I used my then Nikormat and Nikon F2s. The problem was finding the correct exposure and focus. Focus was actually less of a problem with those cameras and my current Nikon D3400, since there was a manual infinity setting, absent on my D3400. If you have a yellow dot, I suspect the photo was over exposed, since that is what happened to me, but using digital I realized that and was able to adjust and get the shot I wanted.
Sep 4, 2017 05:06:19 #
davec31 wrote:
Last month my wife and I drove to Orangeburg, SC to view the eclipse and get some pictures. My equipment consists of two
Pentax K1000 camera and a Nikon P510 digital camera. Proving that I know nothing about photography, my efforts produced
nothing. Is the Pentax still worth using?
Pentax K1000 camera and a Nikon P510 digital camera. Proving that I know nothing about photography, my efforts produced
nothing. Is the Pentax still worth using?
If the cameras take pictures, they're worth using. If you did any substantial sun photography without a solar filter, you could have camera problems.
Sep 4, 2017 05:46:42 #
davec31 wrote:
Last month my wife and I drove to Orangeburg, SC to view the eclipse and get some pictures. My equipment consists of two
Pentax K1000 camera and a Nikon P510 digital camera. Proving that I know nothing about photography, my efforts produced
nothing. Is the Pentax still worth using?
Pentax K1000 camera and a Nikon P510 digital camera. Proving that I know nothing about photography, my efforts produced
nothing. Is the Pentax still worth using?
One of my friends, an avid Nikon photographer intentionally used no camera at all while in Totality to actually experience the experience but with proper glasses.
On the other hand, everyone please carefully package your working Pentax cameras, film or digital versions and send them to me.
Sep 4, 2017 05:50:21 #
Sep 4, 2017 05:54:38 #
Pochon53 wrote:
Pentax tried twice to stop selling the K1000 but both times there was such a hue and cry that they changed their minds. That's how popular they were; but finally the third try was the end. Too bad. I go back further; I have a Pentax Spotmatic and two classic Pentax SMC Takumar 50mm 1.4 lenses.
Though, you want the actual earlier Asahi Pentax made in Japan versions of the K1000. The later (Hoya) Chinese built ones are junk. They do look different in several subtle ways.
Sep 4, 2017 06:46:37 #
Well as for the Pentax, in its day it was a great Camera, but as I have shoot 100s of thousands of file shots I will never use a film camera again. It is unforgiving if you make a mistake in exposure. I studied the art when I was young and never became an artist in stead I became a technician of photography, I used to tell friend I can take a picture of a black rock in a well at night. You need to understand what all your settings do. ISO, F-Stop, Shutter Speed, these are all creative tools that allow you to get the shot you want. Even with new Cameras that do a lot you need to understand how the equipment work, my eclipse pictures were all done on manual with my D7100. I used a number 11 welders screen modified to fit on my 400mm lens. I used the same set-up to take pictures of Welders at work. I used F9 for a reasonable depth of field, 1/50 of a second shutter speed. I did use ISO 400, to gain some shutter speed. Then all on a tripod for stability, very important with a long lenses. So may advice use the 510 learn how all of the settings impact your shots and take lots of pictures.
Sep 4, 2017 07:33:03 #
I have shot pentax for over 30 years. I own a. K10d and a k100d. Ill shoot nothing else. But thats just me
Sep 4, 2017 07:36:43 #
davec31 wrote:
Last month my wife and I drove to Orangeburg, SC to view the eclipse and get some pictures. My equipment consists of two
Pentax K1000 camera and a Nikon P510 digital camera. Proving that I know nothing about photography, my efforts produced
nothing. Is the Pentax still worth using?
Pentax K1000 camera and a Nikon P510 digital camera. Proving that I know nothing about photography, my efforts produced
nothing. Is the Pentax still worth using?
Welcome to UHH!
Sep 4, 2017 07:37:00 #
You can spend a lifetime learning about photography...and learn something new the next day.
Sep 4, 2017 08:12:19 #
Takes practice and a bit of study and some shooting.
Loved the Pentax 1000. First camera and one I used while working at a local newspaper.
Had two and they lasted forver but were replaced with digital Pentax models. Would still shoot film but the othet half says the bathroom is not to be a darkroom in this day and age. Go figure.
Loved the Pentax 1000. First camera and one I used while working at a local newspaper.
Had two and they lasted forver but were replaced with digital Pentax models. Would still shoot film but the othet half says the bathroom is not to be a darkroom in this day and age. Go figure.
Sep 4, 2017 08:31:50 #
Sep 4, 2017 09:09:50 #
Dont throw those negatives or give up hope! You didn't say what lens you used on the Pentax but if you got "orange dots", you might have used too short of a lens. You can have the negatives scanned then crop in on those dots, and see if you have any of the phases more clearly. It is possible that your totality photos were not even printed, but are on the negatives. Get a loupe or magnifying glass and look closely at any clear looking negatives. You just might have some great eclipse shots that just need to be scanned and enlarged. As far as the P510, it is a great camera and should have gotten some photos you can use if you zoomed in and took a few at totality, if it was on a tripod. If it was hand-held, the photos might be blurry due to camera shake. Either way, it is great that you made the effort to at least get into the path of totality. I drove my whole family 850 miles from NY to S Illinois, had a wonderful time, and came away with some awesome photos. With what you've learned the first time, you can prepare better for the 2024 eclipse, (which, incidentally, will go straight over my house!).
Sep 4, 2017 09:13:31 #
To reiterate what others have said welcome to UHH. I like you am new to the craft of photography and the more I think I know the more I realize I know very little and this is a life time of learning. As others have said photographing an eclipse can be very challenging for any one. As for your equipment, it an play a factor in your results but the individual behind the camera plays a bigger role in results and my best advice is read as much as you can to understand the craft. I would start with Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure, it is a great book the explains the concepts of photography in an easy to understand manner as well as other nuances of photography. I can not speak to the abilities of the Pantex but I won a P510 and learned a lot on it over the past 5 years before up grading to my first DSLR a couple on months ago. When it was released it was the highest point and shoot on the market it was as close as you could get to a DSLR style camera. It allows you to shoot in manual, shutter and aperture priority, and has features like HRD bracketing and much more. I learned a lot using it I would recommend rereading your owners manual and learn every thing your cameras can do. Attached is a digital copy of the P510 manual. Keep learning and shooting as I mentioned earlier learning photography is a long term process and even the best photographers in the world are learning new things. Hope this helped
Sep 4, 2017 09:15:40 #
We all started like you did so do not feel bad about it. What is important is your desire to learn.
The Pentax 1000 was a great camera. It is still a great camera. Shooting the eclipse was not that easy and I hope you had a good ND (neutral density) filter on your lens. Many times the filter reflects light when facing the lighting and it can produce something similar to what you experienced. That you can see in the optical finder of the camera.
I do not know of your photographic expertise but if you have not learned the basics I encourage you to do so. You will do much better.
The Pentax 1000 was a great camera. It is still a great camera. Shooting the eclipse was not that easy and I hope you had a good ND (neutral density) filter on your lens. Many times the filter reflects light when facing the lighting and it can produce something similar to what you experienced. That you can see in the optical finder of the camera.
I do not know of your photographic expertise but if you have not learned the basics I encourage you to do so. You will do much better.
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