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Pentax K-01 Mirrorless Camera

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Pentax K-01

Pentax K-01

While in Tokyo I stopped by the Pentax Forum in Shinjuku to have a chat about a possible solo exhibition there in autumn. I also had the chance to check out the new Pentax K-01 camera. It’s a mirrorless camera which allows the designers to make it more compact, but they have kept the same APS size sensor used in the K5, and the standard pentax lens mount. The result is a relatively compact camera that produces high quality images and has access to a wide range of Pentax lenses. A new pancake lens, as show in the photographs, makes this a system you could keep in your pocket.

Another great feature of the camera is its aesthetics. Pentax hired designer Marc Newson and allowed him to break free of the standard utilitarian mold that is used for most digital SLRs.

Overall a very cool product.

Pentax K-01

Pentax K-01

The camera is now available for preorder at Amazon Japan, Amazon U.S., Amazon U.K. and B&H.

UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson – Saitama Super Arena, Tokyo

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UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson - Saitama Super Arena, Tokyo

UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson - Saitama Super Arena, Tokyo

While in Tokyo, I saw an Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the Saitama Super Arena. Ultimate Fighting is a mixed martial arts competition where fighters can win by knockout, tap out, or points. The fighters come from a range of disciplines including striking styles such as boxing, karate and kickboxing along with submission styles that include aikido, judo, and wrestling. Fighters compete within their own weight class, but fighters of one style can be paired against any other style. This means you get matches between boxers that want to keep their distance and use punching power against submission fighters that want to take the fight to the mat and bend limbs in the wrong direction until their opponent taps out.

The bouts take place in a octagon with wire walls rather than ropes. You definitely get the feeling you’re watching something not far removed from gladiatorial combat. The stadium atmosphere, however, was more friendly and reverential than bloodthirsty. The Japanese audience clapped and cheered for fighters from all countries, the greatest cheers were for combatants who used their skill to wriggle out of submission holds, or land an impeccably timed blow.

The second from main fight was between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Ryan Bader. Rampage Jackson, who played B. A. Baracus in the recent A-Team movie, found that his plan didn’t come together and was beaten on points by unanimous decision.

The main fight was between Edgar and Henderson. Henderson won on points in what some described as a close match, but to myself, the layman, Henderson looked like the far superior fighter. At the end of the fight  Edgar was bruised, battered and exhausted. Henderson looked like he’d just done a light jog on the treadmill.

Overall a fascinating day. A big thanks to Dave Webb for inviting me along and then having to explain what was going on most of the time. Also with reference to the last blog this was a good example of why it’s useful to have lenses that remain sharp at wide apertures. The image above was shot handheld with the 150mm lens and at f2.8 sharpness was not an issue.

Crop of above image at 100%

Crop of above image at 100% - Pentax 645 150mm

Pentax 645 FA 150mm F2.8 v Pentax 67 SMCP 165/2.8

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Introduction

One of the benefits of shooting with Pentax is the ability to use lenses from a larger format on smaller cameras. With an adapter, you can use Pentax 67 lenses on the Pentax 645 or Pentax 35mm cameras. You can read more about this in previous blog posts here and here.

The crucial question is would the old school lenses stand up to the high resolution images created by the 645D. I was really pleased with the results I was getting when using the 67 105mm lens, but unsure about the telephoto 165mm. I’d tried it once or twice but found the images soft. As I recently acquired a 150mm 645 lens I could compare lenses of similar focal lengths and see what the differences were.

Method

The setup. A page from a B&H catalogue about 3 meters away. Camera mounted on tripod, mirror lock, remote shutter release.

I taped a page from a catalogue to a concrete post about 3 meters away, then took a shot of the page using both the 645 150mm lens and the 67 165mm lens with 67 to 645 adapter. I also photographed the page at three different f stops: f11, f2.8 and f22. I’d then compare the images at 100%.

The Results

Pentax 645 150mm f11

Pentax 645 150mm f11

Pentax 67 165mm f11

Pentax 67 165mm f11 with 67 to 645 adapter

Pentax 645 150mm f2 8

Pentax 645 150mm f2 8

Pentax 67 165mm f11 with 67 to 645 adapter

Pentax 67 165mm f2 8 with 67 to 645 adapter

Pentax 645 150mm f22

Pentax 645 150mm f22

Pentax 67 165mm f22

Pentax 67 165mm f22

Both lenses performed best at f11. Both lenses also performed very well at f22. At 2.8 the level of sharpness in the 645 150mm was reduced to a small degree and significantly when using the 67 165mm

Conclusion

At optimal apertures the 165 lens with adapter worked great. If you primarily use mid to small apertures when shooting landscapes or in the studio then your old 67 lenses will continue to give you faithful service on the 645D. If you usually shoot wide open then in this case you’d be better off with the 645 lens.

Brand it like Beckham

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Brand it like Beckham

Brand it like Beckham

Beckham’s popularity continues in Japan. Once idolized for his ability to curve a soccer ball with pinpoint accuracy, he now seems to be famous for being famous.

In the middle of Shibuya, five giant versions of Beckham stare down at the passersby. Tommy Lee Jones, holding a can of Boss Coffee, is a mere mortal in comparison.

Brand it like Beckham

Brand it like Beckham

April / May Photography Workshops

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Now that I’m back from Yonaguni and Tokyo I can start organizing the coming workshops. Please click on the links to see more details about each class. I’ve put in two Photography 101 workshops in April so that people who aren’t yet comfortable with their digital SLR can master the basics before taking part in the Light Painting Workshop. I’ve also had requests for another Off Camera Flash course, hopefully this will happen later in the summer.

April 14/15 – Photography 101 Weekend Workshop with Chris Willson US$250

April 28/29 – Photography 101 Weekend Workshop with Chris Willson US$250

May 3 – Going Retro Mini Workshop with Trevor Williams and Chris Willson US$50

May 4/5 – Light Painting Workshop with Trevor Williams and Chris Willson US$150

 

To reserve a place send an email to chris@travel67.com (please write WORKSHOP on the subject line) Please state the name and date of the workshop you wish to book. I’ll send a paypal request for the course fee. Once payment is made your place on the course is confirmed.

Yonaguni Blue

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Yonaguni Blue

Yonaguni Blue

On some dives when you are looking for hammerhead sharks all you find is Yonaguni Blue. You can’t see the bottom or distinguish anything else in the crystal clear waters. Your senses are filled with the sound of your breathing through the regulator and the big blue.

Pentax K5
SMC Pentax DA Fish-eye 10-17mm
Ikelite Housing

Anemone Fields

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Anemone Fields

Anemone Fields

At one of the dive locations there was a huge field of anemones with a multitude of clownfish. I wonder if there had once been vast groups of anemones like these on mainland Okinawa, which have since disappeared due to pollution or their removal for aquariums. This colony seems to have done particularly well in the clear, but rough seas off the coast of Yonaguni.

Kihachiro Aratake

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Kihachiro Aratake

Kihachiro Aratake

Kihachiro Aratake was the captain of the dive boat for most of my dives. He still dives occasionally, but most of the guiding duties now go to his son Shotaro and the other dive staff.

Kihachiro Aratake

Kihachiro Aratake

I noticed that Aratake-san always wore the same dive watch, a special edition “Apnea” Omega Seamaster. It was designed for Omega by Jacques Mayol. Aratake-san said that Jacques had given him the watch on one of his several visits to Yonaguni. After Jacques Mayol’s death an underwater plaque was placed off Yonaguni’s coast in his memory.