Sharing Experiences

[WightWalker]

Exposure Problems

I've noticed that a number of shots appear really underexposed which was beginning to cause concern. I initially put this down to inexperience, then perhaps dSRL being less forgiving but it still didn't seem right. In a P&S Prosumer you see the actual image in the EVF so mistakes are less likely than with the dSRL where you always see the optical image - even the preview looked not too bad.

I've been used to a Fuji S602 which when you half press the shutter, locks focus & exposure - at it's default settings, I've realised that the *istDS ONLY locks focus.

This accounts why when I've had 2/3 sky & tilted the camera to lock focus/exposure on the foreground, the exposure has been really underexposed.

The exposure button has to be pressed to lock the exposure - pretty obvious once you're discovered this.

I should read the manual more thoroughly.

PS
I should have added that adjusting the histogram, corrected the underexposure problem

Alternatively, under CUSTOM menu, select AE-L with AF locked & select ON will lock the exposure when the focus is locked.

[WightWalker]

dSRLs don't boost the plethora of scene modes and panoramic stitch assist of other cameras but this in not a limitation.

Personally, using these cameras, I found it difficult to overlay the next image in the sequence over the previous in order to get the required sequence.

I've been doing this for some time on my Fuji S602 & the process is much the same for the *istDS.

MOST IMPORTANT
Press AE lock once after the first shot is composed and before the picture is taken. Take each shot in turn panning the camera from left to right, or visa versa, leaving a healthy 30% overlap using a prominent feature on the skyline as a reference. Once the final shot is taken press the AE lock to toggle back to normal.

Open the images in Panorama Factory and set the camera to Pentax *istD under Digital SRL and start the sequence (reverse the images if shots were panned right to left). Check the result and adjust the degree of overlap as required. Use Photoshop to make a fine adjustments which can use the original image to clone back to the panorama to correct for misalignments.

This is one of a number that I created earlier - check out my web site at http://www.iwcam.co.uk for others that I have created to illustrate my walks around the island.

Attached image is of Steephill Cove, a private beach on the south coast of the island next to the Victorian town of Ventnor.

[WightWalker]

I had my *istDS a couple of months & used the internal flash a few times with no problems.

Today, in a somewhat dark Hurst Castle, I popped up the flash & composed the shot with a strange crackling sound & the internal LCD screen faded quite noticeably; this was using a fully charged set of batteries.

It sounds to me as though the high voltage circuit used to create the charge for the flash is breaking down. Without flash selected, it's fine.

Problem understood
I should have waited to experiment before posting this BUT if nothing else it will allows others to share in this knowledge.

The 'crackling' noise is in fact multiple bursts from the flash illuminating the subject to allow the auto focus to function - panic over - no 'bust' camera - relief on my part.

The fading LCD was probably my vision using the viewfinder wearing specs.

[WightWalker]

I've been advised that in order for the *istDS to recognise the M Series lens, 'Using the Aperture Ring' should be set to 'Enabled'.

Set to 'M' Mode, manually focus & press the AE Lock button to set the exposure, the take the shot; I leave the camera switched on, so lightly pressure the shutter button before this process, 'wakes up' the camera.

Incidentally, if Focus is not set to 'Manual' the shutter will on function when Focus Lock is achieved.

With Focus to 'Manual' the shutter can be released without Focus Lock.

[jeisner]

Incidentally, if Focus is not set to 'Manual' the shutter will on function when Focus Lock is achieved.

With Focus to 'Manual' the shutter can be released without Focus Lock.

I get caught out by this from time to time ;)