Helios Lenses
Quote from James Warner on February 25, 2022, 6:04 pmI've toyed with getting a new focusing screen for my Pentax K10D, although I'm a little confused how much better it would be, and it's a bit pricey to pay for an experiment: https://www.focusingscreen.com/index.php?cPath=25_67&osCsid=4o6dkd4qb7aihemouo0jqqcji6
So, yes, focus peaking is where it's at. We also have manual focus confirmation on Pentax cameras (lights up a square in OVF and gives you a beep). It works if you play with it a bit and learn it's limitations, like it's not terribly accurate. You may find you need to front or back focus a bit when it beeps. But you can learn that and then it works decently well. Also stopping down a tad helps there.
That said, I do alright with my Pentax K10D. I've just learned to take a few shots and sometimes I take a peak at the playback and see if I got it. This usually works out.
Looks like we were writing a response at the same time, and said similar things. 🤣 I too wonder if it would be worth it. If it's $25 then that's worth a shot on my K10D, which is already a bit broken and further damage wouldn't be the end of the world (I would cry if I broke my K-3). So maybe I'll try that. The shake reduction doesn't work on my K10d though so I'm not too keen on spending money improving it. Decisions...
If the focusing screen is like my AE-1 Program, that would definitely be worth it. I can focus pretty fast with that and it's super accurate. But I don't know how good the ones that are currently available are. The KatzEye screen was highly regarded on PentaxForums but is not available (new) anymore.
Edit:
Small world, the linked thread is from 2/10/22 talking about focusing screens. Has some good comments about the experience and at least one tool tip.
Here's some photos I took this morning using the red light in the OVF for focus confirmation. Worked out pretty well and with practice may be pretty fast actually. It helped a ton being outside with better light, though. If I wasn't getting the focus confirmation in the OVF I could usually tell if I was front or back focused and quickly adjust.
I'm really liking the lens and the challenge of shooting manual, too. I tried to find some color this morning but nothing spectacular yet. I can't wait to catch a sunset or something with it... gonna be great!!
I feel like I'm always editing my posts because I always forget something. I forgot to say that all my shots so far are imported to lightroom w/embedded color profile and no adjustments, so basically SOOC. I don't know if that will be a common theme with this lens, but I've rarely felt like I don't need to do anything to a photo. It's very cool and rewarding and if that's the way it is for me with this lens it could easily become my very favorite (I don't particularly enjoy photo editing...).
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If you find you're consistently missing your focus I recommend taking three, maybe four shots with different focus pulls. Maybe one that looks focused too closely, another that looks beyond and last one right on, maybe try two right on. I find that I usually get the focus I want with that technique. The only downside is you have to look through a few shots of each image before getting the one you want to edit. Just a mild inconvenience, really.
Quote from JBP on February 25, 2022, 6:26 pmQuote from James Warner on February 25, 2022, 6:04 pmI've toyed with getting a new focusing screen for my Pentax K10D, although I'm a little confused how much better it would be, and it's a bit pricey to pay for an experiment: https://www.focusingscreen.com/index.php?cPath=25_67&osCsid=4o6dkd4qb7aihemouo0jqqcji6
So, yes, focus peaking is where it's at. We also have manual focus confirmation on Pentax cameras (lights up a square in OVF and gives you a beep). It works if you play with it a bit and learn it's limitations, like it's not terribly accurate. You may find you need to front or back focus a bit when it beeps. But you can learn that and then it works decently well. Also stopping down a tad helps there.
That said, I do alright with my Pentax K10D. I've just learned to take a few shots and sometimes I take a peak at the playback and see if I got it. This usually works out.
Looks like we were writing a response at the same time, and said similar things. 🤣 I too wonder if it would be worth it. If it's $25 then that's worth a shot on my K10D, which is already a bit broken and further damage wouldn't be the end of the world (I would cry if I broke my K-3). So maybe I'll try that. The shake reduction doesn't work on my K10d though so I'm not too keen on spending money improving it. Decisions...
If the focusing screen is like my AE-1 Program, that would definitely be worth it. I can focus pretty fast with that and it's super accurate. But I don't know how good the ones that are currently available are. The KatzEye screen was highly regarded on PentaxForums but is not available (new) anymore.
Edit:
Small world, the linked thread is from 2/10/22 talking about focusing screens. Has some good comments about the experience and at least one tool tip.
The ones I linked to are like $80, so I would really only do it with a stirring recommendation... and even then...
Looks like KatzEye is out of business 🙁
Quote from James Warner on February 25, 2022, 8:59 pm
The ones I linked to are like $80, so I would really only do it with a stirring recommendation... and even then...
Looks like KatzEye is out of business
I feel the same way. There are some on ebay for $25, but I don't know their quality or anything. And since it involves modifying the internals of the camera, I wouldn't do it even for $25 unless I had testimonials like for the KatzEye. It's a shame they are out of business.
Quote from HeggenDazs on February 25, 2022, 6:51 pmIf you find you're consistently missing your focus I recommend taking three, maybe four shots with different focus pulls. Maybe one that looks focused too closely, another that looks beyond and last one right on, maybe try two right on. I find that I usually get the focus I want with that technique. The only downside is you have to look through a few shots of each image before getting the one you want to edit. Just a mild inconvenience, really.
Good advice, that's methodical and pretty much ensures you'll get one in focus, vs just trying to nail it each time and probably taking the same blurry image haha.
Took the 44k-4 for a spin today. Short hike since a creek crossing early on in the trail was flooded/semi-frozen over and impassable. But I was able to get more acquainted with the lens and even found some colors. The bokeh is just crazy with this lens! And the color rendition is absolutely unique. It seems to change colors but only outside the DOF? For instance, I don't remember there being any purple in the photo of the iced-over branches, but there it is. In one of the photos I posted in the February thread, the sky looks purple, but I'm pretty sure it was just the normal overcast grey... Odd and very neat.
Fun stuff. 🙂
IMGP6094 by JBP_Mobusaki, on Flickr
IMGP6083 by JBP_Mobusaki, on Flickr
IMGP6072 by JBP_Mobusaki, on Flickr
oh man! I love the color rendition that lens produces, completely on its own tier. Very unique and I think it’s pretty desirable (or at least I like it) gotta love the bokeh as well. Good shots!
Quote from HeggenDazs on February 27, 2022, 3:48 amoh man! I love the color rendition that lens produces, completely on its own tier. Very unique and I think it’s pretty desirable (or at least I like it) gotta love the bokeh as well. Good shots!
Thank you! I am so happy with this lens. Totally unique.
I was fooling around with lens flares and starbursts a bit and got the aperture blades in the shot - a neat feature of the bare metal blades. So cool!!!
I bet this would be like a "fingerprint" for the lens. No two Helios lenses would have the same pattern on the aperture blade reflection. Mine produces some distinctive "dots" in certain places that would be easy to pick out. This lens has mystique. 😀
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Whaaaaaat that’s such a cool discovery. I had no idea the uncoated blades would reflect onto the lens like that. I hope you don’t mind if I experiment with that myself!
Quote from HeggenDazs on March 4, 2022, 12:39 amWhaaaaaat that’s such a cool discovery. I had no idea the uncoated blades would reflect onto the lens like that. I hope you don’t mind if I experiment with that myself!
Yeah I was like "woah, duuuude" lol. I was super excited to see it. Such a fun lens. Please, do experiment with it! 😁
