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Gingertwist
PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 12:26 pm 
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I recently purchased the Pentax K-X and had very high expectations for this camera after reading reviews. However, after taking countless pics at various settings, I am running into two major issues with the camera.

(1) I'm having a difficult time with the autofocus mode. So many of my pictures are turning out blurry, especially the ones of my dog. I even used the recommended pet setting, but there was absolutely no difference.

(2) I'm also running into the problem of my pictures having a pink/magenta tone to them even when I'm using the pre-programmed modes/settings.

Can anyone help me? Thanks.

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Nelepl
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 7:59 pm 
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Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Well you could submit some photos so we can see what is going on.
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Gingertwist
 Post subject: Samples
PostPosted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 1:58 am 
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I'm new here and went to FAQ. I can't upload pics into my message.

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Enche Zein
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 3:48 am 
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Location: Philadelphia, PA
about auto focus, maybe you're in automatic auto focus? try using single AF point. (select it by pressing AF button). Then aim your target by the help on focusing screen in the viewfinder.

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Gingertwist
 Post subject: Problem Resolved
PostPosted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 12:10 pm 
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Thanks for your suggestion, Enche Zein. It helped immensely with the blurring. I also engaged the aberration adjustment which appears to have corrected the pinkishness with the pics.

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rei_vilo
PostPosted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 6:52 pm 
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Bonjour Gingertwist,

Gingertwist wrote:
(2) I'm also running into the problem of my pictures having a pink/magenta tone to them even when I'm using the pre-programmed modes/settings.


I did experienced similar problem with my *ist DL. Are you using a specific mode? For example, portrait mode softens skin while landscape mode boots colors.

Switch off AutoPicture and select Neutral tone.

Otherwise, which white balance mode are you using? AWB proves to be not always reliable, especially when two kinds of lights are mixed, for example incandescent and sun.

One solution is to take RAW pictures and then, to process them with the software supplied. This way, you'll learn what's happening inside your camera ;)

I know the user manual isn't very explicit on those tricks :)

Trials and errors are part of the game. It's the learning curve, adn dSLR's are demanding :P

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Pentax K-5 + BG4 + DA* 16-50 + DA* 50-135 + DA* 60-250 + AF-540FGZ
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Gingertwist
 Post subject: Suggestion helped
PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:00 am 
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Thanks for your feedback and insight. There definitely is a learning curve with dslr's. It's one thing to read the manual and yet another to be able to visually translate it to practice. I tried your suggestion to switch to the neutral tone setting, and it did help a good bit. Also, I didn't realize that about two different types of light sources and the AWB. I very much appreciate your help. :)

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rei_vilo
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 4:12 pm 
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Bonjour Gingertwist,

You're welcome :)

User manual are feature-oriented, not user-oriented. So for my former Pentax K10D, I bought the Pentax K10D - Magic Lantern Guide, by Peter K. Burian.

Image

Quote:
This book is the missing user's manual for K10D users. The manual provided with the K10D is rather a reference manual, while Peter K. Burian's book is the true user's manual.

It provides two kinds of information:

1. Since the K10D is loaded with so many options, what are the photographic consequences of each option?

2. To-the-point advice from a professional photographer: which option is more suitable for a given circumstance?

All the options provided by the C menu are detailed as well as the way the K10D works in each mode (P, Av, Tv, TAv, Sv, M). The Pentax-speak is translated into photographic language, easier to understand. A whole chapter (#6) is devoted to the use of flash, bridging the gap between the manual of the K10D of the manual of the flash.

The book is easy to read since K10D's symbols are used. The final result is a lot of time saved. After reading this book, the user knows his/her camera much better and could trust it and use it to deliver truly amazing pictures.

A must have for K10D owners.


I bought the same book by the same author for the Pentax K-7, and obviously, I expect the same result. There might be the appropriate book for your model.

Enjoy true photography :) [/url]

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Stuey
 Post subject: KX
PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:47 pm 
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Location: Wales
Hello

I am not familiar with the KX, however, there I believe that there is a firmware update available for the KX - have you downloaded it ?? (it's version 1.01 if I have been advised correctly)

This may have nothing to do with it but it may be worth a try especially if any of the issues you mention have been addressed by the firmware update - I have not read the info on this.

Some people I have spoken to 'believe' that firmware updates often put more things right than they claim to as this is a way of manufacturers not having to admit errors but do correct them - others say that this is rubbish - me personally - I don't realy care :o)


Cheers

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Gingertwist
PostPosted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 12:01 am 
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Thanks, Rei_Vilo and Stuey. I've been searching for the Magic Lantern book for the K-X, but I've been unable to find it. Actually, I don't think one has been released yet. I've seen the series for other models and was impressed. I think a user-oriented book is just what I need. Reading the feature-oriented manuals can be confusing without seeing actual visuals of the results (i.e., adjusting hues, saturation, etc.). I appreciate your recommendation.

I haven't uploaded the firmware yet. That's something that I'll need to do. Thanks for sharing that tidbit of info, Stuey.

Gingertwist

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Stuey
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 9:07 pm 
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Hello again

Problem is there could be many reasons for the pinkness and blur so if you can at some point upload a picture (I have not yet done this myself) then Rei seems to be one of the people who could sniff out your problem.

This may sound daft but when I first started out I had a pink lens cloth and cleaned my lens with some cheap fuid and that cloth - you know what is coming - pink pictures (in places) as I did not check the lens I just wiped and went out shooting - the solution was simple - I doubt that there are two people in the world as daft as me but I thought that I would mention it :o)

At least you can all laugh :lol: - the pink cloth was a freebie in a magazine by the way - don't always trust a freebie.

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Gingertwist
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 2:28 am 
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Posts: 13
Thanks for sharing your story with me, Stuey! Although I didn't use a pink cloth, I certainly have stories that can match yours. (You're not alone!) Anyway, I contacted Pentax, and they said that it's possible that it could be an image processing system problem. They recommended that I send the camera to them for examination. This has been very frustrating. I want to thank everyone for your comments and suggestions.

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