Trying another way to fight the spam

I have turned off the comment moderation option. Instead I turned on word verification feature. Now everyone who is human (according to Blogger's humanness test, at least) can comment in this blog.

Update 20 minutes later: I've just received a spam comment inviting me to buy some cigarettes or whatever. Unfortunately, I have to turn comment moderation back on.

PESO 2009 #011.1

I've obtained the permission to publish some shots from DA* 50-135/2.8 zoom. Here they are. Notably, the second one was not processed in any way whatsoever - only downsized for web publication. The first one was slightly cropped and tone corrected.

Starting a photo gear section

Generally, I feel very reluctant to write anything about photo gear in my blog. From time to time I would buy a new lens or another photo gear item, but it is almost improbable to stumble upon something rare and/or unique that would be worth dedicating a special page to that. I've some other ideas in mind when it comes to writing about photo gear, but this time I think I should put (notice, not write) few words on the subject in my blog.

I am reading Luminous Landscape for a number of years now. I just like this site. The most recent review of Canon EOS 5DMkII by Nick Devlin is just brilliant. Bloody brilliant as some would say. I'd like to list just a number of quotes that I wholeheartedly agree with.

"...since Canon is still putting a “Direct Print” button on a 21MP full-frame camera, I can only assume that real photographers are in short supply in the design and specification departments."

The following quote is something one must always keep in mind. I used bold to put emphasis on very important notion, at least in my opinion.

"In commercial print reproduction, a Canon G10 now pumps out more than enough pixels for a double-truck layout. Printed on inkjet or photographic paper, images from just about any higher-end DSLR will look great up to 11x14. It is only in the rarified air of really, really big prints, done with really, really good post-processing, on really, really well profiled systems that the differences we are speaking of will be visible.

To some extent, we are all quibbling about the price of champagne in the promised land, and we should remember that."

And finally, the topping of the cream, so to say:

"Switching between Canon, Sony and Nikon’s top-end offerings will improve nothing but your relationship with your camera dealer."

PESO 2009 #011

I met two lenses today. A friend of mine came from the United States. He brought a whole bag of Pentax gear, but most interesting for me were DA* 16-50/2.8 and DA* 50-135/2.8 lenses. The first one is very good, but just that - very good. The second one is quite remarkable. The SDM motor is absolutely silent but I couldn't say if it is faster or in any other way better than old screwdriver system. Though it works absolutely fine with my K10D. Enough talking.

Him, two of his brothers (notably Nikonians) and myself went to Caesaria park today. So here is a sequence of few shots.

I approached the spot I thought could be used to show the strong waves that were there. I had been basically certain that I am far from the reach of salty water.



Then, some 15 seconds later the wave came. This and two shots that follow were taken within 2 seconds.





At this moment all my left side was soaking wet and salty.



So I finally chickened and ran away. After a brief wipe with the piece of cloth both the camera and the lens were just like before - no signs of being splashed with the Mediterranean waters.

I used DA* 50-135/2.8 to take some portraits so that I am going to have to obtain permission to publish these shots before I put them here.

All in all, Pentax did a great job, only if QA/QC issues of DA* 16-50/2.8 could be sorted out completely...

PESO 2009 #010

I have missed an opportunity to photograph almond blooms this year. Mimosas however are blooming at full strength and I have a proper "weapon" against them - my FA 100/3.5 macro lens.