Sunday, January 31, 2010

Nikon d90 vs. Pentax Kx...on the Job comparisons

Let me start by saying these are both awesome cameras. I use the Nikon at my place of employment and I use my Kx for my own freelance work. I've only used both for a short time since they are both new. I upgraded my system about the same time my job upgraded theirs.
My experiences today using the d90 and comparing it to my kx.
Well I shot in a dim atmosphere with a slow shutter. I don't have an SR lens for the Nikon so all the pictures came out blurry except the ones i took with the flash. My kx i could have used the built in SR.
Iso kx goes up to 12800 with very usable images I believe the Nikon only 6400.
The white balance on both cameras is pretty spot on but also a little warm on both. When I manually set the white balance on the D90 i have take a picture each time and then check it to see if its what I like. There is not a whole lot of tweaking I can for each factory preset wB. but it does have some and also has custome white balance and kelvin scale.
On The kx all i have to do is take a picture hit the WB button and it will pull up the last photo i took. I can then adjust the WB of that photo and even take out any colors by moving the dial to take out any color casts then every photo after that will be WB according to the sampled photo. This and this alone makes the KX a bigger winner compared toe the d90 for me.
To check the time i have to go into a menu system and look for it on the Nikon for the kx all i do is hit the info button. It may not be a big deal but I check the time regularly for breaks, clocking in and out etc.
Okay menus about the same. One goes vertical (Nikon) the other goes Horizontal (Pentax).
Size well the grip is better on the Kx and a bit longer too. with the Nikon I have about an inch of palm that hangs over the bottom of the body. A problem i never had with the Nikon d70.
I've been shooting with both Pentax and Nikon for a long time. Its funny how the Nikons are starting to look so much like the Pentax's from the back with an OK button and arrow dial that looks so much like the one on my ist DS . Even the new sb900 is having more and manual controls like the 540fgz flash.
They both have A-af, S-af, and C-af. They both have info on the back screen but the Nikon has top LCD panel which I really don't miss with the Kx cause its just more convenient to look at the back screen for the Info.
They both have live view and movie mode but the kx has the built in SR which helps a lot
They both have the AF/EL button. My favorite button on both cameras. Buttons feels the same on both cameras. Both have info buttons too.
The second wheel is not a factor either since I can't turn then both at the same time and with the Pentax all i have to do is touch the EV button to change the other. Pentax for me it is easier to control this way.
Build wise they feel about the same even use the same SD card door and plastic body. Both pale in comparison to the hard bodies of the Pentax ist DS and the Nikon d70. Those cameras look and feel as if they could take a fall and a beating. Both the d90 and the kx do not.
flash sync is about a draw Pentax syncs at 180 Nikon at 200. But Pentax has HSS sync which isn't available on the Nikon,,,at least I couldn't find it and it may require the new sb900 flash if it has it, as we are still sing the sb 800. This is a big Winner for the kx side as well for my own needs and uses. UPDATE>>>The Nikon also has hi speed sync.
Auto focus is pretty close with the Nikon winning this one. Very fast and very accurate. My kx is fast as well but its still using screw drive lenses.
There is no shooting delay on either camera with the Nikon jumping the gun a bit and i sometimes wind up firing two shots in stead of one. I definitely give this to the Nikon. Very good AF system...
Skin tones are good with both cameras and saturation as well. I would say both cameras are winner but for me there are things I miss on the d90 that are on my kx. I can definately give up a little speed for all the features the kx has. Including stuff like the filters and also the ease of changing jpeg size. d90 works on a L M S basic medium and fine scale the kx tells you 12, 10, 6, 4 meg and then you select the (*) (**) (***) for quality.
other things Nikon allows tethering Kx does not.
Nikon uses Lithium kx uses AA lithium or Nickle batts either way its a toss up here since amperage is about the same. Both last about the same as well. There are some new batteries in town called Zinc rechargeable that are suppose to be perfect for the kx. The voltage is a little higher than Nickel batteries but they are more comparable to Lithium batteries.
both have world time now, Pentax had it a long time ago.
Both have zoom review using the wheel again something that Pentax had long before the Nikon as my ist DS had it and my Nikon d70 did not.
Both have the on of switch around the trigger button but Pentax has the little blue light which I find really cool and distinguishable Nikon has a white painted line in the identical place and looks identical to the lit up one.
Forgot about the AF points. I miss them then I don't. Sometimes they interfere with what you see but I do like them but I don't miss them. But i'll give it to Nikon since I can tell where I'm focusing. But the 5 area Auto focus is more helpful than Nikon's full 11 point auto select. they both have 11 points.
The vga screen on the nikon can be misleading just like the screen on the canon Elf makes everything look better. Unlike my cheap samsung d53 p&s which the back screen looks like crap but when downloaded the images look incredibly pleasing. My sister has an Elf and all her pictures look amazing but when you download then they don't look so amazing.
It really isn't what you see is what you get. the screen makes everything look better and more dynamic almost a bit cartoony, but in the end its hard to know the real end product until you download and see it on a workable monitor and print them out. didn't find this issue on the kx. Even though a smaller screen not by much i found the images better represented and authentic. And the kx monitor can be color calibrated.
I've never liked Nikon's rendering in grass situations because it always exposes very cold.. Pentax always maintained a warmer feel in these situations.
As for auto iso both cameras have it. both have a sensitivity mode as well. Kx goes up to 12800 and Nikon upto 6400. Kx so far has the best noise control for high iso. It is very comparable to a full frame camera...infact in some tests the full frame only had a one to two stop advantage.

Ultimate Sacrifice


Control Tower, Hugo Chavez Int'l Airport


I Need A Roberto's Bean Burrito


I Shouldn't Have Ate Those Fries


Robinson Portraits | Black & White Business Card

Big thanks to Dee of Robinson Portraits for sharing the business card she made from the Black & White template – isn't it beautiful?! Why not get it for yourself here!

Learn About White Balance


Well, I just shot these photos about 20 minutes ago at time of posting. They are examples of the different variations you can capture if you allow yourself to learn a bit about controlling white balance. If you are interested in learning more, dig out your camera manual and find out if you can control the white balance on your camera.
Tip: Can't find your manual? Well, put the model number of your camera along with "pdf" into a google search and see if you can download a copy of a pdf manual onto your computer. I actually download many camera manuals ... and I would always download a camera manual in advance for any camera I was thinking of purchasing.
The Nikon D90 allows you to control the white balance in many ways. Most cameras allow you to pick White Balance presets for sunlight, shade, fluorescent and incandescent lighting. Experiment with these settings when you are in the appropriate application. Go ahead ... get wild, use the wrong settings too! Sometimes this will do some very interesting things to your photos. Remember, if you like it, who cares what anyone else thinks ... unless of course you are trying to appeal to the masses.
My favorite way to control white balance is by setting a light temperature. The D90 allows for adjustments between about 2,500 and 10,000 degrees kelvin. The upper photo was taken at approximately 7,600 degrees and the lower photo was taken at roughly 3,700 degrees. The Auto White Balance setting on most cameras is usually set around 5,500 degrees.
OK, now dig into the subject of white balance in your manual discover how to alter the white balance. Play around with some shots so you can see how the settings will change your photos. Do you feel that one of the photos above is colder than the other? Do you see how you can control the feeling of a photo by changing the white balance? Go ahead now, give it a whirl. What have you got to lose?
NikonSniper Steve

Photo of the Week ~ Morning Light


Camera: Nikon D700
Exposure:sec (1/500)
Aperture: f/5.3
Focal Length: 7 mm
ISO Speed: 2500
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: No Flash

Friday, January 29, 2010

Pink Strawberry Cups

Trouble Overhead


My AVIS Car Rental


Starship Enterprise Backup Board


Camp Pendleton Marine Flying School


Amber Oschwald Photography | Valentine Mini Wallet Cards

This just makes me say "awwwwwww!" How cute are these kiddo's!! Amber of Amber Oschwald Photography sent us these Valentine cards she customized for her kids. She got creative changing colors and background patterns – what fun! Amber said,
Thanks sooo much for the free valentines templates! I ordered them in wallets for my kids to hand out to their classmates! They cannot wait for them to come in!

Published

Just a little shout out for getting our photos in Whirl’s Wedding magazine out now. Our couple made it on the “Style” intro page. (Check it out now!)

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Crystal Lake Sunrise

San Diego Sunday Afternoon


Beach Roller Coaster

Torrey Pines State Park


San Diego Alley Art


Tide Comes IN, Lifeguard Heads OUT


Kelley D Photography | Dolce Album

I am just LOVING this senior book sent to us from Kelley D Photography! What a gorgeous girl and I am drooling over that fun font Kelley used for her name . . . I'm going to email her to see if she'll share what font it is – I'll let you know if I find out! :)

***UPDATE***


We just heard back from Kelley, and the font is: (drum roll . . . .)

Inspiration You can find it here.

Because It (Still) Cold Outside



What do you think about the focus??? Does it work or does it only look out of focus?

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Mexican Cuisine


Rising Tide


Clairemont Avenue Throne


San Diego Bay View


San Diego Christmas Card


When Inspiration Hides

At this past weekend’s workshop the question was asked, “what would you do?” My answer: create an image that cannot be observed by the human eye in life. To capture time without the aid of the human eye adjusting to the light, that’s a photograph.

I like my response. It was fluid and without thought. Many times I am ask what is my style or method for creating an image. My answers are always forced and over-thought. For this answer to come with no effort seemed as if it was a gift given to me by the gods.

I once heard a story that the word “creativity” originated from the god of Genius, who would visit an artist during periods of their work. A guardian angel for the artist. I like this idea; that creativity is something that passes through a person instead of driving out of a person.

On a side note I started thinking about adding a lighting workshop to my upcoming dates. Sort of odd thing for me due to the fact that I have worked so hard to understand natural light (drink the light). Teaching that the sun rises and sets does not seem like much of a workshop, although the subject of light is limitless.

Enlightened society ~ do no harm… I cannot get this phrase out of my head. Will write more on this tomorrow….hopefully.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Pine Cone Grenades


I'd Rather Be Biking


Raining On LA!


Pentax i*st D...Camera Credo...To See the World

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Here it is for sale. Gotta say good bye to the first born. I saved it from a liquidation wharehouse called Bargain-land on E bay. I had originally bid on Several Nikon d70's but kept losing the bids. So it was life trying to tell me it wasn't meant to be. I bid on this little camera and won. It came with a lens.

I took this photo using a small desk lamp with my new DIY macro studio which will be perfect for some food photography. The studio was a cinch to make. One box at Office Max 3.00, I sheet of poster board 69 cents, three sheets of paper, and some black spray paint I had lying around.





I went to school with this camera, did my first Freelance shoots with it. Did some stellar nature and flower photography as well as portraits and model shoots. Now its time to pass it on to a good home.

As I see there is a camera Credo. All cameras are promised at birth to see the world. Its what they were designed for. To see your family grow. To go where with you on vacation. They don't ask for much, just to go along and do what you do. Some create history, art, magic, some record history and some amazing moments in life. They can be there when you are born and when you breath your last breath. To keep a camera in storage is to kill it. This camera has many more years ahead of it. I'm sure I will find it a good home.
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Corey Matthews Photography | 10x30 Collage

How cool is this collage put together by Corey of Corey Matthews Photography! Corey used this collage to show his different styles of work as a float wrap from WHCC . . . sweet! Corey wrote:

The products from album cafe are great! Easy to work with and most of all the image resizing actions make workflow a whole lot easier!!!

I dare you to check out his site without doing a little "chair dancing". :) Nice music choice Corey!

E-Book Is Released


~ Includes exercises on how to artistically present yourself via your blog.
~ Shows you how to use your blog as your Social Business HUB.
~ How to market and build your portfolio at the same time.
~ How to use your blog to grow and sustain your business.

PURCHASE HERE