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CodfishCartographer
Feb 23, 2010

Gadus Maprocephalus

Pillbug
Any strap recommendations? I'm loving my Bessa R and will be taking it to Japan, so I'm looking for a decent strap to carry it with. So far I've literally just been using a wiimote wrist strap and throwing the camera in my pocket, so I'd like something a little more reliable. Ideally I'd like something I can sling around my neck / shoulder so I don't have to always hold onto the camera / have it dangling from my wrist when I'm not wearing a jacket that I can put the camera in. Conversely, it'd be nice if the strap could compress down decently so that I can wrap it around my wrist / throw it in a jacket pocket with the camera when I don't feel like dangling it around my neck. Basically I'd like something that can work as a shoulder/neck strap and wrist strap. Hope I'm not being too picky. I hear the Leica strap for the M series is pretty great for rangefinders so I'm heavily considering it, but goddamn 50 bucks for a small strap seems a bit excessive.

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Wild EEPROM
Jul 29, 2011


oh, my, god. Becky, look at her bitrate.
you're going to japan which is the land of camera stores and camera straps just buy it when you get there

they have literal aisles of the poo poo

spog
Aug 7, 2004

It's your own bloody fault.
I've got a neoprene neckstrap that seems to fit the bill.

The material means you can wrap it around your wrist and there are no sharp edges to be uncomfortable.

Ethics_Gradient
May 5, 2015

Common misconception that; that fun is relaxing. If it is, you're not doing it right.

spog posted:

I've got a neoprene neckstrap that seems to fit the bill.

The material means you can wrap it around your wrist and there are no sharp edges to be uncomfortable.

Yeah, that is what I had on my Bessa (and on my Hasselblad now). Much more comfortable than the stock ones.

wargames
Mar 16, 2008

official yospos cat censor
What would be a good inexpensive remote for a pentax k-70?

harperdc
Jul 24, 2007

CodfishCartographer posted:

Any strap recommendations? I'm loving my Bessa R and will be taking it to Japan, so I'm looking for a decent strap to carry it with.

Bring some kind of backpack/shoulder bag. You’re going to need one anyways (cash, coins, tickets, etc). Just make sure the camera fits in there. Otherwise yeah all of the big electronics shops have literal aisles of straps.

President Beep
Apr 30, 2009





i have to have a car because otherwise i cant drive around the country solving mysteries while being doggedly pursued by federal marshals for a crime i did not commit (9/11)

CodfishCartographer posted:

Any strap recommendations? I'm loving my Bessa R and will be taking it to Japan, so I'm looking for a decent strap to carry it with. So far I've literally just been using a wiimote wrist strap and throwing the camera in my pocket, so I'd like something a little more reliable. Ideally I'd like something I can sling around my neck / shoulder so I don't have to always hold onto the camera / have it dangling from my wrist when I'm not wearing a jacket that I can put the camera in. Conversely, it'd be nice if the strap could compress down decently so that I can wrap it around my wrist / throw it in a jacket pocket with the camera when I don't feel like dangling it around my neck. Basically I'd like something that can work as a shoulder/neck strap and wrist strap. Hope I'm not being too picky. I hear the Leica strap for the M series is pretty great for rangefinders so I'm heavily considering it, but goddamn 50 bucks for a small strap seems a bit excessive.

If you do opt for getting something before you leave, I recommend this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0771XL5DK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_CAuUBb20S0SJD

Not big or bulky, and it’s great for just walking around. I’ve even used it to lug around my 7D/150-600 sigma.

Putrid Grin
Sep 16, 2007

Wild EEPROM posted:

you're going to japan which is the land of camera stores and camera straps just buy it when you get there

they have literal aisles of the poo poo

This.

Edit: A length of paracord usually does the trick as well if you are looking for something lightweight. Rangefinders are usually pretty light affairs, so they dont need bulky and over engineered straps.

Atlatl
Jan 2, 2008

Art thou doubting
your best bro?

Wild EEPROM posted:

you're going to japan which is the land of camera stores and camera straps just buy it when you get there

they have literal aisles of the poo poo

If you go to Yodobashi or Bic then most of the people in the camera department in the big tourist cities speak English well and can help you. Also bring your passport because you can get discounts + tax free on stuff.

qirex
Feb 15, 2001

I really like the straps I got from Simplr and DSPTCH [not as big a fan of their lack of vowels] but I’m kind of an accessory hoarder so the fact that I’ve spent over $100 on 2 neck and 2 wrist straps doesn’t bug me as much as it should. They use the same clips and I like being able to switch between neck and wrist easily.

Still, buy one in Japan.

President Beep
Apr 30, 2009





i have to have a car because otherwise i cant drive around the country solving mysteries while being doggedly pursued by federal marshals for a crime i did not commit (9/11)

qirex posted:

I really like the straps I got from Simplr and DSPTCH [not as big a fan of their lack of vowels] but I’m kind of an accessory hoarder so the fact that I’ve spent over $100 on 2 neck and 2 wrist straps doesn’t bug me as much as it should. They use the same clips and I like being able to switch between neck and wrist easily.

Still, buy one in Japan.

Those do look pretty nice.

pseudorandom
Jun 16, 2010



Yam Slacker

President Beep posted:

If you do opt for getting something before you leave, I recommend this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0771XL5DK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_CAuUBb20S0SJD

Not big or bulky, and it’s great for just walking around. I’ve even used it to lug around my 7D/150-600 sigma.


I feel like it would be awkward carrying a big DSLR upside down with a strap like that. What kind of differences would you notice using a strap like that versus one of the stock straps?

President Beep
Apr 30, 2009





i have to have a car because otherwise i cant drive around the country solving mysteries while being doggedly pursued by federal marshals for a crime i did not commit (9/11)
When I’ve got it tethered to my big telephoto zoom I rotate the tripod collar to a reasonably ergonomic carrying position. With a smaller lens and the strap attached to the body, bringing the camera in position to shoot feels pretty natural.

Babysitter Super Sleuth
Apr 26, 2012

my posts are as bad the Current Releases review of Gone Girl

pseudorandom posted:

I feel like it would be awkward carrying a big DSLR upside down with a strap like that. What kind of differences would you notice using a strap like that versus one of the stock straps?

The benefit of an inverted hang strap like the blackrapids is that the camera is already oriented to your grip when you grab it to shoot, which is faster and more easy to remember via muscle memory. I also find them more comfortable than neck straps.

E: Also, if you have a flash mounted to your camera, it hangs a lot cleaner.

Babysitter Super Sleuth fucked around with this message at 22:32 on Oct 7, 2018

tribbledirigible
Jul 27, 2004
I finally beat the internet. The end boss was hard.

wargames posted:

What would be a good inexpensive remote for a pentax k-70?

Around $30? This: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/688838-REG

Been using it for years, have left in in my jeans a couple of times and gone through the washer and dryer, and kept on trucking.

powderific
May 13, 2004

Grimey Drawer

pseudorandom posted:

I feel like it would be awkward carrying a big DSLR upside down with a strap like that. What kind of differences would you notice using a strap like that versus one of the stock straps?

I’ve been using blackrapid straps that do the same thing for years with gripped dslrs and it’s great. The camera is both more comfortable to carry and quicker/more natural to get up your eye.

rio
Mar 20, 2008

I used Blackrapid for a while but didn’t use the tripod mount hook and hooked it instead to the side camera strap holder. It just made it more comfortable because vertical shooting with the tripod mount holder in sucked. Now I’m just using the strap that came with my A7ii. I don’t know why but it is grippy, doesn’t flop around as much and easier to wrap around my wrist.

I also was using a cheap Chinese rainbow cloth strap. I really like the feel of woven cloth and would still be using it except I’ve been scooting with my camera and the grippy strap let’s me just hang the camera from my shoulder while I ride.

KinkyJohn
Sep 19, 2002

This Trilens thingy looks great. you can draw and holster your primes like a god drat western gunslinger

Helen Highwater
Feb 19, 2014

And furthermore
Grimey Drawer

KinkyJohn posted:

This Trilens thingy looks great. you can draw and holster your primes like a god drat western gunslinger

Looks like a great way to give free lenses to pickpockets in busy streets.

President Beep
Apr 30, 2009





i have to have a car because otherwise i cant drive around the country solving mysteries while being doggedly pursued by federal marshals for a crime i did not commit (9/11)
I’m gonna buy that thing and two more 150-600s. That’ll really impress the birds.

Smoove J
Sep 13, 2003

yeah Meade's ok I spose
I have a gear question, and it will show up in this post somewhere. I'm going to try to get all my thoughts out so you can give me advice.

I like my Fuji X100F. I used to have an Olympus p&s in high school, but I'm sure I never took more than 50 pictures with it. I didn't like it. I've never had another camera, other than those two.

I take pictures of mountains. I don't take pictures of birds and bears and stuff, but only because my lens is fixed. No zoom. I'ved tried cropping my pictures, but it looks like crap, generally speaking. I think I would like the option to zoom, to switch lenses, that fun stuff. I really like the lightweight feel of my current camera, but I don't care if I have another pound or two of weight on a weeklong hike if I'm going to get the picture I want. The suffering, it's worth it. Not much more than a pound or two, though. Here's a sample of pictures I take, that I am most interested in taking in the future: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3521471&pagenumber=304#post488693433

I also take pictures of my cross country team as they're racing. My shutter speed has been locked at 1/250 this whole season, but recently I've been panning at 1/60, and it comes out with good results every two dozen or so pictures. I do not care about shooting sports more than I shoot landscapes, but I do it, and enjoy it. I can not zoom, as I said, and I get really jealous of those guys with huge telephoto lenses. I am not the world's greatest, but I feel like I'm taking better pictures than those guys, though I'm feeling tremendously limited.

I am not a parent, but the possibility is becoming more likely by the day. I have never, ever, done portraits or been interested in them but I can see that being a responsibility I will have down the road.

Here is my question: I feel limited by my current gear, I want a different camera, but what to get? My budget will be whatever I sell my X100F for, plus a few hundred initially. A close estimate is no more than $1500. I'll be able to justify a good lens, later down the road. I'm looking at the XT2, as they seem to be plentiful, but why not just get the XT3 and the ubiquitous 18-55 for now, and, like, a 16-55 or 50-140 later? and in fact, why necessarily Fuji, when I've never tried a different brand? I guess I'm used to it, and I don't want to spend a ton of time and money dicking around with another brand now that I've learned this one. And those lens numbers, keep in mind I have no idea. All I have ever had and have ever known, is this fixed lens, that I have enjoyed but now feel limited by. Thank you.

President Beep
Apr 30, 2009





i have to have a car because otherwise i cant drive around the country solving mysteries while being doggedly pursued by federal marshals for a crime i did not commit (9/11)
Whatever you end up going towards, be sure to check out reputable second-hand dealers/factory refurbs. I just started photography last year and bought a body brand new. It wasn't until later that I realized how robust and relatively safe the second hand market is. When it comes to third party sellers, I've bought a few items from KEH, including my current Canon body, and their products seem to be graded conservatively. Some folks here who have been shooting a lot longer than I have remark that KEH has diminished in quality from what they used to be, but I've had good experiences with them.

Atlatl
Jan 2, 2008

Art thou doubting
your best bro?

hello my friend could i have a moment of your time to hear the good word of micro four thirds???

Well it doesn’t need to be M43, but based on your criteria and weight/volume limitations, M43 would be really good. Depending on the lenses, you could easily pack 3-4 in a bag and stay within two pounds. Used M43 stuff is super cheap, and there are also options for inexpensive telephoto zooms so you could get a few bears in bright daylight without a problem. Dual IS features also mean you can skip bringing a tripod for medium/longer exposures, so you save the weight of bringing a tripod.

Sticking with Fuji is a good safe choice, though. It’s really hard to go wrong with them. If you’re looking at an X-T2, maybe consider getting a used X-T20. They’re extremely cheap right now and you could get another lens. It’s basically the same sensor and features, just with no weather sealing, a different dial layout, and slightly gimped video. I wouldn’t worry too much about the lack of weather sealing, though. I run around with my X-T20 in heavy rain at sea and regularly hike with it, and I haven’t had a single issue with it. Also, there isn’t really a bad piece of fuji glass. They’re all sharp, just some are a little faster or better constructed.

I would advise sticking with crop sensor. The only dude I know that climbs/hikes/enjoys outdoors with full frame stuff is built like a gorilla and can ruck infinity pounds with no problem, and even then the volume of the lenses is inconvenient so he normally only brings his walkaround zoom.

rio
Mar 20, 2008

The price gap between the X-T2 and 20 isn’t that big right now. I saw one for sale, with grip for 700 bucks on fredmiranda’s buy/sell. I was lucky enough to sell mine locally for 850 which was kind of poo poo because just over a month ago they were still going for over 1000 but the timing of the 3 announcement flooded the market and tanked prices. I don’t know if 2 prices will stay that low since already there are less 2s for sale than a few weeks ago it seems but it’s a bad time to sell which makes it a good time to buy. I don’t know 20 prices since I haven’t been needing to keep them in my radar but one is for sale here for 650. That vs. a 2 and grip for around 700-800 I would definitely spend the little bit more and get a 2.

Atlatl
Jan 2, 2008

Art thou doubting
your best bro?
If that’s the case just get the 2, the all manual dial layout alone is worth that small of a price difference.

ExecuDork
Feb 25, 2007

We might be fucked, sir.
Fallen Rib

wargames posted:

What would be a good inexpensive remote for a pentax k-70?

All Pentax cameras that can work with a wireless remote can work with any Pentax remote. Just snag a deal on whatever wireless remote matches up price + shipping on eBay or Amazon.

For wired, the search term you're looking for is "intervalometer". Again, anything will work, so just find something advertised as "FOR PENTAX" on eBay or Amazon. The advantage of an intervalometer with a wire is greater flexibility for things like time-lapse, very long exposures, delay settings, etc.

Shifty Pony
Dec 28, 2004

Up ta somethin'


Atlatl posted:

hello my friend could i have a moment of your time to hear the good word of micro four thirds???

Speaking of, I have a micro four thirds question.

I have an Oly E-M5 (not mark ii) which has been an absolute champ for vacations and trips for the size and capability you mentioned. Is there much of a compelling reason to upgrade? It is a six year old body after all. Looks like there are some rumors about a mark iii being "soon" as in January, should I hold out until February to make a decision? Our next big trip is going to be April-ish.

Also any suggestions on gps loggers? Preferably something I can stick on the strap, turn on, and forget about for most of the day.

DJExile
Jun 28, 2007


Shifty Pony posted:

Speaking of, I have a micro four thirds question.

I have an Oly E-M5 (not mark ii) which has been an absolute champ for vacations and trips for the size and capability you mentioned. Is there much of a compelling reason to upgrade? It is a six year old body after all. Looks like there are some rumors about a mark iii being "soon" as in January, should I hold out until February to make a decision? Our next big trip is going to be April-ish.

Also any suggestions on gps loggers? Preferably something I can stick on the strap, turn on, and forget about for most of the day.

The EM5Mkii is pretty solid and will probably be very cheap on the used market when the III hits.

I think the Olympus share app can geo tag photos, but it also sounds like a surefire way to just murder the battery of both your phone and your camera. How accurate are you looking to be with these tags?

spog
Aug 7, 2004

It's your own bloody fault.

Shifty Pony posted:

Also any suggestions on gps loggers? Preferably something I can stick on the strap, turn on, and forget about for most of the day.

I've tried hardware ones and not been impressed.

I've got two sitting on my shelf, broken and I've just sold a watch with that feature.

I suggest an app for your phone.
GPS Logger for Android works well for me and has lots of options to tweak the settings so you don't run your phone battery down.


You'll need to clean up the tracks before you use them. This one seems okay - a little unintuitive but clicking like a monkey seems to work well
http://www.gpstrackeditor.com/

wargames
Mar 16, 2008

official yospos cat censor

ExecuDork posted:

All Pentax cameras that can work with a wireless remote can work with any Pentax remote. Just snag a deal on whatever wireless remote matches up price + shipping on eBay or Amazon.

For wired, the search term you're looking for is "intervalometer". Again, anything will work, so just find something advertised as "FOR PENTAX" on eBay or Amazon. The advantage of an intervalometer with a wire is greater flexibility for things like time-lapse, very long exposures, delay settings, etc.

What what i can see the k-70 has a built in intervalometer is some sort of time lapse mode.

Shifty Pony
Dec 28, 2004

Up ta somethin'


I suppose I could just use my Garmin bicycle computer. It has an 18hr battery life and I can get the files into gpx for Lightroom with a bit of conversion. I just figured surely someone had made a stand-alone one that didn't suck but I guess I shouldn't be surprised that isn't the case.

I'm not looking for perfect precision, within 100yds or so would be acceptable. Mostly I want something that can mark a photo as being at a particular park or viewing spot.

Atlatl
Jan 2, 2008

Art thou doubting
your best bro?

Shifty Pony posted:

I have an Oly E-M5 (not mark ii) which has been an absolute champ for vacations and trips for the size and capability you mentioned. Is there much of a compelling reason to upgrade? It is a six year old body after all. Looks like there are some rumors about a mark iii being "soon" as in January, should I hold out until February to make a decision? Our next big trip is going to be April-ish.

If you're sticking with oly then I would just hold off until the new camera announcement. Unless you're doing something like sports/wildlife or need the extra MP to crop for printing I think you're fine to wait.

The Rat
Aug 29, 2004

You will find no one to help you here. Beth DuClare has been dissected and placed in cryonic storage.

From what I've read on the rumor sites, the EM5 MkIII isn't due all that soon anyways. The Jan/Feb release is supposed to be their new flagship camera, a weapon to surpass metal gear a camera to surpass the EM1 MkII.

xzzy
Mar 5, 2009

I use a Canmore gp-102 logger and its pretty drat perfect.. mostly because it doesn't use a proprietary format (it makes .fit files) for the logs so you can plug it into a USB port in your computer and use gpsbabel to make a Gpx file that Lightroom can use. Many units require using some garbage custom app just to get the files off the device and into a usable format.

Battery life is the only downside.. it gets about ten hours before going flat.

It's a pretty old device.. think it's been out around about ten years now but if you look up reviews it's one of the more accurate loggers in its price range.

spog
Aug 7, 2004

It's your own bloody fault.

Shifty Pony posted:

I suppose I could just use my Garmin bicycle computer. It has an 18hr battery life and I can get the files into gpx for Lightroom with a bit of conversion. I just figured surely someone had made a stand-alone one that didn't suck but I guess I shouldn't be surprised that isn't the case.

I'm not looking for perfect precision, within 100yds or so would be acceptable. Mostly I want something that can mark a photo as being at a particular park or viewing spot.

Why not your phone?

It's more accurate, faster to aquire, easily customisable, the files upload to the cloud storage of your choice and you're always going to have it with you.

E: and LR's 'map' function is frankly spooky.

President Beep
Apr 30, 2009





i have to have a car because otherwise i cant drive around the country solving mysteries while being doggedly pursued by federal marshals for a crime i did not commit (9/11)
Depending on where you're shooting, e.g. in the wilderness, the lack of a signal would make this not work.

spog
Aug 7, 2004

It's your own bloody fault.

President Beep posted:

Depending on where you're shooting, e.g. in the wilderness, the lack of a signal would make this not work.

Phone uses GPS and you don't need a phone signal for that.

I've used it on overseas travel and had the phone in airplane mode while walking around to prevent any data roaming charges.

President Beep
Apr 30, 2009





i have to have a car because otherwise i cant drive around the country solving mysteries while being doggedly pursued by federal marshals for a crime i did not commit (9/11)

spog posted:

Phone uses GPS and you don't need a phone signal for that.

I've used it on overseas travel and had the phone in airplane mode while walking around to prevent any data roaming charges.

Huh, I was of the understanding that most cell phones use carrier signals for location (although I do know there are some handsets that use satellite).

spog
Aug 7, 2004

It's your own bloody fault.

President Beep posted:

Huh, I was of the understanding that most cell phones use carrier signals for location (although I do know there are some handsets that use satellite).

Yes and no.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_GPS

It makes it much faster to get a signal.

Standard GPS takes much longer to get a fix and especially if it hasn't been used a for a while or moved a long way since you last had fix (both very likely if you only use it for phototrips). Getting a part fix from your cell towers really decreases this time.

I think that Googles Location Services also has a database of wifi networks to help this, too.

My non-phone GPS stuff would take 2+ minutes to get an initial fix. My phone can do it from cold in a few tens of seconds.


E: Why yes, people always want to talk to me at parties.

spog fucked around with this message at 14:35 on Oct 10, 2018

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Shifty Pony
Dec 28, 2004

Up ta somethin'


I'm mostly iffy on phone apps because gps eats battery like crazy. If all the other solutions are poo poo though I can just deal with using an external battery.

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