Pentax K-S2 Review
24 May 2016
Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK
I’m no camera expert, but I certainly know when I like
something and when something is of a high quality or worth buying. Since
starting my blog, one of the most important things for me has been clear photos
because blurry photos are definitely one of my biggest pet peeves. I like a
photograph to ‘wow’ someone, and I think it’s important to be able to capture a
scene accurately and easily. Sometimes blurry photos can’t be helped, but when
I can, I like to use photos that are to my
standard.
RATING: 🌟
🌟
🌟
🌟
🌟
I have always been a Canon girl, not because I knew anything about the brand or the type of cameras they produce, but because it was the most popular brand during the time I began using DSLRs. I even have a Canon printer! But the camera I previously had and have been using is the Canon 1000D which isn’t too old, but doesn’t have a live-view screen or recording feature. I decided it was finally time to upgrade, as I wanted more than just a new lens. I marched straight into Bradford Camera Exchange as asked for the newest Canon on the market, and seconds before deciding to buy it, I asked the manager if there was anything better than a Canon as I wanted to try something new. He suggested the Pentax range of cameras, a brand I’d never even heard of. After a little trial run in the store, I fell in love with the camera (and both lenses) and now can’t wait to take more photos!
PROS:
Amazing image quality (especially in RAW format)
Anti-shake actually works
Brilliant viewfinder
Live-view is accurate and fluid
Basic design and easy to use
Works for keen photographers
Weatherproof
In-camera WiFi
Compact not cramped
CONS:
Non-touch screen
A little pricey
Struggles to focus with a lot of movement in video-mode
Handgrip is small
18 – 50mm lens can jam if not released properly
Shorter battery life than my previous Canon
Approx. 678g – heavier than the 1000D
It’s fairly obvious I’m slightly obsessed with this camera.
Not only does it work for blogging photos, but I can also use it for my secular
work for the two charities I work for, Clothing Solutions and Beaneezy. The camera is
incredibly easy to carry around, and despite the small handgrip, it is quite
deep so this isn’t an enormous disadvantage. One of my favourite features is
the live-view mode, which helps me to get a much more truthful view on the
photos I’m about to take, and the spirit level aspect helps to keep my photos
straight. The live-view screen is incredibly responsive and fluid too! When
using this camera, there is very little editing needed (apart from shadows) as
it’s not heavily affected by the sun and bright artificial light. There’s no
strobing that appears, and the camera has 20 different scene modes, including
Museum, Surf & Snow, Pet and Blue Sky – just a few that weren’t available
on my previous camera. This is tremendously helpful when shooting outdoors.
Because the camera works so well with light, the flash doesn’t immediately pop-up
when shooting in Auto-mode and the K-S2 still takes phenomenal photos without
the use of flash.
I’m glad this camera is weatherproof, so there’s no need to
worry when there’s a slight drizzle out as it includes weather sealing. Although
the Pentax K-S2 is a lot heavier than the Canon 1000D, it has so much more to
offer. For example, the camera captures colour so beautifully, there’s never
any need to enhance saturation or highlights. As its summer, the green of the
trees are mesmerising to the human eye and the Pentax reflects this in its
images. I have not been disappointed with a photograph so far, which is a great
sign. Take a look below to see the difference between a scene taken with my
Canon 1000D (18-55mm) and then the Pentax K-S2 (18-50mm)! Note: the photos below were taken within two minutes of each other, to ensure they are as accurate as possible. Both lenses were also set at 18mm for a fair chance.
 |
| Canon 1000D |
 |
| Pentax K-S2 |
20.12 MP APS-C sensor with AA Filter Simulator
Pentax KAF2 bayonet mount
In-body shake reduction, up to 3.5stops
Glass pentaprism with 100% field of view
0.95x magnification viewfinder
3.0 inch LCD monitor with 921,000 dots
77 segment metering
SAFOX X AF module sensitive to -3EV
11 AF points, 9 cross type
ISO range 100 to 51,200
20 Digital filters
DNG/PEF RAW format
Flucard Compatible
Inbuilt Wi-Fi and NFC
Smartphone and tablet control available with Apps
Full HD Movie Mode
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 Movie Format
So the Pentax K-S2 will
by staying by my side for a very, very
long time. It could even be used for the day I decided to start a YouTube
channel or include videos on Anika May. I’m incredibly impressed with the brand
and very happy with this investment. I even managed to purchase a small Inov8 camera
bag (with plenty of pockets) that’s the ideal size for the K-S2 as the 18-50mm
lens has a shutter release button to collapse the lens – the camera also warns
the photographer if the lens has not been released properly.
Have you ever tried a
Pentax camera? What camera do you use now?
This post is not sponsored by Pentax, I really
like their cameras.
The photos of the Pentax K-S2 were taken with the Canon 1000D.
She Could Fly | Wishlist
22 May 2016
Skipton, North Yorkshire
Today is being spent in the lovely town of
Skipton, one of my favourite places in the whole of Yorkshire. I have so many
memories here, from visiting Bolton Abbey to lunch at the castle. Last summer,
I loved visiting Skipton for an all-out girls' shopping day, so today's
wishlist is inspired by those kind of summer outings.
I think playsuits are crucial for summer. They’re
not an item I’m really invested in, but yet again, multiple Instagram accounts
and fashion magazines have swayed me. I really like how simple they are and easy
to wear. Despite the unable-to-go-to-the-toilet-without-getting-complete-naked
aspect, they’re super cute and fun to play around with. I chose the simple
black Monki
playsuit (similar),
and there’s no doubt the high street will soon be filled with them.
The Maurices denim jacket really
caught my eye (sadly, it’s out of stock but I found a similar one here).
The medium wash is really versatile for summer style and has a cute cropped
style that compliments the waistline. I think a cropped jacket is a summer
essential, and denim will never go out of style. The jacket can be used as a
layer, making it the ultimate wardrobe staple. Similarly, a simple tote is necessary.
I absolutely love the Cuyana
tote because it’s just a classic. It comes in a large array of colours, but
I chose caramel to brighten up the look and contrast against the dark playsuit.
The great thing about high quality bags are that they are lightweight and made
to last!
If you haven’t noticed, I’m totally obsessed with
phone cases. I recently had a post featuring my latest custom case
(plus the discount code “ANIKA20CA” to receive 20%
off from CaseApp). Today, I’m adding the white marble look to my wishlist with
a phone case from Casetify
– it’s super chic, very slim and would fit my iPhone perfectly.
Ankle boots are my weakness. I have too many
pairs and I shouldn’t be longing after any more but I just can’t help it. Acne
Studios is also my weakness but that’s something that I’m willing to live with.
I absolutely adore their Pistol Short Boots
despite the high price. The large stitching is unique for leather boots but I
really like the classic style. They’re effortlessly chic and can be worked in a
casual look, biker ensemble or formal outfit. The heel is the perfect size the
lengthen legs without looking strange and black pairs with absolutely everything. To finish the look and theme of simplicity,
I chose the Top Coat
polish by Nars and Quay
Australia sunglasses with a cool mirrored effect!
To check out the rest of the items in this
wishlist, click
here.
That Khaki Coat
19 May 2016
Gilstead, Bingley, West Yorkshire
As you may know, I love a good coat. In my ‘Blue Marshmallow’
OOTD, I mentioned how much I really,
really like coats – and that’s still true. On occasion, I have to avoid the
coats and jackets section of a retail store because I know I have absolutely no
self-control when it comes to shopping; and that’s exactly how I found today’s item.
It’s a style that I’ve never really worn because I always believed extremely
long coats would make me look very Darth Vader-ish and that’s not what I’m
going for with my wardrobe. However, after trying it on, and completing a few
twirls, I fell in love with that khaki coat.
The colour isn’t one I’m normally drawn to because I
believed it would be difficult to find colours that wouldn’t clash with the
texture and shade. Nevertheless, I’ve discovered the complete opposite. There’s
actually quite a few items in my wardrobe that pair really well with this coat,
blue jeans being one of those items. Everyone has a pair of classic blue jeans,
no matter what the style. I chose the basic skinny jeans from New Look, but I
also see this coat going well with some lighter distressed boyfriend jeans and
looking very chic. I like to wear skinny jeans with my suede ankle boots (a
forever favourite) because they elongate my legs without being uncomfortable.
As I’m feeling quite down at the moment, and struggling to
focus on blogging (or just life in general), having a little gem like this coat
is slightly lifting my mood. The Limited Edition M&S coat was bought during
their recent spring sale and it was the very last one in store – which seems to
be the case for most items I buy. Sadly, I couldn’t find the coat online with
the product code as it’s been discontinued, but found a similar one linked
below! The khaki coat is acrylic, polyamide and elastane so is full of stretch
and extremely soft, it’s also a double breasted number, so I could pair it with
a full dress to create a super stylish evening look!
Coat – M&S (similar) // Top – River Island // Jeans –
New Look // Shoes – Next (similar) // Bag – Topshop (only available in red) //
Sunglasses - Next
Blogging at an Event | My Three Essentials
16 May 2016
Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
I recently attended the Live at
Leeds Festival thanks to The Blogger Programme and The Zeitgeist Agency and
enjoyed the whole day. However, it mean I needed to be prepared as the festival
is held in a number of venues in Leeds and I’d be on the go all day. This gave
the idea to create a blog post on three essentials for blogging at an event or
on the go!
A NOTEBOOK
I mentioned in a previous
post that I struggle to concentrate and get stuff done unless I write down
what needs to be completed. For a blogging event, I like to take note of opening
and closing times, as well as the names and numbers of important people. When
going to the Live at Leeds event, there were certain artists I really wanted to
see at different places across the city centre, so I noted down where I needed
to be and when. It’s common that events will have brands sponsoring or gifting
items, so noting down the names of those brands and even the Twitter and Instagram
handles to mention them online.
A CAMERA + LENS
Bringing a camera is an obvious
essential, but if I can squeeze in another lens, I always try to do so. Depending
on the job, you could bring different types of cameras to produce different
types of photos. Or, you could be like me and super protective over expensive equipment
and chose to bring the less expensive camera! For Live at Leeds I brought my Pentax
K-S2 camera, but the Canon 1000D is always a great option for taking clear
photos and capturing the right shot. If there’s an event where I can’t bring
such a big camera, my iPhone 6s camera works well too. It’s great to be able
capture a photo and post it straight onto my social media accounts.
ACCESSORIES + MAKEUP
Attending an event usually means an OOTD photoshoot, and I
always like to touch up just before to ensure I like remotely presentable for
the blog post! Makeup is a crucial must-have for most places I go, and I hate
forgetting the extra tube of eyeliner or another powder pack. For accessories,
I like to bring anything that will make my outfit a little better or has a
shimmer. I don’t think I’ve ever said no to diamonds ;) Live at Leeds resulting
in spending some time in the sun, so I brought along my Bloc Eyewear sunglasses*
and Dixi “Born a Bad Seed” ring* to add to my look.
What are your top three essentials?
Staying on Track and Getting Stuff Done
13 May 2016
Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
I do find it very easy to forget the smaller tasks when my
brain is in high speed mode and I can’t tell up from down. While I find myself
trying to work out what I need to do, or even constantly repeating my to-do
list in my head, it’s time to write it all down. I spend so much time in
Paperchase, it’s time to finally start using those (billions) of notebooks I
have collected. Having different notebooks for different activities has also
helped, for example: I have a notebook that is only for drafts of chatty
blogposts, and I have a diary to note down different events or places I need to
be, as well as a journal that is design solely for writing down to-do and
shopping lists. It’s really helpful to have all that brain noise on a page
rather than in my head.
It’s ridiculously easy for me to get lost in my phone. One
Snapchat message and I’m watching a whole bunch of stories and have lost half
an hour. The same applies to Twitter;
I have notifications turned on, so whenever I’m tweeted I know immediately. This is helpful for
blogging, but an enormous distraction as tapping the home tab has almost become
instinctual. For the most extreme of circumstances, I will plug out my WiFi hub
and work from my bedroom just so I’m not tempted to use the internet on my
laptop. It’s natural to start researching things on the internet, or shopping
online for your OOTD look, but before you know it, you’re completing your
eighteenth BuzzFeed quiz and watching night routines on YouTube – not okay.
If listening to Eye of the Tiger on repeat was an option, I
would do it, but I’m positive it would drive me crazy. Music that motivates you
to work hard is definitely a top tip, because there’s always a playlist out
there that’s full of songs to get you going. I tend to avoid YouTube for
playlists, because I could easily end up watching a Too Faced palette tutorial
rather than working. Spotify, Soundcloud, 8tracks, and Pandora are all great
music streaming services that have pre-made playlists. Sometimes I prefer to
use my own playlists, but try to avoid music that results in me acting out a
music video in my room, or running around the house like a mad woman. It’s said
that classical music helps with focus, but I find that music I’m interested in
and can bop around to is great for blogging – as long as it’s not full blast!
When you’re very busy, with too much to do, it’s really easy
to start doing multiple things at once, ending up with a load of half-done
jobs. There have even been times when I’m excited to write blogposts and have
plenty of ideas, so I’m trying to write them all out at once and it just ends
up falling apart. Sticking to one task at a time is a really easy way to stay
focused. With a to-do list laid out, there’s no need to stress about other
things that could be forgotten. I don’t like to juggle things, simply because
I’m not co-ordinated enough so pushing all else aside and working on one
activity is the best way to stay on track. Although it may not seem
time-effective, it means the jobs that are done are done well.
Panicking gets you absolutely nowhere. It’s really
common for me to sit and think, “Oh my goodness I have so much to do and I
don’t know where to start and now I can’t breath and uh-oh panic mode!” This is
one of the worst mind sets to be in, as it results in the vicious cycle again.
Even when working, I can get distracted and start stressing about the workload.
I’ve found that taking breaks every so often is really helpful, but also
training my brain to turn down all that noise, turn it into English, and turn
it into action. When the worry sets in, it’s important to take a moment to step
back and return with a fresh point of view. Panic mode is not a fun mode, and
can be quite discouraging too.
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