Having fun with an assortment of Pentax cameras. The Pentax K7 deep in the jungles of the Mentawai Islands

I got a chance to shoot the Billabong Malaysia Team Riders in the Mentawai Islands. Good waves, Good times, and Great food!


Most of the images shot with the new Pentax K7 with a variety of lenses. The K20 and Optio w60 were also used. These are a sample of teaser images. I will upload full resolution samples as soon as the production firmware is released.


Optio W60 mounted on the original Joby Gorilllapod. A group shot of the boys from California and Singapore the morning prior to our departure for Padang, Indonesia.
In any adventure, the quickest way to start is to dive headfirst. Luis getting it started. Pentax K20 & DA 10-17

The machine like perfection of the Mentawai islands. "Icelands" at a solid 10' face. Pentax K7, DA* 300 with intentionally long shutter to soften the lines of the wave.


Billabong Malaysia's Mamat Daud, doing an effortless air re-entry at "Bang-Bang's"



Frolicking in the small surf. On our last day, we chose to relax and have fun surfing smaller waves at "telescopes." Mamat spraying Khairil and Laurie on the multipurpose air mattress. The beauty of the K7 is it's speed. I was able to reel off 6 frames in a little over 1 sec to yield the precise frame that i wanted to display the peak moment.


The best way to experience any surf destination is to live among the indigenous people. Most people use charter boats and stay at sea. We wanted to immerse ourselves and exchange culture. Dr. Ed and Luis gomez strolling through town, Sipura Island, Mentawais. Pentax K7 DA* 16-50 f2.8



Locals stroll through the Main street. Pentax K7 and DA* 60-250


Keene going native, and harvesting a few coconuts. Pentax K7 & Da* 60-250


View of the local suburb. Pentax K7 & DA* 60-250
Khairil Satusuku initiating a laid back snap. Another example of the K7's speed and ability to precisely capture the most decisive moment. Pentax K7 & Da* 300 f4, taking in all the splendor of "bang-bangs" near Siberut island, Mentawais.


One of the rare photos of the "surfdoc" while trolling for Giant Trevally and Big tuna. The beauty of this trip was that we surfed all day, Fished by nightfall, and ate our catch over dinner.


Khairil exiting one of the deep tubes at "Icelands." Pentax K7 DA* 300 f4


Uh-oh, Luis getting snaked by Morgan. I like the compression achieved from using telephoto lenses. Pentax K7 with DA* 300 f4


Some aggro-charger from New Zealand who wasted a perfect barrel. I didn't bother to post the wipeout sequence (it looked too painful) Pentax K7 with DA* 300 f4


An empty perfect tube at Icelands. K7 & DA* 300
Joel Maguire staring deep into the teeth of the dragon. Nipussi's Giant right hander Pentax K7 & DA* 300 f4


Local security guard watching over the boards. Pentax K7 & DA 10-17 fisheye


The Mentawai Islands are deep Malaria Country. Thanks to Surf-Aid and their instruction of proper prophylaxis, the incidence of Disease has been well managed among the local population. Here the boys are using mosquito nets to deter the wicked Anopheles.



The dreaded Anopheles mosquito characteristically bites during dusk and dawn, coincidentally the best light for photography. Hence, there are limited shots during the Golden hours. Pentax K7 & DA* 16-50
Local Surfer. Pentax K7 DA* 16-50

Khairil's great catch. The Giant Trevally made for some delicious steaks!!

Morning breakfast at the homestay.


A Bintang celebration.

This was just a teaser, more action and lifestyle images to follow displaying the Weather sealed utility of Pentax Cameras and lenses. A big thanks to the boys at Billabong Asia, the beautiful people of Sippura, Mentawais and Pentax for delivering on the K7, a mold breaking camera that may ultimately cause a paradigm shift for professional photography as we know it. - the surfdoc, Mark Dimo Dimalanta