just browsed through the thread. Those images look like "is there really a need for a camera with larger sensor than the K5?"Here are some with the (absolutely here to stay) 100 macro WR
of course, with APS-c it's tough to control DOF:ROTFL: (at least, that's what everyone tells me)
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Fun with the Pentax K5
- Thread starter jonoslack
- Start date
jonoslack
Active member
HI There Tom
Of course, with a longer lens and a shorter distance the answer is NO - with a shorter lens and a longer distance surely 'Sometimes'.
Todd (nostatic)
Great to see you back - hang around! I'm not sure that the K5 does better low light than a 5DmkII, but it's altogether a nicer camera to use (IMHO of course), solid,small,quiet (very). Altogether splendid.
Your band stuff looks interesting - Steely Jam indeed!
Carl
So many great shots I especially like the changing red swing - seems like you're bonding nicely-having seen these, I realised I had to chip in again (supposed to be having a quiet time to get some serious programming finished).
It's the DR which keeps coming back and getting to me - here are a couple of landscape shots which show that the camera isn't just a low light toy.
All with the 18-135 (what a great lens!).
This last shot especially, shot straight into the morning sun, and the grass is still green!
All the best - back to work
scho
Well-known member
Hi Jono,Carl
So many great shots I especially like the changing red swing - seems like you're bonding nicely-having seen these, I realised I had to chip in again (supposed to be having a quiet time to get some serious programming finished).
It's the DR which keeps coming back and getting to me - here are a couple of landscape shots which show that the camera isn't just a low light toy.
All with the 18-135 (what a great lens!).
This last shot especially, shot straight into the morning sun, and the grass is still green!
All the best - back to work
I'm still very pleased with the K5 and I agree about the impressive dynamic range available with this camera. Your nice landscape shots demonstrate this very well. I wasn't expecting much from the 18-135, but it does seem to be an excellent lens. My copy is razor sharp wide open and although "wide open" is not very fast it is quite adequate given the excellent high ISO performance of the K5.
Have fun with your programming task. You seem to have or had a January thaw - looks almost like spring over there.
Carl, Jono
Your images are absolutely breathtaking - they show a clarity and three dimensionality not often seen. My K5 has been giving me some focus 'grief' so I have sent it back for a replacement and I have been on the edge of going for a GH2 instead but I am thinking that might be a dreadful mistake. Of my own shots, those that are in focus (which I guess is the majority, if I am honest, though not as good as my K20D) just feel like 'real' photos rather than 'digicam' shots. The exposure on the K5 is so much improved over the K20D.
Anyway, if I stay with K5 I'd love to be able to contribute. I assume you are both shooting RAW and using Lightroom? If so, or even if not, can you give me some clues as to how you are resizing your images for optimum display here?
Cheers
Lee
Your images are absolutely breathtaking - they show a clarity and three dimensionality not often seen. My K5 has been giving me some focus 'grief' so I have sent it back for a replacement and I have been on the edge of going for a GH2 instead but I am thinking that might be a dreadful mistake. Of my own shots, those that are in focus (which I guess is the majority, if I am honest, though not as good as my K20D) just feel like 'real' photos rather than 'digicam' shots. The exposure on the K5 is so much improved over the K20D.
Anyway, if I stay with K5 I'd love to be able to contribute. I assume you are both shooting RAW and using Lightroom? If so, or even if not, can you give me some clues as to how you are resizing your images for optimum display here?
Cheers
Lee
jonoslack
Active member
Hi There Lee
Although I think I may have seen the 'front focus in tungsten light issue' on rare occasions, I don't otherwise have problems with focus on the K5 - in fact it's been generally excellent.
On the other hand, this is an entirely new focusing system (also on the 645) so one should perhaps expect some teething issues. Pentax seem right up for producing new firmware where it's needed, so if I were you I'd hang on in with your replacement camera and see what comes up. Of course, there are many reasons for liking the G2, but solid,weatherproof and quiet don't seem to be it, not to mention the non-optical viewfinder!
I had a K7 for a few weeks, tried to love it and failed on the IQ level. The K5 is so far ahead on IQ - the Dxo Dynamic range issues (which I simply thought of as a testing coincidence) really do seem to produce great images. The 18-135 isn't perfect, but the combination of the two, producing a really compact and fully weather proof setup is impossible for me to resist. The primes seem fine (but I'd rather use an M9 with Leica primes), but that little combo seems to me the dogs doodahs!
all the best
scho
Well-known member
Hello Lee,
Thank you and welcome to the forum. I shoot only raw and use Lightroom3 for processing. After completing basic exposure, clarity, and capture sharpening (default preset, narrow edges) I export the file for the web as a 90 % jpeg at 25% of original size (or ≤1200 pixels wide) with either low or normal output sharpening for screen display in srgb mode. I think that Jono does all of his processing in Aperture.
I have not had an unusual level of auto focus failure with the K5 and when it has occurred it has been only in very poor lighting with subject movement also in play so not really unexpected. I always use a center single autofocus point, get and hold a focus lock, re-compose as necessary and then release the shutter. Old school stuff, but it works well enough for me. I've also been using SR with auto iso, fast mode for most of my casual shooting and as Jono pointed out you generally don't have to worry about high iso noise or DR up to about 6400 with the K5. I hope your replacement K5 works well for you and look forward to seeing your images here.
Thanks Carl. Looking back over the images I have taken these past 3 weekends (only one of which was sunny), it seems to me that the 'worst' offenders were with the 18-55 kit lens at 55mm. Also, 1/100th sec shutter speed seem to be prevelant too but that may be coincidence - you'd think SR would cope with that wouldn't you? Oddly, it's not just been my kit lens - some on my 43td (again 1/100thsec?) not as sharp as I'd have hoped. On the other hand, before Christmas I was getting great results with my K20D in freezing cold conditions. So I don't think it's just 'me'. If they let me have a replacement, I'll report back here and hope to contribute.
Thanks for the inspiration
Lee
Thanks for the inspiration
Lee
jonoslack
Active member
Good Luck - as Carl said, I use Aperture, shoot DNG, and I'm pretty satisfied (other than an occasional magenta red). I gave up with the kit lens quickly; not because the focusing wasn't okay, but it always seemed to be soft, the 18-135 seems much better. I don't have the 43 (60-250, 35 macro and 100 macro).
I've even had some success tracking small and very fast dogs with the 60-250 and the 18-350 - it works well unless they're running straight at you (and I've never had a camera that dealt with that satisfactorily, not even the Nikon D3).
There's light at the end of the tunnel! (and it's much too good not to give it a good go).
And this one is Sapphie, a very patient cat, who really loves having her photo taken.
43mm Ltd, ISO 6400, 1/25th sec, f/1.9 only adjustment is luminance reduction 20 and a bit of cropping. Hand held, well with my elbows on the floor. Oh, some tungsten lighting too!
I didn't realise her 'igloo' needed such a clean!
43mm Ltd, ISO 6400, 1/25th sec, f/1.9 only adjustment is luminance reduction 20 and a bit of cropping. Hand held, well with my elbows on the floor. Oh, some tungsten lighting too!
I didn't realise her 'igloo' needed such a clean!
scho
Well-known member
Your images look fine Sapphie. The low light portrait of the cat, shot wide open with the 43/1.9, would have been a challenge for any auto focus DSLR, but you nailed the focus just fine with your K5. If you subscribe to Sean Reid's review site, you might want to read his comments about auto focus in the K5 review.
scho
Well-known member
Testing the Pentax DA 55-300 today. Construction not as nice as the primes, noisey focus, and slow but light weight, compact and cheap. I was tempted to get the 300 prime, but was put off by the high price and weight. Here are some first shots, all hand held with SR, auto ISO fast, and f/8.
Chilly Squirrel (-12 F)
Cardinal
Nuthatch
Finches
Deer
Chilly Squirrel (-12 F)
Cardinal
Nuthatch
Finches
Deer
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jonoslack
Active member
HI SapphieOk, not to your standards but here's a couple ... and now I'm wondering what was wrong with my camera? There were some weirdly focused ones too but these are amongst the best from a very limited number of days so far. I am beginning to enjoy this ...
Glad you're enjoying it - these are fine, I especially like the first one . . . . it looks like Suffolk with hills!:ROTFL:
The cat is also just fine . . . . maybe it just took a day or so to settle down?
all the best
Hope my retailer isn't looking here! I did have problems with it, honestly (or could be me needing time to settle with it?). I am awaiting a replacement and going for the 18-135mm this time.
Here's another with the 43mm ltd. Exposure increased by over 2.5 stops over original.
Lee
Here's another with the 43mm ltd. Exposure increased by over 2.5 stops over original.
Lee
jonoslack
Active member
HI Carl
one of the nice things about the ridiculous high ISO, and the 'fast' option on the auto iso, is that you can really shoot at whatever aperture you like to get the best out of the lens.
I like the bench best out of this lot - and I envy you your crisp weather, at the moment we have big dark heavy cloud cover, and about 37F, with a little drizzle just to make it nicer.
euch!
all the best
jonoslack
Active member
I like the angles . . . but not so keen on the shot this time though (it almost looks like the north sea!) . Whereabouts in Devon are you?
I think you'll love the 18-135 though - mine hardly comes off the camera, it's not the best, but it's good, and sooooo convenient!
all the best