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Pentax default color vs simulated Olympus color

raist3d

Well-known member
This is why I am inclined to like Olympus color profiling more. The reds look red to me, not bordering on a magenta when hit by strong light- sometimes (not always depending which Pentax JPEG simulation you pick- color slide isn't too bad). The Yellows on Pentax tend to look a bit greenish while in Olympus they tend to look warm.

Interesting to note, the Purple is nuked by the Olympus profile simulation but that's one of the things that Olympus worked on when they first introduced the Pen E_P1 for their JPEG engine. The profile simulation only goes to E-3/E-30 sim. I also think the E-3 would have been done a bit better than that but I know that's precisely the color Olympus improved on when the Pen came about.

The purple on the Pentax is spot on to what I saw.

Pentax on left ("Natural mode"), Olympus default E-3 simulation from DXo 6.6 on the right:



Both from the same shot.

- Raist
 

m3photo

New member
Re: Pentax Reds

It seems they still haven't resolved the issue. The first thing I did on screen with my trial shots on the K-5 was to check the magenta shift in the reds - and it's still there. Oh well, can't have it all I suppose, the rest of the K-5 I like a lot.
 

raist3d

Well-known member
Re: Pentax Reds

It seems they still haven't resolved the issue. The first thing I did on screen with my trial shots on the K-5 was to check the magenta shift in the reds - and it's still there. Oh well, can't have it all I suppose, the rest of the K-5 I like a lot.
Try the slide film simulation. It helps a lot, but then you get only high contrast type shots. The good news is, if you shoot in RAW then you can change all that. But yeah, I wish their JPEG engine didn't do this.

- Ricardo
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
This is why I am inclined to like Olympus color profiling more. The reds look red to me, not bordering on a magenta when hit by strong light- sometimes (not always depending which Pentax JPEG simulation you pick- color slide isn't too bad). The Yellows on Pentax tend to look a bit greenish while in Olympus they tend to look warm.

Interesting to note, the Purple is nuked by the Olympus profile simulation but that's one of the things that Olympus worked on when they first introduced the Pen E_P1 for their JPEG engine. The profile simulation only goes to E-3/E-30 sim. I also think the E-3 would have been done a bit better than that but I know that's precisely the color Olympus improved on when the Pen came about.

The purple on the Pentax is spot on to what I saw.

Pentax on left ("Natural mode"), Olympus default E-3 simulation from DXo 6.6 on the right:



Both from the same shot.

- Raist
Maybe you should try the E5 - I never was happier with a DSLR than I am with that camera. And I am sure color has even improved further!
 

raist3d

Well-known member
Maybe you should try the E5 - I never was happier with a DSLR than I am with that camera. And I am sure color has even improved further!
I have tried the E-5. Yes, the color has improved further from the last Pen, though the next Pen will probably top the E-5 (the one due next week). The E-5 has noise in shadows as early as ISO 200 like the 620/E-30 in many shots (but not as bad), far less dynamic range than the K-5 (in the order of 3 stops or so) and the same old 4/3rds bad high ISO performance and on top of that banding. Plus it's heavy, big and expensive- not quite my match for street night life. Would work great for weddings at that size, but not for my walk around street work (for me).

Is the high E-5 ISO performance that bad? It really depends on everyone's needs. I think the E-5 is fantastic at low ISO, but I also do high ISO photography and the K-5 is fantastic at high ISO. At the low ISO range, the K-5 just has untouchable dynamic range.

I am looking forward to the new Pen due to be announced next week and see if finally Olympus moved the bar in these areas in a notable way. I already know it's coming with a new sensor, but I want to see if it's like a G3 sensor or something else, taken further. I am sure they will move but how much. It won't be K-5 performance nor would it have to be as good as a K-5 for me. Just sort of GH1 with minimized banding would be awesome for me to consider.

Keep in mind I am showing how to get good color with the K-5. If you shoot raw and not JPEG, all the "Pentax doing reds" issues go away completely, particularly with DXO6.6- but don't have the issue in LightRoom and Aperture requires maybe a bit more coaching but it's all doable. With DXO 6.6 I can make the reds even look like Canon if I want, like Fuji if I want or like Nikon if I want with a simple click & select away. I was surprised some Canon models actually do pretty decent- though I actually still prefer the Olympus JPEG engine rendition. Fuji as always has also been top notch (in their S3/S5 pro models).

With Olympus I loved shooting JPEG. I can shoot some types of JPEGS with the K-5 that are really nice but not the general shooting I used to do in a way that satisfies me compared to what I get from RAW. I would prefer to be shooting JPEGS, but if the price for me to be happy with the K-5 is to shoot RAW generally speaking so be it. It offers (to me) many more compelling advantages than the E-5 at a more reasonable price.


- Raist
 
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