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Decision made: Going Pentax.

raist3d

Well-known member
This is hard. I really love Olympus stuff. And their lenses. It's tough. And some of the things Olympus seems to do better than anyone else (JPEGS) are quite dear to me. But I can't stand some of the directions I am seeing, can't stand not getting a pro spec 410/420/620 and can't stand paying $1700 for a camera with an outdated sensor.

I still like like them. I will probably keep the minimum to do a wedding with them in case I have to use as backup for now and because I really love some of their lenses.

But I need to realize I also craved low light/natural light photography, and just saw some of the images that finally convinced me. Ironically from Pentax Japan (why Pentax USA doesn't have these?). Pentax Japan showed guts- every single company I have seen when they do their demo photos they show you, you know ISO 100's.

Not Pentax. They sampled even all the way to ISO 12,800. That requires confidence. Most importantly, I saw the photo and it's amazing. Deep rich blacks even at that ISO.

Looking at the other shots I am quite amazed too- the model in color dressed in blue shot with a telephoto prime- superb detail, tonal gradation.

But the shot probably that convinced me (along with the 12,800) is the low key shot of the model. This was shot with the standard telephoto DA* Gold (17-whatever it is). The thing that jumped to me is not only the detail there but the shadow detail. It's exquisite. Silk. Black and white to the extreme in extreme tonal range.

And Olympus, I miss that. Your new way of handling dynamic range got nice highlights at the expense of the shadows and there's no switch to it.

Moreover the current sensor just doesn't seem to be able to do this.
Panasonic's GH2's probably will come somewhat close. That would have worked. Too bad I can't stand the current micro four third lenses.

The GH2 is small but with a decent lens it grows. A pancake + K-5 starts competing with it in size at that point. Sure, there's the F 1.7 Panny pancake but that's one lens and still not in the same class (though not bad).

So- the AF issues I am sure I can handle them, it's seeing what the camera is seeing. The k-5 provides ample alternatives too with the live view and the manual focusing which looks like I can with the view finder.

As for Pentax Japan images, have a look:

http://www.pentax.jp/japan/imaging/digital/slr/k-5/ex.html

ISO 12,800

http://www.pentax.jp/japan/imaging/digital/slr/k-5/image/ex_04_4.jpg

Low key ISO 100:

http://www.pentax.jp/japan/imaging/digital/slr/k-5/image/ex_01.jpg

Super ISO 100 with bags of detail and tonal range:

http://www.pentax.jp/japan/imaging/digital/slr/k-5/image/ex_02.jpg

No color moire anywhere (another thing that shows on somewhat rare occasions on E-5, but now to watch for).

AS for the Pentax reds with magentas in daylight- that can be somewhat controlled in post, would prefer Pentax releasing a firwmare update to rescale that red channel and watch for it. If I was a color photographer that may be a deal breaker but I am mostly a B&W photographer, and in inside light/more over cast light this becomes a non issue.

Thanks everyone here for all your help. It has helped me a lot.

I should have some time this week hopefully for some shots, albeit low light.
 

Howard

New member
Good luck with your decision. I have read some fine things about Pentax cameras, their high ISO capability and their excellent lenses. Based on your research that you describe, your Pentax should meet and exceed your expectation and yield countless excellent images.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
I only can agree to what you say. I am very pleased with my K5 and lenses, I find this combo definitely producing better IQ than my D700 with latest Nikkor pro grade zooms, but all in a much smaller and cheaper package!

Having said that, actually this was my expectation from Olympus already when they started their 43 system. But while the E1 was really outperforming lot of the competition some 5 years ago, the E3 was only garbage in my eyes (my AF never was accurate, they could not fix that, higher ISO looked bad etc) and since I did not see any signs of improvement I moved away from Olympus and to Nikon FF. Which delivered better IQ especially at higher ISO, but for the price of much more weight. Today Pentax moves into that territory and replaces 43 IMHO. And I also do not understand the decision of Olympus to bring an E5 with a 12MP sensor, at least I would have waited for the new 16MP 43 sensor of the GH2, even if that would have delayed the E5 for 6 months.

Pentax is the right decision, the right way to go for the next few years! Enjoy!
 

jonoslack

Active member
HI Ricardo
I've watched your anguish, and I've been impressed by your tenacity. I hope it's rewarded with satisfaction with your decision!

All the best
 

raist3d

Well-known member
HI Ricardo
I've watched your anguish, and I've been impressed by your tenacity. I hope it's rewarded with satisfaction with your decision!

All the best
Olympus made it easier for me by pricing the E-5 at $1,700 USD. If it was USD $1,300 I would have probably gone that way. :)
:deadhorse:

But it's funny, it was an E-5 review and the Pentax Japan images that finally tipped the scales.

- Raist
 

Elliot

Active member
Raist,

I'm interested in your statements about reds in Pentax. I lived with a K-x for about six months before selling it because the reds were never right. I wrote about it on the boards but never got msuch resonance. You write:

"AS for the Pentax reds with magentas in daylight- that can be somewhat controlled in post, would prefer Pentax releasing a firwmare update to rescale that red channel and watch for it. If I was a color photographer that may be a deal breaker but I am mostly a B&W photographer, and in inside light/more over cast light this becomes a non issue."

So, I am wondering what more information or documentation you might know about and to which you could point me. I have a K-r coming later this week after hoping the reds would be different (or really forgetting about it).

Thanks.
 

raist3d

Well-known member
Hey Elliot, sorry I didn't see this earlier. So here's what so far it's happening in red land:

- the DNG's as I was converting them in Mac OS X gave me easy magenta casts. This seems to be a problem with OS /X not natively supporting the K-5 yet. Looks like some calibration work needs to be done even with the DNG generic format in place.

- I converted in-camera to JPEG and the results where much better. I also wonder if there's a difference between the body I had with sensor stains and this newer one without them? Somehow it seems that way.

Let me show you some red:



- Raist
 

raist3d

Well-known member
I need to shoot more reds in daylight though to make the point. I think the JPEG engine seems to be handling it for me relatively ok now in this 2nd body. Maybe I think there might be a difference but could be a placebo effect, not sure.

- Raist
 

Elliot

Active member
Raist,

I found with the K-x that the problem I was seeing was outside in daylight and shade, where the reds never appeared "true" and probably had a magenta shading you indicated earlier. I have improved my "RAW" skills since then, and maybe the K-r will have no issue anyway. I was just really interested in your statement since it seemed to be similar to what I experienced. Please keep me up-to-date and what you find with the K-5!

Elliot
 

raist3d

Well-known member
I will. I'll try to get some daylight shots. I will say that the reds on the Pentax are more like a Fuji Velvia film. I am using the RAW-> JPEG in-camera for a bit and see how it feels. The Pentax raw converter software should yield the same results or about.

If you are using a Mac, Mac OS / X doesn't officially support the K-r yet either.

- Raist
 

jonoslack

Active member
HI Elliott
I just thought i might chip in - Ricardo and I have been discussing this at some length - I have seen it - but not very much.

I think it may be because I'm always always careful not to over-expose - it's a personal thing, I just prefer blocked shadows to blown highlights :)

I suspect that the magenta tinge happens when the red channel is blown (suspect).

At any rate - I'm using Aperture on a mac (which is, I think, the same as Ricardo) and I'm shooting exclusively DNG. As he says, there isn't native support yet, but I think the standard DNG conversion does a grand job in most circumstances. When I have seen an issue, then moving the hue in the red colour block slightly towards yellow (about 8%) seems to sort it (occasionally with a very slight drop in luminance).

On the other hand - I live in the UK, and there hasn't been much bright daylight around here since I had the K5!

all the best
 

raist3d

Well-known member
@Jono- the exposure thing is correct but Olympus deals with this and keeps a red (if a bit washed out). Same with Canon.

But, again, the JPEGS in slide film mode are coming with reasonable reds. Will test again with the other modes but seems it's mostly a DNG/OS X "new camera" calibration issue.

- Raist
 
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