[lightbox]

Since I'm in the market for a dSLR and am not overly committed to my former system (Nikon), I'm taking a hard look at Pentax. Couple questions, please, for the folks who shoot with a K-50 or a K-3... the two that I'm considering.

Do either of these cameras give you quick access to the histogram when reviewing a photo, without having to go into menus? In the D80 I was able to just press a button continuously to cycle between different views, one them being histogram. If I left it in that mode, then the histogram would come up automatically when reviewing a shot.

Is the histogram available in live view?

Finally, is there any sort of exposure feedback (such as for blown out highlights) while composing the shot? Presumably this would be in live view mode.

[jatrax]

Do either of these cameras give you quick access to the histogram when reviewing a photo, without having to go into menus?

Don't have a k-50 though I assume it is the same. On k-3 in review mode you press info and use the scroll wheel to go through all the possible displays, there are 5 different ones from nothing to way too much, including both rgb histogram and separate channel histogram displays. And yes the selected mode sticks.

Is the histogram available in live view?

Yes, but only RGB not separate channels AFAIK.

Finally, is there any sort of exposure feedback (such as for blown out highlights) while composing the shot? Presumably this would be in live view mode.

Blinkies, yes in review mode. I don't think so in Live view but I don't use it that much so I'm not 100%. Also the viewfinder display will flash a symbol if you are out of reasonable exposure.

[sterretje]

Pentax cameras are the same; toggle the 'info' button while in review.

[Adam]

Is the histogram available in live view? Finally, is there any sort of exposure feedback (such as for blown out highlights) while composing the shot? Presumably this would be in live view mode.

Yes to both, in live view and during playback.

Do either of these cameras give you quick access to the histogram when reviewing a photo, without having to go into menus? In the D80 I was able to just press a button continuously to cycle between different views, one them being histogram. If I left it in that mode, then the histogram would come up automatically when reviewing a shot.

The histogram is fairly easy to get to. Just press the info button and select the appropriate histogram screen from the overlay menu. The histogram will then be displayed as you cycle through photos until you swap to a different screen by pressing the info button again.

In the past the screen would change every time you press the info button, but on newer Pentax bodies you have to go in and make a selection:


Standard view


Sub-menu shown after pressing the info button


Single histogram


Multiple histograms


Detailed exif

Adam
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[lightbox]

Fantastic, and thanks for the screenshots

[biz-engineer]

Live view is a good way to adjust exposure with histogram, but beyond +-2ev of exposure compensation, the histogram shown in live view is not representative of the histogram you get after taking the photo. Digital preview can be used to check actual histogram.
For lowest noise, spot meter on brightest part of the image + AE Lock and +2EV of exposure compensation give the most right sided histogram without highlight clipping.
For exposure level to render according to human, a incident light meter works great.

[lightbox]

For lowest noise, spot meter on brightest part of the image + AE Lock and +2EV of exposure compensation give the most right sided histogram without highlight clipping.

Unless I'm mistaken, that sounds like a modified Zone System. You're using the spot meter to first put your brightest object into Zone V (neutral) and then adding 2 stops of light to bring it up to Zone VII. The difference is you'll always have Zone VII present in the image until you bring it down in post.

(I hope I'm close and didn't just embarrass myself )

[biz-engineer]

is there any sort of exposure feedback (such as for blown out highlights)

Sorry I did not answer the question directly: Yes, on the K-3 , there is a exposure feedback such as blown highlight or black pixels, in live view or during image review. This has to be selected in the menu. Blown or total black pixels are highlighted in red / yellow.

[Lowell Goudge]

Since I'm in the market for a dSLR and am not overly committed to my former system (Nikon), I'm taking a hard look at Pentax. Couple questions, please, for the folks who shoot with a K-50 or a K-3... the two that I'm considering.

Do either of these cameras give you quick access to the histogram when reviewing a photo, without having to go into menus? In the D80 I was able to just press a button continuously to cycle between different views, one them being histogram. If I left it in that mode, then the histogram would come up automatically when reviewing a shot.

Is the histogram available in live view?

Finally, is there any sort of exposure feedback (such as for blown out highlights) while composing the shot? Presumably this would be in live view mode.

On all my bodies you can set the camera to show either the greyscale or all 4 histograms for review,

Dead simple, take a shot press review

[aglet]

Since I'm in the market for a dSLR and am not overly committed to my former system (Nikon), I'm taking a hard look at Pentax. Couple questions, please, for the folks who shoot with a K-50 or a K-3... the two that I'm considering.

Do either of these cameras give you quick access to the histogram when reviewing a photo, without having to go into menus? In the D80 I was able to just press a button continuously to cycle between different views, one them being histogram. If I left it in that mode, then the histogram would come up automatically when reviewing a shot.

Is the histogram available in live view?

Finally, is there any sort of exposure feedback (such as for blown out highlights) while composing the shot? Presumably this would be in live view mode.

You might also find that Pentax bodies can meter a little differently than, well, pretty much everything else.
I haven't tried the K3 to compare, but every other Pentax DSLR I've used shoots a different exposure than CaNikon if you're used to shooting manually or manually overriding EV.

[stevebrot]

Unless I'm mistaken, that sounds like a modified Zone System. You're using the spot meter to first put your brightest object into Zone V (neutral) and then adding 2 stops of light to bring it up to Zone VII. The difference is you'll always have Zone VII present in the image until you bring it down in post.

(I hope I'm close and didn't just embarrass myself )

Yes, you are absolutely correct.


Steve

[TimR]

Informative thread thanks everyone.