K-7 shake reduction problems?

Edvinas · 09-13-2009, 06:51 PM

I was reviewing pictures taken on Saturday and noticed that many of them are not tack sharp. Many of them were looking like they have slight motion blur.

I have started experimenting and it seems that my K-7 SR works very inconsistently. Sometimes it works, sometimes it is not and even worse — it introduces motion blur.

100% crops from test pictures. All EXIF info should be there. Shutter speed was 1/180s, focal length 45mm, I was waiting until shake reduction indication was on.

Typical result with Shake reduction ON

Typical result with Shake Reduction Off

Any comments?

snostorm · 09-13-2009, 07:15 PM

Hi edvinas,

I shoot mostly long tele, and usually SR works to my advantage. I have found that it seems to work better if I'm more casual in my holding technique though. I've had very good success with my DS at 500mm, and 1/125, so I can be pretty good with my handholding technique, so I figured that I'd just be that much better with SR. I soon found out that I seem to be much better off if I just pretend that I'm shooting snaps with a big, heavy P&S.

If the results that you've shown shouldn't happen with the shutter speed/FL that you were shooting at. If the results were consistently like this, I'd try overiding the tendency to try to use good holding technique and see if that helps. I know it sounds wierd. . .

Scott

Edvinas · 09-13-2009, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by snostorm

If the results that you've shown shouldn't happen with the shutter speed/FL that you were shooting at. If the results were consistently like this, I'd try overiding the tendency to try to use good holding technique and see if that helps. I know it sounds wierd. . .

That's true, I have steady hand, usually I easily beat 1/focal lenght rule...

Anyway, I am worried because I did not experience anything like that with my K10D. SR was always on and I was not getting motion blur in high shutter speed situations

So, is it typical for K-7 SR system or simply my camera is faulty?

*RawheaD* · 09-13-2009, 07:36 PM

The EXIF says you're using a 45mm lens, but I don't know of a 45mm lens. Was it the 43mm Lim? Or, was it the 16-45mm @ 45mm?

The first thing I thought was that you had a manual lens on it and forgot to set the focal length (I do that all the time

) but if it's a DA lens, that wouldn't be a problem.

K-7 or otherwise, if you're getting worse results with the IS on than with IS off (shooting handheld), it definitely sounds like a problem that needs to get fixed.

Especially if you're getting blur at 1/180s with a 45mm focal length!

Edvinas · 09-13-2009, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by RawheaD

The EXIF says you're using a 45mm lens, but I don't know of a 45mm lens. Was it the 43mm Lim? Or, was it the 16-45mm @ 45mm?

It was DA 16-45mm @ 45mm

defiant · 09-13-2009, 07:54 PM

Sounds like a fault with your camera unfortunately. Have you tried live view? That will keep shake reduction on and show you the effects immediately (going on my K20D here).

Eruditass · 09-13-2009, 10:25 PM

i've heard about this a lot for fast shutter speeds. It is very unfortunate, especially with cameras without a dedicated SR switch. Please fix this, Pentax, sony/oly does not seem to have the same problem.

snostorm · 09-13-2009, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by Edvinas

That's true, I have steady hand, usually I easily beat 1/focal lenght rule...

Anyway, I am worried because I did not experience anything like that with my K10D. SR was always on and I was not getting motion blur in high shutter speed situations

So, is it typical for K-7 SR system or simply my camera is faulty?

Hi edvinas,

I never used to shut down SR for tripod use with anything before the K20 (K10, K100DS), but have found it necessary for the K20 and K-7. It sounds funny, but I think these models' SR systems are less forgiving of good handholding technique.

Easy enough to give it a try -- or hand the camera to a novice, and see how a similar test comes out in his/her hands. If the worst thing that happens is that you learn that maybe you only use SR for longer FLs, then I think I could live with that. . . but of course, YMMV

Scott

kittykat46 · 09-13-2009, 11:13 PM

I've found that the K-7's SR works more effectively if I just hold the camera in a relaxed, natural manner, and not go out of my way to be still, if you know what I mean.

The camera shake-prevention posture I learnt from my film days isn't the best way to work with an SR camera, that's what I've seen.

However, I really haven't experienced a hand-held case where the SR makes the camera shake worse. If you can rule out lens BF/FF focus issues, actual subject movement, accidental movement of the camera, etc. you'd probably want to return the unit to be checked.

kjellhar · 09-14-2009, 12:10 AM

I too have seen worse results with SR than without some times. I'm a good handheld shooter that beast the 1/f rule.

Haven't tried to experiment with the casual approach. I will try and see what happens.

mcjm78 · 09-14-2009, 01:34 AM

I sort of having similar issues in the old firmware, but haven't experience it so far with the latest revision 1.01.xxxxx09.

Have you tried latest firmware?

kjellhar · 09-14-2009, 01:44 AM

I have the latest firmware, but I must admit that I don't remember which firmware I had when I last saw the problem. I delete those images, and also I have started to keep SR off most of the time.

Edvinas · 09-14-2009, 01:57 AM

Last hour I've taken about 100 pictures with K-7 + DA 16-45mm with various shutter speeds and here's what I've noticed:

1/180s seems like worst shutter speed for SR, slower and faster shutter does not produce such blur.
SR blur isn't consistent. There can be five perfectly sharp pictures and then something happens and SR blurs a few pictures.
In slow shutter sutuations when I need to get 2-3 additional stops SR works. Not 100%, but works. It looks really weird when SR manages to get tack sharp picture at 1/10 sec (45mm focal length) however blurs picture taken at 1/180 sec.

Anyway, from now on I will keep SR turned off and will turn it on only when I really need it.

Edvinas · 09-14-2009, 02:01 AM

Originally Posted by mcjm78

I sort of having similar issues in the old firmware, but haven't experience it so far with the latest revision 1.01.xxxxx09.

Have you tried latest firmware?

Not yet. Waiting for battery to charge fully.

**Damn Brit** · 09-14-2009, 02:59 AM

Interesting that 1/180 sec happens to be the speed for flash. Just thinking out loud here but I wonder if there is a connection.