Pentax Custom Image Guide: From Satobi to Harubeni

Picking the right color profile for the right scene

By bdery in Articles and Tips on May 19, 2023

Custom JPEG image presets, or color profiles, have been around for almost as long as digital cameras themselves.  Pentax calls their presets "Custom Image" modes: these allow you to apply extensive customization to the appearance of your photos (ranging from colors to contrast and everything in between). Such customization is not unique to Pentax, but rather offered in one way or another by all manufacturers.  You may have heard of "Film Simulation" from Fuji, "Picture Styles" from Canon (which offer fewer options than most), "Picture Controls" from Nikon, (also with fewer modes, normally 7), and "Creative Styles" from Sony.

Originally, these modes served mainly as a means to access some features such as turning images into black and white. In recent years, there has been a renewal of interest for presets, arguably spearheaded by Fuji’s Film Simulation modes. Cleverly, Fuji named their modes after legacy types of film, such as Velvia for Vivid or Astia for soft.

Custom Image modes are essentially presets for parameters such as contrast, saturation, sharpness, and color balance. Pentax’s modes have been rather generic and unchanging for many years. Recently, though, the company started adding new “Special Edition” Custom Image modes, and the latest Pentax models now support 5 different special modes. 

In the example above, you can see a comparison between the Satobi (designed for a muted look) and Harubeni (design to pop springtime colors) modes.  Do you see how different the two photos appear?

Why Use Custom Image?

Some users prefer to shoot RAW and to develop their images via post-processing. These will sometimes fine-tune each image individually, or apply presets via Lightroom or other programs. For those, Custom Image is of little interest, although Custom Image can be applied retroactively to a RAW file by using Pentax's Digital Camera Utility (or comparable software for other brands).

Others prefer to shoot directly with JPEGs. These users can greatly benefit from Custom Image modes, as they can be used creatively to achieve a specific effect. In other words, with a perfectly tuned Custom Image setting, the camera's internal JPEG output can turn out as good as a well-developed RAW file exported as a JPEG. There is no replacement for the granular control of a RAW file, nor the ability to retroactively tune individual files. On the other hand, for photographers interested in simplifying their workflow, using the right Custom Image can streamline the image development process and still produce pleasing results. The key is to use the Custom Image mode best suited for the scene and conditions.

It needs to be emphasized that, when shooting JPEGs, a Custom Image is always active. A JPEG is a processed file, the applied Custom Image determines how it is processed. In a way, the different manufacturers' Custom Image profiles put a unique spin on how their cameras render images.

Applying a Custom Image Mode

By default, Custom Image has its own dedicated button at the back of most Pentax DSLRs. Custom Image is different from Digital Filters. The latter are applied after the picture is capture instead of at the time of creation. They are also more extreme in their effect (pixelization, inverted colors, etc). Custom Image mods play with sharpness, contrast, color channels, highlights and shadows, impacting images in a generally more subtle way.

Custom Image modes can be fine-tuned by the user to achieve a high level of control. The output of each Custom Image can be seen directly on-screen. The camera displays the Custom Image’s effect on the last image captured as a preview. Furthermore, current settings are represented on a “radar chart” illustrating how each color channel is impacted by the current settings, and an exposure/contrast S-curve.

Bright	Bleach Bypass

Standard Custom Image Modes

The 12 standard modes are those which have been around for many years in Pentax cameras with little to no change. They cover the basics, and much beyond. The following tables present the standard modes, grouped in broad categories.

Basic Modes

The modes below certainly see the most use as they are produce images closer to what the eye sees.

Strong Impact Modes

These modes have a more dramatic impact on the output image, exaggerating contrast and saturation, or muting them.

Creative Modes

This last series completely changes the appearance of images, by playing with colors and rendering, producing unique and "signature" looks.

Satobi Custom Image

After many years with no changes to Custom Image options, Pentax released the Satobi Custom Image in December 2021 on the K-3 III camera. It was added to the K-1 line in March 2022. Now technically a standard mode, SATOBI nevertheless started Pentax's push towards new and more specific Custom Image modes. It is available on the K-1 line, the K-3 III, the KF and probably future bodies.

Special Edition Custom Image Modes

In 2022-2023, Pentax introduced four Special Edition Custom Image modes. These modes follow the four seasons and carry poetic names. Pentax claim that these were made as a special “thank-you” for loyal customers. As such, they are associated with specific lenses. This means that the modes are only available if the correct lens is attached to the camera. These modes are only available on the K-3 III, K-1, K-1 II, and KF cameras (make sure you are running the latest firmware). Future camera bodies are likely to also support these modes.

Pentax obviously thought the Custom Image modes were of little importance overall, but there has been some backlash from the community regarding their exclusivity. This either means that Custom Image modes are indeed very popular, or that users simply disliked being left out (especially considering that the SMC versions of the corresponding lenses are not supported).

In Use

The following sets of photos illustrate the effect of some of the numerous Custom Image modes.

Blue Sky with Katen

This first set shows a bright blue sky, with clouds and tree branches, to highlight the effect of some of the most relevant Custom Image modes versus the Katen special edition mode. The images were shot with the D FA 21mm F2.4 Limited. Bright and Landscape appear mostly similar, while Natural shows more muted colors. Satobi is visibly desaturated for a vintage look. Radiant is a bit extreme when compared to the others, while Katen produces a brignt blue sky, well-defined clouds, but still remains natural-looking.

Bright	Natural
Landscape	Radiant
Satobi	Katen

Autumn Colors With Kyushu

This second series illustrates the effect of the Kyushu and other Custom Image on warm autumn colors. They were captured with the HD DA 40mm F2.8 Limited. Here again, Bright and Landscape deliver rich colors without becoming unrealistic. Radiant goes overboard, while Satobi washes out much of the saturation. Kyushu, the special edition Custom Image, shows colors more subdued than truly desaturated. This rendering can be surprising at first (why not make those fall colors rich and popping?) but the effect can grow on you, creating an impression of time fleeing, colors fading into winter.

Bright	Natural
Landscape	Radiant
Satobi	Kyushu

Snow Scene With Fuyuno

The third series captures a snowy winter scene. Shot with the HD DA 35mm F2.8 Limited Macro, it shows how Bright, Landscape and Vibrant create strong contrast. Natural isn't too different with this particular scene. Satobi removes what little colors there are. Fuyuno does a great job to bring out the white of the snow, brighten objects and subtly decrease saturation.

Bright	Natural
Landscape	Vibrant
Satobi	Fuyuno

This other pair of images shows how Fuyuno also helps to remove the blue cast often seen on snowy scenes, and how it helps to balance contrast.

Bright	Fuyuno

Spring Colors With Harubeni

The last image set illustrates how Harubeni plays with colors. Captured with the HD DA 20-40mm F2.8-F4 Limited, it shows how Harubeni makes warm colors richer and more saturated, without going overboard.

Bright	Natural
Landscape	Vibrant
Satobi	Harubeni

Conclusion

Custom Image modes are, for many people, a set-it-and-forget-it topic. A majority of users limit themselves to the Bright mode and leave it at that. However, when selected in accordance to the scene, Custom Image modes can enhance the output from the camera, and help create moods and atmospheres.

Pentax offers enough fine control over image parameters that it is possible for a patient and dedicated user to duplicate any mode, or create their own. Still, it is good to have a toolkit full of well-tuned and quickly accessible preset options.

Want more tips like this?  Check out our Pentax K-3 III eBook, which goes in-depth on hands-on advice related to image capture, autofocus technique, accessories, and much more!