[Richard Spencer]

Yes, turn down that ISO. However, I reckon you and the camera did OK given that the ISO was so high. Hope you don`t mind but I have done a slight mod on one image. Small adjustment to levels and slight USM change.
Keep taking pictures of that fantastic horse and keep posting.

Richard.

Attached Images

 

[Na Horuk]

I wouldnt worry about it. For first shots they are good. You will always need a little while to get used to new gear and make full use of it, especially a camera like the k-5IIs, which is pretty advanced.
You can buy a second hand 40mm XS or an old 50mm f1.7, that ought to give you pretty good results. Although, the 30mm Sigma isn't bad. And honestly, on overcast days its really hard to take that kind of shots. You will see how amazing that camera is when you use your sigma in good light, stopped down a little bit, with nice low ISO.

[Kozlok]

You had crap light, and that always makes pictures look flat. I have the Sigma and find it very very sharp in the center, edges not so much. While many don't like photozone's test methods, it shows the Sigma to be among the very sharpest of lenses available, but only in the center. The borders are notoriously weak, not just weaker than the center, but plain weak. I think most would agree photozone got this one right. The last picture looks pretty soft, but it looks to be a focus error more than real softness.

[treebeard]

The Sigma is pretty good, and your photos reflect that. Look at the amount of detail in the horse's head in the comparable shots!

One thing to consider is just what is not "good" about your shots compared to what you were getting with the previous gear. Is it the color? The contrast? Maybe overall saturation, or warmth?

Yes, the detail in the horses head is fantastic. I would love to put my MF on the K-5IIs to see how well they perform.

[JayX2A]

Thanks for all the advise and tips. Very much appreciated!

[mike.hiran]

So today was my first day using the K5IIs. I have been out of photography for about a year and wanting to get back in to it.

Firstly, shots with the 18-135wr. Was overcast and getting slightly dark and using auto ISO.. these shots are at 6400.

I'm not convinced by them, i'm pretty sure that the K5 and 50-200wr I borrowed produced better. Then again, that was a lighter day, so maybe i'm just over thinking things.









The following were taken with the Sigma 30mm f1.4. Again, not blown away, but hoping that practice and playing with settings will help.







I think I was expecting to be blown away with the quality of shots compared to my previous Olympus E620. Then again, maybe I am just being too hard on myself as this is first time using the camera.

Any thoughts and tips would be great.

Also, are you shooting jpg or RAW? If you want the most detail, raw will be the way to go with some slight sharpening in whatever software you use. But as others have said, ISO 6400 will make the images much less sharp than at iso 400 or lower. Maybe a tripod, 2 second timer, iso 80 and a subject that does not move will help you see what the camera is capable of?