[sany]

My Newbie Question: My confusion is that when my camera can do an expanded range why has this not become a default sensitivity range? rather than having a default range starting from 200-12800 and then an expanded range that starts from 100-25600).
Isn’t it nice to call as part of the spec – the cameras sensitivity is between 100 – 25600.
Is there a drawback of using the expanded range?
Using the expanded range – is it an overload on the processor/camera?

[Karl Stevens]

Is there a drawback of using the expanded range?

Yes. The drawback is image quality - expanded sensitivity on the low end reduces dynamic range, and on the high end reduces dynamic range and increases noise.

This has been covered before - a good read is here:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/74950-how-do-expan...nges-work.html

[sany]

thank you

[Ash]

And yet another insightful thread explaining the concept well:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5-forum/133189-anyone-using-expa...e-your-k5.html