[FreezeFrame]

I have noted an odd situation with my Kr body and different lenses, but I am not sure if it has been previously discussed in this forum or not.

This camera is my first Pentax, so I am slowly picking up a few lenses for it. I'm keeping relatively "cheap" on the glass right now, because I mainly see using this camera body for travel, since it is relatively small and lightweight, so I am not seeking out costly or heavy lenses for it right now. Also, I am still a bit shy about investing in this body, because, in spite of having really looked forward to owning it based upon the quite glowing reviews, and while it produces exceptional I.Q. overall, especially for its price, (even before it was being blow out at $299 at Frys) it has also shown itself to be a bit quirky and unreliable even with the relatively little use I have given it to date.

Anyway, that's just to say I know these lenses are not the state of the art that Pentax has to offer.

In both instances I am about to describe, the camera was set to save the images in both RAW DNG and highest JPEG quality. The SDHC memory card in the camera is a 16 gig, 200X, class 10 card. The shutter speed, aperture, and focus mode (AF or manual), focal position, flash use, shooting mode (I mainly use Av, but tried others including manual) have had no effect upon the issue.

The phenomenon I have noticed has to do with how long it takes for the image to appear on the rear LCD screen after the shutter closes. With both the kit lens (18-55mm AL DAL f3.5-5.6) and the 50-200 ED DA f4.5-5.6 lenses, after I take the shot, the screen goes black and there is an hour glass icon which sits on the screen for about 3-4 seconds before the image appears on the LCD.

However, when I use the other two lenses I currently own, a 28-90 f3.5-5.6 FA lens or a 35-70 f3.5-4.5 F w/macro (both used with the aperture ring in "A" position) the LCD image appears on the screen almost immediately after the shutter closes.

I have tried many different setting with each lens, and the results are consistent with each lens type.

I am wondering if this may have something to do with the camera firmware doing some kind of extra processing with the DA/DAL lenses after the image is taken, such as distortion correction or programmed sharpening, or other optical defect correction which it does not natively do with older non-"D" lenses? Or, perhaps the D lenses provide more data for the exif file to write?

Does anyone know if there is a setting to turn off these features, if that is what they are, so the image will appear equally as rapidly with the DA/DAL lenses as it is with my FA and F lenses? Or, alternatively, is there a way to improve the quality from the older lenses by engaging a feature set within the camera firmware which can improve the image quality of the older lenses?

Your input is appreciated. I hope my candid comments regarding the quirkiness I have experienced with this camera will not lead to hostile discussions as to if I am loyal to Pentax or not. I am trying to learn to make this camera body a worthwhile and productive tool in my camera arsenal along with other brands and I am as loyal to a camera brand as it is to me .

Thanks,

Freezeframe

[FreezeFrame]

I know it is probably bad form to reply to one's own question, but I found the answer to my query, or at least to part of it. I had forgotten that I turned on both the distortion and lateral chromatic aberration options recently. I turned both off, and the speed was the same with the older and newer DAL/DA lenses. Having either "on" seems to significantly increase the time it takes for the image to appear on the LCD screen. Now I just need to learn which other lenses this can benefit, and how effective it is for the lenses I have.

I apologize for asking a question and then answering it myself. I should have delved deeper into the user manual before posting.

Thanks again,

Freezeframe

[hcc]

The time may be linked with the amount with in-camera PP that you set. In-camera PP is performed before the picture is shown on LCD.

Try to switch off all in-camera PP, incl. lens distortion correction, high-ISO correction .... and see if it does the same. (EDIT: I am glad that you find it yourself.)

Generally, it may take about 1-2 s for the picture to appear on the LCD in absence of in-camera PP.

Hope that the comment may help.

[FreezeFrame]

Thanks hcc. Now that I know this, I can decide when and where the options are more valuable than the time it takes and vice-versa, and customize my settings for the shoot. I also just found the list in the manual of lenses which can be used with those optical correction options- not many out of the "D" range (page 312 in the English user manual, for those who wish to look). I need to spend more time with this camera. Just been to darn busy. I expect other post processing features and options may also cause similar slow downs.

Best wishes,

Freezeframe

[lonoise]

just bear in mind that when shooting raw you can do pretty much all post processing on your computer afterwards.
i see almost no real benefits from in camera PP.

Sometimes, only sometimes, I use it to check a frame in b&w but that's about it.

[FreezeFrame]

Agreed, but I perhaps wrongly assume that the in camera processing for optical distortion and chromatic color aberration are programmed to the lens and may be more easily done by the camera than in external software, depending upon the type of post processing software one owns or uses. Also, it does allow one to look at the jpeg in camera and see the approximate results. As I understand it, with these features, a separate file is created which can then be applied to the RAW image outside of the camera.

I am somewhat "playing devils advocate", because I do see both points of view, and I think it would depend on someones workflow and comfort with external software.

Thanks for responding.

Art

[lonoise]

Agreed, but I perhaps wrongly assume that the in camera processing for optical distortion and chromatic color aberration are programmed to the lens and may be more easily done by the camera than in external software, depending upon the type of post processing software one owns or uses. Also, it does allow one to look at the jpeg in camera and see the approximate results. As I understand it, with these features, a separate file is created which can then be applied to the RAW image outside of the camera.

I am somewhat "playing devils advocate", because I do see both points of view, and I think it would depend on someones workflow and comfort with external software.

Thanks for responding.

Art

Hehe, I agree completely.
Everyone should do what suits their needs but without being afraid to try other stuff.

The best way to go about it is compare both methods in real life and choose one that suits the user most.

[geru2000]

Are you asking for lens recommendations?

If so I'd recommend the Pentax DA 35mm f/2.4 AL right now it's around $219.00 but I picked mine up for $149.00 about 5 months ago. It's plastic and very light, price-wise it's cheap but IQ is stellar for that price. I like it better than the more expensive 50mm f1.4 the 35mm is noticeably sharper at F2.4 than the 50mm at the same f stop.