[jethro10]

Hi,
Got a Q7 yesterday and this introduces me to Pentax.

I'm kinda new to this, after getting an APS-C mirroless early this year after woeful pictures in museums and art galleries in Amsterdam on my holidays.
Loved the larger sensor, and learned a lot, but on a trip to a local wildlife park, the shallow DOF of a large sensor proved a problem and we had many "missed" pictures - out of focus, focus on the wrong bit etc..
So as a compromise, I bought a Fujifilm f900 exr travel compact, thinking it would fill the gaps. however we ended up taking it on evenings out in lower light conditions because of it's smaller size and it was poor at best.
Right, the current compromise (larger physical size) is a Q7 and I'm blown away with it. It gives me all the original things I was looking for like capturing quick shots we sometimes missed with the other camera. Plus, and a big one, is how much better low light pictures are - way better than I have a right to expect for a sensor of this size and stuffs the Fuji 900 sidewards.

I'm so pleased with it, and am happy with the compromise on a bit larger size. Hope so much they do a physically thinner wide angel lens for it.

I'm amazed at how feature rich it is, and how sensible the menu's are, with plenty of buttons how quick you can choose things. It's simply stunning for what it is.

Our APS-C camera is a Sony Nex 3N and it is superb picture wise, exceeded all our expectations, but the wife says, and I agree, that it needs more buttons ala Nex 7 and we just might upgrade next year for this reason. At that time, Pentax is seriously in with a chance if they have the same ethos as this Q7.

One thing in the menus' that puzzles me is this cross processing thing. I do see what real cross processing is, re films and developing chemicals, but can't see how I'd use it on the Q7 or why?

If you have used it to good use, can you explain what I may be missing?, sample pic perhaps of what it's done for you?

Kinda lost here.

[verdigris]

The cross processing kinda sorta emulates cross processing with chems, however it's more like cross-channeling. Essentially it alters your color balance, and tonal curves in a way that gives results that are comparable with real cross processing . There are three built in settings, a random generation function, and three spaces (maybe more in the QW7?) for you to save your randomly generated settings.

I find it more useful for night photography where color balance is already expected to be kinda off and use it a lot with some saved settings that are kinda like dual toned black and white. Something to play around with.

[crewl1]

Hi Jethro, welcome to Q7 ownership.
It is nice to hear someone say the low light capabilities of the Q7 are better than what you had before.
(I guess most of us Pentaxians are quite spoiled by the DSLR low light capabilities that we think the Q's are not up to snuff.)

I don't use the in-camera photo effects at all as I prefer to do the edits in post on a PC, so I cant offer advice on your question, sorry.
Anyway just wanted to say welcome to the party.

[jethro10]

Ok,
Thanks for the pics.
I like the first and third one. Will have a play now. I was quite lost, I thought it was something added to, and after, a scene mode picture for some reason.

As for the low light performance.
I wanted a smaller sensor one with larger depth of field, and realised it would be worse than my APS-C sensor camera, but am quite happy with the Q7's lower light performance - after all, everything is a compromise and this one is great for me.
Compared to the Pics at Amsterdam earlier in the year with a cheap Canon Compact, our pictures have progressed massively and I'm more than happy with the mix of 2 cameras we have. Although the wife is starting to itch for an APS-C with more physical controls - but that's not a bad thing, at least we have learned a a relatively cheap Nex3N and out next purchase will be a totally informed one.

Jeff

[asp1880]

I sometimes play with cross processing. It's fun and not so serious. I like the results best when the cross processing colours match the colours already in the scene.

Here's a cross processing shot taken with the K-x. It's preset no. 2, -1 EC.
I've shown this one a number of times, apologies to people who've seen it before.


Regards,
--Anders.

[jethro10]

Yeah, looks quite nice.
I'll have a play over the weekend now with these filters and things..

I took a shot last night down the local while waiting for some friends. Trying higher ISO shots just to see how it would work.
It's had a quick edit in Gimp, but if this is the quality of pub/restaurant/cafe shot's I can get (it was very dark in there) to keep as memories of occasions, then I'll be quite happy.

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2880/10975958696_d2df3d4fcf_z.jpg

All sizes | NightShot-01 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Jeff

[barondla]

Welcome to the Q family and forum jethro10. You are already up and running with the Q7. Glad to see you posting pics already. Well done.

I have always had good results with the original Q and 01 lens in low light. The combination of f1.9 normal lens, body based Shake Reduction, and no vibration allows me to hand hold the Q in pretty low light. The Q7 is even better. Great little camera.

jethro10, consider a Pentax dslr as your next aps-c camera. Wonderful image quality, dual control dials, 100% viewfinder, menus like the Q family, etc. The lenses will even fit your Q7 with an adapter creating a super fun tele/macro monster.

The Q7 is so much fun. Enjoy.
thanks
barondla

[crewl1]

Yeah, looks quite nice.
I'll have a play over the weekend now with these filters and things..

I took a shot last night down the local while waiting for some friends. Trying higher ISO shots just to see how it would work.
It's had a quick edit in Gimp, but if this is the quality of pub/restaurant/cafe shot's I can get (it was very dark in there) to keep as memories of occasions, then I'll be quite happy.

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2880/10975958696_d2df3d4fcf_z.jpg

All sizes | NightShot-01 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Jeff

Good work!
To share pics that will appear in the thread, use the Flickr BBCode share option, or use the image icon in the posting menus, - it wraps your url with IMG tags.