High ISO settings for K-01

raider · 12-03-2012, 05:36 AM

Hi guys,

I know everyone has their own preference in camera settings, but I would like to know what your take is anyway...

In the menu - High ISO Noise Reduction - Settings, there are iso values ranging from ISO 100 to ISO6400.

What are your settings? Could you guys tell me what are your setting for each ISO set? I am trying to know which is the most optimal setting on the K-01 in terms of noise reduction but I don't want to sacrifice too much details if possible. I have been playing with the values but I seem to be going round in circles...

Feedbacks appreciated.

Thanks

buttons · 12-03-2012, 08:03 AM

I like noise reduction to be turned off, i shoot raw. i set iso to auto with a range of 100-3200. I prefer noise over smeared details anyday. Then i use adobe lightroom 4.2 for post processing to reduce noise, fix white balance, noise reduction , add contrast, etc if i so chose. here is a sample i took last night with those settings. 40mm kit lens, dial turned to AV, F3.5, 1600iso, raw - noise reduction off, adobe lightroom change color temp slightly towards blue, cropped photo, then exported to jpg.

Na Horuk · 12-03-2012, 08:08 AM

I once thought about doing tests to find the optimal setting, but now I just have it on auto and don't care much. From my experience the K-01 deals with noise pretty well, though I avoid shooting above ISO 1600. If you are shooting raw you can remove the noise in post anyway, and I doubt the in-camera NR is better than software NR. Of course, I would also love to see some tests and 'optimal settings'

snake · 12-03-2012, 08:22 AM

On the K-5, I have it turned off until 25,600 and above. I'm using them for emergencies, anyhow, and at that, it's still set at light, then medium.

For the comment above- it makes no sense to "avoid shooting above ISO 1600" on these cameras. It's a preference, but at the least, I'm shooting highly usable shots up to 6400 and after, I'm a bit more careful, but I've done plenty of shots at ISO 10k that I've even sold and licensed from concerts. The K-01's output will be very, very similar. It makes no sense to get anything from a series of cameras that compete with FF sensors in terms of high ISO handling, only to recommend people keep it below ISO 1600? At the very least, these cams will shoot to about ISO 4000 and look very clean.

In my opinion, it appears that the K-01 is slightly cleaner in certain ways, particularly of chroma noise, when compared to the K-5.

Last edited by snake; 12-03-2012 at 09:13 AM.

jimr-pdx · 12-03-2012, 08:26 AM

I stop auto-ISO at 4000 if I do not want to do any pp work, but 6400 doesn't take much effort for nice results. I'm not making big prints though, that would make me think twice about the high end.

snake · 12-03-2012, 08:27 AM

By the way, here's ISO 10,000:

RonHendriks1966 · 12-03-2012, 09:30 AM

I put everything off in the camera. i DON'T LIKE THE SMEARING AND TAKE SOME NOISE.

Na Horuk · 12-03-2012, 09:36 AM

Originally posted by snake

For the comment above- it makes no sense to "avoid shooting above ISO 1600" on these cameras.

Depends on what you want from the photo. If you don't mind the noise, its fine. Noise is also more noticeable in certain shooting situations (and processing techniques) than others. In some cases it might even add to the photo, aesthetically. You also "lose" a lot of noise if you resize the photo to be smaller and turn it into a jpeg.
If the OP wants the optimal setting, he clearly has a high standard and probably wants silky smooth photos, with no noticeable noise. So a conservative iso limit will have a bigger effect in preserving details than NR settings. Of course I am by no means suggesting he must at all costs avoid high iso in all situations. Noise is still preferable to camera shake blur.

raider · 12-03-2012, 03:46 PM

Thanks guys but could we please be a bit more specific.

What are the settings for these?

ISO 100 - NR off, NR on (low, med, high) ->
ISO 200 - NR off, NR on (low, med, high) ->
ISO 400 - NR off, NR on (low, med, high) ->
ISO 800 - NR off, NR on (low, med, high) ->
ISO 1600 - NR off, NR on (low, med, high) ->
ISO 3200 - NR off, NR on (low, med, high) ->
ISO 6400 - NR off, NR on (low, med, high) ->

My current setting is ISO100, ISO200 - NR off. ISO400 onwards, I am starting to go round in circles as I don't know what to do.

snake · 12-03-2012, 04:03 PM

Off for all.

raider · 12-03-2012, 09:18 PM

Thanks Snake. I get it now.

12-03-2012, 05:36 AM	#1
raider Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Perth, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,989	High ISO settings for K-01 Hi guys, I know everyone has their own preference in camera settings, but I would like to know what your take is anyway... In the menu - High ISO Noise Reduction - Settings, there are iso values ranging from ISO 100 to ISO6400. What are your settings? Could you guys tell me what are your setting for each ISO set? I am trying to know which is the most optimal setting on the K-01 in terms of noise reduction but I don't want to sacrifice too much details if possible. I have been playing with the values but I seem to be going round in circles... Feedbacks appreciated. Thanks

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12-03-2012, 08:03 AM	#2
buttons Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Grand Rapids Photos: Albums Posts: 193	I like noise reduction to be turned off, i shoot raw. i set iso to auto with a range of 100-3200. I prefer noise over smeared details anyday. Then i use adobe lightroom 4.2 for post processing to reduce noise, fix white balance, noise reduction , add contrast, etc if i so chose. here is a sample i took last night with those settings. 40mm kit lens, dial turned to AV, F3.5, 1600iso, raw - noise reduction off, adobe lightroom change color temp slightly towards blue, cropped photo, then exported to jpg.

12-03-2012, 08:08 AM	#3
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	I once thought about doing tests to find the optimal setting, but now I just have it on auto and don't care much. From my experience the K-01 deals with noise pretty well, though I avoid shooting above ISO 1600. If you are shooting raw you can remove the noise in post anyway, and I doubt the in-camera NR is better than software NR. Of course, I would also love to see some tests and 'optimal settings'

12-03-2012, 08:22 AM	#4
snake Banned Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: NY/Germany Posts: 1,183	On the K-5, I have it turned off until 25,600 and above. I'm using them for emergencies, anyhow, and at that, it's still set at light, then medium. For the comment above- it makes no sense to "avoid shooting above ISO 1600" on these cameras. It's a preference, but at the least, I'm shooting highly usable shots up to 6400 and after, I'm a bit more careful, but I've done plenty of shots at ISO 10k that I've even sold and licensed from concerts. The K-01's output will be very, very similar. It makes no sense to get anything from a series of cameras that compete with FF sensors in terms of high ISO handling, only to recommend people keep it below ISO 1600? At the very least, these cams will shoot to about ISO 4000 and look very clean. In my opinion, it appears that the K-01 is slightly cleaner in certain ways, particularly of chroma noise, when compared to the K-5. Last edited by snake; 12-03-2012 at 09:13 AM.

12-03-2012, 08:26 AM	#5
jimr-pdx Pentaxian Join Date: May 2010 Location: now 1 hour north of PDX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,897	I stop auto-ISO at 4000 if I do not want to do any pp work, but 6400 doesn't take much effort for nice results. I'm not making big prints though, that would make me think twice about the high end.

12-03-2012, 08:27 AM	#6
snake Banned Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: NY/Germany Posts: 1,183	By the way, here's ISO 10,000:

12-03-2012, 09:30 AM	#7
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	I put everything off in the camera. i DON'T LIKE THE SMEARING AND TAKE SOME NOISE.

12-03-2012, 09:36 AM	#8
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Originally posted by snake For the comment above- it makes no sense to "avoid shooting above ISO 1600" on these cameras. Depends on what you want from the photo. If you don't mind the noise, its fine. Noise is also more noticeable in certain shooting situations (and processing techniques) than others. In some cases it might even add to the photo, aesthetically. You also "lose" a lot of noise if you resize the photo to be smaller and turn it into a jpeg. If the OP wants the optimal setting, he clearly has a high standard and probably wants silky smooth photos, with no noticeable noise. So a conservative iso limit will have a bigger effect in preserving details than NR settings. Of course I am by no means suggesting he must at all costs avoid high iso in all situations. Noise is still preferable to camera shake blur.

12-03-2012, 03:46 PM	#9
raider Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Perth, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,989 Original Poster	Thanks guys but could we please be a bit more specific. What are the settings for these? ISO 100 - NR off, NR on (low, med, high) -> ISO 200 - NR off, NR on (low, med, high) -> ISO 400 - NR off, NR on (low, med, high) -> ISO 800 - NR off, NR on (low, med, high) -> ISO 1600 - NR off, NR on (low, med, high) -> ISO 3200 - NR off, NR on (low, med, high) -> ISO 6400 - NR off, NR on (low, med, high) -> My current setting is ISO100, ISO200 - NR off. ISO400 onwards, I am starting to go round in circles as I don't know what to do.

12-03-2012, 04:03 PM	#10
snake Banned Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: NY/Germany Posts: 1,183	Off for all.

12-03-2012, 09:18 PM	#11
raider Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Perth, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,989 Original Poster	Thanks Snake. I get it now.