Returning K-30

Uluru · 08-08-2012, 03:57 PM

Originally posted by jorgitog1

I was a K-X owner and decided to switch to a K-30. I found it to have a higher IQ but ended up throwing away more pictures than with my K-X. The autofocus was too picky and therfore slower. Also pictures had more noise than with my old K-X. I wanted my upgrade to work but unfortunately ended up returning it yesterday....
Anybody else having such problems?

I think you are one of a kind. Perhaps instead of throwing away pictures, you could start throwing away some habits that have helped you make acceptable photos from the K-x and, get a bit more used to the K-30 instead. It's a different camera.

azma · 08-08-2012, 04:13 PM

what problem i got no stinking problem with my beautiful blue k-30

**pentaximus** · 08-08-2012, 04:44 PM

As a K-x owner and as someone who just played with a K-30 yesterday, I have to say that the OP's experience sounds out of left field to me. The K-30 AF is way faster than my K-x (embarrassingly so in live view), and I have also peeked at pixels and the K-30 sure looks good to me.

I'm not sure what else to say...

Anvh · 08-08-2012, 05:10 PM

Originally posted by VisualDarkness

Pentax Official Facebook even said that it's a newer version of the sensor.

Why would they do that, the more of the same sensor you buy the cheaper it gets.
It might be that the ones they use now have been update slightly but dont expect anything shockingly differnt

MegaPower · 08-08-2012, 11:25 PM

Originally posted by i_trax

No oposite, I have K-x, have K-5 and few days ago K-30 arrived, took nearly 500 photos and 95% are keepers, much higher than with K-x or K-5,
I am actually in love with K-30, is smaller, lighter, much faster processing and AF/MF than K-5 + can take AA batteries with adapter.
Some photos:
Pentax K-30 - a set on Flickr

Agree.
I have Kx, K10D, K7, and K30.
I like the K30 most. It is absolutely the best, it not, same as the K5 in ISO.

dragra · 08-08-2012, 11:58 PM

Originally posted by jorgitog1

I was a K-X owner and decided to switch to a K-30. I found it to have a higher IQ but ended up throwing away more pictures than with my K-X. The autofocus was too picky and therfore slower. Also pictures had more noise than with my old K-X. I wanted my upgrade to work but unfortunately ended up returning it yesterday.

It could have been my camera but since my 30 days from B&H were expiring I decided to return it.

Maybe it is too early to come to any conclusions but the posted pictures of the K-5 look superior than the quality of pictures I was getting from the K-30.

Anybody else having such problems?

AF is improved even on K-r when compared to K-x. Same thing is with IQ, but you must take some time to finetune custom NR in order to take advantage if you shoot JPEG only.

K30 has even further improved AF, so must be some human error there in your evaluation. Maybe your lens is defective or not 100% compatibe. Some third party lens use reverse engineering and might not work properly with latest cameras.

IQ from K30 has a lot more detail and lower noise if you just look at the out-of-camerra JPEGs. If you shoot raw and process yourself you can screw up even the best raw file and end up with a noisy one.

BerndM · 08-10-2012, 07:12 PM

I've been playing with one of the Costco combo deal K30's for about a week now, and after much deliberation I decided to take it back for a full refund.
I bought it so that I could compare it to my K-m (K2000) which uses the identical lens but has fewer bells and whistles than the K30.
For my intended use of the camera for some astrophotography using one of my 4 telescopes as a primary lens, the K30 didn't offer enough "bang for the (900) bucks" I was expecting.
Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained, right?
So I'll just use the K-m and I;m OK with that.

It is a very nice camera though.

Regards
Bernd

**pentaximus** · 08-10-2012, 07:27 PM

Originally posted by BerndM

I've been playing with one of the Costco combo deal K30's for about a week now, and after much deliberation I decided to take it back for a full refund.
I bought it so that I could compare it to my K-m (K2000) which uses the identical lens but has fewer bells and whistles than the K30.
For my intended use of the camera for some astrophotography using one of my 4 telescopes as a primary lens, the K30 didn't offer enough "bang for the (900) bucks" I was expecting.
Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained, right?
So I'll just use the K-m and I;m OK with that.

It is a very nice camera though.

Regards
Bernd

Ummm, you're aware of the astrotracer feature of the K-30, right? Add the hot shoe GPS unit and the camera automatically compensates for the earth's rotation on exposures up to 5 minutes long.

Sounds like bang for the buck to me!

BerndM · 08-10-2012, 07:30 PM

Yup I know, but that is a totally redundant feature with the computer controlled scope drives I use. My drives are infinitely more accurate and I can keep the shutter open for an hour if I was so inclined.

**pentaximus** · 08-10-2012, 07:37 PM

Originally posted by BerndM

Yup I know, but that is a totally redundant feature with the computer controlled scope drives I use. My drives are infinitely more accurate and I can keep the shutter open for an hour if I was so inclined.

That's cool, but for someone without that kind of setup the ability to get motion-corrected single shot exposures of that length is pretty darn neat. Just one more benefit of Pentax's in-camera SR.

Pentaxor · 08-10-2012, 10:12 PM

Originally posted by jorgitog1

I was a K-X owner and decided to switch to a K-30. I found it to have a higher IQ but ended up throwing away more pictures than with my K-X. The autofocus was too picky and therfore slower. Also pictures had more noise than with my old K-X. I wanted my upgrade to work but unfortunately ended up returning it yesterday.

It could have been my camera but since my 30 days from B&H were expiring I decided to return it.

Maybe it is too early to come to any conclusions but the posted pictures of the K-5 look superior than the quality of pictures I was getting from the K-30.

Anybody else having such problems?

Nope. what you experienced is totally the opposite of what all K-30 users have experienced. maybe you have a lens AF issue? the supposed noise that you are saying is intriguing since none of that is true especially compared with the k-x. or probably you are comparing a 12.4mp resolution size against a 16mp resolution size? that might make it look noisy in your perception but actually it isn't.

Zafar Iqbal · 08-13-2012, 02:30 PM

I have about 60k exposures with my K-x and just about 8k on K-30 and I can not recognize what OP is talking about - except for perhaps in Jpeg. I do not shoot in Jpeg though, but the embedded previews in RAW files looks horrible in low light situations. They become rather smudgy and many times to a degree that it's hard for me to tell if I had proper focus or not - but other than that the K-30 is to me a clear and proper upgrade from K-x.

Edgar_in_Indy · 08-14-2012, 07:10 AM

Same story here. Two years and about 50,000 actuations with my K-x, and my new K-30 is a clear upgrade in image quality. High ISO seems to be a bit better than my K-x, but I'm especially impressed with the dynamic range and how much recovery is possible. There is also a definite increase in resolution. Not only because of the extra megapixels, but even when viewed at 100% I have the impression that the output from the K-30 is just a bit sharper.

I only shoot RAW, so I can't comment on possible JPEG issues.

08-08-2012, 04:44 PM	#18
pentaximus Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Covington, Georgia Photos: Gallery Posts: 926	As a K-x owner and as someone who just played with a K-30 yesterday, I have to say that the OP's experience sounds out of left field to me. The K-30 AF is way faster than my K-x (embarrassingly so in live view), and I have also peeked at pixels and the K-30 sure looks good to me. I'm not sure what else to say... Last edited by pentaximus; 08-08-2012 at 05:15 PM.

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08-08-2012, 03:57 PM	#16
Uluru Banned Join Date: May 2010 Location: Back to my Walkabout Creek Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,535	Originally posted by jorgitog1 I was a K-X owner and decided to switch to a K-30. I found it to have a higher IQ but ended up throwing away more pictures than with my K-X. The autofocus was too picky and therfore slower. Also pictures had more noise than with my old K-X. I wanted my upgrade to work but unfortunately ended up returning it yesterday.... Anybody else having such problems? I think you are one of a kind. Perhaps instead of throwing away pictures, you could start throwing away some habits that have helped you make acceptable photos from the K-x and, get a bit more used to the K-30 instead. It's a different camera.

08-08-2012, 04:13 PM	#17
azma Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: hamilton n.j Posts: 37	what problem i got no stinking problem with my beautiful blue k-30

08-08-2012, 05:10 PM	#19
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	Originally posted by VisualDarkness Pentax Official Facebook even said that it's a newer version of the sensor. Why would they do that, the more of the same sensor you buy the cheaper it gets. It might be that the ones they use now have been update slightly but dont expect anything shockingly differnt

08-08-2012, 11:25 PM	#20
MegaPower Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Hong Kong / Irvine, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 636	Originally posted by i_trax No oposite, I have K-x, have K-5 and few days ago K-30 arrived, took nearly 500 photos and 95% are keepers, much higher than with K-x or K-5, I am actually in love with K-30, is smaller, lighter, much faster processing and AF/MF than K-5 + can take AA batteries with adapter. Some photos: Pentax K-30 - a set on Flickr Agree. I have Kx, K10D, K7, and K30. I like the K30 most. It is absolutely the best, it not, same as the K5 in ISO.

08-08-2012, 11:58 PM	#21
dragra Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ljubljana Photos: Albums Posts: 238	Originally posted by jorgitog1 I was a K-X owner and decided to switch to a K-30. I found it to have a higher IQ but ended up throwing away more pictures than with my K-X. The autofocus was too picky and therfore slower. Also pictures had more noise than with my old K-X. I wanted my upgrade to work but unfortunately ended up returning it yesterday. It could have been my camera but since my 30 days from B&H were expiring I decided to return it. Maybe it is too early to come to any conclusions but the posted pictures of the K-5 look superior than the quality of pictures I was getting from the K-30. Anybody else having such problems? AF is improved even on K-r when compared to K-x. Same thing is with IQ, but you must take some time to finetune custom NR in order to take advantage if you shoot JPEG only. K30 has even further improved AF, so must be some human error there in your evaluation. Maybe your lens is defective or not 100% compatibe. Some third party lens use reverse engineering and might not work properly with latest cameras. IQ from K30 has a lot more detail and lower noise if you just look at the out-of-camerra JPEGs. If you shoot raw and process yourself you can screw up even the best raw file and end up with a noisy one.

08-10-2012, 07:12 PM	#22
BerndM Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Placentia, California Posts: 86	I've been playing with one of the Costco combo deal K30's for about a week now, and after much deliberation I decided to take it back for a full refund. I bought it so that I could compare it to my K-m (K2000) which uses the identical lens but has fewer bells and whistles than the K30. For my intended use of the camera for some astrophotography using one of my 4 telescopes as a primary lens, the K30 didn't offer enough "bang for the (900) bucks" I was expecting. Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained, right? So I'll just use the K-m and I;m OK with that. It is a very nice camera though. Regards Bernd

08-10-2012, 07:27 PM	#23
pentaximus Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Covington, Georgia Photos: Gallery Posts: 926	Originally posted by BerndM I've been playing with one of the Costco combo deal K30's for about a week now, and after much deliberation I decided to take it back for a full refund. I bought it so that I could compare it to my K-m (K2000) which uses the identical lens but has fewer bells and whistles than the K30. For my intended use of the camera for some astrophotography using one of my 4 telescopes as a primary lens, the K30 didn't offer enough "bang for the (900) bucks" I was expecting. Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained, right? So I'll just use the K-m and I;m OK with that. It is a very nice camera though. Regards Bernd Ummm, you're aware of the astrotracer feature of the K-30, right? Add the hot shoe GPS unit and the camera automatically compensates for the earth's rotation on exposures up to 5 minutes long. Sounds like bang for the buck to me!

08-10-2012, 07:30 PM	#24
BerndM Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Placentia, California Posts: 86	Yup I know, but that is a totally redundant feature with the computer controlled scope drives I use. My drives are infinitely more accurate and I can keep the shutter open for an hour if I was so inclined.

08-10-2012, 07:37 PM	#25
pentaximus Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Covington, Georgia Photos: Gallery Posts: 926	Originally posted by BerndM Yup I know, but that is a totally redundant feature with the computer controlled scope drives I use. My drives are infinitely more accurate and I can keep the shutter open for an hour if I was so inclined. That's cool, but for someone without that kind of setup the ability to get motion-corrected single shot exposures of that length is pretty darn neat. Just one more benefit of Pentax's in-camera SR.

08-10-2012, 10:12 PM	#26
Pentaxor Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,513	Originally posted by jorgitog1 I was a K-X owner and decided to switch to a K-30. I found it to have a higher IQ but ended up throwing away more pictures than with my K-X. The autofocus was too picky and therfore slower. Also pictures had more noise than with my old K-X. I wanted my upgrade to work but unfortunately ended up returning it yesterday. It could have been my camera but since my 30 days from B&H were expiring I decided to return it. Maybe it is too early to come to any conclusions but the posted pictures of the K-5 look superior than the quality of pictures I was getting from the K-30. Anybody else having such problems? Nope. what you experienced is totally the opposite of what all K-30 users have experienced. maybe you have a lens AF issue? the supposed noise that you are saying is intriguing since none of that is true especially compared with the k-x. or probably you are comparing a 12.4mp resolution size against a 16mp resolution size? that might make it look noisy in your perception but actually it isn't.

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08-13-2012, 02:30 PM	#27
Zafar Iqbal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229	I have about 60k exposures with my K-x and just about 8k on K-30 and I can not recognize what OP is talking about - except for perhaps in Jpeg. I do not shoot in Jpeg though, but the embedded previews in RAW files looks horrible in low light situations. They become rather smudgy and many times to a degree that it's hard for me to tell if I had proper focus or not - but other than that the K-30 is to me a clear and proper upgrade from K-x.

08-14-2012, 07:10 AM	#28
Edgar_in_Indy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,685	Same story here. Two years and about 50,000 actuations with my K-x, and my new K-30 is a clear upgrade in image quality. High ISO seems to be a bit better than my K-x, but I'm especially impressed with the dynamic range and how much recovery is possible. There is also a definite increase in resolution. Not only because of the extra megapixels, but even when viewed at 100% I have the impression that the output from the K-30 is just a bit sharper. I only shoot RAW, so I can't comment on possible JPEG issues.