[Class A]

In Vol. 10, the last volume in the series, Shigeru Wakashiro discusses image quality, addressing a range of topics from the BSI sensor, over improved image processing by the "accelerator unit (II)", to sharpening alternatives.

---

Last edited by Class A; 03-27-2021 at 01:30 PM.

[MMVIII]

In Vol. 10, the last volume in the series, Shigeru Wakashiro discusses image quality, addressing a range of topics from the BSI sensor, over improved image processing by the "accelerator unit", to sharpening alternatives.

That's nice, thank you.
It's "Accelerator Unit II".

Here a somehow decent translation by deepL:

2021.03.26
Development Information
Continue: The more you know, the more PENTAX
Read
Thoughts on the New APS-C "K-3 Mark III" final (Wakashiro)
Product Stories of New APS-C "K-3 Mark III" final (Wakashiro)

I'm Wakashiro, in charge of product planning for PENTAX SLR cameras.
>>I've already mentioned it in this video, but I'd like to introduce the image quality of the PENTAX K-3 Mark III again.

In the K-3 Mark III, all of the devices involved in image quality have been redesigned to achieve not only high sensitivity performance but also high image quality in the low sensitivity range. The K-3 Mark III uses an APS-C size, back-illuminated CMOS image sensor with high light receiving efficiency and excellent high-sensitivity performance. The effective pixel count is approximately 25.73 million, and the low-pass filter-less design provides a high level of resolution. In addition, the newly developed PRIME V image processing engine and Accelerator Unit II perform complex image processing at high speed to achieve both comfortable operation and high image quality.



One of the most important aspects of PENTAX's image quality design is the connection between ISO sensitivities, which is achieved by tuning noise and sharpness to ensure a natural connection so that the image quality does not change significantly when the ISO sensitivity changes. The K-3 Mark III features a new image processing engine The K-3 Mark III features a new image processing engine, PRIME V, and Accelerator Unit II, which bring PENTAX's image design ideals even closer to reality, enabling the output of images with less black highlighting and more natural contours and colors, even in the ultra-high sensitivity range. There are many types of custom images and many parameters that can be adjusted, and the number of combinations with ISO sensitivity is enormous.



Resolution is determined by the number of pixels in the image sensor, but when it comes to the resolution of the final photo, the tuning of the image processing engine has a major impact. Because of our commitment to the portrayal of texture, Pentax has prepared three sharpness settings: Normal Sharpness, Fine Sharpness, and Extra Sharpness. Normal sharpness can detect and emphasize clear contours, but tends not to detect fine contours. On the other hand, fine sharpness is good at expressing fine contours but may emphasize noise, while extra sharpness can express fine contours more firmly but tends to emphasize noise and may produce unnatural noise. Because each has its own advantages and disadvantages, three different settings were provided so that they could be used for different purposes.
The newly developed sharpening process of the K-3 Mark III, like Extra Sharpness, is capable of expressing fine contours well, suppressing unnatural noise and noise enhancement, and enabling smooth texture and tone expression. It also reduces unnatural noise and noise enhancement, and enables smooth texture and tone expression. The Fine Sharpness and Extra Sharpness settings have been combined to form the new Fine Sharpness, which is the default setting for the future standard of PENTAX.


The name of the setting item is "Fine Sharpness".

We believe that you will greatly appreciate the improved texture and resolution in the low sensitivity range.



I believe that you can enjoy the entire shooting process when you have a sense of anticipation about how the image you see will turn out when you use your imagination and release the shutter. Image quality can be improved with apparent numerical values, but for areas that cannot be measured numerically, such as how the image will be portrayed, PENTAX places great importance on sensory evaluation and incorporates the sensibilities of the developers themselves in the pursuit of a deeper flavor.
The K-3 Mark III is a compact APS-C single-lens reflex camera, including interchangeable lenses, with an optical viewfinder like a full-frame camera and excellent descriptive power, so we hope you will enjoy photography to the fullest.

This will be the tenth and final installment of "Thoughts on the K-3 Mark III". Thank you for reading this article until the end.
We hope that you will use the PENTAX K-3 Mark III, the first camera to embody the PENTAX STATEMENT, and feel its commitment with your own eyes and hands.

[alpheios]

The high ISO noise comparison between K-1 II and K-3 III is quite impressive. Looking forward to seeing real life results. Especially how this will affect the lower ISO performance

[Kunzite]

Here a somehow decent translation by deepL:

The article is in English, though?

[MMVIII]

The article is in English, though?

Right, or not. Are you sure, when I click the link it shows this:

Just in case, if a discussion about terminology and meaning of sentences and phrases might arise.
But it could be that this would be just an automated "service" by mobile chrome browser to offer optional translations into other languages. However, normally I don't get that with English pages.

[AlainCo]

2008, you should use the following url :

Product Stories of New APS-C "K-3 Mark III" vol.10 ?final article??Wakashiro? | PENTAX official

Cheers,

AlainCo

[house]

The google translation box is for other languages than Japanese and English. The url has /en and this doesn't change if you use the google box to translate to French for instance. This all suggests that the english language article is translated by Ricoh.

[MMVIII]

The google translation box is for other languages than Japanese and English. The url has /en and this doesn't change if you use the google box to translate to French for instance. This all suggests that the english language article is translated by Ricoh.

Thanks, right. An automated translation would not have the diagrams and figures translated.
Well, just ignore the deepL translation, or enjoy maybe another (unofficial) interpretation of the original Japanese text.

[Cerebum]

I am having an attack of the stupids! Is fine sharpness applied to raw or just jpeg?

[Kunzite]

i am having an attack of the stupids! Is fine sharpness applied to raw or just jpeg?

jpeg.

[Cerebum]

jpeg.

Thanks i thought that would be that case but I am frequently wrong lol

[Serkevan]

I'm seriously impressed by the ISO 102K sample. It's basically a thumbnail but if it means the next K-1 gets to, say, good A3 prints at ISO 25K without a lot of work, I'd find it very hard to resist, darn.
It sounds like the A.U. Mk2 is tuned separately for each ISO setting, which means that at ISO 100-800 there should be barely any processing.

[Jeremiah Griffin]

I'm seriously impressed by the ISO 102K sample. It's basically a thumbnail but if it means the next K-1 gets to, say, good A3 prints at ISO 25K without a lot of work, I'd find it very hard to resist, darn.
It sounds like the A.U. Mk2 is tuned separately for each ISO setting, which means that at ISO 100-800 there should be barely any processing.

This is by far what I'm most excited by. If that sample is representative of real world performance then pentax will have on offer an SL2-S competitor with higher resolution and even better noise performance at less than half the cost for the body alone.

If only they'd tell people about it

[thibs]

This is by far what I'm most excited by. If that sample is representative of real world performance then pentax will have on offer an SL2-S competitor with higher resolution and even better noise performance at less than half the cost for the body alone.

If only they'd tell people about it

If they did thay would be mocked. Pentax ain't that good. Don't you know ?

[gatorguy]

In Vol. 10, the last volume in the series, Shigeru Wakashiro discusses image quality, addressing a range of topics from the BSI sensor, over improved image processing by the "accelerator unit (II)", to sharpening alternatives.

Gosh, somehow I missed watching this one. Thanks for the link Class A.