The High ISO Scam?

traderdrew · 04-25-2016, 08:09 AM

Originally posted by Rondec

I agree. Even at web sizes, these aren't what I would call "great" photos. Definite softening from noise reduction and lack of dynamic range visible.

Yes,...Now I looked at the turtle on my big screen. Someone downsized that photo around 20% of full size. That will mask the noise. Much of the turtle is shaded and no real detail can be seen. If I tried to dodge the shadows of the full sized version, I bet I would get a lot of noise in those shaded areas and no details. To be fair, it is a low key photo and it doesn't need to be dodged.

I looked at his page and he is saying to crank up the ISOs. I have some better advice. Don't just take their word for it. Look at a series of results of what people are doing and if that is what you want to do then figure it out.

**Rondec** · 04-25-2016, 08:27 AM

Originally posted by traderdrew

Yes,...Now I looked at the turtle on my big screen. Someone downsized that photo around 20% of full size. That will mask the noise. Much of the turtle is shaded and no real detail can be seen. If I tried to dodge the shadows of the full sized version, I bet I would get a lot of noise in those shaded areas and no details. To be fair, it is a low key photo and it doesn't need to be dodged.

I looked at his page and he is saying to crank up the ISOs. I have some better advice. Don't just take their word for it. Look at a series of results of what people are doing and if that is what you want to do then figure it out.

My experience is that evenly lit situation where there are no deep shadows and you are pushing iso mainly to keep shutter speed up, you will have better results than if it is a true low light situation. Unfortunately, you often have to choose between motion blur and noise. I would probably err on accepting a little noise, rather than blur, but neither is going to be great.

GeneV · 04-25-2016, 01:34 PM

Originally posted by Ikarus

It could be for wildlife, if it is the only way to get the shot. If you don't believe me, then maybe you'll believe Jim Richardson (here for a published ISO 6400 shot and here for some general commentary on the subject.

Yes, I just ended up taking a few at 12,800 with dusk coming on, but it is not my preferred setting.

freddyisaac · 04-25-2016, 01:52 PM - **1 Like**

I've found that removing the lens cap first lets you use lower ISO values

:-)

1wild1 · 05-09-2016, 07:33 AM

Originally posted by carolina_sky

Not quite. I still use AF most of the time. There often isn't enough time to AF on the spot I want to take the picture on and then switch to manual. I just AF on the spot (half press on shutter button), and then wait until horse gets there and then snap the shot. It's still on AF but unless I really messed up my framing, it should not have to refocus. 9/10 times it takes the shot. 1/10 times pushing the shutter does nothing - no shot (and I'm quite sure I am pressing the button). I have a higher percentage no-shot rate if I try to track the horse around.. Highly likely I'm just doing something wrong and I'm hoping someone will point that out. But could also be a Pentax AF bug, or a Pentax 60-250 AF issue. I have the AF priority set to shutter priority (vs focus priority), which I assumed meant "Take the damn shot when I tell you to camera even if you don't think it's in focus". If I switch to manual, it will always take the shot. I do this if I'm desperate to nail one particular jump on the course, but sometimes I'm trying to shoot 4 or 5 different spots on the course and I can't be fumbling the MF switch off and on.

Curious to know if anyone else has had the camera just refuse to take the shot (when set to Shutter priority - the behavior would be understandable in focus priority mode if subject wasn't in focus). The one possibility I have thought of is that my AF.C-AF.S switch is not actually on AF.C when I think it is, and the camera is defaulting to focus priority for AF.S. As I said, most likely this is [l]user error.

On my K-50, if the AFA in the info screen is on it overrides the switch on the outside and chooses which to use, I would check this setting. Sounds like AFA is on.

**BigDave** · 05-09-2016, 07:41 AM

Originally posted by 1wild1

On my K-50, if the AFA in the info screen is on it overrides the switch on the outside and chooses which to use, I would check this setting. Sounds like AFA is on.

Hi Wild 1:

On my K7, K-01 and K1 there is a setting within the firmware of the camera that can lock you out from taking the picture when the "subject" is not deemed in focus. This setting can be turned on or off. I turn it off. I know when things are in focus (and you do too). You may want to check your menus for this. In the Menu, on my K1, it was in the 1st section, AF.S Phase Detection. I hope this helps!

carolina_sky · 05-12-2016, 05:28 PM

Originally posted by BigDave

Hi Wild 1:

On my K7, K-01 and K1 there is a setting within the firmware of the camera that can lock you out from taking the picture when the "subject" is not deemed in focus. This setting can be turned on or off. I turn it off. I know when things are in focus (and you do too). You may want to check your menus for this. In the Menu, on my K1, it was in the 1st section, AF.S Phase Detection. I hope this helps!

I don't have this setting. But I think 1wild1 may be correct, it is possible I had the AF setting to AF.A instead of AF.S. I'll be using the K1 and 150-450 at the next horse show so we'll see how that combo works. I'm hoping for good things on the AF front! The 150-450 on the K3ii is very fast to focus.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Why was the High ISO NR a problem on the K3?	Culture	Pentax K-3 & K-3 II	15	10-09-2015 08:46 PM
Nature High ISO and high shutter speeds	charliezap	Post Your Photos!	3	09-15-2015 02:10 PM
What's the deal with K-3 poor high ISO performance	Stavri	Pentax DSLR Discussion	49	08-21-2014 03:02 PM
People K-5 high ISO... how high can we really go...	igor	Post Your Photos!	2	03-24-2012 01:10 AM
K-7 high ISO vs K20D high ISO	supa007	Pentax DSLR Discussion	72	05-10-2010 04:24 PM

04-25-2016, 08:09 AM	#106
traderdrew Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Florida Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 639	Originally posted by Rondec I agree. Even at web sizes, these aren't what I would call "great" photos. Definite softening from noise reduction and lack of dynamic range visible. Yes,...Now I looked at the turtle on my big screen. Someone downsized that photo around 20% of full size. That will mask the noise. Much of the turtle is shaded and no real detail can be seen. If I tried to dodge the shadows of the full sized version, I bet I would get a lot of noise in those shaded areas and no details. To be fair, it is a low key photo and it doesn't need to be dodged. I looked at his page and he is saying to crank up the ISOs. I have some better advice. Don't just take their word for it. Look at a series of results of what people are doing and if that is what you want to do then figure it out.

04-25-2016, 08:27 AM	#107
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,652	Originally posted by traderdrew Yes,...Now I looked at the turtle on my big screen. Someone downsized that photo around 20% of full size. That will mask the noise. Much of the turtle is shaded and no real detail can be seen. If I tried to dodge the shadows of the full sized version, I bet I would get a lot of noise in those shaded areas and no details. To be fair, it is a low key photo and it doesn't need to be dodged. I looked at his page and he is saying to crank up the ISOs. I have some better advice. Don't just take their word for it. Look at a series of results of what people are doing and if that is what you want to do then figure it out. My experience is that evenly lit situation where there are no deep shadows and you are pushing iso mainly to keep shutter speed up, you will have better results than if it is a true low light situation. Unfortunately, you often have to choose between motion blur and noise. I would probably err on accepting a little noise, rather than blur, but neither is going to be great.

04-25-2016, 01:34 PM	#108
GeneV Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Albuquerque NM Photos: Albums Posts: 9,830	Originally posted by Ikarus It could be for wildlife, if it is the only way to get the shot. If you don't believe me, then maybe you'll believe Jim Richardson (here for a published ISO 6400 shot and here for some general commentary on the subject. Yes, I just ended up taking a few at 12,800 with dusk coming on, but it is not my preferred setting.

04-25-2016, 01:52 PM - 1 Like	#109
freddyisaac Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 81	I've found that removing the lens cap first lets you use lower ISO values :-)

05-09-2016, 07:33 AM	#110
1wild1 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Lincoln County MO Posts: 56	Originally posted by carolina_sky Not quite. I still use AF most of the time. There often isn't enough time to AF on the spot I want to take the picture on and then switch to manual. I just AF on the spot (half press on shutter button), and then wait until horse gets there and then snap the shot. It's still on AF but unless I really messed up my framing, it should not have to refocus. 9/10 times it takes the shot. 1/10 times pushing the shutter does nothing - no shot (and I'm quite sure I am pressing the button). I have a higher percentage no-shot rate if I try to track the horse around.. Highly likely I'm just doing something wrong and I'm hoping someone will point that out. But could also be a Pentax AF bug, or a Pentax 60-250 AF issue. I have the AF priority set to shutter priority (vs focus priority), which I assumed meant "Take the damn shot when I tell you to camera even if you don't think it's in focus". If I switch to manual, it will always take the shot. I do this if I'm desperate to nail one particular jump on the course, but sometimes I'm trying to shoot 4 or 5 different spots on the course and I can't be fumbling the MF switch off and on. Curious to know if anyone else has had the camera just refuse to take the shot (when set to Shutter priority - the behavior would be understandable in focus priority mode if subject wasn't in focus). The one possibility I have thought of is that my AF.C-AF.S switch is not actually on AF.C when I think it is, and the camera is defaulting to focus priority for AF.S. As I said, most likely this is [l]user error. On my K-50, if the AFA in the info screen is on it overrides the switch on the outside and chooses which to use, I would check this setting. Sounds like AFA is on.

05-09-2016, 07:41 AM	#111
BigDave Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Hudson Valley, NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,626	Originally posted by 1wild1 On my K-50, if the AFA in the info screen is on it overrides the switch on the outside and chooses which to use, I would check this setting. Sounds like AFA is on. Hi Wild 1: On my K7, K-01 and K1 there is a setting within the firmware of the camera that can lock you out from taking the picture when the "subject" is not deemed in focus. This setting can be turned on or off. I turn it off. I know when things are in focus (and you do too). You may want to check your menus for this. In the Menu, on my K1, it was in the 1st section, AF.S Phase Detection. I hope this helps!

05-12-2016, 05:28 PM	#112
carolina_sky Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2013 Photos: Gallery Posts: 156	Originally posted by BigDave Hi Wild 1: On my K7, K-01 and K1 there is a setting within the firmware of the camera that can lock you out from taking the picture when the "subject" is not deemed in focus. This setting can be turned on or off. I turn it off. I know when things are in focus (and you do too). You may want to check your menus for this. In the Menu, on my K1, it was in the 1st section, AF.S Phase Detection. I hope this helps! I don't have this setting. But I think 1wild1 may be correct, it is possible I had the AF setting to AF.A instead of AF.S. I'll be using the K1 and 150-450 at the next horse show so we'll see how that combo works. I'm hoping for good things on the AF front! The 150-450 on the K3ii is very fast to focus.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
	Search this Thread: Advanced Search