[btnapa]

OK then printing dudes, you guys should start a club, the Over 40 inches wide print club so we can find you.

A couple of questions.
1. Have you compared a Pixel Shifted K-3II file with a pixel shifted K-1 file in a large print?
2. Does a pixel shifted file make a discernible by a layman type difference to a large file in a print (where pixel peeping isn't really possible.) ?, and if so, at what size does it start to show up? I'd like that answered for both a K-3II and a K1 if possible.

I guess the cool thing for me is, I never print larger than 30"x20" so it would seem using a K-1 would not affect my print quality much. But, I'm still wondering if I should be thinking about a camera with pixel shift.

All other camera features for me are subordinate to print out put. SO you guys are the first I've come across that can actually answer my most important questions.

Hi Norm,

Large print group is an excellent suggestion.

I do not have the K3II just the original K3. So I can only compare the K1 to the K3. The reason I need the K1 was because I shot a project for a client/friend who uses the shots for brochures and their website. He mentioned that he needed some large prints for their office areas. I did a shoot about three months ago with the K3 and again about two weeks or so ago with the K1 in pixel shift. When I processed the K3 files, I noticed that the detail is not there for making large prints. We are shooting broadcast video gear, switchers, rack mounted gear and such with lots of buttons and writing to ID each switch and button. When I print the images in larger sizes, the detail is not there in the K3.

I'll see if I can find two similar enough image from the two cameras and post for everyone to check out. I did print the K3 file a month or so ago. I have not printed the K1 files. Judging just by the screen resolution, K1 delivers and the difference is noticeable. Once the final images are approved, we are going to print as big as 36"x60" or so.

Additionally, the lighting went from flash (Cactus, Pentax 540, etc.) for the K3 to LEDs lights (cheapo Yongnou YN216s) shot through umbrellas for the K1. I thought that it would be a pain to shoot with LEDs because of less power and low shutter speeds. But it was not that bad. Actually the LEDs have the advantage of allowing you to see reflections and the hot spots before you take the picture. I also used a few flashlights to spot highlight certain areas for the K1 shots. Overall the experience was a lot less pain than I had originally thought. BTW, for the K3 shots I used the 43 Limited and for the K1 I used the 77 Limited at f9 or so.

[MikeDSr]

Interesting question. I didn't buy the K3 since I had the K5II. If I had bought the K3 and the K3II was released then I would have wondered what I missed. Truth be know I am barely past the initial learning stage (I've had my K1 for about 26 days) for this camera. Of the 500 shots I've taken I can't say I am overly impressed with what I have accomplished. I ham just trying to get familiar with what works best for me prior to a photo session I have coming up next month. I haven't hit the pixel shift nor worked much with my flash unit or shot a portrait. I am an old 35mm film guy. I wanted to return to full frame and stop having to convert this or crop that. I had made up my mind to jump to Canikon (best deal wins) when Ricoh announced the release date. I decided to wait. Same story for many folks, I'm sure. I am adjusting to different DOF settings and working to get the crisp pinpoint focus I expect in this price range. I am shooting Sigma lenses and will save up for the new Pentax releases. I don't see what you've seen on flickr or on any website as a reflection of the "art" being made with the K1. That special shot is a moment in time captured so rarely...making it special. Your likes and expectations are subjective. Rent the camera and a lens and give it a run yourself. Then you'll know. Some incredible photography was done with a simple box camera. Give us some time, please. We'll wow you eventually.

[pinholecam]

With the K1,



I went to a nice place




Laboured hard



and isolated workers in the drizzle



Though the K1 was bigger, it wasn't really that heavy



High ISO works a charm in a dark market



Astro tracer was fun and worth it



So was multi-exposure when I did not have the right filters for my 31ltd.



DA40XS works as nice too (and its flat as a pancake... )



Was it all choppy?



I really need slow down to reflect on it




But my conclusion is that its all dreamy.....



and worth it.....

[derekkite]

Hmm...

My original question still appears to be unanswered. No killer shot examples that I couldn't take with crop bodies/lenses. I think that I'll wait for the K-0

I've seen one. A photographer I respect and who posts here sent me a shot of a bear taken at Iso 3200. No noise reduction applied. It was clean. I have trouble getting shots that clean at 800 ISO on the k3.

If you want stellar examples of photography look for stellar photographers. It you want to see what the k1 can do read the exif and imagine the shot with a k3. I suspect you will find quite a few that simply wouldn't be taken or attempted with the K3.

[Rupert]

I can only say that for ages squirrels have prayed for a Pentax that could shoot them at ISO 8000 or higher at 1/60 handheld @ 370mm ......and they consider their prayers have been answered with the K1. Not much can matter more than that!

"Many thanks great squirrel in the sky!"


Regards!

[btnapa]

With the K1,



I went to a nice place




Laboured hard



and isolated workers in the drizzle



Though the K1 was bigger, it wasn't really that heavy



High ISO works a charm in a dark market



Astro tracer was fun and worth it



So was multi-exposure when I did not have the right filters for my 31ltd.



DA40XS works as nice too (and its flat as a pancake... )



Was it all choppy?



I really need slow down to reflect on it




But my conclusion is that its all dreamy.....



and worth it.....

Beautiful pictures. Great examples of what K1 can do in the right hands. If this camera is not world class, I don't know what is.

Where in the North are you? What a beautiful landscape.

[cali92rs]

With the K1,



I went to a nice place




Laboured hard



and isolated workers in the drizzle



Though the K1 was bigger, it wasn't really that heavy



High ISO works a charm in a dark market



Astro tracer was fun and worth it



So was multi-exposure when I did not have the right filters for my 31ltd.



DA40XS works as nice too (and its flat as a pancake... )



Was it all choppy?



I really need slow down to reflect on it




But my conclusion is that its all dreamy.....



and worth it.....

You are obviously very talented.

Were some of these shot with the M20?
I have the 15-30mm...and while I love it, it is mammoth and would be nice to have something smaller.

[HopelessTogger]

A D-FA 2.8/15-30 and a D-FA* 2.8/70-200 turned up in the post last week. They've made the K-1 even more worth it.

My kit is complete, 3 FA Ltd's, K-1.2 50, Macro WR. a couple of Zeiss ZK's and these two zooms. I'm all done buying gear for a very long time.

[pinholecam]

You are obviously very talented.

Were some of these shot with the M20?
I have the 15-30mm...and while I love it, it is mammoth and would be nice to have something smaller.

Thanks.

Really just a casual shooter trying to make some sense of the gear and LBA.


Most of the wide landscape shots were with the M20/4 (except the 1st one in fact).

It looses out in absolute IQ on the edges, but its a really nice lens to use.
So small and portable.

---------- Post added 06-29-2016 at 08:40 PM ----------

Beautiful pictures. Great examples of what K1 can do in the right hands. If this camera is not world class, I don't know what is.

Where in the North are you? What a beautiful landscape.

Thank you.
I feel that I've only glanced the surface of the K1 capabilities.
Shift for perspective correction; Pixel Shift for still life; star trail feature, and even how to best customize the Quick Dial and user presets all awaiting my exploration.

Its the north part of Singapore
Mostly only cityscapes here.

The posted photos are from Bali and Malaysia.

[Rupert]

I'm all done buying gear for a very long time.

That is hilarious! ...but ...we know better!

I'm pretty impressed with the Jpegs from the K1......I've heard a few complain, but I don't know why?

I shoot Raw+ and seldom use the Jpegs, but unless there is an exposure or color problem the Jpegs are plenty good for most purposes...such as web posting.
I can't really find much of anything not to love about the K1?

Jpeg with natural color and lighting.


Regards!

[AwesomeIan]

OK, now that you've all got your shiny K-1 - any real life pictures shot with it that couldn't have been taken with a crop frame Pentax DSLR ?

I've had a quick look through Flickr and all I could find was some pretty boring stuff that could have been shot with anything ...

You probably wouldn't see the extra resolution on the K-1 unless you print big. Something that you can't do with a lower resolution crop sensor. Flickr wont do a good job of showing this since you are viewing from a monitor.

[HopelessTogger]

That is hilarious! ...but ...we know better!

I'm pretty impressed with the Jpegs from the K1......I've heard a few complain, but I don't know why?

I shoot Raw+ and seldom use the Jpegs, but unless there is an exposure or color problem the Jpegs are plenty good for most purposes...such as web posting.
I can't really find much of anything not to love about the K1?

Jpeg with natural color and lighting.


Regards!

Definitely got all I need now, too much to carry and need to concentrate on saving for a new house for eldest daughter. Luxury life is over.

[slip]

Here's a suggestion, use the money you would have spent on a K1 and take a trip to a less boring place than the one you are currently in. That alone will create less boring photographs.

Exciting, amazing, WOW photography is 50% opportunity, 49% execution and 1% equipment. So no, if you take 1000's of boring photos with a 10 year old DSLR or iphone, and you use a K1 to take 1000's more boring photos of the same subjects, the K1 is not worth it.

Take some personal responsibility for the poor quality of your photography.

A K1 won't turn a frog into a princess any more than Britney Spears kissing me would turn me into a handsome prince.

t only thing I would debate is I think effective lighting is 90% o the photo

Randy

[Barabas]

Was it worth it?

For me it was worth the wait because while waiting for the release I collected a nice bunch of vintage Pentax lenses, but also run into a mint condition analog LX. And that camera got me hooked on using film again

I totally love not to have to deal with menu`s, megapixels, batteries etc. and to just be able to concentrate on what`s going on in front of the camera. The LX is ready any moment, no on/ off switch even, just point, focus with the help of a great viewfinder and shoot! While I was definitely going for the K-1 now I wonder if any FF dslr camera can make me forget about the analog experience… while the LX was the last manual 35mm film camera and the result of years of designing and production of 35mm camera`s by Pentax (LX was even sold 1980-2001), the K-1 is Pentax first FF dslr and will be replaced by the K-1s or whatever within a short period of time. At least I will wait with buying until the prices drop and the firmware and/ or hardware has improved. Or I`ll get a Pentax APS-C dslr since I think those models offer more than enough image quality and are just the right size, both reasons for Pentax to have been waiting with the release of a FF body.

[sibyrnes]

Yeah, if only some day a full frame digital the size, weight and simplicity of my LX! I guess in the meantime I will just have to put up with my new K1.