Shot a wedding using Pentax and Nikon

Zafar Iqbal · 07-30-2014, 02:23 PM

Oh, oh, oh! I forgot about this one, even though it wasn't used during the wedding day:

User modes:
I shoot in manual and see no point in user modes on Pentax cameras (well, K-5 and K-30, since those are the only cameras with user modes I've tried), because they don't save exposure settings when on Manual. On Nikon it does - and to me, it makes perfect sense that it does.

If I had to point at one thing being super weird on Pentax, then this would be it. It's a simple software thing. I donøt get why it's not implemented to fully support M. how is the K-3 on this regard?

**jbinpg** · 07-30-2014, 03:39 PM

I use mostly TAv on my K-3 which is essentially manual with autoISO. I have three User modes which I use heavily and they all remember shutter speed and aperture settings after a power cycle or wakeup from sleep. Manual is the same. There is a menu item on the K-3 where you tell the firmware which settings you would like to remember after a power cycle.

Jack

Zafar Iqbal · 07-30-2014, 03:58 PM

Originally posted by jbinpg

I use mostly TAv on my K-3 which is essentially manual with autoISO. I have three User modes which I use heavily and they all remember shutter speed and aperture settings after a power cycle or wakeup from sleep. Manual is the same. There is a menu item on the K-3 where you tell the firmware which settings you would like to remember after a power cycle.

Jack

Does it go back to set exposure settings after you change to a different mode, for instance M, change shutter, aperture and/or ISO, and then go back to User mode?

**jbinpg** · 07-31-2014, 12:25 AM

USER mode will remember the shutter/aperture/ISO combo (depending on chosen mode) you set up for that mode. It will not remember settings that were made when not in USER mode. This makes sense since USER mode is there when you want a certain settings combo available as fast as possible.

Jack

Zafar Iqbal · 07-31-2014, 04:56 AM

You misunderstood me. Say you have the camera set up for 1/125, f2.8, ISO 400. You then dial to something else, maybe 1/50 while you are in user mode or while you are in a different mode, for instance M. Does the camera change back to 1/125, f2.8, ISO 400 when you dial back to the user mode the settings was originally saved in?

Zafar Iqbal · 07-31-2014, 02:52 PM

I did some high ISO tests and noticed following:

1. Greater differences in colors between Nikon and Pentax, when the exposure is dark.
2. D7100 can't be pushed as much as K-30 in post, before the noise start to look artificial (arranged in lines).
3. The red/magenta/blue color is much more pronounced, especially in the darker areas.

My conclusion after this is, that with D7100 you need to nail the correct exposure, whereas K-30 is more forgiving. That's useful for people like me, because I often underexpose purposely, so I can preserve highlight details, but brighten things up in post.

I'm not going to upload the pics, because they are shot here at home - and the d7100 has been returned so I can't do more testing either :P

DanGleabols · 07-31-2014, 03:23 PM

Regarding the exposure difference; did you have highlight correction turned on the K30? I thought I read somewhere that the highlight correction works by under exposing 1 stop and then brings up the highlights are just clipped in the in-camera processing - it does effect raw (whilst I read shadow correction affects solely jpg out put).

Zafar Iqbal · 07-31-2014, 04:38 PM

No, it's turned off and I also made sure any processing settings on the D7100 (whether they would affect RAW or not) were turned off as well. As far as I know, I went through all processing related settings, and on Nikon they are neatly gathered under a "Retouch" menu.

I didn't mentioned that while the photos in the album I linked to earlier are about 0.9-1 stop darker on K-30 shots, they are about 0.5-0.6 (also on K-30) stop darker when I did the indoor low light shots. I tried using the 70-200 lenses and also did some shots using Sigma 24-70 on the Nikon and Sigma 28-70 on the Pentax, both set to 70mm. Results were similar to the 70-200 shots regarding the darkening.

I find this to be very strange - perhaps I might have overlooked something, but I can't see what that would be. Looking at processing related settings was the first thing I did.

**jbinpg** · 07-31-2014, 05:12 PM

USER mode will always initialize with the settings you have saved for that mode. So regardless of what settings you have been using in M mode, if you had setup a USER mode for 1/125, f/8 and ISO200 then that is what you will get when you switch to that mode. Once in the USER mode, you can always change the settings as required. If you want to return to the initial settings programmed into the USER mode, just cycle power. May seem strange but I have found it is the fastest way.

Jack

Zafar Iqbal · 07-31-2014, 06:08 PM

jbinpg: It makes me very happy to read that. Thanks.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Awesome Miniature Movie Stills Shot Using LEGO and Baking Powder	interested_observer	Photographic Technique	5	04-20-2015 08:15 PM
please give me a reason to buy a Pentax k3 and not a Nikon D3!	clostoyo	Pentax K-3 & K-3 II	87	03-07-2014 10:45 PM
Awesome Miniature Movie Stills Shot Using LEGO and Baking Powder	i83N	Photographic Technique	4	02-01-2014 12:24 PM
Using Nikon Lens on a Pentax K-5	garyhgaryh	Troubleshooting and Beginner Help	5	06-26-2012 07:03 PM
Wedding/portrait shots using remote triggers and mutiple stobes.	Peter Zack	Photographic Technique	6	06-03-2008 01:11 PM

07-30-2014, 02:23 PM	#16
Zafar Iqbal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229 Original Poster	Oh, oh, oh! I forgot about this one, even though it wasn't used during the wedding day: User modes: I shoot in manual and see no point in user modes on Pentax cameras (well, K-5 and K-30, since those are the only cameras with user modes I've tried), because they don't save exposure settings when on Manual. On Nikon it does - and to me, it makes perfect sense that it does. If I had to point at one thing being super weird on Pentax, then this would be it. It's a simple software thing. I donøt get why it's not implemented to fully support M. how is the K-3 on this regard?

07-30-2014, 03:39 PM	#17
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	I use mostly TAv on my K-3 which is essentially manual with autoISO. I have three User modes which I use heavily and they all remember shutter speed and aperture settings after a power cycle or wakeup from sleep. Manual is the same. There is a menu item on the K-3 where you tell the firmware which settings you would like to remember after a power cycle. Jack

07-30-2014, 03:58 PM	#18
Zafar Iqbal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229 Original Poster	Originally posted by jbinpg I use mostly TAv on my K-3 which is essentially manual with autoISO. I have three User modes which I use heavily and they all remember shutter speed and aperture settings after a power cycle or wakeup from sleep. Manual is the same. There is a menu item on the K-3 where you tell the firmware which settings you would like to remember after a power cycle. Jack Does it go back to set exposure settings after you change to a different mode, for instance M, change shutter, aperture and/or ISO, and then go back to User mode?

07-31-2014, 12:25 AM	#19
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	USER mode will remember the shutter/aperture/ISO combo (depending on chosen mode) you set up for that mode. It will not remember settings that were made when not in USER mode. This makes sense since USER mode is there when you want a certain settings combo available as fast as possible. Jack

07-31-2014, 04:56 AM	#20
Zafar Iqbal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229 Original Poster	You misunderstood me. Say you have the camera set up for 1/125, f2.8, ISO 400. You then dial to something else, maybe 1/50 while you are in user mode or while you are in a different mode, for instance M. Does the camera change back to 1/125, f2.8, ISO 400 when you dial back to the user mode the settings was originally saved in?

07-31-2014, 02:52 PM	#21
Zafar Iqbal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229 Original Poster	I did some high ISO tests and noticed following: 1. Greater differences in colors between Nikon and Pentax, when the exposure is dark. 2. D7100 can't be pushed as much as K-30 in post, before the noise start to look artificial (arranged in lines). 3. The red/magenta/blue color is much more pronounced, especially in the darker areas. My conclusion after this is, that with D7100 you need to nail the correct exposure, whereas K-30 is more forgiving. That's useful for people like me, because I often underexpose purposely, so I can preserve highlight details, but brighten things up in post. I'm not going to upload the pics, because they are shot here at home - and the d7100 has been returned so I can't do more testing either :P

07-31-2014, 03:23 PM	#22
DanGleabols Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Halifax, UK Posts: 120	Regarding the exposure difference; did you have highlight correction turned on the K30? I thought I read somewhere that the highlight correction works by under exposing 1 stop and then brings up the highlights are just clipped in the in-camera processing - it does effect raw (whilst I read shadow correction affects solely jpg out put).

07-31-2014, 04:38 PM	#23
Zafar Iqbal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229 Original Poster	No, it's turned off and I also made sure any processing settings on the D7100 (whether they would affect RAW or not) were turned off as well. As far as I know, I went through all processing related settings, and on Nikon they are neatly gathered under a "Retouch" menu. I didn't mentioned that while the photos in the album I linked to earlier are about 0.9-1 stop darker on K-30 shots, they are about 0.5-0.6 (also on K-30) stop darker when I did the indoor low light shots. I tried using the 70-200 lenses and also did some shots using Sigma 24-70 on the Nikon and Sigma 28-70 on the Pentax, both set to 70mm. Results were similar to the 70-200 shots regarding the darkening. I find this to be very strange - perhaps I might have overlooked something, but I can't see what that would be. Looking at processing related settings was the first thing I did.

07-31-2014, 05:12 PM	#24
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	USER mode will always initialize with the settings you have saved for that mode. So regardless of what settings you have been using in M mode, if you had setup a USER mode for 1/125, f/8 and ISO200 then that is what you will get when you switch to that mode. Once in the USER mode, you can always change the settings as required. If you want to return to the initial settings programmed into the USER mode, just cycle power. May seem strange but I have found it is the fastest way. Jack

07-31-2014, 06:08 PM	#25
Zafar Iqbal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229 Original Poster	jbinpg: It makes me very happy to read that. Thanks.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
	Search this Thread: Advanced Search