[alvaro_garcia]

I know that most of you shoot in RAW and then spend a huge amount of time in post processing, but I'm not the kind of person who wants to spend time after taking photos.

On special trips I shoot both JPG+RAW just in case I need strong correction on the sky and/or on the shadows, but having several in-camera option settings for dynamic range and a circular polarizer always attached, I don't see the point in post processing. I want it simple and save time, therefore: JPGs.

Here my general settings with a Zeiss Distagon T* 2/28 (with the 2/35 and 2.8/25 same but EV: -0.7 to -0.3) plus specific settings for my two most used image modes:

GENERAL SETTINGS:
- ISO: 100 (to avoid noise and ensure maximum quality)
- EV: -0.3 (to 0)
- Highlight Correction: Auto
- Shadow Correction: Auto
- Shake Reduction: Off (to minimize blur images)
- JPG Recorded Pixels: L
- Clarity: +4 (in my opinion this parameter is a must and keeping it at its maximum value, otherwise the images look flat with the default value "0", however it takes time to process/save data with whatever value different from "0")

BRIGHT (my favourite image mode):
- Saturation: 0 (to +1)
- Hue: 0
- High/Low: 0
- Contrast: +1 (to 0)
- Highlight Adj: 0
- Shadow Adj: 0
- Sharpness Fine: +4

LANDSCAPE:
- Saturation: -1 (to 0)
- Hue: 0
- High/Low: 0
- Contrast: +1 (to 0)
- Highlight Adj: 0
- Shadow Adj: 0
- Sharpness Fine: +4

It's somehow confusing when it comes to Dynamic Range adjustments, as the camera has DR settings in three different locations:

*** In the "INFO" menu:
- Highlight Correction: Auto / Off
- Shadow Correction: Auto / 1 / 2 / 3 / Off

*** In the Image Mode menu:
- Highlight Adjustment: -4 to +4
- Shadow Adjustment: -4 to +4

*** In the HDR menu:
- Auto
- 1
- 2
- 3
- ADV
- Off

Are these parameters:
- Highlight Correction: Auto / Off
- Shadow Correction: Auto / 1 / 2 / 3 / Off
the same than the following ones?:
- Highlight Adjustment: -4 to +4
- Shadow Adjustment: -4 to +4

Why this confusion? What is the difference between the first two and the following two and why different value settings? Do these four parameters with their settings overlap (i.e. Shadow Correction "3" plus Shadow Adjustment "+4" deliver stronger effect than Shadow Correction "3" plus Shadow Adjustment "0") or does the camera take one parameter instead of the other? All this is so confusing...

I'd appreciate you to share your image settings and also to respond my confusion about the apparent same DR parameters located in different menus and with different value settings.

Thank you all.

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Last edited by alvaro_garcia; 03-13-2018 at 03:00 AM.

[Paul the Sunman]

- Shake Reduction: Off (to minimize blur images)

????!

[alvaro_garcia]

????!

Hahahaaa... Yes I know it sounds weird.

I mean: I've always read and been told that the images with the Shake Reduction "on" are slightly less sharp than "off". It may be efficient in hand hold shots with slow shutter speeds, yes, but it also takes off some sharpness. Well, that's what I read and been told and that's why I keep it always "off".

[victormeldrew]

Well, that's what I read and been told and that's why I keep it always "off".

Whatever you read, it was wrong.

[BigMackCam]

I've always read and been told that the images with the Shake Reduction "on" are slightly less sharp than "off". It may be efficient in hand hold shots with slow shutter speeds, yes, but it also takes off some sharpness. Well, that's what I read and been told and that's why I keep it always "off".

Whatever you read, it was wrong.

We've had a few posts about this before, and there's actually some merit to what the OP has read. It seems that in situations where shutter shock is in evidence, SR can actually make the problem worse. Disabling SR in these circumstances results in sharper shots. I believe Sandy Hancock had this very issue with his D FA 15-30, and now disables SR unless he's shooting outside the range where shutter shock occurs.

[mcgregni]

In answer to the question about the difference between the two similar approaches for highlights and shadows ..... the Highlight and Shadow corrections, accessed via the Control Panel screen, are global adjustments applied whenever the dynamic range is close to or exceeds the limits at either end . They are the equivalent of the processes in RAW software known as ‘recovery’. They effectively compress the DR captured by the sensor, at the potential cost of image quality loss (as contrasted with other techniques for compressing DR ....eg HDR / blended multiple exposures). There will be no effect on images where the DR is well within the sensors capabilities.

The adjustment settings in the Custom Image settings are additional ‘tone curve” adjustments applied on top of the RAW image data and ‘processed into’ the JPEG, and will be applied with equal effect regardless of the DR in the image (exactly as every custom image setting is) . So every sky will be made a bit darker no matter how bright it was to start with, and every shadow will be lifted even if it was well away from the lower DR range of the sensor. These settings are also specific to and saved with each custom preset, so they may vary each time you switch to a different preset, and may need specific resetting for each preset and new photographic scenario.

[jatrax]

shoot in RAW and then spend a huge amount of time in post processing

I cannot help with the camera jpeg settings as I do shoot RAW, but I wanted to address this comment. My average processing time for a RAW image is less than 30 seconds. For many it is zero as the Lightroom import preset is good enough. For the few images I spend more time on that might be 5 or 10 minutes, but that is rare. The big advantage of RAW for me is the ability to set the WB or correct something globally on a shoot after the fact, if needed. And in Lightroom that can be done to 100 images as fast as 1.

Not trying to convince anyone to shoot RAW, but I did want to correct what I feel is a misconception about the time involved.

Sorry for the interruption, carry on.

[tax]

I know that most of you shoot in RAW and then spend a huge amount of time in post processing, but I'm not the kind of person who wants to spend time after taking photos.

I would never expect such an arrogance. If your settings are correct, the resulting RAW images rarely need any post processing. Just convert them into JPGs of required size. OK, your self-importance shoots in JPG. Then what? Are you printing 36MP bill boards or wall posters? How do you share your huge JPGs with other people or post them on the Internet? If you are resizing or editing your JPGs in any way, then you are losing image quality. This defeats your finely tuned general settings. Shutter shock may affects your images, but it mostly depends on how your hold your camera. If you hold it just by its grip, then SR may not be able to overcome shutter shock completely and you'll get some image blur. If you hold your camera steady with both hands, one on the grip and another under its lens and camera body then it should not be an issue.

[Adam]

We've had a few posts about this before, and there's actually some merit to what the OP has read. It seems that in situations where shutter shock is in evidence, SR can actually make the problem worse. Disabling SR in these circumstances results in sharper shots. I believe Sandy Hancock had this very issue with his D FA 15-30, and now disables SR unless he's shooting outside the range where shutter shock occurs.

I think that the definitive verdict on the shutter shock is that it varies from body to body, but is only an issue on the K-1. The affected range is between 1/90s and 1/250s. Not sure about SR making it worse, though.

Definitely keep your SR on when you're hand-holding.

@alvaro_garcia
Regarding the different highlight corrections:
-The global setting in the control panel underexposes the entire image and then lifts shadows. This essentially assures a wider dynamic range, and it can benefit raw files too.
-On the other hand, the custom image setting applies to JPEGs only. It works after the fact, and tries to reduce the highlights based on the image data. It's similar to shadow and highlight recovery you'd manually do during raw conversion, but not as powerful.
-The HDR options are for the dedicated HDR more; they control the number of stops between each exposure, and thus how dramatic the HDR effect is.

My recommendation, if you're a JPEG shooter, is to turn the sharpness all the way down. The Pentax JPEG engine "eats" a lot of fine detail as is, so best not to exaggerate that through oversharpening. You'll regain that detail if you scale your file or apply an unsharp mask.

That said, while I understand the need for quick JPEGs, in my opinion it's kind of a waste to not at least shoot raw+ with the K-1. There's a lot more potential from raw files in terms of detail, and they let you make a wide range of corrections if/when needed.

[CNunez]

I would never expect such an arrogance. If your settings are correct, the resulting RAW images rarely need any post processing. Just convert them into JPGs of required size. OK, your self-importance shoots in JPG. Then what? Are you printing 36MP bill boards or wall posters? How do you share your huge JPGs with other people or post them on the Internet? If you are resizing or editing your JPGs in any way, then you are losing image quality. This defeats your finely tuned general settings. Shutter shock may affects your images, but it mostly depends on how your hold your camera. If you hold it just by its grip, then SR may not be able to overcome shutter shock completely and you'll get some image blur. If you hold your camera steady with both hands, one on the grip and another under its lens and camera body then it should not be an issue.

Of course this is completely subjective. Most protogs I know say that the camera has merely become a tool to create a composition. Most of the work is in fact done in post processing.

I've seen tons of amazing pictures both before and after PP, some times you don't even recognize the same picture.

Again, it depends on what you yourself want from your pictures, but I certainly believe in pp.

[Paul the Sunman]

SR gets turned off automatically when using any of: timer shutter release, IR shutter release, electronic shutter. If on a tripod, I almost always use the IR trigger. Apart from those occasions, I strongly recommend leaving SR on.

I have done a lot of testing of the K-1 and shutter shock. I can see no definitive link with SR either way.

[tax]

Of course this is completely subjective. Most protogs I know say that the camera has merely become a tool to create a composition. Most of the work is in fact done in post processing.

I've seen tons of amazing pictures both before and after PP, some times you don't even recognize the same picture.

Again, it depends on what you yourself want from your pictures, but I certainly believe in pp.

Personally, I do post processing most of the time. However, for ordinary shots of family events or back yard parties, extensive individual image PP would be just a waste of time. If you are generally satisfied with your camera settings and pictures look fine, then you could do just a batch PP like lightness correction and resizing, to share your pictures with your family members and friends via email or social networks. If later some of your shots will attain some historical or public value, then you can always post process them in a more professional manner.

[GMounk]

I just shoot raw these days, and only "play around" with pictures that I share with people or print. I turned off the SR because I shoot my train pictures at 1/500, and it seems to me that the camera focuses faster when SR is turned off. I could be wrong on that but it just seems that way to me. I leave the SR on for stills.