[biz-engineer]

Going through the K1 menu options, I can't wrap my head around what they done here with the "Grid" option of the top dial button.
Through the OVF, we have the choice of a couple of overlay patterns, rule of third lines or cross. Aspect ratios guide can be changed but no via the grid option but via the crop option and crop option isn't even next to grid on the dial.
In Live View mode, the grid cycles through 6 grid mode, don't ask me about the why of such square grids, I have no idea how I would use them, and there is not even one grid that contains all the lines of popular aspect ratios: 16:9, 3:2, 4:3, 5:4, 7:6, 1:1 .
Please explain to me why it's possible to have camera firmware displaying 6 different grid style overlay and not a single grid with aspect ratios? It looks like who decided on that is not a photographer.

So , yeah, Pentax claim to make cameras with properties that can't be measured my numbers, but that's not true at all. And please, don't give Pentax excuses for not giving aspect ratios at least in live view.

P.S I'd like to put pressure on Ricoh to implement aspect ratio as live view grid(s) or mask(s) in next Pentax K1 II firmware update.

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Last edited by biz-engineer; 12-01-2021 at 09:37 AM.

[kiwi_jono]

I believe it does show the outline if you change image crop mode though. For example if you set "Square" crop it will show the outline in the viewfinder.

[Michail_P]

Square grids have insignificant artistic - aesthetic value for me. It seems like more of a practical issue, for example when you wanna try different compositions with small changes of vertical and horizontal elements, such as buildings, the horizon, or in studio shots, where someone might need to place objects in particular positions. For field or scientific work, hmm, Idk, maybe it would make a contribution to scale parameters. If you're a person with some sort of compulsiveness maybe it would work best.....Tbh I cannot find a good use of the cross grid too. Looks like a gun scope to me...

[tncasual]

I believe it does show the outline if you change image crop mode though. For example if you set "Square" crop it will show the outline in the viewfinder.

I have only used APS-C and FF, but yes, there is a heavy black line for the APS-C crop in the viewfinder.

I agree with OP in that it would be nice if the available grid lines included aspect ratios. It would be nice to be able to compose in 4/3 or 16/9 in the viewfinder.

[UncleVanya]

I’d suggest a better title to get more input and interest. “Pentax K-1 needs aspect ratio grid lines”

[normhead]

In film days I cropped in the darkroom. With digital I crop in PP.
My advice is always take the best image possible with a bit of overlap if possible, crop later when you have time to try different things before deciding on the final crop.

I have no need to ad anything to my viewfinder.

[SOS7]

It is useful when using a tripod.

[stevebrot]

I’d suggest a better title to get more input and interest. “Pentax K-1 needs aspect ratio grid lines”

I concur...I clicked in because it was new, no other reason.


Steve

[Bob 256]

I concur with Normhead. You can always crop later to the desired size and shape if you initially frame correctly, taking the various crops into account. If in doubt, drop to a shorter FL lens which captures more "space" allowing more judicious cropping.

[UncleVanya]

I concur...I clicked in because it was new, no other reason.


Steve

Given the dfa 21 contest all new threads get a quick look these days. Lol.

[biz-engineer]

You can always crop later to the desired size and shape if you initially frame correctly,

In camera post crop you can only crop 4:3 , 1:1 and 16:9 . In RAW export module you can also use some aspect ratios but it's automatically center , there is no way to shift the crop up-down or sideways.

[normhead]

In camera post crop you can only crop 4:3 , 1:1 and 16:9 . In RAW export module you can also use some aspect ratios but it's automatically center , there is no way to shift the crop up-down or sideways.

Your software does't have free form crop function? I never crop my sensor in camera. That's just taking away options for later.

If you shoot your desired subject with room around all edges, you can crop however you want. Little irritates me as much as not leaving room to place my subject in the frame where I want it when cropping. Especially with the K-1, you can leave lots of room for cropping, but both the K-1 and K3 have crop room that can easily leave you with a K-5 type 16MP image.

I'm of the opinion that a K-5 image is good for 100% of what I do. The K-1 and K-3 are all about crop room.

[steephill]

Your software does't have free form crop function? I never crop my sensor in camera. That's just taking away options for later.

My position too. Cropping is an output function not an input. I have a couple of film cameras which had aspect ratio masks, complete waste of time in my opinion.

[UncleVanya]

My position too. Cropping is an output function not an input. I have a couple of film cameras which had aspect ratio masks, complete waste of time in my opinion.

The only cameras I’ve used that I care about cropping in camera are my Panasonic LX-7 and my Full Frame camera when using a crop lens. The LX-7 had a multi-aspect ratio design where it used different portions of the sensor image circle to give more than simply cropping would - as a result it was advantageous to pick close to final aspect ratio of this was intended output. Mind you this camera was only a 12mp sensor (10mp output in standard mode) so every bit helped.

[biz-engineer]

Your software does't have free form crop function? I never crop my sensor in camera. That's just taking away options for later.

My software does everything but I don't typically carry my laptop and 32"display when I take pictures. There's another possibility is to use the phone for the composition (I have many choices of aspect ratios on the phone). Then capture the same composition with the camera. But how difficult is it for Ricoh to draw aspect ratio lines , it's all software right? Camera cost $2000 doesn't show aspect ratios in LV, phone costs $200 and offer multiple aspect ratios with its camera.

This year I printed 20 images A1 size. My experience with cropping in post was that I couldn't fit some of the 3:2 composition into a 4:3 frames because when I shot it I didn't know where the 4:3 borders were, although it was my goal due to printing and framing 4:3. So, there were a few pictures that I wanted to print 4:3 and I couldn't. For one of the picture I cheated, I cloned the upper border (sky+clouds) into white canvas area border to make the 3:2 appear like 4:3 because I couldn't cut the edges of the 3:2 without cutting element of the composition. But cloning to extend the bottom or top of the image doesn't work if the border contains irregular details (I think Abobe can do border extensions, create fake borders using smart objects, that's not photography anymore). If I had 4:3 in the viewfinder I could have moved slightly when I shot the picture to fit the composition into a 4:3 frame, no need to spend hours of image surgery behind a computer screen.

Anyway, if it is impossible to have multiple aspects ratio as compositional aids in Pentax cameras, Fuji has implemented it in all their cameras, I can return all my K mount lens and K1s and come back home with a Fuji kit, problem solved.