The K-1's incredible dynamic range !!

longbow · 12-31-2016, 01:20 PM - **3 Likes**

My wife and I went to a local wetland area this morning. I took only the K-1 & DFA 24-70 to focus on landscape rather wildlife today. This flock of geese unexpectedly came in for a landing right in front of us, I adjusted the shutter speed up, but didn't realize the camera's iso was set so low and ended up with a severely underexposed image. Ran it through Lightroom anyway to see what I could do to save it. Raised exposure up +4.5, made a couple other small adjustments and even cropped it some, was very surprised by the outcome.

The first photo is before post process, the second is after. Shot at 70mm, 400iso, 1/125 sec & f8

**Canada_Rockies** · 12-31-2016, 01:24 PM

That is a superb sensor indeed. Nice proof!

HarisF1 · 12-31-2016, 01:31 PM

Wow, can my K-3 do something similar?

**BigMackCam** · 12-31-2016, 03:40 PM

Originally posted by HarisF1

Wow, can my K-3 do something similar?

Not quite so well, but not a million miles off. Try it, you'll be surprised. Just be aware that the more you bump exposure in post, the more noise and less detail you'll see in the darker areas of the image. But viewed at realistic sizes that won't be too much of a problem.

**lithedreamer** · 12-31-2016, 04:54 PM

I went from shooting flash in manual mode to shooting with ambient light with my K-1. I ended up with this exposure after tweaking the severely underexposed original in Lightroom:

Unregistered User 8 · 12-31-2016, 05:14 PM

Originally posted by longbow

The K-1's incredible dynamic range !!

My New Year's resolution........................................start saving for K-1 !!!

texandrews · 12-31-2016, 05:42 PM

Originally posted by pjv

My New Year's resolution........................................start saving for K-1 !!!

Do it. You won't be sorry.

pichur · 12-31-2016, 06:27 PM

How is this possible? I don't understand how a blank picture can be saved like this. Please explain.

wanderer2 · 12-31-2016, 06:49 PM

Although my experience with other DSLRs in camera HDR is limited it seems to me that it's exceptionally good in the F-1 and is actually of some use with landscapes, unlike some other DSLR's. When this is added to the exceptional dynamic range of the F-1 some quite good results can occur.

derekkite · 12-31-2016, 06:56 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by pichur

How is this possible? I don't understand how a blank picture can be saved like this. Please explain.

Imagine that you put a number to no light at all, 0 and extremely bright light, 100. Your camera exposes well if it stays between 40-60. If the scene is bright, you close the aperture, shorten the shutter speed, and visa versa for dark.

What happened is that the photo was exposed between 20-40. The sensor picked up enough difference in light levels and colors. In software, the exposure was adjusted so that it moved to 40-60.

A good sensor picks up detail outside of the normal exposure range that can be used in an instance like this.

There are actual numbers that describe these things, but for the sake of illustration.

automorphism · 12-31-2016, 09:23 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by pichur

How is this possible? I don't understand how a blank picture can be saved like this. Please explain.

It's not really blank. It's just that the tonal range is compressed so that different tones are hard to distinguish by your eye displayed on the monitor, and also that in the Raw file there is a much larger range of brightness values per pixel than are even possible to display on a regular 8-bit per colour channel monitor. Expanding the expressed difference between different stored values and using the additional Raw data allows you to make the picture appear more normal.

As a simple analogy, it's like if you used a blue pen to write on a slightly lighter blue paper. There's still a difference, but it's small. Software can detect this difference and lighten the paper whilst keeping the tone of the ink so that the writing is more visible.

Note - in the unaltered picture above you can even improve it without the Raw data, and it could be a fun experiment for you to try. It's just that with the Raw data the improvement is much more drastic.

DeadJohn · 12-31-2016, 09:40 PM

Originally posted by pichur

How is this possible? I don't understand how a blank picture can be saved like this. Please explain.

The original photo looks nearly black but it's actually shades of very dark gray. the photo was severely underexposed but some light still hit the sensor. The OP used software to brighten the image.

longbow · 12-31-2016, 09:51 PM

Originally posted by HarisF1

Wow, can my K-3 do something similar?

I could never get my K-3II to come no where close to this, in fact, almost deleted the image in the field, because I thought no way would it be usable.....but I like experimenting

derekkite and automorphrism, thanks for sharing your knowledge - way better than I could have explained it

Sorry didn't I post it above, but the image was shot in RAW. This was one of ten images shot as the geese came in, they all turned out good, even better than above after spending more time fine tuning in post.

bvg · 12-31-2016, 11:34 PM

Originally posted by wanderer2

Although my experience with other DSLRs in camera HDR is limited it seems to me that it's exceptionally good in the F-1 and is actually of some use with landscapes, unlike some other DSLR's. When this is added to the exceptional dynamic range of the F-1 some quite good results can occur.

What is F-1?

**Canada_Rockies** · 01-01-2017, 08:48 AM

Originally posted by bvg

What is F-1?

T-ypo.

12-31-2016, 01:20 PM - 3 Likes	#1
longbow Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: NW Oregon Posts: 905	The K-1's incredible dynamic range !! My wife and I went to a local wetland area this morning. I took only the K-1 & DFA 24-70 to focus on landscape rather wildlife today. This flock of geese unexpectedly came in for a landing right in front of us, I adjusted the shutter speed up, but didn't realize the camera's iso was set so low and ended up with a severely underexposed image. Ran it through Lightroom anyway to see what I could do to save it. Raised exposure up +4.5, made a couple other small adjustments and even cropped it some, was very surprised by the outcome. The first photo is before post process, the second is after. Shot at 70mm, 400iso, 1/125 sec & f8

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12-31-2016, 01:24 PM	#2
Canada_Rockies Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sparwood, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,385	That is a superb sensor indeed. Nice proof!

12-31-2016, 01:31 PM	#3
HarisF1 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 543	Wow, can my K-3 do something similar?

12-31-2016, 03:40 PM	#4
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,687	Originally posted by HarisF1 Wow, can my K-3 do something similar? Not quite so well, but not a million miles off. Try it, you'll be surprised. Just be aware that the more you bump exposure in post, the more noise and less detail you'll see in the darker areas of the image. But viewed at realistic sizes that won't be too much of a problem.

12-31-2016, 05:14 PM	#6
Unregistered User 8 Closed Account Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,694	Originally posted by longbow The K-1's incredible dynamic range !! My New Year's resolution........................................start saving for K-1 !!!

12-31-2016, 05:42 PM	#7
texandrews Moderator Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Baltimore Photos: Albums Posts: 3,397	Originally posted by pjv My New Year's resolution........................................start saving for K-1 !!! Do it. You won't be sorry.

12-31-2016, 06:27 PM	#8
pichur Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 63	How is this possible? I don't understand how a blank picture can be saved like this. Please explain.

12-31-2016, 06:49 PM	#9
wanderer2 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 301	Although my experience with other DSLRs in camera HDR is limited it seems to me that it's exceptionally good in the F-1 and is actually of some use with landscapes, unlike some other DSLR's. When this is added to the exceptional dynamic range of the F-1 some quite good results can occur.

12-31-2016, 06:56 PM - 1 Like	#10
derekkite Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Nelson B.C. Posts: 3,782	Originally posted by pichur How is this possible? I don't understand how a blank picture can be saved like this. Please explain. Imagine that you put a number to no light at all, 0 and extremely bright light, 100. Your camera exposes well if it stays between 40-60. If the scene is bright, you close the aperture, shorten the shutter speed, and visa versa for dark. What happened is that the photo was exposed between 20-40. The sensor picked up enough difference in light levels and colors. In software, the exposure was adjusted so that it moved to 40-60. A good sensor picks up detail outside of the normal exposure range that can be used in an instance like this. There are actual numbers that describe these things, but for the sake of illustration.

12-31-2016, 09:23 PM - 1 Like	#11
automorphism Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Ontario, Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 791	Originally posted by pichur How is this possible? I don't understand how a blank picture can be saved like this. Please explain. It's not really blank. It's just that the tonal range is compressed so that different tones are hard to distinguish by your eye displayed on the monitor, and also that in the Raw file there is a much larger range of brightness values per pixel than are even possible to display on a regular 8-bit per colour channel monitor. Expanding the expressed difference between different stored values and using the additional Raw data allows you to make the picture appear more normal. As a simple analogy, it's like if you used a blue pen to write on a slightly lighter blue paper. There's still a difference, but it's small. Software can detect this difference and lighten the paper whilst keeping the tone of the ink so that the writing is more visible. Note - in the unaltered picture above you can even improve it without the Raw data, and it could be a fun experiment for you to try. It's just that with the Raw data the improvement is much more drastic.

12-31-2016, 09:40 PM	#12
DeadJohn Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New York Posts: 4,834	Originally posted by pichur How is this possible? I don't understand how a blank picture can be saved like this. Please explain. The original photo looks nearly black but it's actually shades of very dark gray. the photo was severely underexposed but some light still hit the sensor. The OP used software to brighten the image.

12-31-2016, 09:51 PM	#13
longbow Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: NW Oregon Posts: 905 Original Poster	Originally posted by HarisF1 Wow, can my K-3 do something similar? I could never get my K-3II to come no where close to this, in fact, almost deleted the image in the field, because I thought no way would it be usable.....but I like experimenting derekkite and automorphrism, thanks for sharing your knowledge - way better than I could have explained it Sorry didn't I post it above, but the image was shot in RAW. This was one of ten images shot as the geese came in, they all turned out good, even better than above after spending more time fine tuning in post.

12-31-2016, 11:34 PM	#14
bvg Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Queensland, Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 340	Originally posted by wanderer2 Although my experience with other DSLRs in camera HDR is limited it seems to me that it's exceptionally good in the F-1 and is actually of some use with landscapes, unlike some other DSLR's. When this is added to the exceptional dynamic range of the F-1 some quite good results can occur. What is F-1?

01-01-2017, 08:48 AM	#15
Canada_Rockies Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sparwood, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,385	Originally posted by bvg What is F-1? T-ypo.