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03-23-2017, 12:09 PM - 1 Like   #1
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Pentax K-1 settings best practises per scenario - your advice?

Hi,

I am interested in the best practises used by those of you who really know how to get the most out of their K-1. How do you do it?
Obviously this is all dependend on the exact subject scenario, so it's important to first describe this.

Because I do not want to just take, I start with giving a small collection of my own personal views and experiences. Not anywhere meant as "truth", just what I IMHO believe in currently to give me best results.



Obviously the table only covers a very small part of what you and me shoot. But it's a start.

Some rules for this thread:
  • No discussion about other camera models, open up a similar thread elsewhere if you want.
  • No whining or other discussion why somebody can NOT achieve something, this here is for best personal solutions (even if nowhere perfect), not user caused issues
  • Constructive: State what you think is better, not what is no good idea.
  • Do not discuss here if you have no good images to share to support your concepts for at least one scenario you focus on in your discussion. No theory preachers. Only recent personal experience based best practises with the K-1.
PS:
Now that it is too late I saw an error: highlight protection I leave not on "on" in some cases, but on "auto".
And for Polo and Motocross I used the top center AF point, not the F2.8 one.


Last edited by beholder3; 03-23-2017 at 12:15 PM.
03-23-2017, 12:30 PM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by beholder3 Quote
Pentax K-1 settings best practises per scenario - your advice?
Wow , cool post. Are you doing the job of Ricoh imaging application department :-) ?
They should give you some money for that.

For landscape , the best is to mount the K1 on tripod, lens f8, f11, f16, RAW, LV_On, Single point focus, ES_On (or PS_On), 2 sec. delay or IR remote (or both), tilt screen as needed.
03-23-2017, 01:05 PM - 1 Like   #3
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The customizable control panel is one of the K-1's biggest time-savers. Figure out which settings you change frequently and which ones you never change, and update the settings on that page accordingly. I have my control panel set up so that I rarely have to go into the menu. Focus peaking, lens corrections, PSR/AA filter and the auto ISO range are among the settings I have on there.

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03-23-2017, 01:09 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Adam Quote
The customizable control panel is one of the K-1's biggest time-savers.
+1 . It took me up to use MS excel to figure the best info panel layout with easiest access (in combination with top dials), but now it's great.

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03-24-2017, 09:54 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by beholder3 Quote
Pentax K-1 settings best practises per scenario - your advice?
Lots of interest, as I can see. Pretty quiet these days.
03-24-2017, 09:59 AM   #6
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Probably because I asked for image-supportable good suggestions and not for apologizing whining.

I do bet someone who thinks he/she has good successes can share their settings easily. If we do not do this, what is a forum good for?
03-25-2017, 07:34 AM   #7
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I have had mine for ~ a month. After growing accustomed to the different shooting experience than K5IIs I was hoping to follow this thread as I learn to leverage the customizability. My first excursion doing Astro and realizing i had no quick way to go red, and had not modified LED defaults. I will be trying out your suggestions

03-25-2017, 08:04 AM   #8
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Love the table, thanks,
One question, why do you turn off the shake reduction for action shots? Or a better way to ask how does the shake reduction slow down taking of the photos?
03-26-2017, 10:04 AM - 1 Like   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by sas8888 Quote
Love the table, thanks,
One question, why do you turn off the shake reduction for action shots? Or a better way to ask how does the shake reduction slow down taking of the photos?
I am not saying I would "not use SR" for "action shots". It's just for the mentioned scenarios and those involve a lot of swinging around the lens both upwards and downwards and from left to right (horses do not move like cars and motocross bikes go up and down all the time). All this will deactivate SR or cause blurry images, so I (!) see no gain, but potential risks. As a consequence I turn it off there.

If any "action" was movement in a straight line to me (like full frontal sprint) or straight horizontal, where SR could detect clear panning and stabilize one direction but not the other (like car racing) I'd leave it on. That is why the exact scenario plays such a big role in giving the right advice.

Just like the exposure mode is influenced by lens type. If you use a non-constant aperture lens like the 150-450 and want to shoot it wide open (whatever that is at any given focal length) is more intelligent to use Tv instead of TAv, because that will keep the aperture open, while in TAv it will close and stay that way.
On the other side if you deliberately want a certain aperture like F4 on a F2.8 lens because you need more DoF (e.g. a horse) then you need TAv, because Tv will pull the aperture wide open.
03-26-2017, 04:44 PM   #10
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thanks for the explanation, just didnīt know if the SR caused a micro delay or something but your explanation of the type of movement clears that up
03-26-2017, 09:20 PM   #11
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@Michaelina2 Are your Sensitivity EV steps set to whole stops? (C1 - 2)
03-26-2017, 10:38 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by beholder3 Quote
Hi,

I am interested in the best practises used by those of you who really know how to get the most out of their K-1. How do you do it?
Obviously this is all dependend on the exact subject scenario, so it's important to first describe this.
I'm curious as to how much success you have had with your settings for "single bird flying...".
For this type of subject I tend to use the following:
Metering: spot, +1EV sometimes more
1st frame action: Focus priority
Action in AF cont: Focus priority
AF active area: expanded 33 point (L), ist point centre

I have found matrix metering often leaves the bird rather dark with little detail, but spot with +1EV will often give nice detail in the bird. I don't think it matters much if the sky is overexposed as it has no detail.
I also use focus priority as other choices often result in out of focus subject.
I have yet to try 'auto' for the AF active area.

I'm interested in your (and others) comments on any of the above.

Cheers,
Terry
03-27-2017, 03:53 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Michaelina2 Quote
Reproducing the OP's "ISO Sensitivity" auto max of 104,000 continues to elude me.

Where am I going wrong?

It's just a trivial "typo" on my side.





Basically I wanted to express auto with "no limits". And "104,000" should actually read "204,800", the largest ISO you can set. I never shoot at this ISO, so I didn't really care checking what it was.

---------- Post added 27th Mar 2017 at 12:56 ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by tduell Quote
I'm curious as to how much success you have had with your settings for "single bird flying...".
For this type of subject I tend to use the following:
Metering: spot, +1EV sometimes more

I have found matrix metering often leaves the bird rather dark with little detail, but spot with +1EV will often give nice detail in the bird. I don't think it matters much if the sky is overexposed as it has no detail.

Probably your hint about metering is better than what I said, but I'd connect spot metering then to the chosen AF point.
It basically depends on wether we discuss a blue sky or a white cloudy sky. With white I had too many burnt out whites which tend to damage the edges of the object imaged. Then I rather brighten up the image in post.
03-27-2017, 06:24 AM   #14
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Not so casual handheld macros (1:1)

When going for moving insects (esp. bees) at 1:1, I need to shoot hand-held - they move around. Settings used:

- lens on MF, focusing at minimal focusing distance => most AF settings irrelevant
- shutter priority, catch-in-focus off
- with DFA-100 using f/16 to f/22
- using single exposures
- most times using live view with focus peaking enabled to place focus plane precisely - often using a single hand, directing flash, reflector or branch with the other
- SR enabled
- DNG + JPEG-S (most times not used)
- preview time 1s, display set to standard info or picture only
- GPS on, electronic spirit level on
- outdoor display mode set to +1 or +2

Available light - well lit conditions only
- mode: M, sometimes TAV if I want out-of-camera JPEGs
- in M mode, I usually set ISO to 800 for f/16 and lift in post (2-3 EV), no penalty in noise but dynamic range safety margin
- shutter time between 1/250s to 1/500s, 1/2000s to capture some wings of flying bees in full sun (slightly lower magnification)
- in TAV mode metering: Matrix
- WB: Auto (haven't tried multi), often setting daylight manually in post-processing or photographing a gray card for later adjustment

Flash:
- manual flash with modifier (YN560 III/IV) typically at 1/4 or 1/8 power for short enough pulse, shorter for wings
- flash often handheld off-camera
- mode: X
- ISO adjusted so that background isn't completely dark, but foreground about 4EV below flash => varies a lot according to subject and modifier, typically 100-200
+ if possible using a 2nd flash to balance background
+ need up to +2EV in post - again providing dynamic range safety buffer

I'm still refining technique, but already getting results on the K-1 which by far exceed those from the K-5. Lack of AA filter, focus peaking and the flexible display tilt are the main features enabling this.
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