[Rondec]

As far as DNGs and color go, the big thing is to get a camera specific file, like what Hue Light offers. These are usually pretty cheap and available within a week or two of a new camera's release and they allow you to shoot with much older versions of Lightroom. The DNG files will open just fine, Lightroom just may not be able to apply the right colors to them.

As far as the new super resolution pixel shift thingy, we've discussed this a lot. Technically, you probably can do something similar with any camera and shoot a bunch of images and use third party software to align them and increase resolution and decrease noise. It may be that using the SR system, the camera can do a little better at the alignment process. Probably the biggest thing a process like this will do is decrease noise. Overall, original pixel shift will be better if you have a tripod with you.

[RobA_Oz]

… 8. I wonder if Ricoh actually knew what to do with Pentax after acquisition.

They came out with some fairly positive statements soon after acquisition, indicating they intended to grow the brand significantly. Whether the in-house champion was moved somewhere else or left, I have no idea, but I suspect the associated plans have been revised, hopefully just the timeline, because of the woes that have befallen the main business. Some will say that, if so, they’ll be too late with their DSLR emphasis, but they’ve survived as a niche player for a long time and we can only hope there’s enough interest left out there to keep it so.

[GMounk]

This is a link to a Dutch review.


https://www.frankwandelt.nl/reviews/spiegelreflexcamera-s/pentax-k-1-mark-ii...ure-fotografen

[emsee]

This is a link to a Dutch review.


https://www.frankwandelt.nl/reviews/spiegelreflexcamera-s/pentax-k-1-mark-ii...ure-fotografen

This does not look like a review. Its just a rehash of Pentax marketing material

I do not know whether the US pre-orders will be shipped this week. Two of the major Camera stores (B&H and Adorama) are closed next week - B&H is even closed from Thursday evening onwards. It seems the US shipping will start in the week of April 8th (April 11th)

-emsee

[johnkrumm]

I have a ton of different DNG profiles for my K1, from Huelight and ones I have made myself under different lighting conditions. In many cases I prefer the Adobe Standard, which is more subtle. The trick, I find, is to apply a good custom curve for each photo. That really helps. But I do make some hue shifts, like moving blue slightly aqua, green a little towards blue, yellow a little towards orange, orange a little towards yellow, and red a little towards orange. From memory, in Lightroom, it's red +3, Orange +3, Yellow -3, Green +6, Blue -6. I just like the way that looks.

[JPT]

Except they aren’t. One is called PixelShift. The other is called Real Resolution. One moves the sensor intentionally. One captures information about random sensor movement and uses it. The pixels aren’t actually shifted by the process.

There are LCD product shots out there with the Real Resolution menu choice highlighted. This is a perfect example of how Ricoh’s lack of Pentax brand marketing is abysmal. It is such a clever use of their tech. They should be brand-managing all over this. Real Resolution, AstroTracer, PixelShift, IBIS (SR) - nobody knows what they are. And they all ‘shift pixels’ or photosites (ambiguously).

I think you've made the wrong inference from the photos. What is "Pixel Shift" in English, has always been called "Real Resolution" in Japanese. I remember hearing this from the very first presentation of it.

Here is the FAQ for the K-3 II. Look at Question 3.
English: PENTAX K-3 II | FAQ | Support | RICOH IMAGING
Japanese: PENTAX K-3 II|???????FAQ|????&???? | RICOH IMAGING

This page of the K-1 mark 2 product description shows something similar.
English: Pixel Shift Resolution System II | PENTAX K-1 Mark II | RICOH IMAGING
Japanese: (リアル・レゾリューション = "Real Resolution" transliterated) ?????????????????II / PENTAX K-1 Mark II / ??????? / ?? | RICOH IMAGING

I don't have a Pixel Shift capable camera, but my hunch is that if the interface language is changed to Japanese, it will show "Real Resolution".

Of course, none of this says anything about how it works. Actually, it sounds like a trademark issue to me. I personally prefer naming that alludes to the objective rather than the means, so I tend to prefer "Real Resolution".

[monochrome]

They call it Dynamic Pixel Shift Resolution Mode in the text describing the advantages of the Pixel Shift Resolution System ll. This text does suggest Hand Held Pixel Shift, then explain the process as I asserted and refer to super-high-resolution composite image in lower case, which is distinct from the Pixel Shift process. In English the LCD Menu choice shown on marketing releases for this is Real Resolution. The Menu choice for Pixel Shift on K-1 is Pixel Shift Resolution.

For an English speaker, this is absolute unintelligible, muddy gibberish.

[Królik]

Another review, this time real with high ISO tests using RAWs. While ISO 100k+ is rubbish, I can see an improvement over K1 in range 12800-51200. The noise level doesn't seem to be lower, but K1 II gives more saturated colors, higher DR and more details. I believe you could do more in PP with these images than with images from K1.

Pentax K-1 versus K-1 Mark II: altas sensibilidades - Blog de Tienda Pentaxeros

[texandrews]

Another review, this time real with high ISO tests using RAWs. While ISO 100k+ is rubbish, I can see an improvement over K1 in range 12800-51200. The noise level doesn't seem to be lower, but K1 II gives more saturated colors, higher DR and more details. I believe you could do more in PP with these images than with images from K1.

Pentax K-1 versus K-1 Mark II: altas sensibilidades - Blog de Tienda Pentaxeros

I see an improvement in the 3200 and 6400, enough just there alone to be meaningful to me, and 12800 could be usable for me in certain situations---and easily so for events/action.

[Duvel999]

Hi,
the Ricoh - Imaging FAQ page in English for the Pentax K-1 Mark II:

PENTAX K-1 Mark II | FAQ | Support | RICOH IMAGING

[GMounk]

I like the colour charts better with the K-1 Mark II.

[Królik]

I looked at these charts again using a better display (not a tablet, but just a professional 30'' wide-gamut Dell), and I must say at ISO 3200 there is a significant difference. For K1 II, the noise level is lower and at the same time the contrast is much better. Look at the white / black levels. Blacks are more black and whites are more white, saturation is higher, yet at the same time the picture is smoother and less chroma noise. As I said earlier, looking at noise alone may be misleading, because it is easy to get less noisy picture just by decreasing contrast and/or saturation.

Anyway, as for the WB thing and color casting - I wonder, is it maybe a problem of auto WB? The camera puts WB info into PEF file and most software automatically uses it by default to setup postprocessing if you don't set it by hand.

[Oakland Rob]

Very nice sample images. Impressive. BTW, I love "pentaxeros." Better in Spanish.

Is the K-1ii iso-invariant through its new range?

[peterh337]

At 3200 there is definitely a difference. The Q is whether you would pay 500 quid for this. I find that ISO numbers like that always need noise reduction in lightroom to get a decent result, or at least avoid generating pointlessly large jpegs at the end.

[RobA_Oz]

At 3200 there is definitely a difference. The Q is whether you would pay 500 quid for this. I find that ISO numbers like that always need noise reduction in lightroom to get a decent result, or at least avoid generating pointlessly large jpegs at the end.

I agree. The decision for me now hinges on whether this will save me time in post-processing, and from the looks of these it will. I’m looking on an iPad Pro, and the difference is fairly clear.