What is the maximum ISO you typically use on your K-70?

**WPRESTO** · 08-03-2018, 04:38 AM

I do not have a k70, but generally I don't like to go higher than 1600, but to get a picture I want in dim light, or when a fast shutter speed is really necessary, I have gone to 12,500, then passed off the image as a straight-down picture of a beach.

bschriver11 · 08-03-2018, 05:26 AM

Whatever it takes to get the shot. Sure you want to keep the ISO as low as possible but a photo with a little noise is always better than a blurry photo in my opinion.

24thNomad · 08-03-2018, 07:03 AM

Generally 1600 is my limit but have used 2000 on some occasions.

leekil · 08-03-2018, 08:18 AM

On a K-3, which has a similar resolution sensor as the K-70, I would go up to 3200 regularly, and then up to 6400 in special cases.

Tigs · 08-03-2018, 01:17 PM

10k

8000iso cropped: Madeiran Chaffinch | Tiago Cardoso | Flickr

bladerunner6 · 08-03-2018, 01:40 PM

Originally posted by Tigs

10k

8000iso cropped: Madeiran Chaffinch | Tiago Cardoso | Flickr

Nice work, how much PP do you do and with what?
E

bladerunner6 · 08-03-2018, 01:45 PM

I would like to thank people for all the helpful responses.

normhead · 08-03-2018, 01:53 PM

I had to search twice to find it, twice, but here you go. Probably my highest ISO image ever, 20,000 ISO with a K-3. A black bear has ripped my steel garbage bin off the tree it was bolted to, after much really loud banging, at one o-clock in the morning, and is ripping apart garbage bags and chowing down.

And no, I couldn't get close enough to use flash. He was a big boy. Taken with a 100 watt yard light that happened to be pointed in that direction with my head out the kitchen window.

It's not much good for anything but proof it really happened.

**BigMackCam** · 08-03-2018, 02:28 PM

I forgot to mention in my earlier response... It also depends on your intended use for the image.

Below is a particularly bad example - a shot I took while testing a new-to-me SMC Pentax-M 135/3.5 on my old K-5 at ISO 12800, a couple of years ago. It's quite heavily cropped, which never helps. It has some colour noise reduction applied, also some very minor luminance noise reduction. Even so, it's clearly very grainy, and would look awful as a large print. But is it completely useless? Actually, no... One version of it (cropped to 1:1) ended up on a coffee mug and birthday card for my Mum. Both mug and card looked great, and she was delighted with them

This is another reason why I let the ISO float as high as it needs. At small reproduction sizes, even very high ISO images can be useful...

Tigs · 08-03-2018, 03:54 PM

Originally posted by bladerunner6

Nice work, how much PP do you do and with what?
E

Thanks. Basic contrast and exposure adjustments, slight increase in saturation, cropping and some noise reduction (not much)

MrMojo · 08-03-2018, 05:39 PM - **2 Likes**

The subject matter makes a difference too. The attached shows a hog @6400 (on a K3, not a K70, different processing engine) and the noise (such as it is) is only apparent on the OOF areas in the background. The textures on the main subject render any noise barely noticeable.

normhead · 08-03-2018, 05:51 PM

Originally posted by MrMojo

The subject matter makes a difference too. The attached shows a hog @6400 (on a K3, not a K70, different processing engine) and the noise (such as it is) is only apparent on the OOF areas in the background. The textures on the main subject render any noise barely noticeable.

And if you really want to spiff it up, blur the background in post processing. I've dons with high ISO images many times.

**DW58** · 08-04-2018, 08:53 AM

I'm using a K-70. For the past couple of months I've been shooting almost exclusively in TAv and letting ISO float between 100-6400. Rarely, and I mean rarely have I needed 6400. But my shots are only seen here on PF, email to family and friends and an occasional 8X10 printed here at home. Yes I've posted some shots with a bit of noise. Especially when cropping heavily. But for what I'm doing right now a little noise doesn't bother me. Having said all that I still try to keep ISO at a minimum. My post processing skills leave a lot to be desired and getting rid of noise is something I haven't got a handle on yet. Enjoy your K-70. I love mine.

dainiushst · 08-22-2018, 12:30 AM

I find that anything below ISO 3200 is acceptable from my K70. I upgraded from K50 where ISO 1250 was set as the high limit when shooting in Av. Note that I'm shooting JPEG mostly.

08-03-2018, 02:28 PM	#24
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,695	I forgot to mention in my earlier response... It also depends on your intended use for the image. Below is a particularly bad example - a shot I took while testing a new-to-me SMC Pentax-M 135/3.5 on my old K-5 at ISO 12800, a couple of years ago. It's quite heavily cropped, which never helps. It has some colour noise reduction applied, also some very minor luminance noise reduction. Even so, it's clearly very grainy, and would look awful as a large print. But is it completely useless? Actually, no... One version of it (cropped to 1:1) ended up on a coffee mug and birthday card for my Mum. Both mug and card looked great, and she was delighted with them This is another reason why I let the ISO float as high as it needs. At small reproduction sizes, even very high ISO images can be useful... Attached Images Last edited by BigMackCam; 08-03-2018 at 02:46 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
What maximum ISO to use on K-70 default auto ISO range?	OldChE	Pentax K-70 & KF	7	02-19-2018 08:01 PM
When do you typically see price reductions?	Shakey	Pentax DSLR Discussion	13	04-17-2017 12:41 PM
A typically manual exposure guy trying out Program exposure mode	goatsNdonkey	Photographic Technique	9	06-23-2016 07:16 PM
For Auto ISO, what is your maximum setting?	bladerunner6	Pentax K-30 & K-50	33	12-14-2014 09:24 AM
What sort of post-processing do you typically do?	MSL	Digital Processing, Software, and Printing	36	02-26-2012 02:35 PM

08-03-2018, 04:38 AM	#16
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,138	I do not have a k70, but generally I don't like to go higher than 1600, but to get a picture I want in dim light, or when a fast shutter speed is really necessary, I have gone to 12,500, then passed off the image as a straight-down picture of a beach.

08-03-2018, 05:26 AM	#17
bschriver11 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 558	Whatever it takes to get the shot. Sure you want to keep the ISO as low as possible but a photo with a little noise is always better than a blurry photo in my opinion.

08-03-2018, 07:03 AM	#18
24thNomad Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 66	Generally 1600 is my limit but have used 2000 on some occasions.

08-03-2018, 08:18 AM	#19
leekil Pentaxian Join Date: May 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,003	On a K-3, which has a similar resolution sensor as the K-70, I would go up to 3200 regularly, and then up to 6400 in special cases.

08-03-2018, 01:17 PM	#20
Tigs Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 146	10k 8000iso cropped: Madeiran Chaffinch \| Tiago Cardoso \| Flickr

08-03-2018, 01:40 PM	#21
bladerunner6 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,080 Original Poster	Originally posted by Tigs 10k 8000iso cropped: Madeiran Chaffinch \| Tiago Cardoso \| Flickr Nice work, how much PP do you do and with what? E

08-03-2018, 01:45 PM	#22
bladerunner6 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,080 Original Poster	I would like to thank people for all the helpful responses.

08-03-2018, 01:53 PM	#23
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	I had to search twice to find it, twice, but here you go. Probably my highest ISO image ever, 20,000 ISO with a K-3. A black bear has ripped my steel garbage bin off the tree it was bolted to, after much really loud banging, at one o-clock in the morning, and is ripping apart garbage bags and chowing down. And no, I couldn't get close enough to use flash. He was a big boy. Taken with a 100 watt yard light that happened to be pointed in that direction with my head out the kitchen window. It's not much good for anything but proof it really happened.

08-03-2018, 03:54 PM	#25
Tigs Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 146	Originally posted by bladerunner6 Nice work, how much PP do you do and with what? E Thanks. Basic contrast and exposure adjustments, slight increase in saturation, cropping and some noise reduction (not much)

08-03-2018, 05:51 PM	#27
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by MrMojo The subject matter makes a difference too. The attached shows a hog @6400 (on a K3, not a K70, different processing engine) and the noise (such as it is) is only apparent on the OOF areas in the background. The textures on the main subject render any noise barely noticeable. And if you really want to spiff it up, blur the background in post processing. I've dons with high ISO images many times.

08-04-2018, 08:53 AM	#28
DW58 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Rural Oregon Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,082	I'm using a K-70. For the past couple of months I've been shooting almost exclusively in TAv and letting ISO float between 100-6400. Rarely, and I mean rarely have I needed 6400. But my shots are only seen here on PF, email to family and friends and an occasional 8X10 printed here at home. Yes I've posted some shots with a bit of noise. Especially when cropping heavily. But for what I'm doing right now a little noise doesn't bother me. Having said all that I still try to keep ISO at a minimum. My post processing skills leave a lot to be desired and getting rid of noise is something I haven't got a handle on yet. Enjoy your K-70. I love mine.

08-22-2018, 12:30 AM	#29
dainiushst Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 34	I find that anything below ISO 3200 is acceptable from my K70. I upgraded from K50 where ISO 1250 was set as the high limit when shooting in Av. Note that I'm shooting JPEG mostly.