The Eagle has landed!

**newmikey** · 01-04-2020, 12:55 PM - **5 Likes**

So, the story is that my daughter appropriated my beloved K-70 so I wanted to get another one until I ran into a crazy deal on the KP. It's not that I expect it to be thàt much different from the k-70 but it definitely IS exciting to actually hold a new (to me, that is) model in my hands! Battery is charging and for tomorrow I've paired it with "the Beast", as my Sigma 85mm/f1.4 tends to be called around the house. Weather for tomorrow is typical Dutch overcast/gloomy/grey but let's see what I can capture just to get a feel for this body.

(shot on my phone)

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hypermodern · 01-04-2020, 01:19 PM

I'd be keen to know your thoughts, I might upgrade from K50 to KP one day. Is the Sigma 85mm f1.4 as good as people say?

**newmikey** · 01-04-2020, 01:34 PM

Originally posted by hypermodern

I'd be keen to know your thoughts, I might upgrade from K50 to KP one day. Is the Sigma 85mm f1.4 as good as people say?

I think it's an awesome lens but not without its issues. I have the 'old' EX DG HSM version - as you can see by how much it's beat up - and there is a newer version. It performed fantasticly back on my K-5 IIs but I didn't much like it on the K-70 - I may have never calibrated it with that body I now realise. The shallow DOF is a pleasure though, it really gives the image such a great 3D feel.

**Kerrowdown** · 01-04-2020, 01:57 PM

Originally posted by newmikey

The Eagle has landed!

Really enjoy your day tomorrow...

Tsuken · 01-04-2020, 02:05 PM

Fantastic! Enjoy 8)

I got my KP for Christmas, and it’s a truly wonderful thing (that was coming from a K-30 mind you, a couple of generations behind your K-70).

MikeyBugs95 · 01-04-2020, 02:54 PM

Good looking combo! I have a smaller "beast" in the EX 50 1.4 but I don't use it much because I seem to have gotten a soft copy.

**newmikey** · 01-04-2020, 04:23 PM

Originally posted by MikeyBugs95

Good looking combo! I have a smaller "beast" in the EX 50 1.4 but I don't use it much because I seem to have gotten a soft copy.

The thing I'm really looking forward to is using my Revuenon 55mm/f1.2 on it with focus peaking - should be a blast (and it was already nice on the K-70)

**Ex Finn.** · 01-04-2020, 07:15 PM

Enjoy your new toy

**ramseybuckeye** · 01-04-2020, 07:59 PM

Originally posted by newmikey

So, the story is that my daughter appropriated my beloved K-70 so I wanted to get another one until I ran into a crazy deal on the KP. It's not that I expect it to be thàt much different from the k-70 but it definitely IS exciting to actually hold a new (to me, that is) model in my hands! Battery is charging and for tomorrow I've paired it with "the Beast", as my Sigma 85mm/f1.4 tends to be called around the house. Weather for tomorrow is typical Dutch overcast/gloomy/grey but let's see what I can capture just to get a feel for this body.

(shot on my phone)

Congrats!, but now you've got to keep her away from the 85!

Originally posted by hypermodern

I'd be keen to know your thoughts, I might upgrade from K50 to KP one day. Is the Sigma 85mm f1.4 as good as people say?

I've taken the path from K-50 to KP. You'll be very happy.

hypermodern · 01-05-2020, 12:11 AM

Originally posted by ramseybuckeye

I've taken the path from K-50 to KP. You'll be very happy.

Thanks, if the K-new is heavily delayed I’ll get one this year some time.

**newmikey** · 01-05-2020, 05:39 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by hypermodern

I'd be keen to know your thoughts, I might upgrade from K50 to KP one day. Is the Sigma 85mm f1.4 as good as people say?

So here's a few from this morning's walk which I think illustrate some of the strengths and weaknesses of the Sigma 85mm

Strength: sharpness - it can cut your fingers (admittedly, I exaggerated a bit in post but you get the point) at a few stops down, this is F6.3

Strength: sense of 3D or separation between subject a background. Also, strength: color rendition (even though this went through DarkTable, the color of the OOC jpeg is also lovely)

Weakness: sometimes slightly "nervous" looking out of focus areas with highlights (see the area left of Noam's head):

I had an idea that the combo KP/Sigma was front-focusing a teeny tiny bit but when I set up my focus finetuning chart I could not confirm it. Potentially purely incidental.

**mtngal** · 01-05-2020, 01:20 PM

Looks good, and I can see what you mean about the little bit of “nervousness” - I like that term.

I hate shooting focus charts. It always seems to me to be inconclusive so I wait until I have a lot more proof with real world experience to decide if a lens is or is not focusing incorrectly. And thanks for reminding me - my 12-24 has needed adjustment on a couple of different cameras but I haven’t yet used it on the KP. Good excuse to pull it out and see.

Vmax911 · 01-05-2020, 07:51 PM

Congrats on the new camera. The ergonomics certainly are different from the k70.

**beachgardener** · 01-08-2020, 03:10 AM

How's that KP going?

**newmikey** · 01-08-2020, 03:26 AM

Originally posted by beachgardener

How's that KP going?

Going strong indeed! Have a look at my other posts, I haven't had a lot of time to experiment but the results show a small but noticeable improvement over the K-70 in terms of IQ with something of a learning curve for me in terms of available controls on the body.

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01-04-2020, 01:19 PM	#2
hypermodern Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 131	I'd be keen to know your thoughts, I might upgrade from K50 to KP one day. Is the Sigma 85mm f1.4 as good as people say?

01-04-2020, 01:34 PM	#3
newmikey Site Supporter Join Date: May 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,287 Original Poster	Originally posted by hypermodern I'd be keen to know your thoughts, I might upgrade from K50 to KP one day. Is the Sigma 85mm f1.4 as good as people say? I think it's an awesome lens but not without its issues. I have the 'old' EX DG HSM version - as you can see by how much it's beat up - and there is a newer version. It performed fantasticly back on my K-5 IIs but I didn't much like it on the K-70 - I may have never calibrated it with that body I now realise. The shallow DOF is a pleasure though, it really gives the image such a great 3D feel.

01-04-2020, 01:57 PM	#4
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,821	Originally posted by newmikey The Eagle has landed! Really enjoy your day tomorrow...

01-04-2020, 02:05 PM	#5
Tsuken Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2013 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,420	Fantastic! Enjoy 8) I got my KP for Christmas, and it’s a truly wonderful thing (that was coming from a K-30 mind you, a couple of generations behind your K-70).

01-04-2020, 02:54 PM	#6
MikeyBugs95 Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,206	Good looking combo! I have a smaller "beast" in the EX 50 1.4 but I don't use it much because I seem to have gotten a soft copy.

01-04-2020, 04:23 PM	#7
newmikey Site Supporter Join Date: May 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,287 Original Poster	Originally posted by MikeyBugs95 Good looking combo! I have a smaller "beast" in the EX 50 1.4 but I don't use it much because I seem to have gotten a soft copy. The thing I'm really looking forward to is using my Revuenon 55mm/f1.2 on it with focus peaking - should be a blast (and it was already nice on the K-70)

01-04-2020, 07:15 PM	#8
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	Enjoy your new toy

01-04-2020, 07:59 PM	#9
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,292	Originally posted by newmikey So, the story is that my daughter appropriated my beloved K-70 so I wanted to get another one until I ran into a crazy deal on the KP. It's not that I expect it to be thàt much different from the k-70 but it definitely IS exciting to actually hold a new (to me, that is) model in my hands! Battery is charging and for tomorrow I've paired it with "the Beast", as my Sigma 85mm/f1.4 tends to be called around the house. Weather for tomorrow is typical Dutch overcast/gloomy/grey but let's see what I can capture just to get a feel for this body. (shot on my phone) Congrats!, but now you've got to keep her away from the 85! Originally posted by hypermodern I'd be keen to know your thoughts, I might upgrade from K50 to KP one day. Is the Sigma 85mm f1.4 as good as people say? I've taken the path from K-50 to KP. You'll be very happy.

01-05-2020, 12:11 AM	#10
hypermodern Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 131	Originally posted by ramseybuckeye I've taken the path from K-50 to KP. You'll be very happy. Thanks, if the K-new is heavily delayed I’ll get one this year some time.

01-05-2020, 05:39 AM - 1 Like	#11
newmikey Site Supporter Join Date: May 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,287 Original Poster	Originally posted by hypermodern I'd be keen to know your thoughts, I might upgrade from K50 to KP one day. Is the Sigma 85mm f1.4 as good as people say? So here's a few from this morning's walk which I think illustrate some of the strengths and weaknesses of the Sigma 85mm Strength: sharpness - it can cut your fingers (admittedly, I exaggerated a bit in post but you get the point) at a few stops down, this is F6.3 Strength: sense of 3D or separation between subject a background. Also, strength: color rendition (even though this went through DarkTable, the color of the OOC jpeg is also lovely) Weakness: sometimes slightly "nervous" looking out of focus areas with highlights (see the area left of Noam's head): I had an idea that the combo KP/Sigma was front-focusing a teeny tiny bit but when I set up my focus finetuning chart I could not confirm it. Potentially purely incidental.

01-05-2020, 01:20 PM	#12
mtngal Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Wherever I’m Parked Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,003	Looks good, and I can see what you mean about the little bit of “nervousness” - I like that term. I hate shooting focus charts. It always seems to me to be inconclusive so I wait until I have a lot more proof with real world experience to decide if a lens is or is not focusing incorrectly. And thanks for reminding me - my 12-24 has needed adjustment on a couple of different cameras but I haven’t yet used it on the KP. Good excuse to pull it out and see.

01-05-2020, 07:51 PM	#13
Vmax911 Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: ABQ Photos: Gallery Posts: 826	Congrats on the new camera. The ergonomics certainly are different from the k70.

01-08-2020, 03:10 AM	#14
beachgardener Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,842	How's that KP going?

01-08-2020, 03:26 AM	#15
newmikey Site Supporter Join Date: May 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,287 Original Poster	Originally posted by beachgardener How's that KP going? Going strong indeed! Have a look at my other posts, I haven't had a lot of time to experiment but the results show a small but noticeable improvement over the K-70 in terms of IQ with something of a learning curve for me in terms of available controls on the body.