[Kiddo70]

I just bought a new KP. To help afford the new camera, I sent one of my K-70s to B&H. Today, I did a head to head test of the KP against my other K-70. The lens used in the test was a D FA* 50mm f1.4 set to auto focus. All camera settings were identical for each shot. Just looking at the jpegs, the K-70 produced a richer warmer color, in my opinion, a much nicer image than that produced by the KP. The image from the KP is acceptable, just not as nice as the one produced by the K-70. Does anyone have an explanation for the difference? By the way, I called B&H and had them ship my K-70 back to me.

[JohnMc]

I recall as a kid going to Yankees games and being youngest, getting the seat with a post in front of it. Depending which side I looked around I saw things differently even though it was the same game. I haven't relied on out of camera jpegs for some time now, but never noticed the KP to be deficient, only perhaps different, but readily correctable in post, though I imagine that some of the in-camera settings could be tweaked as well.

[ramseybuckeye]

Do you have custom image set the same on each? Other settings could also make a difference, I would go through the menus and see if they are set up differently.

[Kiddo70]

Do you have custom image set the same on each? Other settings could also make a difference, I would go through the menus and see if they are set up differently.

All the settings that I could duplicate were the same. White balance, color bias in the white balance, f stop, shutter, custom image, everything. I have not seen any difference in the menus for standard photo taking between the two cameras. I wanted the same setup for the KP as my K-70s so I would not have a problem in the field.

[caliscouser]

Can you post the pictures?

Was it AWB, custom?

What kind of lighting were the test shots taken in?

Are the parameters within the custom image the same on both cameras?

[snakebite]

All the settings that I could duplicate were the same. White balance, color bias in the white balance, f stop, shutter, custom image, everything. I have not seen any difference in the menus for standard photo taking between the two cameras. I wanted the same setup for the KP as my K-70s so I would not have a problem in the field.

Are they set to the same color space? Adobe RGB or SRBG?

[Kiddo70]

Since the settings were the same in both cameras, I was anticipating that someone would respond by saying that the sensors are set up differently in each camera. I’m not enough of a techno geek to understand how the sensors “see” the subject, but I assumed that the KP would have a newer sensor design than the K-70. The difference in the two images is strictly related to color intensity, if that helps to explain it. The K-70 produced “more intense” color. I’ve been able to produce more intense color in the past by adjusting exposure compensation.

[snakebite]

Since the settings were the same in both cameras, I was anticipating that someone would respond by saying that the sensors are set up differently in each camera. I’m not enough of a techno geek to understand how the sensors “see” the subject, but I assumed that the KP would have a newer sensor design than the K-70. The difference in the two images is strictly related to color intensity, if that helps to explain it. The K-70 produced “more intense” color. I’ve been able to produce more intense color in the past by adjusting exposure compensation.

]
Might be slight variations in exposure. I downloaded the jpgs for both cameras at DP Review and found the differences to be negligible. If anything, the KP looks more saturated, but it looks to me like a slight variation in exposure.

[mikesbike]

The main way exposure comp can change color results is the fact more exposure will tend to diminish color saturation, while less exposure will tend to increase apparent color saturation. This is true even with film.

The KP's sensor is not the same one as that of the K-70, but that is probably not the cause of the color difference. First thing- be sure not to have your camera's mode dial set on the "Auto" position. This turns over all decision-making to the camera, which will likely not be the same between them. This includes the Custom Image category selection. The Custom Image processing will not be the same between the two cameras, as the KP's processor is newer and more advanced. But with the mode dial set to "Auto", the camera might also by default switch Custom Image selection to "Auto" as well, where the camera could select any of the Custom Image categories it deems appropriate according to what it "thinks" it is seeing, and this can also be different between cameras. This processor is the means by which the camera sets a number of parameters for JPEG output. If you wish full automation for exposure by the camera (setting of aperture and shutter speed) use the "P" (Program) mode. From what I've noticed, the default Custom Image category will then be set on the "Bright" category.

Although both cameras set on tripod and with fully automated exposure for the same exact scene might show the same settings of aperture and shutter speed, there are minute increments not revealed in the whole numbers shown. The KP's metering system is also more advanced.

I have long had the K-S2, the predecessor to the K-70 and similar in design. I got it as a smaller, lighter, backup and alternate to my flagship K-5 IIs. As a general rule, the default "Bright" Custom Image category has color saturation up by one notch over the normal mid-point, and ditto with sharpening level and contrast also. Then there is the "Natural" category which keeps these at normal, and presents a slightly different color palette as well. But for most situations, I leave it set on "Bright". I too noticed a difference in the color rendition for JPEG output when I got the KP, which was not a complete surprise with its new processor. While most observations have been towards over-saturated results for JPEG output of previous models when set to "Bright", often with skin tones being too flushed, etc. I found the KP set on "Bright", while more saturated compared to "Natural", has been closer to neutral, and with a more realistic result. So I have viewed this as a good thing over all. However, one can easily access the Custom Image menus (via the "info" button- and then the 4 buttons surrounding the"ok" button will serve for navigation) and increase color saturation a bit if wished, especially in the default "Bright" category. While you are at it, in this category at least, you can also add "Fine Sharpening" by using your thumb dial, which will increase fine detail in your images. Lately, I have even also increased sharpening level up by yet one more notch in "Bright" as well and have not noticed any negative side effects so far.

There are also other categories of Custom Image you could experiment with if desired.

[stevebrot]

Since the settings were the same in both cameras, I was anticipating that someone would respond by saying that the sensors are set up differently in each camera.

OK, here ya go..."the sensors are set up differently in each camera".

In addition to the two cameras using two similar, but different sensors, there is the matter of image processor, Prime M II on the K-70 vs. Prime IV with accelerator on the KP.


Steve

[UncleVanya]

The k70 has PDAF pixels on the sensor, the KP does not. So some image data is missing on The k70 which the processor must interpolate to replace. The amount of data is pretty small, but this may result in different tuning of the image processing.

Overall I would be surprised if you can’t make the KP very close in output to the k70. I personally think uploading some images with full Exif data would help.

[mikesbike]

OK, here ya go..."the sensors are set up differently in each camera".

In addition to the two cameras using two similar, but different sensors, there is the matter of image processor, Prime M II on the K-70 vs. Prime IV with accelerator on the KP.


Steve

Right. The setup can indeed be different between cameras. KP's processor, the Prime IV, is essentially the same as that on the K-1 II.

[Fogel70]

Custom image may be tuned a bit diffirently on entry level cameras compared to more advanced cameras, but if you like the images from the K70 better it should not be difficult to fine tune the custom image settings on KP to produce the same look.

So it is probably just about setting up custom image in KP to produce the same look.


Without exif info in images to compare it is difficult to say exacly what may differ. It may also be a number of other setting that can affect the output.
White balace settings if not using manual entered WB settings, highlight and shadow correction, noise reduction settings....

[Cerebum]

It may just be that you prefer the output of the K70, it is brilliant after all, but so is the KP. What the KP brings is completely different ergonomics like the really handy third wheel. You also get sharper raw files thanks to the accelerator chip. The KP can take a bit of getting use to but once you do it is capable of astonishing images.

[ThorSanchez]

I just bought a new KP. To help afford the new camera, I sent one of my K-70s to B&H. Today, I did a head to head test of the KP against my other K-70. The lens used in the test was a D FA* 50mm f1.4 set to auto focus. All camera settings were identical for each shot. Just looking at the jpegs, the K-70 produced a richer warmer color, in my opinion, a much nicer image than that produced by the KP. The image from the KP is acceptable, just not as nice as the one produced by the K-70. Does anyone have an explanation for the difference? By the way, I called B&H and had them ship my K-70 back to me.

If the cameras were set up the same, including the in-camera jpg settings, you could take 50 photos from each and ask to people to tell you which camera they were taken with and the results would be indistinguishable from random guessing. Nothing substantial is different in the design of the cameras for the vast percentage of images you would take. The PDAF pixels on the K-70 sensor will have zero impact to your photographs in 99.99% of cases.

As others have said, you just need to tweak your in-camera jpg settings on the KP and you should be able to match the results of your K-70.