Lightroom develop presets to bring back old Pentax digital colors?

octy · 05-24-2018, 08:15 AM

I have and have had several Pentax digital bodies. I often miss my old K100D's colors. That's the first thing I noticed when I got my next body, K-x: the colors felt different. Nowadays I have also other cameras from other brands and still missing K100D's colors.

Have anyone made a develop preset for Lightroom to emulate some of the older Pentax digital cameras' colors? And how big of a job would it be to do it myself? What do I need?

I guess I should do a preset for every camera separately.

And yeah, I know, lens will affect too.

And maybe the firmware version. But let's leave them out of this for now.

**jatrax** · 05-24-2018, 08:46 AM

Adobe - DNG Profile Editor : For Windows : DNG Profile Editor 1.0.4

**BigMackCam** · 05-24-2018, 08:48 AM - **3 Likes**

Try this: Get "that CCD look" with the K-3 / K-3II and Lightroom - PentaxForums.com

Kozlok · 05-24-2018, 12:34 PM - **1 Like**

Big Mack Cam is spot on. I love his preset.

**BigMackCam** · 05-24-2018, 12:38 PM

Originally posted by Kozlok

Big Mack Cam is spot on. I love his preset.

Thank you - you're very kind, and I'm so pleased you like it

octy · 05-24-2018, 03:08 PM

Originally posted by BigMackCam

Try this: Get "that CCD look" with the K-3 / K-3II and Lightroom - PentaxForums.com

Thanks!

So I need X-rite ColorChecker Passport or similar product and am ready to start the fun part. (or maybe just a set of colored pencils

)

**BigMackCam** · 05-24-2018, 03:17 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by octy

Thanks!

So I need X-rite ColorChecker Passport or similar product and am ready to start the fun part. (or maybe just a set of colored pencils

)

It depends. You can just use the preset I provided in that article, if you like (the link for the download is still active). I spent quite a long time developing it, and it's as accurate as I could make it. Prior to my switch away from Lightroom, it's what I used for most of my K-3 and K-3II photos. It also works well for the other CMOS-sensor Pentax models, so it should work with yours just fine, or provide a very good starting point for further tweaking.

If you don't want to download the preset, merely adjust the sliders to the values shown, then save that as your own preset. It'll work just the same

octy · 05-24-2018, 03:48 PM

Originally posted by BigMackCam

It depends. You can just use the preset I provided in that article, if you like (the link for the download is still active).

Downloaded and tried. Great work!

But: it's for K-3 / K-3 II. I don't have either of them. I have other brand cameras like Olympus and Canon and want to bring the K100D colors to them.

I had K10D in past. I didn't like the color it produces as much as K100D although I think K10D's colors are tuned towards more versatile direction which is a good thing and an improvement. But yeah, when I got K-x, all went to that CMOS weirdness.

I'll try the preset on some of my K-x photos. Thanks!

**BigMackCam** · 05-24-2018, 04:00 PM

Originally posted by octy

Downloaded and tried. Great work!

But: it's for K-3 / K-3 II. I don't have either of them. I have other brand cameras like Olympus and Canon and want to bring the K100D colors to them.

Sorry, I missed that part. Having said that, if you're shooting RAW (which you ought to be for this, with respect), many CMOS sensors will give quite similar colours, if not exactly the same. There's a good chance the preset will provide a good starting point

Originally posted by octy

I had K10D in past. I didn't like the color it produces as much as K100D although I think K10D's colors are tuned towards more versatile direction which is a good thing and an improvement.!

There's definitely some difference between the 6MP and 10MP sensors in terms of colour and tone curve (amongst other things), but again the preset should provide a good starting point.

You *could* create your own preset or profile using a colour chart as a reference as I did, but remember that you'll need both the original camera you're trying to emulate, and the new one, so you can take photos of the chart with both. Then, the process I described in that post should get you there, with a bit of work

octy · 05-24-2018, 04:13 PM

Originally posted by BigMackCam

You *could* create your own preset or profile using a colour chart as a reference as I did, but remember that you'll need both the original camera you're trying to emulate, and the new one, so you can take photos of the chart with both. Then, the process I described in that post should get you there, with a bit of work

Yeah, the fun bit of of the work.

Bodies, same lens, same lighting condition...

Btw tried your profile on some K-x RAW photos. Damn those blues pop up nicely!

**BigMackCam** · 05-24-2018, 04:17 PM

Originally posted by octy

Btw tried your profile on some K-x RAW photos. Damn those blues pop up nicely!

LOL

Thanks. Yes, they do... But if there's a weakness in emulating the colour / tone reproduction this way, it's that the darker blues can sometimes be too saturated and/or dark. That's the price for having blue skies appear as they would with the old CCD sensor cameras, instead of the washed-out blue you'd normally get. Depending on the shot, you might choose to back off the saturation, or increase the luminance, of the blues a little. It's not perfect - but it's a good start

octy · 09-06-2018, 04:13 PM

Hmm, it seems K100D/K110D don't embed picture styles in their PEF files. So I ended up shooting a jpg and trying to match its colours with my Olympus' raw. Damn, this is some time consuming work.

05-24-2018, 08:15 AM	#1
octy New Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 9	Lightroom develop presets to bring back old Pentax digital colors? I have and have had several Pentax digital bodies. I often miss my old K100D's colors. That's the first thing I noticed when I got my next body, K-x: the colors felt different. Nowadays I have also other cameras from other brands and still missing K100D's colors. Have anyone made a develop preset for Lightroom to emulate some of the older Pentax digital cameras' colors? And how big of a job would it be to do it myself? What do I need? I guess I should do a preset for every camera separately. And yeah, I know, lens will affect too. And maybe the firmware version. But let's leave them out of this for now.

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05-24-2018, 08:46 AM	#2
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Adobe - DNG Profile Editor : For Windows : DNG Profile Editor 1.0.4

05-24-2018, 08:48 AM - 3 Likes	#3
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,669	Try this: Get "that CCD look" with the K-3 / K-3II and Lightroom - PentaxForums.com

05-24-2018, 12:34 PM - 1 Like	#4
Kozlok Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Albuquerque Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,148	Big Mack Cam is spot on. I love his preset.

05-24-2018, 12:38 PM	#5
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,669	Originally posted by Kozlok Big Mack Cam is spot on. I love his preset. Thank you - you're very kind, and I'm so pleased you like it

05-24-2018, 03:08 PM	#6
octy New Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 9 Original Poster	Originally posted by BigMackCam Try this: Get "that CCD look" with the K-3 / K-3II and Lightroom - PentaxForums.com Thanks! So I need X-rite ColorChecker Passport or similar product and am ready to start the fun part. (or maybe just a set of colored pencils )

05-24-2018, 03:17 PM - 1 Like	#7
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,669	Originally posted by octy Thanks! So I need X-rite ColorChecker Passport or similar product and am ready to start the fun part. (or maybe just a set of colored pencils ) It depends. You can just use the preset I provided in that article, if you like (the link for the download is still active). I spent quite a long time developing it, and it's as accurate as I could make it. Prior to my switch away from Lightroom, it's what I used for most of my K-3 and K-3II photos. It also works well for the other CMOS-sensor Pentax models, so it should work with yours just fine, or provide a very good starting point for further tweaking. If you don't want to download the preset, merely adjust the sliders to the values shown, then save that as your own preset. It'll work just the same

05-24-2018, 03:48 PM	#8
octy New Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 9 Original Poster	Originally posted by BigMackCam It depends. You can just use the preset I provided in that article, if you like (the link for the download is still active). Downloaded and tried. Great work! But: it's for K-3 / K-3 II. I don't have either of them. I have other brand cameras like Olympus and Canon and want to bring the K100D colors to them. I had K10D in past. I didn't like the color it produces as much as K100D although I think K10D's colors are tuned towards more versatile direction which is a good thing and an improvement. But yeah, when I got K-x, all went to that CMOS weirdness. I'll try the preset on some of my K-x photos. Thanks!

05-24-2018, 04:00 PM	#9
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,669	Originally posted by octy Downloaded and tried. Great work! But: it's for K-3 / K-3 II. I don't have either of them. I have other brand cameras like Olympus and Canon and want to bring the K100D colors to them. Sorry, I missed that part. Having said that, if you're shooting RAW (which you ought to be for this, with respect), many CMOS sensors will give quite similar colours, if not exactly the same. There's a good chance the preset will provide a good starting point Originally posted by octy I had K10D in past. I didn't like the color it produces as much as K100D although I think K10D's colors are tuned towards more versatile direction which is a good thing and an improvement.! There's definitely some difference between the 6MP and 10MP sensors in terms of colour and tone curve (amongst other things), but again the preset should provide a good starting point. You could create your own preset or profile using a colour chart as a reference as I did, but remember that you'll need both the original camera you're trying to emulate, and the new one, so you can take photos of the chart with both. Then, the process I described in that post should get you there, with a bit of work

05-24-2018, 04:13 PM	#10
octy New Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 9 Original Poster	Originally posted by BigMackCam You could create your own preset or profile using a colour chart as a reference as I did, but remember that you'll need both the original camera you're trying to emulate, and the new one, so you can take photos of the chart with both. Then, the process I described in that post should get you there, with a bit of work Yeah, the fun bit of of the work. Bodies, same lens, same lighting condition... Btw tried your profile on some K-x RAW photos. Damn those blues pop up nicely!

05-24-2018, 04:17 PM	#11
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,669	Originally posted by octy Btw tried your profile on some K-x RAW photos. Damn those blues pop up nicely! LOL Thanks. Yes, they do... But if there's a weakness in emulating the colour / tone reproduction this way, it's that the darker blues can sometimes be too saturated and/or dark. That's the price for having blue skies appear as they would with the old CCD sensor cameras, instead of the washed-out blue you'd normally get. Depending on the shot, you might choose to back off the saturation, or increase the luminance, of the blues a little. It's not perfect - but it's a good start

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09-06-2018, 04:13 PM	#12
octy New Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 9 Original Poster	Hmm, it seems K100D/K110D don't embed picture styles in their PEF files. So I ended up shooting a jpg and trying to match its colours with my Olympus' raw. Damn, this is some time consuming work.