[Edgar_in_Indy]

Thanks for the mirror up help guys. I will try it when I get home. As for the questions regarding mute setting and contrast to min fir shooting, yes it only applies to jpeg but at least when shooting in raw you get a live jpeg shot on your lcd with a realistic view of what the raw image is really like

Interesting. I had no idea that those kind of settings effect the preview image on the LCD. I'll have to play around with that.

So what you are saying is if you use a 2 second timer mirror up is automatically selected?

I sometimes use this feature on my K-30, and you can actually hear the mirror go up a couple seconds before the shutter is triggered.

[Adam]

7) mirror up function (which doesn't exist in the k5 (not sure about the k3)

The K-3 does have classic mirror lock up, but on the K-5 just use the 2-second timer, as it lifts the mirror as soon as you hit the shutter release button.

[mikeSF]

it sounds like you have all the answers you need including where to find M.UP. (on the K5 it exists both as 2 second timer and as a two press via the cable release)
In general, those are some plain vanilla recommendations and great for someone getting started in landscape shooting, but by all means learn when and when not to use those guidelines.

I personally never use AWB when shooting RAW because if I want to blend two images or shoot a pano, there could be variation in the WB of the frames.

Aperture is unique to the situation and depending on the distance between your closest subject element and your desired in-focus background, you may choose to stop down more, f/13, f/14, f/16 when needed. Focus stacking is an intermediate technique and I am guessing you are not using that, but could be something you incorporate down the road and warrants a shallower DOF since you will be blending slices.

I no longer use grad filters in favor of digital blending which is more precise IMO, so at least be aware there are a few ways to skin a cat. Likewise, I am not againts the use of clear protection filters when ocean spray or sandstorms other materials could damage the front element. I never use any filters with night shooting to avoid ghosting of light pinpoints.

Good luck and have fun!

[johnyates]

6) camera settings at auto WB, Mute, contrast at minimum

To me it makes more sense to use Daylight WB when I'm shooting outdoors. If the light at the end of the day is red, that's what I want it to look like. If I'm making a pano, I want the WB to match in each frame.

[clackers]

I doubt it. Sure if you compare jpegs straight out of the camera. But if you compare a carefully sharpened raw image at base or low iso I am not so sure there is any resolution difference at all.

It does.

When you do what the Nik plugin calls Pre-Sharpening to account for the AA filter, you now can't do as much sharpening in the RAW file afterwards.

The lesson - get the RAW file in camera as sharp and with the least noise possible, and that's an advantage of the K-3, K-S2 and 645Z, et al with the AA simulator.

[Gimbal]

The K-3 does have classic mirror lock up, but on the K-5 just use the 2-second timer, as it lifts the mirror as soon as you hit the shutter release button.

That is kind of a misleading comment as the K5 also has classic mirror lock up.

Just press up on the four-way button to select drive mode, then select the icon to the far right labeled “M.UP”. I dare to guess it stands for mirror up, anyway the text above says something like “Mirror lock-up shooting” (going from memory here so it might be slightly off). Then you have two selections below, M.UP for cable release and M.UP using infrared remote.

The first press on the remote shutter flips up the mirror, the camera starts beeping to remind you that you have to press again to actually take the photo. The second press actuate the shutter.

[Adam]

That is kind of a misleading comment as the K5 also has classic mirror lock up.

Just press up on the four-way button to select drive mode, then select the icon to the far right labeled “M.UP”. I dare to guess it stands for mirror up, anyway the text above says something like “Mirror lock-up shooting” (going from memory here so it might be slightly off). Then you have two selections below, M.UP for cable release and M.UP using infrared remote.

The first press on the remote shutter flips up the mirror, the camera starts beeping to remind you that you have to press again to actually take the photo. The second press actuate the shutter.

Good catch- you're right!

Adam
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[voy-tech]

Regarding the mirror up and live view. If you're shooting on a tripod with Live view you don't have to worry about raising the mirror separately before shutter release since the mirror is already up in live view - otherwise the sensor wouldn't "see" the image from the lens.

[Mattox]

Really??? Well that male sense. So how the hell am I getting so much micro movement then. Tripod is solid as a rock, using a cable switch. Af is as spot on as possible

[voy-tech]

Really??? Well that male sense. So how the hell am I getting so much micro movement then. Tripod is solid as a rock, using a cable switch. Af is as spot on as possible

Strange - not sure how the image stabilization is controlled on K5 could you check if it's disabled when you connect the cable switch? I always use the 2sec timer (too lazy to buy a cable) and K5IIs turns off stabilization automatically in that mode. If it's on with the cable switch than it could cause the micro movements you see. I shoot 90% from the tripod and never had an issue.

[colonel00]

Can you post an example or two of images where you are seeing issues?

[Digitalis]

1) sturdy level tripod and remote for reduced camera shake

Landscape photography isn't defined by the use of the tripod, you can still do it handheld, if the light levels permit it.

3) noise reduction and camera shake off

In camera NR will have next to no effect on RAW images, unless you need dark frame subtraction for long exposures - in this case I recommend using long exposure NR as it can remove image artifacts that can only be properly eliminated in situ.

4) lcd luminosity set to high

If you're shooting at dusk/dawn this will kill your eyesight.

5) live view set for pin point manual focus

If you misfocus at infinity - that would be embarrassing.The OVF is fine for infinity focus, and everything else really.

6) camera settings at auto WB, Mute, contrast at minimum

I NEVER use automatic white balance, I set all my cameras to 5000Kelvin, and they rarely deviate from that set WB point. I leave the saturation at neutral but I do lower the contrast in jpeg processing parameters.If you are shooting RAW this will have no effect on the final image.

7) mirror up function (which doesn't exist in the k5 (not sure about the k3)

It does, you just use the 2 second timer, all pentax cameras lock the mirror up with that setting.

9) manual settings with f stop between 8-12

A bit narrow a range, DOF is largely a matter of taste and is best left to the discretion of the artist.If you feel the need to follow the crowd then go ahead. Sometimes you have no other choice but to use f/16 to produce the image you want, diffraction be damned.

10) no uv filter on lens but preferably nd grad

UV filters are practically useless, ND grads in their various forms are very useful...the Omission of a polariser is highly questionable though- the effect of a polariser cannot be computationally emulated.

[Mattox]

Can you post an example or two of images where you are seeing issues?

https://500px.com/photo/129475691

https://500px.com/photo/129645859

[Gimbal]

Really??? Well that male sense. So how the hell am I getting so much micro movement then. Tripod is solid as a rock, using a cable switch. Af is as spot on as possible

Yes, the mirror is up in live view, but so is the shutter. So the first thing that happens is that the shutter closes before it opens again. And while that doesn’t create vibrations as much as flipping the mirror, it probably creates more than using the normal mirror up function.

[osv]

After a recent 3 day workshop with a variety of photographers of various skills and equipment we were advised to shoot with these camera settings. What are your thoughts, questions, criticism.

1) sturdy level tripod and remote for reduced camera shake

only necessary for slow shutter speeds.

9) manual settings with f stop between 8-12

yes manual always, but those numbers are a bit off.

why pay $$$ for nice glass and a high rez camera body, then use aperture settings that lower resolution, because of diffraction.

f/8 shows visible diffraction on crop sensors, you should only stop down further if you absolutely have to, not just on a whim.

the workshop also should have made it clear that ff and crop have different aperture settings where diffraction is visible, it's f/11 on ff.

diffraction is equal on all platforms when dof is equal, so ff is not better than crop, mf is not better than ff, wrt diffraction losses.

With these setting I found even with a variety of lenses the k5 fell back considerably against the Nikon 800's and canon FF. Especially in DR and camera sharpness.

the nikon 800's would of course be winners, canon doesn't have anything that will compete with a 36mp sensor, outside of the new 5ds/5dsr, but even those 50mp bodies have weak d.r. and latitude.

the only hope for a crop sensor camera would be to use the best primes available, not zooms.