80 iso?

falconeye · 03-04-2012, 09:11 AM

Originally posted by topace

I cannot fathom why it wouldn't be available by default.

Maybe, because the average photographer focusses on his photography and doesn't want to be bothered by an odd ISO setting like 80 besides 100, so going from 80 to 200 is odd?

Only geeks like us care about the difference between 80 and 100. And fewer even would be able to even measure the difference, let alone see it ...

reeftool · 03-04-2012, 11:47 AM

There's not much difference between ISO 80 and 100 that I can see. I have used it and the IQ is very good. The only visible difference might be in slow shutter speed shots in daylight where you are trying for some motion blur in a waterfall or something similar. That's only "might" as I haven't really tried a shot like that at both settings. Just a quick check with my meter settings on a bright/cloudy afternoon outside, I got 0.6 second shutter at ISO 80 and 0.4 at 100 at f/22, probably not enough difference to be noticeable. I have expanded ISO on because I often shoot at 12800 which I find very usable on the K5. I also think a lot of things like this are added just to make the spec sheet look more impressive. You can believe some reviewer would diss the K5 because they didn't have an ISO lower than 100.

falconeye · 03-04-2012, 01:07 PM

Originally posted by reeftool

I also think a lot of things like this are added just to make the spec sheet look more impressive.

Not really. There are artistic photographers and they will be happy with ISO 100, 200, etc. And there are technophile photographers who appreciate the tiny bit of extra headroom at ISO 80 and aren't confused by the option. Like testers. I think Pentax did the right thing to make ISO 80 an "advanced" setting, but to invest the effort to include this option at all. This was which made the K-5 take a global lead in DxO landscape scoring.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Photos: K-5 at ISO 6400 AND ISO 12,800	PeterKBurian	Pentax K-5 & K-5 II	2	01-07-2011 07:01 AM
I am getting a lot of noise at ISO 800 and ISO 1600....	Abstract	Pentax K-5 & K-5 II	19	11-30-2010 10:48 AM
K-r vs. K-x ISO samples (or return of the ISO flower!)	devorama	Pentax K-r	31	10-29-2010 02:05 AM
[Auto-ISO] so, is the K5 and Kr brave enough to use max iso?	Reportage	Pentax K-5 & K-5 II	13	10-24-2010 03:30 PM
K-5 vs K-7 First ISO performance testing (ISO-6400)	starscream	Pentax News and Rumors	95	09-25-2010 07:02 PM

03-04-2012, 09:11 AM	#16
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	Originally posted by topace I cannot fathom why it wouldn't be available by default. Maybe, because the average photographer focusses on his photography and doesn't want to be bothered by an odd ISO setting like 80 besides 100, so going from 80 to 200 is odd? Only geeks like us care about the difference between 80 and 100. And fewer even would be able to even measure the difference, let alone see it ...

03-04-2012, 11:47 AM	#17
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,555	There's not much difference between ISO 80 and 100 that I can see. I have used it and the IQ is very good. The only visible difference might be in slow shutter speed shots in daylight where you are trying for some motion blur in a waterfall or something similar. That's only "might" as I haven't really tried a shot like that at both settings. Just a quick check with my meter settings on a bright/cloudy afternoon outside, I got 0.6 second shutter at ISO 80 and 0.4 at 100 at f/22, probably not enough difference to be noticeable. I have expanded ISO on because I often shoot at 12800 which I find very usable on the K5. I also think a lot of things like this are added just to make the spec sheet look more impressive. You can believe some reviewer would diss the K5 because they didn't have an ISO lower than 100.

03-04-2012, 01:07 PM	#18
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	Originally posted by reeftool I also think a lot of things like this are added just to make the spec sheet look more impressive. Not really. There are artistic photographers and they will be happy with ISO 100, 200, etc. And there are technophile photographers who appreciate the tiny bit of extra headroom at ISO 80 and aren't confused by the option. Like testers. I think Pentax did the right thing to make ISO 80 an "advanced" setting, but to invest the effort to include this option at all. This was which made the K-5 take a global lead in DxO landscape scoring.