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Zen C · 02-10-2011, 02:27 PM

I am not sure if it's the model I am using, or whether it's Pentax in general, but the noise I get in my images is absolutely horrible! I recently got into event photography so I am shooting in very low light and have to crank up the ISO, but anything more than 400, you can forget it because the noise is so overwhelming. Anyone have any tips for how to overcome this? My next move is getting a new program for post-processing, and if that fails, then I'm going to have to switch cameras which I don't want to do because I love everything else about the camera. I shot a concert with my friend's Nikon one time where the ISO was way over 1600 and the image was totally smooth and clean.

pxpaulx · 02-10-2011, 02:41 PM

The k10d is great for low iso work, but when it comes to high ISO, unfortunately it is old hat, as they say. Post processing will probably help a small amount, but if you need a camera for indoor event photography, it is time to make a leap to the K5, or Kx/Kr if you are on a budget - any of those will easily trump the K10d at higher ISOs.

**Lowell Goudge** · 02-10-2011, 02:52 PM

You should postyour unacceptable images. I find many timed the K10 gets an unfair reputation

Zen C · 02-10-2011, 03:22 PM

This was shot at 1600, f4.5, 0.70 s
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ihasa · 02-10-2011, 04:05 PM

Did you also boost the brightness? Cos that seems *really* bad.

The K10D is not great for low light. The CCD sensor produces a colour patterning which is quite hard to remove. But with careful exposure and post processing you can get decent results! Try Lightroom 3 and shooting RAW, and remember to expose your shots so they err on the bright side.

The K-x CMOS sensor is much much better and shares the same sensor as the Nikon D90... you can go higher than 3200 and get much better results than the K10D at 1600.

The K5 is better again.

It's certainly not a Pentax thing - you'll find Nikons of the same vintage as the K10 use similar CCD sensors and produce similar results.

Zen C · 02-10-2011, 04:19 PM

I did brighten it, yes. So that seems to be what the majority of my pictures look like. I thought that my new 1.4 lens would help a little with the results, but it just refused to autofocus and I ended up with a blurry mess.

figmental1978 · 02-10-2011, 05:08 PM

i've shot gig with the K10D, it's hard but you have to work with the camera to get the most out of it. I shoot manual, RAW, open aperture (1.8) and ISO of 800~1600 and then process the photos in LR where I clean the noise, add contrast and make the shadows darker to hide the noise.

Zen C · 02-10-2011, 05:35 PM

Is LR a decent program in terms of noise reduction? I hear that Aperture is better? Any experience with that?

**Scottnorwo** · 02-10-2011, 05:37 PM

As figmental1978 said you have to work with the k10d in low light situations. Once you head into iso 1600 territory you have to work the pp to remove the noise. I have spent many an evening photographing high school sports under poor lighting being frustrated with the results, but have recovered many good shots in pp. Good luck

twitch · 02-10-2011, 05:40 PM

Originally posted by Zen C

I did brighten it, yes. .

Well then it's no longer representative of ISO1600. If you increased exposure by a stop then that's ISO3200, actually even worse because the process of raising exposure generates more noise than shooting it correctly in camera at the higher ISO.

Originally posted by Zen C

Is LR a decent program in terms of noise reduction? I hear that Aperture is better? Any experience with that?

I use Aperture and love it, but it absolutely sucks for noise reduction. For noise reduction I have Nik's define and Topaz Denoise, both are pluggins for Aperture. Lightroo comes with excellent noise reduction built in, that's one of 3 major advantages LR has over Aperture, Aperture though has a couple of it's own over Lightroom.

adwb · 02-11-2011, 07:01 AM

you could do worse than look at noise ninja either as a stand alone or a plug in. Thats what I use to clean up my K10 images if to noisy.
Noise Ninja: The gold standard for image noise reduction

**Rondec** · 02-11-2011, 09:07 AM

I think the most important thing with the K10 is not to under expose at all. If you nail the exposure, or even go to the right a little bit, your noise will be OK, certainly up to iso 800. I have shot iso 1600 with reasonable results, but you really need to dial in the positive EV compensation since the K10 tends to toward under exposure. I would usually shoot with +0.7 to 1 EV compensation.

**Lowell Goudge** · 02-11-2011, 12:19 PM

Originally posted by Rondec

I think the most important thing with the K10 is not to under expose at all. If you nail the exposure, or even go to the right a little bit, your noise will be OK, certainly up to iso 800. I have shot iso 1600 with reasonable results, but you really need to dial in the positive EV compensation since the K10 tends to toward under exposure. I would usually shoot with +0.7 to 1 EV compensation.

I would tend to agree, of my 3 bodies, the K10D has the hardest time with respect to high contrast situations, which I relate directly to the lowest dynamic range, compared to the *istD and K7D

02-10-2011, 02:27 PM	#1
Zen C Inactive Account Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Toronto Posts: 4	A lot of noise with K10D I am not sure if it's the model I am using, or whether it's Pentax in general, but the noise I get in my images is absolutely horrible! I recently got into event photography so I am shooting in very low light and have to crank up the ISO, but anything more than 400, you can forget it because the noise is so overwhelming. Anyone have any tips for how to overcome this? My next move is getting a new program for post-processing, and if that fails, then I'm going to have to switch cameras which I don't want to do because I love everything else about the camera. I shot a concert with my friend's Nikon one time where the ISO was way over 1600 and the image was totally smooth and clean.

02-10-2011, 03:22 PM	#4
Zen C Inactive Account Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Toronto Posts: 4 Original Poster	Sample image This was shot at 1600, f4.5, 0.70 s ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

02-10-2011, 04:05 PM	#5
ihasa Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: West Midlands Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,066	Did you also boost the brightness? Cos that seems really bad. The K10D is not great for low light. The CCD sensor produces a colour patterning which is quite hard to remove. But with careful exposure and post processing you can get decent results! Try Lightroom 3 and shooting RAW, and remember to expose your shots so they err on the bright side. The K-x CMOS sensor is much much better and shares the same sensor as the Nikon D90... you can go higher than 3200 and get much better results than the K10D at 1600. The K5 is better again. It's certainly not a Pentax thing - you'll find Nikons of the same vintage as the K10 use similar CCD sensors and produce similar results. Last edited by ihasa; 02-10-2011 at 04:12 PM.

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02-10-2011, 02:41 PM	#2
pxpaulx Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 2,867	The k10d is great for low iso work, but when it comes to high ISO, unfortunately it is old hat, as they say. Post processing will probably help a small amount, but if you need a camera for indoor event photography, it is time to make a leap to the K5, or Kx/Kr if you are on a budget - any of those will easily trump the K10d at higher ISOs.

02-10-2011, 02:52 PM	#3
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,892	You should postyour unacceptable images. I find many timed the K10 gets an unfair reputation

02-10-2011, 04:19 PM	#6
Zen C Inactive Account Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Toronto Posts: 4 Original Poster	I did brighten it, yes. So that seems to be what the majority of my pictures look like. I thought that my new 1.4 lens would help a little with the results, but it just refused to autofocus and I ended up with a blurry mess.

02-10-2011, 05:08 PM	#7
figmental1978 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 789	i've shot gig with the K10D, it's hard but you have to work with the camera to get the most out of it. I shoot manual, RAW, open aperture (1.8) and ISO of 800~1600 and then process the photos in LR where I clean the noise, add contrast and make the shadows darker to hide the noise.

02-10-2011, 05:35 PM	#8
Zen C Inactive Account Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Toronto Posts: 4 Original Poster	Is LR a decent program in terms of noise reduction? I hear that Aperture is better? Any experience with that?

02-10-2011, 05:37 PM	#9
Scottnorwo Millionth Poster! Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Stafford, New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,086	As figmental1978 said you have to work with the k10d in low light situations. Once you head into iso 1600 territory you have to work the pp to remove the noise. I have spent many an evening photographing high school sports under poor lighting being frustrated with the results, but have recovered many good shots in pp. Good luck

02-10-2011, 05:40 PM	#10
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	Originally posted by Zen C I did brighten it, yes. . Well then it's no longer representative of ISO1600. If you increased exposure by a stop then that's ISO3200, actually even worse because the process of raising exposure generates more noise than shooting it correctly in camera at the higher ISO. Originally posted by Zen C Is LR a decent program in terms of noise reduction? I hear that Aperture is better? Any experience with that? I use Aperture and love it, but it absolutely sucks for noise reduction. For noise reduction I have Nik's define and Topaz Denoise, both are pluggins for Aperture. Lightroo comes with excellent noise reduction built in, that's one of 3 major advantages LR has over Aperture, Aperture though has a couple of it's own over Lightroom.

02-11-2011, 07:01 AM	#11
adwb Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bristol UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,636	you could do worse than look at noise ninja either as a stand alone or a plug in. Thats what I use to clean up my K10 images if to noisy. Noise Ninja: The gold standard for image noise reduction

02-11-2011, 09:07 AM	#12
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,668	I think the most important thing with the K10 is not to under expose at all. If you nail the exposure, or even go to the right a little bit, your noise will be OK, certainly up to iso 800. I have shot iso 1600 with reasonable results, but you really need to dial in the positive EV compensation since the K10 tends to toward under exposure. I would usually shoot with +0.7 to 1 EV compensation.

02-11-2011, 12:19 PM	#13
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,892	Originally posted by Rondec I think the most important thing with the K10 is not to under expose at all. If you nail the exposure, or even go to the right a little bit, your noise will be OK, certainly up to iso 800. I have shot iso 1600 with reasonable results, but you really need to dial in the positive EV compensation since the K10 tends to toward under exposure. I would usually shoot with +0.7 to 1 EV compensation. I would tend to agree, of my 3 bodies, the K10D has the hardest time with respect to high contrast situations, which I relate directly to the lowest dynamic range, compared to the *istD and K7D

A lot of noise with K10D

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