K20 iso comparison : still pack quite a puch

walang23 · 07-10-2011, 09:18 PM

theatre of noise: Olympus E-P1 vs. Pentax K20D ISO Comparison

K20D vs EP-1

hcc · 07-10-2011, 11:43 PM

Interesting comparison. Thank you for the url.

emtor · 07-11-2011, 12:09 AM

The K20D is a usable camera at high ISO's. Below is a pic shot at 1600 ISO, and by applying selective noise reduction/sharpening in post, the pic turned out guite good IMO.

http://sapmigovva.net/banak/38.html

fuent104 · 07-11-2011, 12:40 AM

Here's a shot from earlier tonight at iso 3200, no noise reduction in post. It would probably be sharper, but the lens was wide open.

fuent104 · 07-11-2011, 01:02 AM

Sorry, here is that image.

emtor · 07-11-2011, 01:48 AM

3200 ISO? -Absolutely usable.

JohnBee · 07-11-2011, 03:05 AM

Very nice work on that site btw. (very thorough)

The K20D was a really fun camera to use imo. and one of my favorite aspects with that unit was the potential that lay in the files in terms of color, DR and noise performance. Which I think played a huge part in what made it so fun to shoot with.

Having said that, I used to shoot my K20's at ISO6400 quite often. Both as a challenge and in part of my personal shooting needs. Today... alas, we run K5's, which incidentally runs circles around the K20D in terms of noise performance. Still... in some strange way, I do miss the option of pushing the camera like I used too with the K20D

Thanks for sharing btw.

PS. here are a few K20D ISO6400 images (for good measure

):

Last edited by JohnBee; 07-11-2011 at 03:15 AM.

wildman · 07-11-2011, 03:16 AM

K20 at ISO 3200.
Available light only
Kit lens at 55mm hand held

**NaClH2O** · 07-11-2011, 03:16 AM

BTW, that blog is written by our own rparmar. Nice write up Robin.

NaCl(credit where credit is due)H2O

stormtech · 07-11-2011, 06:19 AM

I am only 6 months into my K20D journey and absolutely love the camera.

I've limited myself to ISO 800 so far (setting the ISO range 100-800) being I seem to be able to clean up the ISO 800 images quite well.

I'm in the process of testing/playing with some long lenses that are pretty slow, and have been struggling a bit because of this.

Yes, a K-5 would be the answer for me, but I am not ready to give up on my K20D just yet. This thread has given me some hope, and I am going to bump my ISO limit up to 3200 and see how it goes. The real test will be how successful I am with noise reduction in post processing.

Edit to add: What camera setting is best for this as far as the high ISO noise reduction? I see the options of "off, weakest, weak, & strong".

wildman · 07-11-2011, 08:04 AM

Originally posted by stormtech

What camera setting is best for this as far as the high ISO noise reduction? I see the options of "off, weakest, weak, & strong

In my opinion none of the above.

Shot in RAW and run the file through some good RAW conversion software and clean it up with something like DeNoise.

stormtech · 07-11-2011, 09:08 AM

Originally posted by wildman

In my opinion none of the above.

Shot in RAW and run the file through some good RAW conversion software and clean it up with something like DeNoise.

Ok - I wasn't thinking clearly about this...

I do shoot only in raw, so those noise settings are only if shooting in JPEG.

wildman · 07-11-2011, 09:22 AM

Originally posted by stormtech

so those noise settings are only if shooting in JPEG.

So far as I know RAW does not use either sharpening nor NR.

Mike.P® · 07-11-2011, 12:44 PM

Both cameras are two generations old; the Pentax system has seen substantial improvements to high ISO performance with the K-7 and then the current K-5 models.

Wouldn't agree with that. infact I would say my K-7 has slightly worse high ISO performance than the K20D.

stormtech · 07-11-2011, 12:50 PM

Thanks to this tread, I just did a couple test shots @ISO 1600 & 3200

Just with my current software, the images cleaned up quite nicely. The images aren't worthy of sharing since I was over exposing a bit, but I will be doing a good set of test images in the next few days.

I don't know why I haven't tried this before - coming from the film era, I even had a hard time setting the ISO limit to 800!

This opens up some great possibilities for me with my current setup.

07-10-2011, 09:18 PM	#1
walang23 New Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Chiang mai Posts: 16	K20 iso comparison : still pack quite a puch theatre of noise: Olympus E-P1 vs. Pentax K20D ISO Comparison K20D vs EP-1

07-11-2011, 03:16 AM	#8
wildman Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Flyover America Posts: 4,469	K20 at ISO 3200. Available light only Kit lens at 55mm hand held Last edited by wildman; 07-19-2011 at 09:58 PM.

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07-10-2011, 11:43 PM	#2
hcc Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,002	Interesting comparison. Thank you for the url.

07-11-2011, 12:09 AM	#3
emtor Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Northern Norway Posts: 60	The K20D is a usable camera at high ISO's. Below is a pic shot at 1600 ISO, and by applying selective noise reduction/sharpening in post, the pic turned out guite good IMO. http://sapmigovva.net/banak/38.html

07-11-2011, 12:40 AM	#4
fuent104 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: California Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,356	Here's a shot from earlier tonight at iso 3200, no noise reduction in post. It would probably be sharper, but the lens was wide open.

07-11-2011, 01:02 AM	#5
fuent104 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: California Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,356	Sorry, here is that image.

07-11-2011, 01:48 AM	#6
emtor Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Northern Norway Posts: 60	3200 ISO? -Absolutely usable.

07-11-2011, 03:05 AM	#7
JohnBee Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Newrfoundland Photos: Albums Posts: 4,667	Very nice work on that site btw. (very thorough) The K20D was a really fun camera to use imo. and one of my favorite aspects with that unit was the potential that lay in the files in terms of color, DR and noise performance. Which I think played a huge part in what made it so fun to shoot with. Having said that, I used to shoot my K20's at ISO6400 quite often. Both as a challenge and in part of my personal shooting needs. Today... alas, we run K5's, which incidentally runs circles around the K20D in terms of noise performance. Still... in some strange way, I do miss the option of pushing the camera like I used too with the K20D Thanks for sharing btw. PS. here are a few K20D ISO6400 images (for good measure ): Last edited by JohnBee; 07-11-2011 at 03:15 AM.

07-11-2011, 03:16 AM	#9
NaClH2O Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bronx NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,631	BTW, that blog is written by our own rparmar. Nice write up Robin. NaCl(credit where credit is due)H2O

07-11-2011, 06:19 AM	#10
stormtech Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: In the boonies (NW Penna) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,744	I am only 6 months into my K20D journey and absolutely love the camera. I've limited myself to ISO 800 so far (setting the ISO range 100-800) being I seem to be able to clean up the ISO 800 images quite well. I'm in the process of testing/playing with some long lenses that are pretty slow, and have been struggling a bit because of this. Yes, a K-5 would be the answer for me, but I am not ready to give up on my K20D just yet. This thread has given me some hope, and I am going to bump my ISO limit up to 3200 and see how it goes. The real test will be how successful I am with noise reduction in post processing. Edit to add: What camera setting is best for this as far as the high ISO noise reduction? I see the options of "off, weakest, weak, & strong".

07-11-2011, 08:04 AM	#11
wildman Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Flyover America Posts: 4,469	Originally posted by stormtech What camera setting is best for this as far as the high ISO noise reduction? I see the options of "off, weakest, weak, & strong In my opinion none of the above. Shot in RAW and run the file through some good RAW conversion software and clean it up with something like DeNoise.

07-11-2011, 09:08 AM	#12
stormtech Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: In the boonies (NW Penna) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,744	Originally posted by wildman In my opinion none of the above. Shot in RAW and run the file through some good RAW conversion software and clean it up with something like DeNoise. Ok - I wasn't thinking clearly about this... I do shoot only in raw, so those noise settings are only if shooting in JPEG.

07-11-2011, 09:22 AM	#13
wildman Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Flyover America Posts: 4,469	Originally posted by stormtech so those noise settings are only if shooting in JPEG. So far as I know RAW does not use either sharpening nor NR.

07-11-2011, 12:44 PM	#14
Mike.P® Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New Milton, Hampshire, UK Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,154	Both cameras are two generations old; the Pentax system has seen substantial improvements to high ISO performance with the K-7 and then the current K-5 models. Wouldn't agree with that. infact I would say my K-7 has slightly worse high ISO performance than the K20D.

07-11-2011, 12:50 PM	#15
stormtech Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: In the boonies (NW Penna) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,744	Thanks to this tread, I just did a couple test shots @ISO 1600 & 3200 Just with my current software, the images cleaned up quite nicely. The images aren't worthy of sharing since I was over exposing a bit, but I will be doing a good set of test images in the next few days. I don't know why I haven't tried this before - coming from the film era, I even had a hard time setting the ISO limit to 800! This opens up some great possibilities for me with my current setup.