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12-06-2007, 12:14 PM   #1
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Sean Reid Reviews K10D/lenses

I received an email from Sean Reid about his new K10D review... this very accomplished street photographer and photography writer covers (when its about equipment) upscale rangefinder cameras and lenses. Being that he doesn't normally write about dslr's, but manages to review the K10D is of interest to me. As he puts it, it's not "just another DSLR".

Future lens reviews will be:
Pentax DA 14/2.8,
Pentax DA 21/3.2,
Pentax DA 43/1.9
Pentax DA 70/2.4,
Zeiss ZK 35/2.0 (Pentax mount)
and Zeiss ZK 50/1.4 (Pentax mount).

Looks like its time for me to re-subscribe.

Welcome to ReidReviews

Best Regards

12-06-2007, 12:35 PM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by solar1 Quote
I received an email from Sean Reid about his new K10D review... this very accomplished street photographer and photography writer covers (when its about equipment) upscale rangefinder cameras and lenses. Being that he doesn't normally write about dslr's, but manages to review the K10D is of interest to me. As he puts it, it's not "just another DSLR".

Future lens reviews will be:
Pentax DA 14/2.8,
Pentax DA 21/3.2,
Pentax DA 43/1.9
Pentax DA 70/2.4,
Zeiss ZK 35/2.0 (Pentax mount)
and Zeiss ZK 50/1.4 (Pentax mount).

Looks like its time for me to re-subscribe.

Welcome to ReidReviews



Best Regards
Looks like it will be interesting..... As a point of comparison here is his Canon 5D review.
Some interesting comments re: ISO (there's that faked iso again )and exposure. Seems the 5D is better than most other prev Canon's he has used.... Hmmm...
Now before anyone goes off on the price/performance ratio ect I just want to add that it would be NICE (and extremely interesting) if the k10 could really be compared as an equal to it. (which I believe it can't be on sensor size/price alone) to a 5d.......My point is just to see what he likes/dislikes in comparison.
Canon EOS-5D Digital Camera Review: Guest Review by Sean Reid
12-06-2007, 02:22 PM   #3
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Unfortunately his site requires a subscription. Well, when the review is posted, I hope you'll summarize the main points or at least let us know if he likes the K10D or not.

Will
12-06-2007, 05:54 PM   #4
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Overall, I'd say that he is complementary about the K10D and is evenhandedly clear in explaining its deficiencies while pointing out the amazing bargain that it is.

Curious thing, Mr. Reid tried repeatedly to receive camera and lenses from Pentax for some time: "Even after multiple contacts, over the course of several monsth, Pentax's PR staff had still not responded to (his) requests for a review copy of the K10D with lenses. Sony was much the same when looking to test an R1 and both companies, thus far, have stood in contrast to the prompt and professional communicatons and assistance he received from companies such as Leica, Zeiss, ricoh, Olympus, Canon and Nikon". Fortunately, a subscriber lent him the K10 and lenses for the review. I must assume that the very late date of his review has something to do with this.

I must say that Mr. Reid covers aspects of the camera that I've not seen in other reviews (good journalism).

He was lent the 21, 43 70 and 14mm lenses, and used two Pentax mount Zeiss lenses as well (35 and 50mm). He feels the Zeiss lenses to be very impressive, above that of the limited's.

Mr. Reids wife considered the K10D for her own photography needs, but had to drop the idea of purchasing it and six lenses because the Pentax flash system did not meet her needs.

On file quality: "I have not seen files from any camera, with a sensor this size, that are more detailed than what I see from the K10D." He takes the time to describe the weak anti-aliasing filter, which he likes and that he deals with any slight moire that might occaisionally come up - with capture one's software. "Over the past year, in particular, I've become particularly aware of how much detail some cameras throw away because of their AA filters."So I favor cameras with very weak AA filters, or none at all, simply because they do the better job of relaying a lens' full resolution to the sensor. This comes at the potential cost of moire, as one sometimes sees in Leica M8 files, but I find that I'd much rather spot-correct moire from time to time (using the Capture One Pro moire correction plug in for photoshop), than be constantly losing resolution to an overly-strong AA filter".

I'm having to leave out huge amounts of info here, it is a somewhat long and detailed article (in the best sense).

"I also found the overall color rendition, subtle color variation and tonality of the files to be quite beautiful. My gut reaction, as I looked through the files, was consistently very positive".

"All in all then, the K10D's ergonomics and controls design is mostly excellent".

"Photographers who want state of the art auto-focus won't find it in this camera. but photographers who just need reliable and reasonably quick AF should be happy with the K10D. And, of course, one of the pleasures of working with this Pentax is using manual focus lenses; and it does very well with them".

I really don't want to eat into this fellows hard earned subscription fees... he wrote the most well detailed article I've seen on the k10D and deserves praise for avoiding merely regurgitating the numbers and specs... I give high marks to his writing and organizational skills.

If anyone reading this really is on the fence about the K10D, it would be well worth seeing what he has to say, in my opinion.

He is impressed with how much camera you get for the money... in fact he compares the K10 to the Nikon D200 and D300, at some length.

He also does point out its deficiencies, such as its metering for instance and he explains why.

I trust Pentax is planning to read his review...


Last edited by solar1; 12-06-2007 at 06:36 PM.
12-06-2007, 06:56 PM   #5
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The More I Read From This Gentleman, The More I Like..

From Pentax SLR forum at DPreview

I'll ignore that bizarre post above and chalk it up to the fact that some people have no idea what Reid Reviews is and why it exists. But such is life... As to when the camera will be replaced, the only people who know that are under NDAs or work for Pentax. And, amazingly, the K10D will still exist and still be quite useful even after Pentax introduces new model (whenever in the future that may be).

I think the K10D, weaknesses and all, is a rather remarkable little camera, especially for what, with rebate, is effectively a $600 price. And what I like, particularly, about it is that it is not just a "me too" DSLR. Pentax clearly has their own ideas, good ideas I think, about how to build a "photographers camera".
Cheers,

Sean Reid
Reid Reviews



Re: new K10D review and new lens reviews to come: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
12-06-2007, 07:04 PM   #6
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solar1, much appreciated.........Thanks
12-06-2007, 07:28 PM   #7
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excellent review!

Well, I signed up for Sean Reid's site ($32, I think, for a year) and have read the K10D review carefully. Best thing I've read about the K10D, because more than any other review I've read, it really does take the trouble to compare it thoughtfully to worthy alternatives.

It was worth the small charge and then some, as it's done more to make me feel good about the K10D than I have been able to do on my own lately. I think the only way to really get over being jealous about cameras is to have access to lots of them, so that you really do learn that they all have their foibles. Anyway, Reid obviously knows a lot more about cameras and lenses than I do, and he compares the K10D very favorably to precisely the two cameras I've been having dreams about lately (the Nikon D200 and D300).

Anyway, thanks, solar1, for the heads up about the review. Excellent.

Will

12-06-2007, 08:35 PM   #8
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Addendum - About Black and White images

Some more very good points are made in Mr. Reid's article : the K10D's inability to take B&W photos without having to resort to going through the steps of converting it in camera, etc.

this is an area that I know so little about, that I'm glad that he's made his points, and so well at that. Sorry I've left out so much of his thoughts on this, but it's best to read it for yourself.

Big Hint to Pentax: He's hoping to see Pentax address this with a firmware upgrade.

I know that the engineers are busy with fine-tuning the new cameras at Pentax... but this is a very reasonable request and sounds really useful too. I'd like to experiment more with B&W myself. This sounds great... a solid photographer making sound and useful critiques about the camera...

Thank you Mr. Reid.
12-06-2007, 09:47 PM   #9
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I joined Mr. Reid's reviews on line, and am not disappointed with the amount I paid. I have read his K10d review, and it was as I have found my camera to be in the short while that I have had it. At then end of his review, he reported the 1.30 firmware upgrade included one button + dial ISO settings, an option he had strongly criticized as necessary to the proper operation of a digital camera. The fact that he did not lock the review in stone, so to speak, speaks to his desires to be fair.

As with anything in this world, (including me !) the K10d has warts. It also has its beautiful points, and he pointed out both in a fair manner.
12-09-2007, 02:42 PM   #10
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Finally joined Sean's site and read the K10D review. Like others, it had the effect of soothing my recent wandering eye.

I will admit that the 5D continues to be the only camera to lure me, simply because 95% of what I shoot are portraits, and I'd say 50% of those are in fairly low light. As far as I can tell, output at ISO 3200 on the 5D is cleaner and sharper than any other camera out there, and the reduced depth of field would be very welcome for portraits. Weather sealing isn't that important to me, as I don't tend to shoot in harsh weather, and while I appreciate shake reduction, it's not much use with moving subjects. If Canon had a better selection of primes, I'd be sorely tempted. But as it is, I've completely fallen in love with my Pentax Limiteds (31, 43, 77) and for that reason it has become increasingly difficult to imagine switching to another manufacturer.

I pretty much agreed with Sean about the major shortcomings of the K10D (I'm not a fan of the Pentax flash system either), with one exception. He said the K10D had a tendency to overexpose, whereas I (and many others here and on dpreviews, it seems) have found the opposite. I shoot 100% in RAW, and find that I get better exposures if I dial in +0.3-0.7 EV. In my experience the K10D does everything it can to preserve highlights, especially in matrix mode. For this reason I have more luck using center-weighted metering with the +EV comp mentioned above.

I really look forward to his reviews of the Pentax and Zeiss primes. I've got the 31, 43 & 77 (just sold the 21), and I'll be curious to hear his opinion (though I already know what mine is!!)
12-09-2007, 06:49 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by switters Quote
Finally joined Sean's site and read the K10D review. Like others, it had the effect of soothing my recent wandering eye.

I will admit that the 5D continues to be the only camera to lure me, simply because 95% of what I shoot are portraits, and I'd say 50% of those are in fairly low light. As far as I can tell, output at ISO 3200 on the 5D is cleaner and sharper than any other camera out there, and the reduced depth of field would be very welcome for portraits. Weather sealing isn't that important to me, as I don't tend to shoot in harsh weather, and while I appreciate shake reduction, it's not much use with moving subjects. If Canon had a better selection of primes, I'd be sorely tempted. But as it is, I've completely fallen in love with my Pentax Limiteds (31, 43, 77) and for that reason it has become increasingly difficult to imagine switching to another manufacturer.

I pretty much agreed with Sean about the major shortcomings of the K10D (I'm not a fan of the Pentax flash system either), with one exception. He said the K10D had a tendency to overexpose, whereas I (and many others here and on dpreviews, it seems) have found the opposite. I shoot 100% in RAW, and find that I get better exposures if I dial in +0.3-0.7 EV. In my experience the K10D does everything it can to preserve highlights, especially in matrix mode. For this reason I have more luck using center-weighted metering with the +EV comp mentioned above.

I really look forward to his reviews of the Pentax and Zeiss primes. I've got the 31, 43 & 77 (just sold the 21), and I'll be curious to hear his opinion (though I already know what mine is!!)
I was hoping that he would be able to sell individual reviews (not that his site is a 1 trick pony, just that it really is "out of my league" so to speak and/or I just don't find it a necessity).
I find your comment on him finding the k10 has a "tendency to overexpose" interesting. I may have to subscribe just for that reason....
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