1st post, an image and a question

deuces · 05-19-2008, 02:49 PM

Hola amigos! After much lurking and hand wrangling, I've purchased a used K10D right here on this forum. Shortly thereafter, I learned the meaning of LBA, in the form of a DA 35mm Macro. Jumping right in to the deep end from being a casual P&S user.

So, this is a place where we talk about images, yes?

50% reduction to fit in this site's gallery

100 crop from original

And now the question. When I'm pixel peeping as I'm shooting, on the K10D, which magnification level in playback corresponds to "actual size" (as in each pixel on the LCD displays 1 pixel in the captured image)?

Thanks in advance, and I'm looking forward to learning a bunch from you guys.

christinelandon · 05-19-2008, 04:46 PM

Deuces, bienvenidos to the Forums! You've posed an interesting question, and the manual doesn't provide a direct answer, that's for sure.

I'm not sure about the answer, either, but here's what I'm able to figure out from the information that is provided:

Assuming you shoot at the K10D's maximum resolution of 3872X2592 pixels, you get 10,036,224 pixels in your image file.

The 2.5" LCD can display 210,000 pixels. If you divide, 10,036,224÷210,000=477.92, or about 478 pixels in the file map to one pixel on the LCD display. However, the display is set at default to give a 1.2 times magnification (roughly 398 file pixels per display pixel). The default can be increased up to 20 times magnification (roughly 24 file pixels per display pixel).

Now, when I am in playback with a default magnification of 1.2, and am clicking the rear e-dial through its range, I count 17 steps of increasing magnification. The steps are clearly not doubling the display magnification with each click, and I don't know/can't calculate the step increase without some fancy measuring on the screen. (I sure didn't try it, as I don't want to start a career as a nefarious measurebator! The math above is dangerously close enough!

) At maximum, it doesn't look like I'm particularly close to 1:1.

I tried increasing the menu setting (in the Custom menu) for initial magnification to the maximum of 16 times, just to see what would happen. On playback, I just got fewer clicks on the rear e-dial to reach maximum magnification; two clicks (16X and 20X) was it!

So, if I'm understanding things right, the most you can get out of the K10D's LCD display is about a 24:1 ratio between max resolution file pixels and display pixels. For 1:1 pixel peeping, get thee to a computer!

Gimbal · 05-19-2008, 11:41 PM

My feeling is that the picture has to bee sharp when zoomed in 10x on the camera in order to be sharp when viewed 1:1 on the computer. So 10x is my guess.

fula6 · 05-20-2008, 03:41 AM

You know I have often wondered this also - thanks for the question and the informative answers!

**rparmar** · 05-20-2008, 05:21 AM

I find the LCD is too soft to tell anything accurately. Conversely, even images that look fuzzy on the LCD might print just fine.

Sprags · 05-20-2008, 08:29 AM

50% reduction to fit in this site's gallery

You can tell its a good photo when the subject looks very lifelike.

Alfisti · 05-20-2008, 10:25 AM

This really is very easy. Just open an image on your PC at 100% and play with the camera LCD until it's about the same size.

Takes 3 seconds.

On the 100D it's 5x.

05-19-2008, 02:49 PM	#1
deuces Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 168	1st post, an image and a question Hola amigos! After much lurking and hand wrangling, I've purchased a used K10D right here on this forum. Shortly thereafter, I learned the meaning of LBA, in the form of a DA 35mm Macro. Jumping right in to the deep end from being a casual P&S user. So, this is a place where we talk about images, yes? 50% reduction to fit in this site's gallery 100 crop from original And now the question. When I'm pixel peeping as I'm shooting, on the K10D, which magnification level in playback corresponds to "actual size" (as in each pixel on the LCD displays 1 pixel in the captured image)? Thanks in advance, and I'm looking forward to learning a bunch from you guys.

05-19-2008, 04:46 PM	#2
christinelandon Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Seattle, Washington, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 812	Deuces, bienvenidos to the Forums! You've posed an interesting question, and the manual doesn't provide a direct answer, that's for sure. I'm not sure about the answer, either, but here's what I'm able to figure out from the information that is provided: Assuming you shoot at the K10D's maximum resolution of 3872X2592 pixels, you get 10,036,224 pixels in your image file. The 2.5" LCD can display 210,000 pixels. If you divide, 10,036,224÷210,000=477.92, or about 478 pixels in the file map to one pixel on the LCD display. However, the display is set at default to give a 1.2 times magnification (roughly 398 file pixels per display pixel). The default can be increased up to 20 times magnification (roughly 24 file pixels per display pixel). Now, when I am in playback with a default magnification of 1.2, and am clicking the rear e-dial through its range, I count 17 steps of increasing magnification. The steps are clearly not doubling the display magnification with each click, and I don't know/can't calculate the step increase without some fancy measuring on the screen. (I sure didn't try it, as I don't want to start a career as a nefarious measurebator! The math above is dangerously close enough!) At maximum, it doesn't look like I'm particularly close to 1:1. I tried increasing the menu setting (in the Custom menu) for initial magnification to the maximum of 16 times, just to see what would happen. On playback, I just got fewer clicks on the rear e-dial to reach maximum magnification; two clicks (16X and 20X) was it! So, if I'm understanding things right, the most you can get out of the K10D's LCD display is about a 24:1 ratio between max resolution file pixels and display pixels. For 1:1 pixel peeping, get thee to a computer!

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05-19-2008, 11:41 PM	#3
Gimbal Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,106	My feeling is that the picture has to bee sharp when zoomed in 10x on the camera in order to be sharp when viewed 1:1 on the computer. So 10x is my guess.

05-20-2008, 03:41 AM	#4
fula6 Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brisbane, Queensland Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 210	You know I have often wondered this also - thanks for the question and the informative answers!

05-20-2008, 05:21 AM	#5
rparmar Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,819	I find the LCD is too soft to tell anything accurately. Conversely, even images that look fuzzy on the LCD might print just fine.

05-20-2008, 08:29 AM	#6
Sprags Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Portland, Maine Posts: 218	50% reduction to fit in this site's gallery You can tell its a good photo when the subject looks very lifelike.

05-20-2008, 10:25 AM	#7
Alfisti Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toronto (for now) Posts: 1,748	This really is very easy. Just open an image on your PC at 100% and play with the camera LCD until it's about the same size. Takes 3 seconds. On the 100D it's 5x.