[Kendra59]

I made a recent purchase of a Pentax K-50 camera kit. While technically used, this camera had less than 1,000 on its shutter count, so to me it is "as new." It has taken me a while to get used to the Pentax menu system, but I am getting there. I have no problem with the max 16.3 MP RAW file size (I always shoot in RAW), as I rarely make large prints of my images.

I recognize my K-50 is an older camera (about 8 years), and there have been improvements in various technical aspects. ISO performance has improved in recent years, as has AF. In all likelihood, I will buy a new K-3 iii camera body in a year or two, or perhaps the model released after that.

The Pentax K-50 creates a 10-Bit RAW file. The new Pentax K-3 iii and K-1 ii camera bodies create 14-Bit RAW files. They also create significantly larger RAW files due to their higher sensor resolution. If you set aside the difference in RAW file size, what is the impact on ultimate image quality by being limited to 10-Bits versus 14-Bits? Is it the amount of potential colours that can be created, is it significant at all, or is it simply marketing hype?

[stevebrot]

What do you get? The simple answer is that you get more data...a lot more data and more data translates to more potential tones per pixel which has potential to translate to better image "tonality" and more robust behavior in PP (less tendency to artifact).

No...it is not marketing hype.


Steve

[Kiwizinho]

The K-50 has 12 bit RAW. Each extra bit doubles the range of luminosity that can be recorded, so going from 12 bit to 14 bit will give you 4x the range of brightness levels that can be recorded ie 16384 discrete values vs 4096. This is separate to the actual dynamic range of the sensor which may be more or less, but what amount of detail can actually be stored in the RAW file.
I upgraded from the K-50 to the K-70 which is 14 bit like the higher end models - I'm not sure I'd rate the K-70 as entry level, as it cost considerably more than the K-x and K-50 I had before it, but as an upper entry/mid-range model, I found the extra 2 bits useful in recovering shadows and highlights, but the K-50 is still a nice camera, and even 12 bit RAW is vastly superior to 8 bit JPG which only records 256 discrete values and actually throws some of that away in compression.
I remember when I'd just bought a new flash, and was shooting indoors with the K-50, and the flash didn't work as I hadn't figured out how to use it properly. Fortunately I was shooting RAW, and although the end result was a little bit noisy, by increasing the exposure in Lightroom, I was able to get a usable image, whereas if I'd shot jpg, it would have been mostly black, and unrecoverable.

[caliscouser]

K-50 does 12-bit RAW.
For most real world use cases you're not going to see a difference between 12 bit and 14 bit.
Remember that JPG images on the web are only 8 bit anyway.

[interested_observer]

Here is probably one of the better explanations of the difference. Probably way more that what you are really wanting to know. Essentially its about the theory of information in computer science as it pertains to color science.

• 8, 12, 14 vs 16-Bit Depth: What Do You Really Need?! | PetaPixel

Your K50 is a wonderful camera body. Here is a tutorial video on the K-s2 which is similar and may help you with things....

• You Tube

  You Tube

[Kendra59]

Here is probably one of the better explanations of the difference. Probably way more that what you are really wanting to know. Essentially its about the theory of information in computer science as it pertains to color science.

• 8, 12, 14 vs 16-Bit Depth: What Do You Really Need?! | PetaPixel

Your K50 is a wonderful camera body. Here is a tutorial video on the K-s2 which is similar and may help you with things....

• Pentax K-S2 Overview Training Tutorial - YouTube

I appreciate the link to the video! I will check it out when I get up tomorrow.

---------- Post added 05-12-21 at 09:47 PM ----------

I read a review somewhere on the K-50 and thought it said 10-Bit RAW, but as several of you pointed out, it does 12-Bit. Thanks for setting me straight. I also want to thank everyone who has responded so far.

[Michail_P]

Here is probably one of the better explanations of the difference. Probably way more that what you are really wanting to know. Essentially its about the theory of information in computer science as it pertains to color science.

• 8, 12, 14 vs 16-Bit Depth: What Do You Really Need?! | PetaPixel

Your K50 is a wonderful camera body. Here is a tutorial video on the K-s2 which is similar and may help you with things....

• Pentax K-S2 Overview Training Tutorial - YouTube

A lot of interesting info .. thanks. Technically there’s a straight difference that goes away as we may move on the printing chapter... I think...

[ramseybuckeye]

It’s nothing for concern, the K-50 still produces quality photos with a capable operator. You’ll be fine.

[Rondec]

I think you'll be fine. I still use a K-01, which had the same sensor as was in the K-30 and it is OK. Comparing it to the RAW images from the K-5 the big thing that I noticed at base iso settings was that the K-5 had a bit more ability to push dynamic range on images -- maybe by about half a stop.

That could have been due to the iso 80 available on the K-5 versus iso 100 on the K-01 or it might have been the difference in the bit depth of the RAW files. Either way, for the majority of images, there was not a big difference. Unless you are post processing a lot I think you will be very satisfied.

[Martin Stu]

Here is probably one of the better explanations of the difference.

Thank you

[interested_observer]

I just thought that I would add a bit more here. There is an association or correlation if you will, between bit depth and dynamic range (dynamic range simply put, is the range between the blackest black and the whitest white in an image). Also, this may be an easier read....

• Bits and bit depth explained | Life after Photoshop

Digital photography can get pretty deep into the computer science of things. Digital cameras are essentially a computer with a lens bolted to the front. That said, the bottom line of all of this is not the specs - number of bits, theory of this and that..... It's viewing a scene, composing a picture, capturing an image. The rest of everything else is just a tool - a shovel, rake or hoe.

You do not need to get caught up in all of the details. Digital photography is great, since it essentially give you an endless roll of film. Take a shot, look at it and then perhaps make a change and shoot it again. This high turn around rate, enables you to shoot, determine if you can do better, shoot again with some changes for a better image, there by creating a very effective learning loop.

I still have my K5 that I shot with for years. I now have a K1 which is an absolute beast of a camera. I very well may never upgrade - it just has everything that I need and could want. However, my k5 - being pretty simple and straight forward is a tremendous camera - and really fun to shoot. Its technology does not get in the way of capturing the image. The ONLY reason why I upgraded was that I could get better star color in my night milky way landscape images.

I also still have my first digital body - the K100D, which is only a 6MP body, but is a CCD sensor, which captures very colorfully saturated images. Its images are wonderful. Upon getting my K5, I put some of the K100D images up on a large 50" screen TV and compared them with the K5 images. The first thought that came to mind is - why did I upgrade?

[AgentL]

I've shot with quite a few cameras that output 12-bit RAW, and the first 14-bit camera I bought was the GRIII. I notice a difference, in both highlights and shadows. But I think it depends on the particular camera and the way the processor is set up. 12-bit is definitely not "bad."

[DWS1]

For most images I don't see any differences. But for some it seems I can pull more detail out of the shadows.

[Lowell Goudge]

I’m not sure I understand the OP’s post.

While he raises the question about the difference in color depth offered by 10 bit (incorrectly for the k50) and 14 bit for other bodies, he relates this some how to the point that he never makes large prints.

As far as I am concerned, 8, 10, 12, or 14 bit color depth is completely independent of print size. All that the color depth (expressed in bits) gives, is the latitude to expand and compress one part of the image more without seeing the impacts of the individual tonal grades.

The most obvious example of this that I can think of is with wide angle shots of blue skies. Take an image in jpeg (8 bit color depth) as a test. The slight changes in the color, if you compress this zone of the image too much turns into discrete bands of tint. It becomes very obvious and can ruin an otherwise fine shot.

Shooting RAW with greater color depth, allows much larger adjustments without seeing this type of issue. This is why many people swear by RAW, it allows them to save shots or make much greater use of their shots, because of the greater adjustment possibilities in post processing.

The bottom line is, if you shoot raw, make all the corrections possible before converting to JPEG, which you will ultimately do to post, if you shoot jpeg, make all the adjustments you can, before pressing the shutter, so you have what exactly you want out of the camera.

[Sir Nameless]

My K50 is still my only DSLR, and I'm still happy with it. Maybe that qualifies me or disqualifies me from commenting on your question, depending on how you look at it... :P Anyway, since I'm not a professional and don't have extremely demanding needs, I have found the following to be helpful:
- Careful exposure to make the most of the camera's dynamic range. Use bracketing if you're unsure.
- A good raw developer. I use DXO now. Switching to that software was seriously like a really cheap camera upgrade. It think I can get more out of those 12 bits than I used to. As a bonus, your K50 is ISO invariant up to ~3200. With DXO's noise reduction, I shoot up to that ISO with zero qualms. Even higher sometimes.
- Exposure blending/HDR when it's really necessary. But with the above two, I hardly ever need to do that any more.

Shoot and enjoy!