Which Pentax Camera Has The BEST Colors?

Fenwoodian · 04-19-2023, 06:14 PM - **3 Likes**

You Tube

You Tube

Robin Wong declares in the above video that the cameras with the best colors he's used are the Pentax K-01 and the Canon 5D Mk1 (Classic).

I own both of these cameras, and love the colors that they produce. But I have to say that the 5D beats any other camera I've owned (including the legendary Fuji S5 Pro) when it comes to skin colors.

As far as my opinion on the many Pentax digital cameras I've owned, my clear favorite when it comes to overall color rendering is the K10D with its' CCD sensor. I've never owned the 645D, but from the images I've seen from it, I expect it would be my favorite if I owned it.

Which Pentax camera is your favorite from a colors standpoint?

Last edited by Fenwoodian; 04-19-2023 at 06:33 PM.

Sandy Hancock · 04-19-2023, 06:45 PM - **4 Likes**

I vote for the K-3 Mark III Monochrome

Seriously though, the 645Z is stellar. I no longer have the K10D or K-01, but I have no qualms with either of those choices either.
As a dark horse, the K-S1 was pretty special too.

Wheatfield · 04-19-2023, 07:32 PM - **3 Likes**

For me, it was the K7. I was doing a lot of studio work at the time and it's skin tone rendition was wonderful.
That was about all the Samsung sensor was good for though.
Everyone on the post processing crew commented on how easy my files were to work with, and the other photographers liked the portrait renderings, sometimes more than what they were getting with their other brands cameras.
It was a great studio camera.
I shot some city grunge pictures with a 645D and really liked the files from it. I didn't get to use it in the studio though.

ChristianRock · 04-19-2023, 08:26 PM - **3 Likes**

I haven't had that many but the K200D and K10D are special. The K10D might have slightly better color definition but the K200D makes up for it in clarity.
The K-S1 is pretty good too, andthe K-S2 as well. But to me the CCD sensors are ahead.

Fogel70 · 04-19-2023, 10:20 PM

The is no other Pentax that does colors och better than K3 III monochrome.

**Serkevan** · 04-19-2023, 11:15 PM - **1 Like**

I'm with Bill here. It took me a long time to get the K-1 to give me pretty skin colours - the K-7 just worked.

The Canon 5D had amazing skin colours as well - the 6D is a touch worse.

bilybianca · 04-20-2023, 12:02 AM - **2 Likes**

All my Pentax cameras are black!

Kjell

Dartmoor Dave · 04-20-2023, 12:14 AM - **2 Likes**

For me it's the K100D. All the 6 megapixel CCD cameras have great colours, but there's something about the K100D that beats the others. My guess (and it's only a guess) is that the Bayer filter was changed from the earlier *ist cameras. In fact I've gone back to using a K100D as my main digital camera, and I'm finding that 6mp is plenty for my needs.

I've always struggled to get colours that I like from CMOS, although the K-S1 rendered quite nicely. The original Canon 5D has been mentioned in this thread and it's definitely one that I'd like to try.

But if you're an older photographer with happy memories of Kodachrome, get yourself a K100D. It's as close as you can get to the Kodachrome look with a DSLR

MrB1 · 04-20-2023, 12:23 AM - **2 Likes**

Apologies if this is a stupid question, but aren't the colours in the final image dependent on the post-processing of the captured raw data, whether in-camera (SOOC) or in photo software?

Philip

Dartmoor Dave · 04-20-2023, 12:34 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by MrB1

Apologies if this is a stupid question, but aren't the colours in the final image dependent on the post-processing of the captured raw data, whether in-camera (SOOC) or in photo software?

Philip

My own answer is, "Yes and no."

Yes, with modern software and custom profiles you can make shots from any camera look darn close to shots from any other camera. But the results as they appear straight from the camera can be very different, with different amounts of processing needed to get the look you want.

For me, the appeal of CCD sensors is that I get the look I want with almost no processing required at all. Every CMOS camera I've ever used has produced flat, boring raw files that have needed a lot of work to give them any sort of oomph.

Edit: I'm in danger of turning this into a CCD vs CMOS thread though, so I promise I won't mention it again.

AfterPentax Mark II · 04-20-2023, 01:02 AM - **3 Likes**

This one:

splash_fr · 04-20-2023, 02:46 AM

For me: Any analog Pentax with KODAK PORTRA 400 :-)

Digital: Pentax K1 with external Color Calibration.

**pepperberry farm** · 04-20-2023, 03:26 AM - **2 Likes**

resident contrarian here....

for pure color, the 645D gets my vote - the jpg's that come out of that camera are just stupendous....

I also have been through a number of other CCD camera bodies, including the Fuji S5 Pro (which is pretty good, too), but I've only kept the 645D and the Fuji S5....

a close second to the 645D is my Fuji X-T4.... just so much latitude in the jpg engine in that sensor gives me everything from an amazing monochrome to full-blown (overblown?) HDR's....

Originally posted by MrB1

Apologies if this is a stupid question, but aren't the colours in the final image dependent on the post-processing of the captured raw data, whether in-camera (SOOC) or in photo software?

Philip

not a stupid question at all - and as Dartmoor Dave responded - yes & no....

the final image is dependent upon both the camera (and lens) and the photographer - who has the world of digital manipulation at their fingertips....

James O'Neill · 04-20-2023, 03:59 AM - **1 Like**

Because I shoot almost exclusively RAW my finding has been that each camera (*ist-D, K10D, K7 , K5, K5iis and K1) has it's own optimal settings.
I've been using the K1 since late 2016, and I changed from the K10D in mid 2009. So there's a period of ~8 years where I used four cameras - and the pictures are "middle history" - not the last few years, and not long ago like the *ist-D. I find it really difficult to tell from looking at the whole picture on screen or at an A4 print to know which camera I used. (I found an A3 print recently and thought it was shot when I still had the K10D, but that turned out to be the K7 - and the event was two years after the one I thought it was).

I know people make claims for the CCD cameras, that maybe the colour filter arrays were slightly different or perhaps the processing to get the default out-of-camera jpg / raw preview was slightly different. But as someone who tends to see more in mono and convert a good proportion of colour shots to mono maybe I'm not attuned to it

I find the K1 tends to render skin tones slightly too saturated - I sometimes reduce orange saturation in Lightroom if it is looking like "fake tan". I have seen instances going back to at least the K7 where the camera sees a bigger difference between the tones of two people in the same shot than the eye sees, so I don't think that's new.

**gaweidert** · 04-20-2023, 06:23 AM - **2 Likes**

For truest colors I would have to say my Spotmatic II when it was loaded with Kodachrome film. While I still have 2 rolls of Kodachrome 25 that have been sitting in a freeze since I purchased them new there is no way to process them as anything other than B&W film. What was cool about that was that any film camera was capable of producing this color.

For you young whippersnappers: Kodakchrome film has no color dyes in it. All the color pigments were added during processing which involved an extremely complex set of rigidly controlled steps. You needed a chemical lab to monitor the process. Because of this There were only a few places in the world where Kodachrome could be processed. I did QA work on a Kodachrome "minilab" processor. It was Kodak's effort to keep the iconic film going. Dwayne's Photo in Parsons Kansas processed it's final roll of Kodachrome on January 18, 2010. They used one of the "minilab" processors from the project I worked on.

I think that the K1 and K1-II I have given me the best color of any Pentax DSLR I have owned. That includes K5, K5-IIs and K3.

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04-19-2023, 06:45 PM - 4 Likes	#2
Sandy Hancock Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Adelaide Hills, South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,272	I vote for the K-3 Mark III Monochrome Seriously though, the 645Z is stellar. I no longer have the K10D or K-01, but I have no qualms with either of those choices either. As a dark horse, the K-S1 was pretty special too.

04-19-2023, 07:32 PM - 3 Likes	#3
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	For me, it was the K7. I was doing a lot of studio work at the time and it's skin tone rendition was wonderful. That was about all the Samsung sensor was good for though. Everyone on the post processing crew commented on how easy my files were to work with, and the other photographers liked the portrait renderings, sometimes more than what they were getting with their other brands cameras. It was a great studio camera. I shot some city grunge pictures with a 645D and really liked the files from it. I didn't get to use it in the studio though.

04-19-2023, 08:26 PM - 3 Likes	#4
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	I haven't had that many but the K200D and K10D are special. The K10D might have slightly better color definition but the K200D makes up for it in clarity. The K-S1 is pretty good too, andthe K-S2 as well. But to me the CCD sensors are ahead.

04-19-2023, 10:20 PM	#5
Fogel70 Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Photos: Albums Posts: 3,062	The is no other Pentax that does colors och better than K3 III monochrome.

04-19-2023, 11:15 PM - 1 Like	#6
Serkevan Site Supporter Join Date: May 2019 Photos: Albums Posts: 5,976	I'm with Bill here. It took me a long time to get the K-1 to give me pretty skin colours - the K-7 just worked. The Canon 5D had amazing skin colours as well - the 6D is a touch worse.

04-20-2023, 12:02 AM - 2 Likes	#7
bilybianca Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hassleholm, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 334	All my Pentax cameras are black! Kjell

04-20-2023, 12:14 AM - 2 Likes	#8
Dartmoor Dave Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Dartmoor, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,882	For me it's the K100D. All the 6 megapixel CCD cameras have great colours, but there's something about the K100D that beats the others. My guess (and it's only a guess) is that the Bayer filter was changed from the earlier *ist cameras. In fact I've gone back to using a K100D as my main digital camera, and I'm finding that 6mp is plenty for my needs. I've always struggled to get colours that I like from CMOS, although the K-S1 rendered quite nicely. The original Canon 5D has been mentioned in this thread and it's definitely one that I'd like to try. But if you're an older photographer with happy memories of Kodachrome, get yourself a K100D. It's as close as you can get to the Kodachrome look with a DSLR

04-20-2023, 12:23 AM - 2 Likes	#9
MrB1 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2013 Location: Hertfordshire, England Posts: 845	Apologies if this is a stupid question, but aren't the colours in the final image dependent on the post-processing of the captured raw data, whether in-camera (SOOC) or in photo software? Philip

04-20-2023, 12:34 AM - 2 Likes	#10
Dartmoor Dave Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Dartmoor, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,882	Originally posted by MrB1 Apologies if this is a stupid question, but aren't the colours in the final image dependent on the post-processing of the captured raw data, whether in-camera (SOOC) or in photo software? Philip My own answer is, "Yes and no." Yes, with modern software and custom profiles you can make shots from any camera look darn close to shots from any other camera. But the results as they appear straight from the camera can be very different, with different amounts of processing needed to get the look you want. For me, the appeal of CCD sensors is that I get the look I want with almost no processing required at all. Every CMOS camera I've ever used has produced flat, boring raw files that have needed a lot of work to give them any sort of oomph. Edit: I'm in danger of turning this into a CCD vs CMOS thread though, so I promise I won't mention it again.

04-20-2023, 02:46 AM	#12
splash_fr Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 178	For me: Any analog Pentax with KODAK PORTRA 400 :-) Digital: Pentax K1 with external Color Calibration.

04-20-2023, 03:26 AM - 2 Likes	#13
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,676	resident contrarian here.... for pure color, the 645D gets my vote - the jpg's that come out of that camera are just stupendous.... I also have been through a number of other CCD camera bodies, including the Fuji S5 Pro (which is pretty good, too), but I've only kept the 645D and the Fuji S5.... a close second to the 645D is my Fuji X-T4.... just so much latitude in the jpg engine in that sensor gives me everything from an amazing monochrome to full-blown (overblown?) HDR's.... Originally posted by MrB1 Apologies if this is a stupid question, but aren't the colours in the final image dependent on the post-processing of the captured raw data, whether in-camera (SOOC) or in photo software? Philip not a stupid question at all - and as Dartmoor Dave responded - yes & no.... the final image is dependent upon both the camera (and lens) and the photographer - who has the world of digital manipulation at their fingertips....

04-20-2023, 03:59 AM - 1 Like	#14
James O'Neill Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2023 Posts: 351	Because I shoot almost exclusively RAW my finding has been that each camera (ist-D, K10D, K7 , K5, K5iis and K1) has it's own optimal settings. I've been using the K1 since late 2016, and I changed from the K10D in mid 2009. So there's a period of ~8 years where I used four cameras - and the pictures are "middle history" - not the last few years, and not long ago like the ist-D. I find it really difficult to tell from looking at the whole picture on screen or at an A4 print to know which camera I used. (I found an A3 print recently and thought it was shot when I still had the K10D, but that turned out to be the K7 - and the event was two years after the one I thought it was). I know people make claims for the CCD cameras, that maybe the colour filter arrays were slightly different or perhaps the processing to get the default out-of-camera jpg / raw preview was slightly different. But as someone who tends to see more in mono and convert a good proportion of colour shots to mono maybe I'm not attuned to it I find the K1 tends to render skin tones slightly too saturated - I sometimes reduce orange saturation in Lightroom if it is looking like "fake tan". I have seen instances going back to at least the K7 where the camera sees a bigger difference between the tones of two people in the same shot than the eye sees, so I don't think that's new.

04-20-2023, 06:23 AM - 2 Likes	#15
gaweidert Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Rochester, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,325	For truest colors I would have to say my Spotmatic II when it was loaded with Kodachrome film. While I still have 2 rolls of Kodachrome 25 that have been sitting in a freeze since I purchased them new there is no way to process them as anything other than B&W film. What was cool about that was that any film camera was capable of producing this color. For you young whippersnappers: Kodakchrome film has no color dyes in it. All the color pigments were added during processing which involved an extremely complex set of rigidly controlled steps. You needed a chemical lab to monitor the process. Because of this There were only a few places in the world where Kodachrome could be processed. I did QA work on a Kodachrome "minilab" processor. It was Kodak's effort to keep the iconic film going. Dwayne's Photo in Parsons Kansas processed it's final roll of Kodachrome on January 18, 2010. They used one of the "minilab" processors from the project I worked on. I think that the K1 and K1-II I have given me the best color of any Pentax DSLR I have owned. That includes K5, K5-IIs and K3.