My K100d - again!

Richard Spencer · 03-22-2009, 12:26 PM

Awhile ago I posted my `Total satisfaction ` thread about my camera.

True to form every once in a while I get a burning desire to upgrade, You know how it is - new toy to start a new season, the benefits of more pixels, faster focus etc. and the K20d is very competitive right now.
Then I get a grip and remind myself that I do not do much sports photography, never print more than 15 X 10 inches and the money is better in my pocket than in the pocket of someone else.
Today I had time to just play around with the camera and find out just how good or bad the high ISO noise really is.

Shot with the kit lens at f8.0 , just resized for the web with no added sharpening or noise reduction. Exif should be intact.

Although there is some noise at 1600 and quite a lot at 3200 would I do that much better with a newer camera?

Click thumbnails to enlarge.

200

400

800

1600

3200

Last edited by Richard Spencer; 03-22-2009 at 12:28 PM. Reason: Grammer error

ytterbium · 03-22-2009, 02:07 PM

Well.. there are two high iso uses. Higher shutter speeds and low light (actually to acheive the first one).
This is a well lit scene. In low light 1. there are more shadow areas in general, 2. in many cases one underexposes a bit to freeze motion and better represent the dim atmosphere. So the noise has its ways to get trough.
In many cases motion blur and noise adds up to make it look even worse.

Keeping this in mind i think you would not gain much, because looking at your iso1600 i dont see any noise at all. And in iso 3200 it is barely noticable.

Well if you would be as sick as me and tryed handheld under no actual light (stray light from a 40W bulb in next room) maybe you'd see a difference. Otherwise it would be an overkill.
Even then i think k20d is more oriented on less noise at lower iso's so there may be no significant high iso difference.
Sample shot. Revuenon 135@2.8, 1/200, iso1600. No PP, Jpeg. The noise is much more pronounced but details still are well rendered.

Richard Spencer · 03-23-2009, 02:21 PM

Thanks. Just occassionally I do need overkill, particularly when working on dimly lit indoor scenes and for some reason I am not allowed to use flash but I reckon I will cope a little longer.
Richard.

Andi Lo · 03-23-2009, 04:17 PM

It's the high iso performance, iso button, and faster processor that makes me drool on the K20d, but those features I don't really need yet. My autofocus lenses autofocuses perfectly on my K100D, I'm still really lucky so far. Hopefully I can hold out until the new autofocus engine comes out

If Pentax updated all the K series with the K-M engine somehow (they're all safox 8 right?), I'll be a happy camper!

*hinthint* and have more money to buy more lenses, pentax!

03-22-2009, 12:26 PM	#1
Richard Spencer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Lincolnshire, England Posts: 129	My K100d - again! Awhile ago I posted my `Total satisfaction ` thread about my camera. True to form every once in a while I get a burning desire to upgrade, You know how it is - new toy to start a new season, the benefits of more pixels, faster focus etc. and the K20d is very competitive right now. Then I get a grip and remind myself that I do not do much sports photography, never print more than 15 X 10 inches and the money is better in my pocket than in the pocket of someone else. Today I had time to just play around with the camera and find out just how good or bad the high ISO noise really is. Shot with the kit lens at f8.0 , just resized for the web with no added sharpening or noise reduction. Exif should be intact. Although there is some noise at 1600 and quite a lot at 3200 would I do that much better with a newer camera? Click thumbnails to enlarge. 200 400 800 1600 3200 Last edited by Richard Spencer; 03-22-2009 at 12:28 PM. Reason: Grammer error

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03-23-2009, 02:21 PM	#3
Richard Spencer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Lincolnshire, England Posts: 129 Original Poster	Thanks. Just occassionally I do need overkill, particularly when working on dimly lit indoor scenes and for some reason I am not allowed to use flash but I reckon I will cope a little longer. Richard.

03-23-2009, 04:17 PM	#4
Andi Lo Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 2,924	It's the high iso performance, iso button, and faster processor that makes me drool on the K20d, but those features I don't really need yet. My autofocus lenses autofocuses perfectly on my K100D, I'm still really lucky so far. Hopefully I can hold out until the new autofocus engine comes out If Pentax updated all the K series with the K-M engine somehow (they're all safox 8 right?), I'll be a happy camper! hinthint and have more money to buy more lenses, pentax!