[hinman]

With Pentax K-x white with DA 40mm f/2.8 limited. No post processing and default NR in medium

1/80 sec, f/3.5, 40mm, iso 6400, 0 Ev



1/50 sec, f/7.1, 40mm, iso 10000, 0 Ev



1/50 sec, f/7.1, 40mm, iso 5000, 0 Ev



1/60 sec, f/5.0, 40mm, iso 6400, 0 Ev



1/60 sec, f/2.8, 40mm, iso 12800, 0 Ev

Thanks,
Hin

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Last edited by hinman; 01-26-2010 at 10:44 AM.

[hinman]

As always Hin, your honesty is something I can count on. I appreciate it.

I have used the K20 and briefly the K7 Live view (digital zoom)for for mf in tough conditions. How is the Kx live view with magnification? Have you tried it that way? I think I read the Lcd on the Kx is not as good as the K7's.

The K-x is much improved in terms of LiveView over K20D. Its focusing noise can be something undesirable at first but LV works like a charm especially when I tried it in over-head shot. I have not used in Macro and I think that can be something to overcome the missing red focusing point. It is very usable when I try it. The LCD resolution always seem to indicate a poorer picture than the real picture, that is my impression. It is good but it can't tell a sharp from non-sharp pictures when I blow up high in magnification. It does not do a good job in previewing pictures but it serves reasonably well in LiveView shooting as well as video. The video is quite good, you will be impressed as long as you don't set your expectation high and use it as a real camcorder, you should be fine.

There will be a number of minor things to whine about the K-x but overall, I am well pleased with its performance, dynamic range, I think quite responsive in AF especially with DA limited primes such as the DA 40mm, and its high iso performance over-shadow the minor inconveniences. But be aware of those things so that you set your expectation right in the purchase.

Hin

[WerTicus]

the kx's lcd is rubbish, it lacks colour, dynamics and resolution. i think its worse then the k20d's crap lcd.

does what it needs to do however, and i love the camera over all

[philbaum]

I was out shooting with a friend who has a Canon 50D. He was using his liveview quite extensively on a tripod to check depth of field and focus. My K20's liveview would allow framing but was outclassed in DOF usability with his Canon. Although i would say image IQ was just as good on final products. But then one would expect a camera costing twice as much to have some advantages :-) Sounds like the resolution on the Kx screen is no better than the K20 from Hin's description. I think the Canon 50D had like 900,000 resolution, like 3 times the K20's.

I finally saw a local K2000 in a store, could hardly believe how small it seemed. Assuming Kx is a similar size, it would seem a lot less intimidating to have it around, so i would think it would be great for street shooting, just put it on AF-C, half-shutter and go for it.

Those pictures look great, like the 1 to 2 stops advantage i keep hearing about over the K20 in high ISO. I'm pretty happy with my K20 now, but in a year, i could see buying one. I;m delighted that Pentax has such a neat product on the shelves.

How would it be to use the Kx to handhold a larger lens like the DA 50-135 or the DA 300 in a pinch. Is there enough to hold onto?

[slow2focus]

I hope more K-x users with MF experience share their experience so that others are better informed.

I am fairly new to slr and k-x. I currently have a 35mm and 28mm super-tak to get my feet wet in manual focus. I like the 35mm FOV for around the house a bit better than the 28mm. I find I don't have to get as close and spook the subjects. I like it enough that I may search a A version so I can at least have some help on metering. In truth, 98% of my shot with these 2 lenses are blurry. The dim VF couple with lack of red light really kills me. I also wear glasses (near sighted). I rely on the green hex more than my own eyes. Half the time, I thought I saw the subject clear in the VF but the green light don't come on. Or, the green light on and the subject is also clear. Either way, it is a crap shoot and like I said pic comes out blurry. One theory I have is that the diopter thingy must not be set right. But, prior to the manuals, when my kit lens beeps, I see subject is clear. So, I think the diopter is right.

It is now to the point where I can't figure out if the 2 lenses from *bay is even good?

I am imaging the day where I had mastered manual focus with k-x and then move on to a better VF, I would reach zen master status LOL

[Marc Sabatella]

I get your point but I really want to relate my personal experience in which I quite depend on the red dot in shooting. No matter how unreliable or how wrong that I use the red dot, it is something that I have been using even with K100D. I will be surprised if Pentax has a K20D, K-7 or the K-8 without the red dot. And I can't imagine if I shoot in AF-C in in Auto focal point select with 11-point and 5-point that it will be comforting to rely solely on the AF confirmation in the bottom green hexagon . And not seeing which of the 5 points or 11 pointers get locked on the target is not assuring at all in the shooting.

Yes, if you use those features a lot (I don't), then you'll miss the dot. But Gus was specifically talking about using manual lenses. Meaning, the center focus point is the only one that ever provides confirmation. Meaning, the green hexagon is all you need - you don't need a dot on top of top that. I turned mine off years ago. All it does is mislead - it comes on long before the image is actually in focus, it's not accurate enough to tell me *exactly* where the focus is (the actual sensor is much larger) - and all in all, I just found it distracting to have lights flickering on top of the image while I'm trying to focus.

I try to focus best efforts on the eyes and without the red dot, it is not giving me the confidence and assertion that I need. Few are off focus but I get quite a number of keepers. I would have liked the presence of the red focus confirmation.

But with a manual focus lens, all that would do is tell you what you already know - the camera is try confirm focus near the center. The red dot doesn't tell you that focus has been achieved - only that it is trying.

[Marc Sabatella]

I am fairly new to slr and k-x. I currently have a 35mm and 28mm super-tak to get my feet wet in manual focus. I like the 35mm FOV for around the house a bit better than the 28mm. I find I don't have to get as close and spook the subjects. I like it enough that I may search a A version so I can at least have some help on metering. In truth, 98% of my shot with these 2 lenses are blurry.

Keep practicing - MF definitely is a learnable skill. It's all about not just looking at your subject and deciding yes/no, but watching the focus zone as you turn the ring, and stopping when it is one your subject. Turn the ring to put it clearly behind your subject, turn again to put it front, then go for the middle.

Also, you *do* have help with metering even on non-A lenses K-mount lenses. Simply hit the Green button to get the camera to meter and choose a shutter speed for you, or do a DOF preview and see a "live" meter reading. With M42 lenses (which yours might be), it's even easier - you can simply use Av mode, can you not? Although you'd want to be sure to *focus* with the lens wide open so your viewfinder doesn't dim.

lack of red light really kills me.

The red light is of no real use with manual focus lenses. All it will do is light up in the center when you are getting close, which is something you can see for yourself. You still need to wait for the green hexagon to tell you when the camera thinks focus has been achieved.

Half the time, I thought I saw the subject clear in the VF but the green light don't come on.

It can lag. And it only works on the center. I find it occasionally useful, but I'm still way better off trusting my eyes.

One theory I have is that the diopter thingy must not be set right. But, prior to the manuals, when my kit lens beeps, I see subject is clear. So, I think the diopter is right.

Test it anyhow.

Also consider a $40 O-ME53 viewfinder magnifier - I find it helps a bit.

[slow2focus]

Test it anyhow.

Also consider a $40 O-ME53 viewfinder magnifier - I find it helps a bit.

Thanks! Any accurate way to test the diopter? other than what I have already done?

I been reading up on the O-ME53. I kept seeing people complaining if they wear glasses. I of course... wear glasses. Is there an equiv that would work on k-x that are glasses friendly?

oh yes. I know about the green button / expos comp button for metering. I just thought the A would support more accurate metering and will record on the exif

thanks

[Canada_Rockies]

Thanks! Any accurate way to test the diopter? other than what I have already done?

I been reading up on the O-ME53. I kept seeing people complaining if they wear glasses. I of course... wear glasses. Is there an equiv that would work on k-x that are glasses friendly?

thanks

I wore glasses when I first got my O-ME53. It is not as bad with specs as seems to be the complaints. Most of the problem for me was with the readouts on the bottom of the screen. Corners needed a bit of moving around to see clearly. You must be exact with the position of your eye to the magnifier. My prescriptions were -4.0 and -3.75 diopters, which are fairly thick lenses.

I got used to it, but must admit it is much better now that I don't need glasses for distance any more. (Cataract surgery - the new lenses are giving me normal vision without adding contacts/spectacles - except for reading.)

[stevebrot]

But with a manual focus lens, all that would do is tell you what you already know - the camera is try confirm focus near the center. The red dot doesn't tell you that focus has been achieved - only that it is trying.

Glad that you brought this up. One can go further and suggest that focus confirm is only good to a point. For fine focus, a good split image or microprism focus screen is the best solution for manual focus, but with the loss of spot metering...grrrrr.

Steve

[stevebrot]

Hin,
You have not answered the question that most of us are dying to know...

Does the white body show greasy, grimy finger/face dirt!

When the white-bodies cameras first came out, the first thing that came to my mind is brownish yellow wear patterns on the grip and skin contact surfaces.

Steve

(Oh...and nicotine stains too, for smokers...)

[GeneV]

I've considered this as a travel camera, but I'm still trying to get a handle from this and other reviews on how the autofocus works. Is there nothing in the camera to tell you where in the finder the autofocus is locking? No little brackets, as in the point and shoots, to show you a face lock? Can the focus point be selected?

[brkl]

Looking at the pictures in this thread, I realize there's no need for full frame DSLRs, apart from getting to use old full frame lenses at their intended FOVs.

[GeneV]

Glad that you brought this up. One can go further and suggest that focus confirm is only good to a point. For fine focus, a good split image or microprism focus screen is the best solution for manual focus, but with the loss of spot metering...grrrrr.

Steve

I definitely agree with that. I did not feel comfortable with my MF lenses on the K10/20 until I swapped out the focus screens and ignored the lights.

I do like knowing where the autofocus is locking. My number one cause of (technically) bad DSLR photos has been the autofocus locking on something unintended. I've learned to watch for the zone.

[mike.hiran]

Hin,
You have not answered the question that most of us are dying to know...

Does the white body show greasy, grimy finger/face dirt!

When the white-bodies cameras first came out, the first thing that came to my mind is brownish yellow wear patterns on the grip and skin contact surfaces.

Steve

(Oh...and nicotine stains too, for smokers...)

I've had my white kx for around a week and a half now and have around a 100 shots on it (been a bit busy w/ holiday stuff) and have not noticed any discolorations yet. But I think the true test will be how it lasts over a couple years rather than a couple months. Really, I like how the finish is as it doesn't seem like it will be prone to discoloration (knocking on wood).

You're just across the creek from me so if you want to meet up, let me know.