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Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 12-25-2013, 04:15 AM  
How soon until the K-3 is on sale?
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 13
Views: 1,780
Here in the UK discounting has already started SRS in Watford have already dropped the price by £50 to £1049 from £1099, keeping up with other suppliers.

Pentax Pentax K-3 Digital SLR Cameras - SRS Microsystems

I buy a lot of my gear from SRS it's a 'proper' camera shop, they know what they are selling, not just box shifters, one of the few that deal direct with Pentax. If you quote your Pentax forum user name you will always get free 24Hr carriage (within the UK), and not just on Pentax gear.

My only gripe with them is they don't offer 6 months interest free credit on higher priced goods as Jessops and others do, if you're reading this Chris - how about it?

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 12-25-2013, 04:06 AM  
K-3 with Metz 58 AF-2
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 9
Views: 3,553
Have you installed the latest 58 AF-2 firmware? One of the advantages of Metz is you can change the firmware I had to do it for the K5 and the K-01. This is the latest. but it's likely that they haven't caught up with the K3 yet.

Pentax: Metz

The firmware has a loader, one thing that caught me out was that you have to plug your flash into your computer, but leave the flash turned OFF, I assumed that the flash had to be turned on and the software doesn't recognise it, turn the flash off and it does, it needs the 5V from the USB socket to work.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 12-25-2013, 03:24 AM  
55-300mm photos blurry
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 52
Views: 8,869
Turn Auto Noise Reduction OFF! See this video
















You Tube




The K3 is far too aggressive with noise reduction which will probably be cured in the next firmware update. Set Auto Noise Reduction so it doesn't come on until an ISO of 1600 or even 3200, by default it's working at ISO 200 when it's just not needed.

If you use a tripod be sure to turn SR OFF too or it can add camera shake as it tries to compensate for camera shake that isn't there.

With the higher resolution of the K3 and finer pixels it is far more susceptible to both of these issues.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-01 12-24-2013, 08:27 AM  
K-01's 25 minute movie recording limit? (for 16mm film transfer)
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 18
Views: 3,750
All these pertain to what happens when you plug the card into a card reader on your computer running Windows or Mac OS, your computer uses it's own built in FAT system, inside the camera your working with machine code and Amtel or Pic chips. neither of which use a FAT file format for controlling memory, or, more accurately, a very basic one which is where the DCIM file comes in, The DCIM file IS the memory allocation table, the memory is just one contiguous block of memory divided (usually with larger cards) into 4Gb pages which is where the 4Gb limit comes from, if the limitation was due to the 32bit FAT system the limit would be 3.15GB, the highest number for memory locations that can be stored in a 32bit file system.

If you open a DCIM file in a Hex Editor the header shows the size of the card and the page size, if you have taken any images it will show the camera header, make model, serial number and other base Exif data etc. etc. and any IPTC data such as copyright info if you have entered your copyright data into the camera.

The next block of data is the image data plus the Exif data for that image (lens, aperture, shutter speed etc), if you shoot Raw it will carry the RGB data for every pixel. This data is converted by your computer into an .xmp file for use with Adobe Camera Raw or other Raw converter and includes the instructions the camera applied to the image data to make it into a coherent image.

If you shoot Jpeg it's just the Exif and image data after conversion and your computer creates a .jpg file.

At the end of every image file you'll find an 'end of data' instruction which, in Hex, is always FF D9. The next image is stored in the next data block and so on until the card is full or until it hits a page boundary when the next image is stored at the beginning of the next memory page. Unlike a FAT system there is no pre-allocation of memory space, every image file will be a different size depending on image content. It's a much more efficient file management system in memory space than FAT.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-01 12-24-2013, 04:34 AM  
K-01's 25 minute movie recording limit? (for 16mm film transfer)
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 18
Views: 3,750
I don't think there is a 3.15Gb FAT32 limit on SD cards that are formatted in camera, they use a DCIM (Digital Camera Image Management) file to keep a record of where in the memory map each image or video begins and ends. No camera uses a FAT32 (or FAT 64 for that matter) file system or every camera would be limited to 3.15Gb of addressable memory (note 3.15GB is the FAT32 limit - not 4Gb). There was an issue of not being able to write over a page of memory and continuing in the next page on some cameras, not sure about the K-01, this issue has been sorted for a number of years. SD cards have pages of memory with 1Gb, 2Gb or a maximum of 4Gb pages depending on card memory size. This is one reason why you must format the card in camera, never on a computer. Formatting in camera simply replaces the DCIM file with a new empty one, it doesn't erase any images, they just become invisible to the camera and are simply overwritten by subsequent images or videos, which is why image recovery software works they just detect the separate images or videos and re-write a DCIM file within the software.

The 29 minute 59 seconds limit is a copyright licensing agreement issue imposed by the film industry, mainly Sony, to stop people going to a movie and recording it, and can be removed with a hack on Panasonic GH2 cameras. The GH2 is the only interchangeable lens camera I know of where video is the primary function, other than some high end dedicated camcorders of course.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 12-23-2013, 02:56 AM  
How much do you trust DxO Marks' tests?
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 62
Views: 9,569
Canon may have faster focusing on paper, but it's not as accurate as Pentax, I get more keepers with my K5 than I do with my 1D (OK an older camera). Another problem with Canon auto focus is you have to send them in for re-callibration every few thousand frames at £60 a pop. A colleague of mine who does Event photography, and takes thousands of frames, has to send his 1D and 5D cameras in several times a year, til he does only 1 in 3 frames are actually in focus!

Image quality is visibly better on my K5 than any Canon full frame I've used (and I've used then all), Canon are old technology and have to use full frame sensors to get close to the IQ in the newer Sony APS sensors used in Pentax cameras.

I can't comment on Nikon as I haven't used them much.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 12-22-2013, 05:44 AM  
scaled down K-3 in K-30 (K-50) body
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 29
Views: 3,071
The D-Li190 battery used by Pentax is a generic battery you can buy chargers for any input voltage.

The charger you have now is the same charger supplied here in Europe, it can take any input voltage from 100V to 240V at 50Hz or 60Hz and can be used in Europe with a different generic mains lead available in any market or plug adapters, you can even get chargers that use the 12V from any cars cigarette lighter socket to charge the batteries whilst driving.

Battery Charger D-Li90 Pentax Optio K5, K-5, K7, K-7 | eBay

Why would you want to use AA batteries? Batteries are expensive in Europe, these chargers are cheaper than buying a couple of 4 cell packs.
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 12-21-2013, 04:55 AM  
Photoshop Elements 12 will not Support K-3 PEF Files
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 9
Views: 3,528
I believe the Raw Converter in Elements is the same as that used in Lightroom 5 and Photoshop CS6, if so they have included the K3 in their latest 8.3 version of Raw Converter, but my suspicion is that this is still an interim version as far as the K3 is concerned, you can try updating Elements from the Help menu. It should download the latest Raw Converter (Version 8.3) automatically.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 12-21-2013, 04:37 AM  
Fastest SDHC the K-3 can handle
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 61
Views: 12,775
I've had problems with these fast Sony cards a 16Gb 94MB/s, fine in camera, a K5 or the K-01 (after upgrade), but when I come to download them in either of my USB3 card readers it freezes after a few (from 2 to 6) images, I have to resort to my trusty (old) Sandisk reader which reads them, albeit, slowly. This one is marked SF-16UX.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 12-12-2013, 03:26 AM  
What a crappy piece of software.
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 21
Views: 4,340
Adobe Camera Raw version 8.3 has finally included the Pentax K3 which wasn't on the pre-release list a few weeks ago.

Adobe releases final versions of Camera Raw 8.3 and Lightroom 5.3: Digital Photography Review

Camera raw, DNG | Adobe Photoshop CC

I don't know if the multiple colour balance (MAWB) from Ricoh is fully supported, but at least K3 files, both DNG and PEF, should open with a modicum of correct conversion, may be now we can see what the K3 can really do.

Chris
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 12-09-2013, 03:24 AM  
Which tripod to get
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 28
Views: 2,986
To be honest a Manfrotto is about as cheap as I would go. Cheap tripods are a pain to use, you lock the head and they droop, you lock again and they sag, it's a dog chasing it's tail routine that will quickly put you off using it.

For stills photography a ball head is favourite, only one control to lock off makes them quick to use, the other option is pan and tilt then you have to lock off three adjustments, but for video you need a pan and tilt. There are heads that have both with the throw of a lever nowadays, I don't know how good they are. If you can afford a fluid head these just stay where you point them once set up, no controls to lock off, but they cost more than the tripod legs. You can fit any head with the standard 3/8th Whitworth thread to any manufacturers legs. Quick release plates are a boon too (Manfrotto RC2 system), make attaching and removing your camera on and off the tripod quick, easy and securely.

If you can afford the difference carbon fibre are just as rigid with less than half the weight, but you have to watch them in high winds (experience talking LOL).

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 11-27-2013, 03:44 AM  
DXO K-3 review: Unshakeable Image Quality
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 73
Views: 12,428
You do realise that 80 ISO is noisier than 400 ISO? That's why it's in the extended ISO range, it does offer the widest dynamic range though, but not by much.

Getting the exposure spot on makes more difference both to noise and Dynamic Range.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 11-26-2013, 04:08 PM  
DXO K-3 review: Unshakeable Image Quality
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 73
Views: 12,428
Wait until the optimized ACR files are applied, they cannot yet be using XMP or Camera Raw data that is optimized for the K3 as they haven't been released yet. It makes you wonder what adjustment files they are using.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 11-25-2013, 01:07 PM  
Which SD card for K3?
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 39
Views: 14,010
It seems we are better served in the UK (for once)

SONY 16GB SDHC MEMORY CARD CLASS 10 UHS-1 94MB/S EXTREME HIGH SPEED SD | eBay

This Company I have used many times, all they stock is memory of all types, the are in Jersey (Channel Islands) and legally don't have to charge VAT for delivery into the UK or the EU. They usually take a couple of days to deliver to UK addresses.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 11-23-2013, 12:40 PM  
Poll: K-3 reliability poll
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 63
Views: 9,400
Was it a slow card? Once the buffer is full or close to full it can take an age to empty the buffer onto the card with slow cards.

Edit: the light next to the SD slot will flash slowly, it's the card activity lamp.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 11-22-2013, 06:38 PM  
Excessive noise in new K-3
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 31
Views: 6,044
Your not giving the K3 a chance to show what it can do with this lens, they're just simple (and cheap) Schmidt Cassegrain mirror lenses which aren't even colour corrected which is why they are never truly sharp, your sensor may well be out resolving it and, because of the small aperture you are probably getting diffraction too. All these will exaggerate any noise in the image.

Any cheap 500mm refractor would be better.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 11-18-2013, 03:51 PM  
Lightroom and K-3 raw files
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 34
Views: 7,463
Adobe have just released the Beta version of ACR V8.3, as used in CS6 unfortunately the K3 is still not supported, there is a possibility that the K3 might still be included in the final version at the end of December.

Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw 8.3 Release Candidate | digital camera raw file support - Adobe Labs

Until then none of the PIE (Parametric Image Editing) algorithms for applying the data which is unique to the camera, created by the camera will be fully working.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 11-14-2013, 09:26 AM  
Raw noise reduction
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 7
Views: 3,068
The Raw files hold all the data generated by the camera including any data required for pre-processing on opening, such as noise reduction, sharpening, lens data etc, CA reduction etc., whether or not that data is actually applied to the image depends on the software you are using. By default Raw Therapee just de-mosics the image file though it can be set up to automate certain algorithms.

Raw Therapee - Download

Currently Adobe Camera Raw is applying some algorithms but not all in the K3 DNG files, MAWB for one. It probably won't until a new (version 8.3) is released in December and may be not then, currently the K3 is not on the update list.

I noticed this when opening file from my Panasonic GH2, open them in Raw Therapee and you will be surprised at just how bad their lenses are, distortions, vignetting, CA aberrations virtually every lens fault there is are all there, all magically disappear when the algorithms (Panasonic call the op codes) are applied. It does make you wonder just how good these cameras really are and how much is in the algorithms that are being applied, and why we have to pay such large sums for what are pretty basic lenses!

Just for the record Pentax lenses don't have any of the above when opened in Raw Therapee.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 11-13-2013, 03:51 AM  
4K HDR movie interval timelapse
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 25
Views: 7,889
4K video has nothing to do with HDR or taking 3 frames for every shot they use the 14bit Raw files to produce the video rather than the more usual 8bit JPEGs. This will give you videos with much more data and therefore much more detail.

Every time you add 1 to the bit depth you double the amount of data in the image file, the 7 bit increase from 8bits to 14bits doubles the data available in the frame captured 7 times, these may look like HDR, and will certainly have a wider dynamic range, but the camera doesn't need to take 3 frames for every frame of video.

Some Canon DSLR's can capture 4K video, the problem is in the processing, no current device can display 4K Raw video directly it has to be processed before it can be viewed, just as Raw stills have to be post processed, this happens inside the K3 and is quite involved. This speaks volumes for the processor inside the K3 and can only be done with fast processors and Ram.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 11-12-2013, 02:50 AM  
K3 manual - What is Ricoh thinking?
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 86
Views: 15,812
I found this yesterday

Pentax K-3 K3 Full PRINTED Owners Users Instruction Manual Guide | eBay

Interestingly it's half the price of the K5 manual, I guess it's just a printed version of the PDF manual, not in depth like Yvon's, but useful for all of us that prefer a printed manual.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 11-11-2013, 03:36 PM  
Durability of Silver editions
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 17
Views: 3,405
I hope the K3 is not pure Magnesium which is unstable and very flammable. Incendiary devices use Magnesium. Most likely it's a Zinc alloy with traces of Magnesium.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 11-08-2013, 03:24 AM  
K-3: Anyone solved the RAW PEF or DNG on Mac?
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 102
Views: 18,356
The profile for 'each and every camera' is contained within the DNG file, I can open K3 DNG files in CS2! In CS6 all the lens profiles, camera profiles etc, are available too, even the copyright info and all the EXIF data is included, DNG is not 'generic', never has been, it's always recorded all the data the camera generates.

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 11-07-2013, 05:02 AM  
K3. Hdr raw
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 8
Views: 4,729
Don't they open in Adobe Raw Converter if you use the DNG option in camera? I thought that was the whole idea of Pentax including the DNG file format, that they would open in any version of Photoshop, Lightroom, Elements etc.

DNG files are not compressed and carry the demosacing data within them and carries a 'ready to go' Jpeg for generating thumbnails etc within it.

Chris

EDIT: Pentax K5 and K-01 DNG files open in the freeware CS2 download which is way out of date for these cameras, they also open in Microsoft's RAW codex for W7, it opens them as a thumbnail and not as an icon on all my K5 and K-01 DNG files when you use My Computer to browse your files. None of the above work on PEF files.
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 11-04-2013, 04:10 AM  
Poll: Blind test: K-3 vs K-5 IIs
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 216
Views: 66,795
File one is K3

You should really re-set the IMG counter on both cameras!! LOL

593 shots on your K3 already.

3470 on your K5

Chris
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 11-04-2013, 02:36 AM  
Pentax K-3 Dual Slots: Bug?
Posted By ChrisJ
Replies: 14
Views: 3,074
The button bottom right on the back of the camera allows you to change the card slot to be used in playback mode, I wonder if it remembers the chosen slot when you go back to shooting mode?

Addition, you can also change the slot to use in the Info Panel (top right) using the up/down joggle keys.

Chris
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