Pentax K10D sample images

ziggy53

Pentax is finally releasing some early sample images from the K10D:

http://www.pentax.co.uk/_uk/photo/products/index.php?cameras&gruppe=digital%%2020slr&produkt=19095&id=bilder

pug8

ziggy53 wrote:

Pentax is finally releasing some early sample images from the K10D:

http://www.pentax.co.uk/_uk/photo/products/index.php?cameras&gruppe=digital%%2020slr&produkt=19095&id=bilder

Thanks for the link. I've got my K10D reserved at my local Yodobashi Camera store.

Manfr3d

Looks nice, and has dream specs. Especialy with the new
Mode where one simply sets Aperature and Shutter and
the cam selects the proper ISO for your exposure.

I only wish that Pentax would continue to produce their
golden lenses. Talk about the 200mm/4.0 A ED Macro
or the 85mm/1.4 ED. I haven't seen any 2.8 zooms form
them either in a long time. Pentax defenitly made some
of the best lenses I've ever seen. :cry

thw

Well...
These pics have been around for a while now.

You can get more recent review photos from a Japanese website here:

http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/review/2006/11/13/5035.html

Some of the images are taken at various ISOs.

Looks like the K10D is capable of producing highly detailed images at high ISO with noise level below that of the A100.

ziggy53

I also found these ISO 1600 images with the date Nov 13, 2006:

http://www.pbase.com/dlcmh/pentax_k10d_iso1600_samples

jdfaith

Oh, I can't wait. Mine has been on order at Amazon since September 14. Hope to have it delivered by 12/4!!!!

lilkender

This caught my attention because of the compatibility with older Pentax lenses but I'm looking for a dSLR for indoor sports photography. Do you think this will cut it?

Thanks

kini62

lilkender wrote:

This caught my attention because of the compatibility with older Pentax lenses but I'm looking for a dSLR for indoor sports photography. Do you think this will cut it?

Thanks

The camera will likely be able to "cut it", but lenses are another story.

Nothing fast beyond the 77/1.8 Ltd, which is not a fast focusing lens.

Sigma has the 70-200 and appears to be releasing the 50-150 for Pentax (but who know when).

Also Pentax has a 16-50/2.8, 50-135/2.8 and 60-250/4.0 due out next spring. Although 2.8 is likely to be marginal in most non pro venues.

If indoor sports is going to be a priority then you'd probably be better off going where the fast glass is available.

ivar

http://ivar.smugmug.com/gallery/2042385/3/100231273

Manfr3d

kini62 wrote:

The camera will likely be able to "cut it", but lenses are another story.

Nothing fast beyond the 77/1.8 Ltd, which is not a fast focusing lens.

Sigma has the 70-200 and appears to be releasing the 50-150 for Pentax (but who know when).

Also Pentax has a 16-50/2.8, 50-135/2.8 and 60-250/4.0 due out next spring. Although 2.8 is likely to be marginal in most non pro venues.

If indoor sports is going to be a priority then you'd probably be better off going where the fast glass is available.

Or buy 2nd hand. 85mm/1.4 ~900$ just as an example.

lilkender

kini62 wrote:

The camera will likely be able to "cut it", but lenses are another story.
(...)
If indoor sports is going to be a priority then you'd probably be better off going where the fast glass is available.

Thanks for your reply. Some of the reasons I'm looking for a dSLR are faster recovery between shots and the ability to focus manually with the focus ring rather than going through the camera's menu as with the Canon S2-IS. F-stop isn't too big an issue since I'll be close enough to the action to use a flash.

I inherited a Pentax ME SE with a number of lenses and filters which will hopefully work on the K10D - none of them are auto-focus. Since I plan to do a lot of manual shooting it would save me a lot of money on lenses. But how do I figure out which brands/lenses are fast-focusing? By reading reviews, or will it be in the specs?

ziggy53

lilkender wrote:

... But how do I figure out which brands/lenses are fast-focusing? By reading reviews, or will it be in the specs?

The very best way is to try one on your camera, or on someone else's camera, similar to yours, ideally under conditions similar to how you intend to use it.

Barring that, yes, the reviews should be a source of information. Both professional reviewers and user reviews can be valid. Look for a concensus of opinions and don't dwell on any singular review.

Finally, purchase from a source that allows reasonable return privileges, even if they are not the cheapest.

ziggy53

Manfr3d

lilkender wrote:

I inherited a Pentax ME SE with a number of lenses and filters which will hopefully work on the K10D - none of them are auto-focus. Since I plan to do a lot of manual shooting it would save me a lot of money on lenses. But how do I figure out which brands/lenses are fast-focusing? By reading reviews, or will it be in the specs?

Any Pentax K-Mount lens ever produced will fit on the K10D,
including their 6x7 medium format Lenses (with an adaptor).

lilkender

Thanks again. Sounds like the Pentax body will do what I need; I'll just need to do some study and research when investing in new lenses for it. And wait for it to ship!

georges

Production Samples
I've had this camera for a couple of days. Here is a gallery with a few sample shots. Nothing artistic, but I was trying to capture significant shadow and bright areas in the same image.

These were shot in the RAW mode, in camera DNG then converted by adobe camera raw with all the default auto settings. They won't tell you anything about the in camera jpg conversion.

http://georgesphotos.net/gallery/2158780

(edit - I've added a couple of shots that include people.)

Obviously, I've only had the camera for a couple days, but barring any unforseen technical issues, this is one very nice camera at an excellent price.

limbik

Thanks George, mighty crisp at ISO 100 for sure.
Any chance you could shoot a few in the ISO1600 and 3200 range?

I am very interested in what I have seen about this camera so far.
I also have a few Pentax lenses with screw mounts just sitting around that I would love to use, anybody know what adaptor I would need or does it come with the camera?

Manfr3d

limbik wrote:

Thanks George, mighty crisp at ISO 100 for sure.
Any chance you could shoot a few in the ISO1600 and 3200 range?

I am very interested in what I have seen about this camera so far.
I also have a few Pentax lenses with screw mounts just sitting around that I would love to use, anybody know what adaptor I would need or does it come with the camera?

A simple metal 10$ ring M44 (or whatever your screwmount is) to PK Adapter
from ebay. They'll give you a manual everything lens on your pentax then.

Manfr3d

georges wrote:

I've had this camera for a couple of days. Here is a gallery with a few sample shots. Nothing artistic, but I was trying to capture significant shadow and bright areas in the same image.

These were shot in the RAW mode, in camera DNG then converted by adobe camera raw with all the default auto settings. They won't tell you anything about the in camera jpg conversion.

http://georgesphotos.net/gallery/2158780

(edit - I've added a couple of shots that include people.)

Obviously, I've only had the camera for a couple days, but barring any unforseen technical issues, this is one very nice camera at an excellent price.

Seems very soft for f 3.x to me. is this the 31mm/1.9 Limited lens?

Andy

Talk about a great package, the K10D with the 40mm pancake. It's preactically a pocket-dslr!

limbik

Looks like its M42, thanks!

The shadows do look soft, but the bright leaf looks better, either the focus is off, the lens is soft, or the camera is just soft with a lower contrast subject? How does one go about determining the dynamic range capability of a dslr? Can it be calculated from specs or only by looking at the results?

That pancake looks delicious...:eat

georges

High ISO

limbik wrote:

Thanks George, mighty crisp at ISO 100 for sure.
Any chance you could shoot a few in the ISO1600 and 3200 range?

I am very interested in what I have seen about this camera so far.
I also have a few Pentax lenses with screw mounts just sitting around that I would love to use, anybody know what adaptor I would need or does it come with the camera?

Hi limbik - I shot a few more photos over the weekend. Several are at ISO above 800. From what I can see so far, they are very good. I'll leave a note when I get them posted this week.

By the way, the max ISO on the K10D is 1600.

This is a very interesting camera. The good high ISO performance coupled with the Shake Reduction enables photos that would have otherwise required flash.

By the way, Pentax mount adapter B is used to attach screw mount lenses to K-mount cameras. I've used one with my old 50mm and 24mm lenses and my older istD camera body. They work in the stop down metering mode only. They have no way to communicate any information to the camera. The autofocus, of course, doesn't work, but the AF indicator does light up when your in-focus.

limbik

georges wrote:

By the way, the max ISO on the K10D is 1600.

This is a very interesting camera. The good high ISO performance coupled with the Shake Reduction enables photos that would have otherwise required flash.

By the way, Pentax mount adapter B is used to attach screw mount lenses to K-mount cameras. I've used one with my old 50mm and 24mm lenses and my older istD camera body. They work in the stop down metering mode only. They have no way to communicate any information to the camera. The autofocus, of course, doesn't work, but the AF indicator does light up when your in-focus.

I guess you're right, not sure where I saw 3200 in relation to the K10D, but I looked it up again and nada. I did find an M42 to K mount, and one for Canon as well so at least I can play with them on the 30D for now.

photo_mom

Andy wrote:

Talk about a great package, the K10D with the 40mm pancake. It's preactically a pocket-dslr!

Hi Andy!

Great picture! You're right, that little pancake does make it a nice, compact package.

Thanks for letting me know about this thread!

pug8

So, you've got the camera already, Georges. I still have to wait until the 30th before it's released for sale here in Japan...:cry

The good news is, I downloaded a form from the Japanese Pentax site that if I send in, I'll get a 1GB memory card with a snazzy six-card case.

jdfaith

Yahoo!!! Just back from NY for the holiday and was happy to see Amazon had gotten me my K10D on Friday. Charging the battery now and hope to have some shots to share soon.

I have the 40mm pancake and love it. Andy, you need a shave.

John

georges

ISO 1600 - low light photos
I've added a few ISO 1600 samples to gallery. Here's the link again:

http://georges.smugmug.com/gallery/2158780

All examples are hand held. The SR does a great job. In my best days I could never hand hold a shot at 1/8th of a second.