A few more questions regarding the K10D

Hi again

I have been doing even more research on DSLR being a novice. Here are some questions i have from you guys in the know.

1. Am i right in saying the camera is only as good as the lens. I have seen some wonderful sharp detailed pictures using the Pentax SMC 14mm f2.8 DA lens with the K10d. I cant afford this lens yet (when i get my K10D back again that is)

2. Are most the old lens that fit the K10D up to this sort of standard ? quality wise. From my other post showing a young boy taken with a 35 year old lens i guess so but perhaps you can advise ?

3. There is still this issue with the sharpness of jpeg images still going on in various forums, But does the lens factor change this view ? In other words depending on the lens you use determine the resolution/sharp/detail etc..and quality overall ??

4. Just a question regarding cameras processing of jpegs. The K10d offers sharpening levels and ISO up to 1600 true but is all this controlled by the cameras own inbuilt software or the mechanics of the camera ??
In other words if Pentax wanted to increase the ISO range for the K10D as high as 3200 like the k100 is this just a firmware/software update.

Looking forward to your replies

Pete

1. Probably some others with better opinions, but the most important part is the photographer. Beyond that the camera also has to be of decent enough quality to get the results you want. But in the end if what the photographer sees cannot get to the camera (via the lens) then you're pretty much SOL.
But depending who you talk to, some lenses do not show limitations until you get beyond 6MP in the camera. So you may not notice slight differences in lenses with an old istD but you might with a K10D.
Then there is my case where the K10D made a HUGE difference over the istD... but I am awaiting the return from repair to see if that thing had focusing issues.

2. I'm sure you'll find a whole range of quality of lenses that will fit the Pentax line. If it is a really good lens, upgrading to the K10D may make a difference. If the lens is not so great, you may be disappointed.

3. Yes, lenses will affect sharpness, color, contrast (more??). I have a nice sharp Pentax 100-300mm lens but it gives a slight yellow color cast. (yes cheap, but at 300mm it is much sharper than with my Tamron 28-300 lens) Most reviews will indicate a range of variables that the lens will affect.

4. Unsure. I think there is some hardware fudging as well as software to up the ISO. The hardware is likely capable of 3200 ISO (as early spec indicated the K10D would be capable of it), but the software needs to do some extra work to make a decent image. I believe that is not yet in place. I've never seen a decent 3200 ISO image, so I don't know if it is worth it.

This was true of film cameras, but with digital cameras the sensor and electronics (which take the place of film) are part of the camera body, so they also profoundly affect the quality of the final image.

Nonetheless a good lens is worth its weight in gold.

Most of the old Pentax prime lenses were very good, and some, like many of the M* and A* lenses have perhaps been equalled, but not surpassed, by more modern lenses.

Zooms are another matter. Modern zooms are much better than most old ones.

This is a non-issue promoted by people with no idea about digital image-making, like the owner of DPReview.

The default sharpening setting for JPEG on all Pentax DSLRs is much softer than the over-sharpened Canons. Solutions:

1 Set the sharpening to High.
2 Sharpen later on your computer.
3 Shoot RAW.

Yes. But Pentax think that 3200 is too high for this sensor/software combination, so they have set the max at 1600. Obviously, having SR reduces the need for high ISO, though not in every case.

Pete, do please take more care to write proper English. You clearly can write properly when you take the trouble, and it is a matter of courtesy on your part to make the effort. If you exclude "fleur de lys", which is really French, you will never find an English word ending in "ys".

Welsh, of course, is another matter.

G

Lays
Says
Bays

I could go on for days...

Dan

And we may come across guys on journeys, just like any plural noun with a vowel before a final y when in the singular. Everyone who writes proper English knows that.

Well, that's me caught out!

I suspect you knew that I meant words where the y was the sole vowel, like try, sty, and comply.

But too late now. Making blunders like this is is the occupational hazard of being a pedant!

G

Copied from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
--------------------------------------------------
Pedant

A pedant, or pædant, is a formalist or precisionist in teaching or scholarship. The corresponding female noun is pedantess. The term comes from the French pédant (1566 in Darme & Hatzfeldster's Dictionnaire général de la langue français) or its source Italian pedante "teacher," schoolmaster, pedant. (Compare the Spanish pedante.). The origin of the Italian term is uncertain. The first element is apparently the same as in pedagogue, (a teacher) etc.; and it has been suggested that pedante was contracted from the medieval Latin pædagogantem, present participle of pædagogare "to act as pedagogue, to teach" (Du Cange); but evidence is wanting. The Latin word is derived from Greek terms for "child" (παιδ and "to lead" (αγειν.

The term is typically used in a negative connotation, indicating someone overly concerned with minutiae and detail and whose tone is perceived as condescending. When it was first used by Shakespeare in Love's Labour's Lost (158, it simply meant "teacher." Shortly afterward, it began to be used negatively. Thomas Nashe wrote in Have with you to Saffron-walden (1596), page 43: "O, tis a precious apothegmaticall [terse] Pedant, who will finde matter inough to dilate a whole daye of the first inuention [invention] of Fy, fa, fum"


Usage of term
Being referred to as a pedant, or pedantic, is considered insulting. However some people take pride in being a pedant, especially with regard to the use of the English language. In an attempt to avoid censure, people who wish to make a correction often preface it with "not wishing to be pedantic, but ..." or "without being a pedant, ...".

Pedantry can also be an indication of certain developmental disorders. In particular those with Asperger Syndrome, or Higher Functioning Autism, often have behavior characterized by pedantic speech.[1] Those with Asperger's tend to obsess over the minutiae of subjects, and are prone to giving long detailed expositions, and the related corrections, and may gravitate to careers in academia, science or PD&A where such obsessive attention to detail is often rewarded.

The term pedantic is most widely used when referring to citizens of germanic origins. In Switzerland for example the term pedantic is frequently applied with reference to individuals who over process / over engineer any item of work. An example of usage would be - "Today we attended a Project Planning Meeting. During the meeting the Project Manager, Leo Sterzinger was extremely pedantic to the point of being anally retentive. Or is it that he was being anally retentive to the point of being extremely pedantic?"

Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder is also in part characterized by a form of pedantry that is overly concerned with the correct following of rules, procedures and practices.[2] Sometimes the rules that OCPD sufferers obsessively follow are of their own devising, or are corruptions or re-interpretations of the letter of actual rules.

-----------------------------------------

Personally, I think the first paragraph of the definition is the most applicable to George. Listen attentively to ALL he has to say but do not be distracted by the minutiae.

Regards

Drew

Sorry guys for my spelling issues etc.. but i sometimes write messages very quickly as i am in and out of work and just type and post and dont really check. I know i should so i will try to take more care in future.

Pete

pete, don't worry about spelling, the message is the important thing. If people understand you, then you've got your point across, spelling is secondary.

of course, that doesn't mean we should not try to correct, but as you state, sometimes pressure of time means we don't notice mistakes creeping in.

I've worked a lot with deafness/mental illness and it is the message that is important, the method used is whatever suits at the time.

Hi aj,

There is however one exception, of course taking into account people's level of English, problems with dyslexia etc.. and that is that there is never, ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever, ever, any excuse for using txt spk on a forum.

I count this equally when sending/receiving text messages as well.

Cheers

Liam

Hi Guys,

I have just read my opening paragraphs on this thread and unless i am missing something i cant see that many errors on what i have wrote.

Would someone please be so kind as to point them out

Thanks
Pete

Way OT: Ermmm, the letter 'y' may hav a vowel sound, but it were a continunt wen i went two skool.

It could of course have changed with our entry into the EU.

I would be happy if posters would just capitalise the 'i' and spell lens correctly.

Peter,
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutother/lettery
George is right
Matt

What, len's you mean?

Please Please Guys,

This is supposed to be a photography forum,

My english is not perfect maybe my Spanish is better.

Si quieres puedemos hablar en el Espanol pero creo que no mi entiendes. Aqui hay mucho gente solo hablar una idioma pero dos es mejor o tres o quatro por ejemplo

Me gusta mucho fotografia como todo

Gracias