K10D vs K100D Lowlight

Hi all,

I recently posted a request for help here re: the K10D vs the K100D and I ended buying the K10D. However, Is it just me or does the K100D have better lowlight shooting than the K10D. I had the K100D for a day or so and now have the K10D, but I find that when I shoot for lowlight, the K100D was better. I shot a dimly lit room with the K10D at ISO 200/30secs/f32 and it came out still a little on the dark side wheras when I had the K100D I could shoot at the same settings and the pic would come out much brighter. If I have the same settings shouldn't the pics be the same on both cameras? Should I return the K10D and get the K100D since that worked for me before? Thanks!

You might find that the K10D is tuned for slightly lower contrast/lower expsoure in the mid tones, to help in post processing, by retining much more detail. The firmware of each camera may also process the same shot differently.

Do you have to use the settings "ISO 200/30secs/f32"? If not, then simply alter the exposure to compensate, if it's the 30s exposure you're after, try ISO 100 and f/16 to get a lighter image. Don't fret that one camera exposes differently to another, just get the right exposure with the camera you've got.

Just a thought,
Dan

Not sure... but with that exposure you are probably pushing the limit of the metering system on any camera.

It's also worth bearing in mind that the K10D has a much larger dynamic range compared to the K100D/*ist-Dx series. In fact, the images will have a slightly different look (more film like actually).

Additionally, the K10D assumes that you will probably be doing some post-production on the computer, so it tries to ensure that the highlights are not blown out. Once highlights are blown out there's nothing much that can be done. If the shot is slightly underexposed then that's an easy thing to correct. It's one of the differences between a "pro" spec camera and a "consumer" one...

If you shoot RAW, then it's absolutely not a problem - especially as the K10D has an enormous amount of detail in the shadows that the earlier 6Mp bodies couldn't match.

Matt

Am I right in assuming that applying some exposure compensation on a constant basis would get round the problem in all but extreme circumstances?

I ask because having been saving for a K10, I have read such marvellous things about the K100 series that I am rethinking my strategy.

I know the main arguments, but it is little things like this that I find interesting

regards

Graham

The reason I shoot in those numbers is because I am shooting indoors with lowlight (restaurant style low lighting) and want to obtain good depth of field across my whole image. With the K100D I found that I could get great pictures at those settings (actually at f22-26) and when I use the same settings for the K10D the picture doesn't come out the same. I am seriously considering trading the K10D for the K100D

You may find that you can get away with a faster shutter, a wider aperture AND still maintian adequet DOF.
Interiors usually require wide angle lenses, therfore f8 to f16 may be more than enough if u use hyperfocal distance...ie focus 1/3 the way into your frame and bracket youur apertures in aperture priority....(most lenses these daze don't have hyperfocal distances marked on'em anymore.....
that may solve your problem....or not.

Well.... it's your choice... but I would consider the fact that the K10D does have a huge dynamic range and far less noise in the shadows than the 6Mp, and having used the Pentax DSLRs since they were released, I have to say the K10D is leagues ahead in image quality.

There must be a sensible reason for this.
What lens are you using? (Maybe I can try and reproduce this - I have: *ist-D, *ist-DS, and K10D.)

Matt

I think 30 secs at f32 is pushing any meter beyond its limits, so results may well be unpredictable. I would try a more normal exposure, using perhaps f8 as a starting point, and see if the cameras agree more closely then.

Don't forget though that if one camera wanted to give 30 secs and the other 60 secs, that would only be one stop difference, which would not be a disaster by any means.

Have been communicating via email on this issue...

Part of the problem was the K10D was in spot metering mode
There may be more... but that's the start.

Matt

Well, not to point the obvious, but if you're pointing the spot at anything, the meter thinks it's Zone V. Watch where you're pointing that thing!

Just to add a little more - the OP was using a 0-360.com attachment to grab a 360 degree shot of a room. Spot metering was pointless because it's difficult to work out what the centre actually is in a polar-coordinate world

I gave the suggestion of using Evaluative Multi Zone metering, of course, but also of checking the histogram and even considering using fully manual for such setup shots

Hopefully it's all resolved now!

Matt