Lightweight landscape kit

I'm thinking of doing more walking/landscape photography this Autumn/winter and want a lightweight kit to use, no tripod, filters etc. so thought I'd try out the K3 with DA 18-135mm WR and use the RAW HDR feature of the K3.

I was quite impressed and will definitely be trying it out again this Autumn/Winter, I think the K3 did well in the quite harsh summer light.

All handheld with K3, DA 18-135mm WR, RAW HDR(auto) and SR

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Those are very enjoyable and well presented images.

These are very natural looking and not like HDR at all, in fact I would go as far as to say that I am impressed too and that's saying something for me where HDR is concerned!

If these are from standard in-camera settings then congratulations to Pentax for getting them so 'right'.

Regards
David

Very subtle processing. A pleasing set.
Not sure I'd class that set-up as "light-weight", though. Must weigh a ton. Now my old K100 with a 28mm 3.5: that's light-weight!

They are all natural, yes, and well taken shots. Processing - well, its a starting point I'd say. They all look too uniform and lack any punch. Probably need a small contrast boost plus a little extra vibrance, these greens are rather plain I think. They all need a bit more sharpening IMO - really all of these things could have been applied in-camera on the custom image settings menu.

But I agree that dynamic range has been very well handled, presumably both by our photographer and the HDR process. I have been very interested to learn more about the RAW HDR available on the K3 - I have read that you can actually access the individual files to work on externally ... is that correct?

Steve

I like them, extremely pleasing especially as they're 'just out of the camera'.

Phil

I thought you could but have just had a quick look at the HDR settings and you have three menu options that are for the strength of the HDR (Auto,1,2 or 3), EV steps(+-1, +-2,or +-3) and Auto Align (on or Off).
I can't find an option to save all the files, I'm sure you can though it must be hidden in the Custom Settings somewhere.
The above images were taken with Auto HDR with +-2EV and Auto Align on.

I know what you're saying about the processing of the files but that's how I like them. I try and get the images to reflect what I actually saw on the day and not what I wish I'd seen, personal preferences I know.
I used to go to my local camera club and got a bit fed up with the over-saturated and over processed images, they did seem to do well in competitions though.

Sorry Phil I didn't mean to mis-lead you they have had a bit of work in LR5.
Here's one of the originals, straight from camera.

[quote:3496ace15f="mille19] ... I used to go to my local camera club and got a bit fed up with the over-saturated and over processed images, they did seem to do well in competitions though.[/quote]I understand that, there's too much of it I agree - but is underprocessed and unsaturated any better?

I don't understand swarfs point above - there is nothing inherently good or of any value automatically to images 'just out of the camera'. The only constant with that is they have been processed by a tiny mini computer in an algorithmic manner.

Nice shots - well composed and sympathetic HDR

I understand that, there's too much of it I agree - but is underprocessed and unsaturated any better?

[/quote]Like I was saying it's personal preference, in your opinion they look underprocessed and unsaturated, obviously that's my preference, you'd probably like this more

Steve

Not 'mis-lead', more a case of me jumping to conclusions. My first impression still stands - I like them.

Phil