New K5, need help with noise reduction

Hi guys

I used to use K20D for the past 2 years and had been happy with it as long as I keep the ISO under 400, Noise Reduction setting in K20D I used weakest.

Got my K5 yesterday and been playing with it and I am not sure if there are some settings that I am getting it wrong or not. I keep seeing people say that their image is noiseless up to iso 1600 and I was expecting a lot from this.

As I mentioned I am only happy with the IQ on the K20D up to ISO 400 Max so that you can have an idea what kind of IQ I am looking for.

I am going to upload 2 shots to see what you guys think as I don't feel the high iso IQ is as good as many people are saying.

The first shot was taken with iso640 and 2nd with iso 1250. I was expecting the iso 640 shot to be as good as K20D's iso 100 and ISO 1250 shot to be as good as K20D's ISO 200. But it seems there are noise visible in both image.

Is there something I am doing wrong. It is a shame that my K20d is not around me right now and I can not do any direct comparison.

I also found that the K5 seems to process the image a bit different from the K20. Somehow I find the K5 image a bit flat and lack of 3d feeling.

Please help



GEO_0168 by geovienso, on Flickr

full size image link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/geovien/6605251521/sizes/o/in/photostream/



GEO_0169 by geovienso, on Flickr

Full size image link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/geovien/6605257073/sizes/o/in/photostream/


Please view images with full size image link so you can see the noise.

What lens are you using? On the first pic I can see PF on the large size, esp round the globe man to the right. The pic doesn't seem particularly noisy to me but then I am on my works computer and the monitor is not the best.

I found exactly the same thing going from the K10D to the K20D (I describe it as like viewing a matt print rather than a glossy) but can't say I noticed much difference from the K20D to the K-7/K-5

Sorry but what is PF?

I think PF means purple fringing i.e. chromatic aberation, am I right Mike?

I used the sigma 18-50 2.8, not the best lens but it is my walk around lens

Yes its a shame you hadn't your K20d about to do a comparison at the same high ISO setting. I think that would bring it home to you just how big a step up the K5 is in this regard.

ok I have just done a few more test. I think at high ISO say ISO 1600 or ISO 3200 there is no question that the K5 is alot better than k20D, however it is not good enough to make a 18X12 print. I always print at that sort of size and in this case looks like I have to keep my iso just as low as I used to shoot on the K20D under ISO400 is acceptable.

A little disappointed but that is life.

Purple Fringing. Shade of purple colour around an object.

Yup .. and the the globe man is obviously on the left

If you want that sort of performance you should be paying 1500.00 plus for a ff (full frame ) 5DMKII or D700 and not 600.00 for a Pentax crop camera.

NR (noise reduction) software works well on K-5 files though.

I do not mind pay £1500 but hey pentax never release FF and I been waiting long for my FF pentax FA lenses to have a home.

My k20D can manage 18x12 print no problem. of coz something like iso100 or 200 only. I was hoping to be able to shoot at iso 800 with the K5, but nope it was just a dream.

Is that the kit lens at 18mm and f3.5?

The best way to control noise is to shoot RAW and use noise reduction in Post processing on your PC rather than in camera.

Have a read of these test's and comparisons with other makes with reference to noise reduction.Test