On the road with three marques

Makes a change from three tenors. What the title refers to is that we were out with friends yesterday, shooting hundreds of images in and around Lancaster.

There were two Pentax (us), one Nikon and one Canon DSLRs and the differences in the images were quite interesting. The Canon didn't have a very good screen and delivered very light exposures. This one was eventually set to -1EV exposure compensation on a permanent basis and that seemed to do the trick.

The Nikon was the boldest of the three, with very strong colours and that will be turned down by the photographer in future. He was using the vivid setting and it was a bit too much, leading to a lot of burnt out highlights. The exposure was very accurate though.

The Pentax K20D we're familiar with and one of its strengths is the superb colour - something that is often commented on by people who see our images. We won't be changing, but then neither will the others!

Anyway, an interesting day with some very enjoyable company and very enjoyable photography.

Out of interest which canon and Nikon model were they John?

Interesting topic John.
I was at Poynton Show on Saturday with 3 friends, one Pentax (me with both the K10D and K20D), Two Canon (1Dmk3 and 40D) and one Nikon (D300), and the results were similiar. Indeed the Canon users do complain about the LCD being poor and will wait until they upload before sorting the pics out. The Nikon user, like you say did not use the vivid setting to keep the colours in Check.

The other interesting thing as well, was whilst walking around the show, was not the usual CaNikon users everywhere, but the number of Pentax users that were around too, indeed I say another K20D user, a K200D user, and a user with the K-7, Grip and 60-250mm on the front (drool!). Makes a change to see more Pentaxians than normal at a public show

The other DSLRs were, I think, the D80 and the 350D. I say "I think" because we were trying to help our friends with a few photo problems they had and the make of the cameras was not so much on our minds. It's just the broad differences that I noticed.

Interesting, in press reviews the canon's seem to ALWAYS have the better screen!

Although the 350D is an old model now, the 1DMk3 and 40D are current.

AP complain that the K200/K20/K10 have 'poor' LCDs. They obviously live in a different world, that or are getting choice products from canon!