Yes JPEG used and sharpness was not used on either camera; they are both set at the middle with no additional adjustments on the K5. Everything is straight from the memory cards.

1. Check your camera/lens for backfocussing and make the required adjustement.

OK this will have to be tried first, if it's not too difficult. Is there guidance on how to do it it? And if I make an adjustment does it only apply to the lens on the camera at the time (at the moment it's 18-55) or will it still work if I want to use the 16-45 or 50-200?

Thanks for the comments. I was doing the same images with the post last week and again yesterday and got the same results so I know I wasn't focusing incorrectly. Both cameras have had both lenses and it hasn't made a difference. I should point out the K5 was on 10M size as it always is so there's little difference in the real size. Both are usually set to bright but yesterday I changed it to natural. K5 had been on lowest level shadow correction when I noticed the difference between it & K10D so I took that off before doing these photos but didn't see an improvement. Maybe K5 is over-exposing but there's also the colour, sharpness and detail which I have seen compacts do better at and I should not be trying to get a K5 to be as good as them! I don't have Photoshop anyway. I will have to decide what to do with the K5 because knowing that the K10D can take better pictures, it will be the one I take out.

OK, here goes. These are nothing serious, just ones I took today hand-held on a short stroll with settings on both cameras the same. I sat on the grass with both cameras on my lap to get one picture then the other asap so images aren't always straight. White balance is daylight, image tone is natural, iso 200, shutter speed 1/100, no sharpening.
The K5 is brighter here with less shadow in the greenery. Colour tones too similar whereas K10D differentiates better.


Above: K5 & 18-55, 45mm @ f14



Above: K10D & 16-45, 45mm @ f16



Above: K5 & 18-55, 18mm & f14



Above: K10D & 16-45, 18mm @ f18

And these are just junk in next door's back garden. I aimed at the hole halfway up the concrete post. My own saved pictures show it is in focus with the K10D and there is far better detail whereas with the K5 it is definitely not in focus. When viewed at 100% size the air holes in the concrete and the hexagonal nut at the top are nice and clear with the K10D but the K5 has given a blurred image.


Above: K5 & 18-55, 35mm @ f7.1



Above: K10D & 16-45, 34mm & f7.1

I've now tried the 16-45 & 18-55 on the K5 and there is no difference. Images seem too bright and lack detail.

Just had a go at taking similar shots with both cameras but unfortunately the K10D battery died after just two and the spare was also dead! It does give me a chance though to ask something I would have to have asked anyway: how do I put photos on a site? It's not something I ever do, I just save them for myself & maybe reduce to screen size to email to friends. Also exif info: how do I show this or can I just quote shutter speed, aperture, iso & focal length?

I was saving some photos from a recent holiday in Sussex and noticed the ones taken with my old K10D & 50-200mm were sharper and more detailed than those with the K5 & 16-45 which seem to be soft-focus most of the time. I tried to do a better comparison around the garden at home this evening by using the K10D lens at 50mm and the K5 at 45mm and the K10D was still better. I thought it might have been a problem with the 16-45 lens so I put my hardly used 18-55 on the K5 and did comparisons with the cameras set up as similar as possible and both lenses at 50mm but it made no difference because the K10D was again better with detail and contrast, whatever the distance. In fact when I look back at old pictures, the K10D did better with the 16-45 than the K5 is doing now. Does anyone have any ideas why my K5 is doing soft focus and what I can do to resolve this because I will have to put it away and use the K10D for now. Thanks.

Interesting read this. I’ve ordered some more rechargeables for my K100D because the Uniross 2700s & 2500s have virtually given up. They are four years old now and lose power very quickly. I tested a set out to see how briefly they last and it is 1½ days doing hardly any work. I charged them up on Sunday and put them in the camera that evening, did about four shots indoors then had another look yesterday morning. Camera showed battery was half full so I did about another four shots and then looked again this morning. Camera still showed battery as half full but after two shots it was empty and the LCD showed “battery depleted.” I don’t know if it’s the age of the batteries but they are no good for a day out. I ordered two sets of Duracell 2450s from the 7 Day Shop yesterday which I hope will be OK. I see the Eneloops are popular but I only read about them on here today.

Hi,

I’m hoping to get a monopod to use when it gets to spring time, one I can strap to my rucksack and carry with me if I’m cycling or hiking somewhere but not a heavyweight for the car boot as I don‘t drive. I’ve bought a DA300mm which is not light and would be glad of some recommendations from monopod users. Most of what I have done in the past has been with my 16-45 so I’m going into something new.

Also, it’s SR “off” for tripods but I assume it stays on for monopods?

Thanks to anyone who can give me some advice.

Thanks for the info, I've got the wipes you mention. Started with the dry sponge thing which just moves dirt around and I'm not sure what purpose it serves followed by two swabs then loads of dusts with the butterfly. Had to give the butterfly brush a wash & spin then let it dry first as I expect the muck left by the Grotty rocket blower had grease in it although where that came from I've no idea. Anyway, after lots of mirror up the sensor is now ok. I'll give the blower nozzle a wipe out on the inside with some Fairy & cotton buds before I use it again.