The sun is out here today!!

Well you can't compare what you haven't got so a challenge to find some suitable scenes and make some comparisons?

John

I've not had another go with mine yet but feel sure it would be much the same. It's the same image file after all.
Re not looking like HDR, that can often be a good thing - just a subtle improvement in the dynamic range without going over the top. The PS one has the best contrast with the hedge on the left looking much more detailed. And your Photomatix one has brought the sun out too!

If the the photo directly out of the camera doesn't look like the way you remember it when you took it, it seems HDR can help you achieve the look you were expecting. Some HDR is truly over the top but even then if that's what you want, who's to say it's wrong?

What I really need to do is take multiple exposures for an HDR and compare them to the result of processing just a single RAW file, along with an in camera version too. It could be the K-5 just doesn't get s much benefit from HDR as most other cameras with an inherent lower dynamic range.

John

Check all the requirements are met:

1. [25. Catch-in Focus] in the [C Custom Setting 4] menu (p.92)
has to be set to [On],

2. The focus mode to be set to AF.S

3. One of the following types of lenses to be attached, either:
• a Manual focus lens, or a
• DA or FA lens that has a MF and AF setting on the lens - the
setting on the lens must be set to MF before shooting.

4 Set the focus mode lever to AF.S

Don't think the DA 18-135 has a manual focus mode setting on the lens so probably isn't suitable. No doubt someone has a workaround though!

John

I'll give it a go tomorrow.

John

Original comment deleted - not applicable!

I was comparing the Pentax DA 17-70, not the Sigma one so forget that! I cannot comment on it as I haven't tried one!

The DA 16-45 is pretty good and has a good wide angle. Yes, it's a fine lens - its downside to me is that it is so much heavier and larger than the 18-55 kit lens.

John

Paypal should guide you through the process and let you know if and when the camera should be returned. Don't delay, do it today! Paypal will contact the seller for his version and obviously they give him time to do that.

Good luck.

John

Yes, that just about sums it up in a single sentence!

But if it's a shot that will stand a longer exposure (an empty restaurant!) then just make sure the camera is steady, set the camera to Av, drive mode to 2sec delay, stop down to about f8 and let the camera sort out the shutter speed for you.

John

This is a photo taken last August. The first rendition is the jpeg from the camera just reduced to 800 pixels wide for the forum.




Next the same image from the single RAW file tonemapped in Photomatix.




I was quite surprised how much detail has emerged from the dark woodland area on the left. And it made the sun come out too - perhaps I could have transformed today's weather!

I wasn't thinking HDR when I took the shot (really it was just a record picture during a hike I was doing) so didn't take an in camera HDR shot or three+ intentional shots for PP. I doubt whether they would have made much difference though.

John

If you can put the camera on a table (using the lens you have and use the 2 second delay to lock up the mirror and turn of shake reduction), you should be able to eradicate camera shake which I am guessing is your issue. The K-r isn't that behind the K-5 when it come to low light photography so you should be able to boost the ISO enough so as to give an acceptable image even by hand holding it.

The only lens I can think of that meets the f stop criteria is the 14mm f2.8 already suggested. However it only gives you less than a stop increase in speed (however the extra width it gives could be useful.)

For zooms, an alternative to the Sigma possibilities already suggested is the Pentax 12-24mm but that is f4 or the 10-17 Fish-eye which is f3.5 at the wide end but gives noticable distortion at 10mm (it's designed to!)

If the lighting is seriously poor and you cannot boost it with extra lighting or flash you may need to look at a much faster lens. The widest f1.4 I can think of is the Sigma 31mm or the Pentax 50mm f1.4's. You'd get photos with these certainly but you'd have to be more selective with what you take. I don't think what you really would like exists in Pentax mount. The nearest might be the Tokina AF 11-16mm f2.8 but alas, not in PK. But in reality it offers little more than the Pentax DA 14mm f2.8. Users of the Tokina apparently reckon it almost feels like a fixed lens!

John

Useful link for Pentax related information, in this instance the K1000:

http://kmp.bdimitrov.de/bodies/film_K/K1000.html

http://kmp.bdimitrov.de/bodies/film_K/K1000_SE.html

Looks like the film speed goes to 3200 on all variants and all had the 'AoCo' logo if his information is complete. What does change though is the low end ISO from 32 to 20.

John