Welcome to the board

For technical information: http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/index.html

Optimised for Digital - there are two issues with lenses and digital. Firstly, because of the depth of the CCD and IR filter the image needs to be fairly well collimated. Film can produce a good image at the edges even when the incident angle is not at 90 degrees. Digital, on the other hand, works best when the image arrives at close to 90 degrees. Coated elements etc can also help reduce stray light that might otherwise create ghosting or fogging at the CCD.

Secondly, most CCDs (including Pentax) are APS-C sized, not 35mm size. The lenses can be made smaller, lighter, and often better quality because their image circle is reduced. (see my later comments on the 16-45 on film though!)

Pancake - unique (?) Pentax design that produces an unbelievably thin design.

Limited Lens - Pentax apply better coatings, usually more aperture blades, and a more "engineered" construction. Pentax Limited lenses are generally superb (I can only speak from hearsay as I don't own one )


Interestingly, most of the SMC-DA (digital only) lenses can be used on film bodies too - contrary to what others may tell you However, since the SMC-DA lenses do not have an aperture ring, the bodies you can use them on is slightly reduced. If you have the Z1, Z1P, or any of the other bodies that allow aperture control from the body, then there's no problem.

For example, check out my early test of the SMC-DA 16-45 on a Z1 film body: http://www.pbase.com/mattmatic/smc_da_test

On the other hand, I think every Pentax K-mount lens ever made will work on the digital bodies. There are some caveats and restrictions, but essentially there's nothing to stop you using fully manual with older lenses on the dSLRs. Cool

This topic has been covered in various guises, and if you need more info I'm sure I can dig up some older threads

Matt

1) No, just via hotshoe. Like the DL, it doesn't do TTL, only A, M, P-TTL flash modes.

2) Haven't yet tried... but I'm sure if it's not already there, it'll happen. Silkypix doesn't do tethered, and C1 never did Pentax tethered, even though the older dSLRs could.

3) Only SD. (including the SD-HC cards).

Matt

The K10D PEF format is new. It includes lossless compression (which is why the DNG and PEF sizes differ). Originally, they were the same, but Pentax crammed in the compression before release 1.00 Cool!

If you want to shoot RAW PEF, then you have two choices:

1. Use Silkypix DS 3.0.3 which supports it now
2. Use in-camera PEF to JPG conversion

Eventually everyone will catch up and ACR and C1 will support the K10D PEF format... but that could be a month or two (judging on past experiences).

Hope that helps!

...and Chris... the camera's a beauty It's like going digital all over again

Matt

I didn't say I didn't like it Just that it sounds like a sneeze

Can add the following flash related information:

* Definitely doesn't do TTL. Tried with a Metz 50MZ5 and SCA-3702 and it overexposes. Works fine in M and A modes though.

* The gap between the preflash and flash has been greatly reduced. I could perceive the gap on the *ist-D, but am having trouble seeing the gap on the K10D. I'll try some shots later with some friends that always blink on the preflash of the *ist-D and see if it's improved on the K10D

* Flash exposure seems very good, perhaps a little underexposed, but based on my earlier comments that's no problem in RAW.

Just off to try some wireless contrast controlled flash with the AF360+AF540... have a little session to do tomorrow. May be able to post a shot or two (if they're any good!).

Matt

I am completely blown away by the image quality and dynamic range on this beast

I've overexposed two stops and still had detail in the highlights, and underexposed by several stops and raked all the data out of the shadows with no discernible noise at ISO100. Absolutely fabulous! The histogram is a really good guide and what I've noticed is that I'm not clipping nearly as much as with the *ist-D.
Shooting straight into the sun still retains detail around the clipped area, and it's so much more like film!

The image quality is slightly different to the *ist-D in RAW, but I don't think it will take long to get to grips with it. The processing is slightly slower in Silkypix (larger image size), but that's not a big problem. It feels like the colour response is very different (maybe less linear) than the *ist-D, and that too, I suspose will need some getting used to.

Just so you can see what I mean, I've processed my first batch in SPDS3 and put them here on PBase so you can have a look!

Got some serious shots coming up in the next few days, plus some studio flash work so it'll be interesting to see how it all copes - I'll keep you posted

Matt

PS Gradually getting used to the shutter's "electronic sneeze"

Mine just arrived, along with my 24-90 that was in for repair.

Oh happy days

Just cannot believe how fast the thing is compared to the *ist-D on RAW
Some of the custom features are excellent - like being able to set the range for auto ISO. Brilliant

Just the manual WB is a bit fiddly, but a lot easier than the Canon system But notice the "Check" function when choosing WB - just flip the power dial to the DoF preview setting, and it'll take a shot and show you how it looks.

Now I've just got to escape and go shooting

Matt

Was just fishing around for K10D sample images and came across this:
http://www.pbase.com/image/71177208

Some great images in there!

Can't wait until tomorrow

Matt

Liam,
The SMC-F 50/f1.7 should go for around £75 max. You may be better off finding a SMC-F 50/f1.4 or SMC-FA. Brand new they're around £160, and second hand they hover about the £100 mark.

The 1.7 is fine, but the 1.4 is sublime (especially for portraiture and shooting at f2). HTH!
Matt

Teogin,
Only if you try and use "dumb" slaving to the pop-up flash of the K10D.
If you tether it with cables and use "M" mode there's no problem - there will be no preflash.

But I agree, it would be very nice if you could trigger "dumb" slave flashes (ie non-P-TTL) using the pop-up flash. However, for studio work most people use either infrared or radio triggers to fire Elinchroms and the like - so maybe the market isn't as great as you might think... still some of the cheap IR triggers will link into a PC cord flash system, so you can use radio/IR trigger with "standard" flashes, like this: ebay item

Matt

Personally I wouldn't bother Full of ranting about "errors". You'll get depressed and wonder whether you should have gone C or N...

Actually, all P-TTL / E-TTL systems can get confused and produce "errors". But, IMHO the Pentax P-TTL is just fine (especially when shooting RAW which gives some latitude for error), and for studio/portraiture work I only use Manual now (absolutely reliable). I've had some absolutely stonking images with the K10D and wireless flash with the AF360 & AF540 in manual mode.

I'll just wait for George to chip in about Mr Rice High
Matt