This is normal behavior for most photo editors, certainly RAW converters ... first question, are use using a RAW file or a JPEG from the camera?

Camera sensors record data in a way that is optimized for the sensor (ie the best distribution of tones to store the maximum image information). This is not the same as the best way to view a photograph ... an editors job is to redistribute the sensor data in a way that better represents the brightness tones as the eye sees it. Auto functions (as you're using) will use an algorithmic approach to this, producing a tighter histogram with more tones bunched together in the mid to upper region - this produces the small exposure increase for the majority of shots, but it will also usually increase overall contrast (spreading the tones wider).

As dougf8 said, best to take firmer control and ensure your brightness and contrast is ideal for each image - auto functions will not be suitable for many non-'conventional' exposures.

I'm glad the mono / colour debate can live on! I'm not normally drawn to B & W at all, but with this one I got a sense early on when processing that I was fighting a losing battle in colour. I found the extra control I gained in mono mode and the higher contrast effects (without colour bleeding or oversaturation creeping in) very compelling - and the 'cardboard-cutout' look had a certain appeal

Now Darkmunk, High Speed Sync on the pop-up - now that is something for my wishlist! I agree that would have been a great feature to have here. It would have helped to have been to cut to shutter speed down to , say, 750th or 1000th/ sec and keep control of the sky there. But I had what I had ... for me, I really hate blown highlights generally, and especially large flat areas of overexposed background pulling the eye away from the subject. Here the flash has optimized the exposure for the faces, which was the key-tone. I'm never keen on 'pulling-up' key tones too much.

I'll stick with the B & W, although I thought I might try some extra blurring on the background to reduce the 'bad-bokeh'.

Yes, this is the work of the 'pop-up', a quick and easy solution. The detached 'zollywood' appearance results from two things I think ... the very different angle of direct flash light on the subjects, as opposed to natural light of a different quality and direction on the background, plus the fact that really separate processing was carried out on the background & foreground areas.

The kids were well exposed by the flash, so needed only a small upwards tweak, plus a big mono contrast boost, but the background sky area was very much blown to the extent that quite a lot of tree detail was lost (giving a few hovering branches!). I really pulled the highlights back massively and this has created the unusual bokeh effects I think as bits of detail poke through where others have gone.

Just for interest I ran the DNG through PDCU without any adjustments ... this effectively gives us a camera JPEG, what some call an 'out the camera' shot ... here's that 'camera' version followed by my mono for comparison :











Hopefully you'll still agree I took the right route with the processing. Certainly it solved a lot of difficult issues of colour and contrast and using the B & W panel colour wheel I could 'dial in' extra contrast and depth to a number of colour tones when converted.

Ralph, thanks for that link, I'll check out the prices and also the specs for this flash. Thanks also dougf8 for that forum link which has some good information.

I'm interested in trying this flash as a single on-camera solution at first, thinking of building into a small system with a couple more in future. I'm assuming it has an on-board flash measuring sensor in order to work without P-TTL, but I'll have to find some details or an operating manual. I'll update on anything I find out.

I found the review on the other Pentax site very good and informative ... link, looks like a well made quality item. I prefer manual flash techniques, even for on-camera work, so the lack of P-TTL with this unit is not a concern. In fact I think in many cases it is better and more consistent. The radio controlled slaving & syncing would be useful and allow expanding of techniques and flash system over time.

But a websearch has failed to find any available in the UK. I wonder if anyone has any knowledge of this and where to look to source one, and any experience of the flash on Pentax?

Thank you, glad you liked it! Thanks also to Philip, Alan & Joe for your replies and for taking a look.

Good advice Andrew, but very late indeed! I wish there were more places like ice-cream vans that don't accept credit cards

I've checked the exif for this one, and it was at f6.3, +0.3 flash exposure at 35mm, 180th/sec. I usually set fill-flash to -0.7 or -1.0, but here the meter was fighting very bright open sky behind, so after a few previous shots I had settled on +0.3.

I didn't say before, but this was with the 18-55 WR AL zoom, the one that came out with the K7 back in 2009. Its generally regarded as the pick of the 'kits', and certainly its IQ stands up and is very useful for many situations.

A trip to Dorking playground with the little McGs, going well until a lack of small change meant only ONE ice cream - but, that situation seemed to induce more interactions than usual, and I liked this one so thought i'd share it for comment!

The mono arose out of experimentation really - I was having trouble in colour with the very strong backlighting (the shot is fill-flashed) causing washed out tones, and contrast was a nightmare, so I opened it in Lightzone and tried the B & W panel, and was pleased with the results. Thanks for taking a look.

That colour difference (reds to orange) I have found can sometimes be caused by a colour mode mismatch - eg if you are carrying out saturation or vibrance type operations in a LAB colour mode. Check your LR develop module settings to make sure you are carrying out the process in a standard sRGB mode, assuming this is your intended output colourspace.

My preferred editor, Sagelight, has a number of buttons to switch between these different modes, making it easy to control (and make a mistake!) - I don't know the LR interface, but its worth checking there's nothing buried deep somewhere.

Yes, that old Vauxhall is amazing, and I love that green Bedford farm truck as well. Looks like a very vibrant event in a great location as well. Thanks for showing them!