Thanks MattMatic for that info. I would be very happy if I found that the in camera settings were being applied automatically when opening the file in PCU - as I have very little experience of working in detail with these type of adjustments, I would be happy to leave it to the camera's algorithams (presumably they work out some correlation to the focal length and aperture used).

I'll take the test shots as you suggested and compare them at high zoom. And of course it would be valuable to start trying it out manually also. Peter Burian in the Magic Lantern Guide discounts the importance of Distortion Correction mainly, stating that modern lenses are now so good, but he says that Chromatic Abberations are a more significant problem. If I get the 14mm wide angle I want though I guess I'll be worrying about distortions a lot more, and if it's an old lense then I'll have to correct in software as the camera functions would not work with that old lense.

Thinking about what people have been saying on white balance - I support the view that even in RAW its a good idea to get as close as you can when shooting. One example is daylight setting compared to AWB, where generally 'daylight' reproduces the greens and blues we see naturally more faithfully. I also have found it is not always easy to achieve the ideal WB in software, with every different converter offering differnt tools and approaches.

I have never found a simple Hue & Temp slider arrangement satisfactory.Other converters try other approaches - has anyone tried Lightzone with its 'colour wheel'? My favourite at the moment is Sagelight 4.2, which offers a sometimes bewildering array of controls, but they often interact, giving you more subtlety and very fine control. For example, in the 'Pro (Auto) Colour Balance' section, you have a 'tint' slider that really combines Hue & Temp, but that is coupled with a 'Strength' and 'Saturation' slider. Setting a higher strength first, then getting the tones and intensity right (it looks overdone), then you just reduce the strengh of the adjustments to the natural level with the strength slider going back down again.

Anyway, thanks for the advice all, much appreciated....

Thanks everyone, great to be welcomed here. I was very taken with your suggestion, Pentaxophile, of the Samyang 14mm, which has got a positive recommendation on lenstip.com link, and its so reasonable that I am very tempted.

Has anyone had any experience with this lense? Sounds like this brand are finding their feet somewhat, but they seem to have landed nicely with this particular lense. The Fotoxen online store lists it as having an 'A' setting for Pentax, which would certainly make life easier than an older 'M' series generation lense. Would love to hear any user feedback on it if anyone has tried one.

This has all kicked off nicely. Thanks for all the ideas everybody. If I could summarise what I have gained regarding the original CA / DC question :

It appears that what we are saying is that the processing that occurs in camera with these functions active (as evident by the slower display on the LCD) is only being applied to the embedded jpg, and is not recorded with the RAW file. So for me at present, even though I have these functions on, I am not getting any Chrom Abberation or Distortion Correction on my photos.

If I want to have these corrections I can open the RAWs in Pentax Camera Utility (or another Converter software that supports the lenses such as Lightroom)and apply them manually. I believe people are saying that the in camera processed settings cannot be automatically applied to the RAWs in the software? If this is so, it seems odd to me that Pentax allow the settings to activate when the camera is set to record RAW only - surely there is no point in having these corrections applied to a jpg preview that will only be seen on a 3 inch screen?

I'll get the disc out again and try the Pentax software for this. I was interested in what Smeggy said about the storing of the correction settings after editing in a RAW converter - ACR allows for either the data to be written to the main file or in a seperate sidecar, but I understood that the recorded settings would only be for the specific adjustment parameters that each particular RAW converter has (eg vibrance, clarity, luminance noise etc); therefore when reopening the RAW file in that same converter the software will just reset all the sliders as recorded, effectivly reprosessing the file again.

I am not aware that this settings data would have any affect in a different converter - each new converter you open the file in will start off with its default profiles until you change the sliders, then those changes are recorded just as in the previous software.

(Continued - Sorry)

in which case would the file open in Pentax Utility with the settings applied from the camera as default - if not, there would be no point in having the camera set for these functions when shooting RAW at all??

But I also understand from what you explained that you can make the corrections in the Utility software anyway - is this the case even if the functions had not been active on the camera when shooting?

Many thanks Peter & David

I don't use lightroom, so I may have to reinstall Pentax Utility for these corrections only.

But I am a bit confused - I have not found that the continuous shooting is affected by having the CA and DC active - only that the display of the image is slower. If shooting a burst the camera responds instantly but then takes the extra time to display the final image of the burst.

And if the corrections are not applied in camera (as you said Peter, nothing is processed in RAW), then what is the camera doing that takes this extra time with these functions active? Is it calculating the settings and storing them in the metadata for the file - in which case would

Thanks people - I was thinking about one of the really old wide primes, but they are obviously hugely rare. The DA15 LTD - is that a current lense? Because of the focal length I didn't think auto focus would be important, so the older ones looked like a good option, although I wonder if I should be concerned about using them on a DSLR in terms of the lack of coatings and other digital optimisations that newer lenses have?

Of course I could splash out on a Zoom - the Pentax ones look pricey - any experience of using the Sigma or Tamron offerings?

Hello, I'm a new Pentax user (I've introduced myself in the 'Just Joined' section.)

I have a K7, and I wondered if there was any advice on Chromatic Abberation (and lens distortion) correction when using the 18-55 WR zoom. I've read the manual and the Magic Lantern Guide Book, but they don't cover this detail.

I am aware that when these functions are active the processing is carried out in the camera after image capture (because it takes extra time to display the photo on the LCD). So I am assuming that for RAW (I shoot DNG) the data is calculated and written to the file.

What I do not understand is whether the processing is applied automatically at capture (ie: it would be effective and visable with the DNG when opening in any converter program in the default state(I mostly use Sagelight)), or whether it is just data in an unapplied state and therefore needs to be activated using a converter program. As none of my RAW converters have options for activating Chrom Abb or Distortion correction, I guess this could be done in the Pentax Utility Software?
I tried this converter but for general image adjustment I found it somewhat lacking. But if I need it to appy the corrections I'm talking about then I'll have to reinstall it just for this.

Obviously it would be preferable if the corrections were applied in camera and already active on the photos when opened in any converter, but I cannot see any information on this in the manual or guide book.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated!

Hello, I am posting for the first time, and I will ask a question also in the SLR forum about Chrom Abberation for RAW files.

I was a Canon film SLR user for a few years, and always assumed that when changing to digital it would obviously be better to get a Canon body and use my lenses on it. But that was wrong! I spent a few weeks in and out of shops toying with various Canon bodies and kit lens combinations, and was constantly frustrated at the price / feature pros and cons. None of them seemed just 'right', and expensive.

Then by chance I picked up a K7 with the 18-55 WR zoom in a Jessops shop thinking I would be putting it down again straight away - well, I didn't want to put it down, thats for sure. Feature by feature it blew away the competition. And all for less money that a 600D with a basic lens! A 'no-brainer' situation.

Since then I found an 'A' series 28mm prime and the 'M' f4 (constant) 75 - 150mm secondhand and I'm a happy chappy. Amazing to be using a lens like the 'M' zoom, setting the aperture on the lens and stop down metering - all very grown up! So I'm a true convert - all my Canon kit will be traded in as soon as I find a dealer with a good wide angle 14mm or 15mm prime (probably I'd be lucky).

Thankyou Pentax.