Pentax K-x White High ISO Test Shots

2009-12-02
pentax k-x high iso test shots
I spent my first weekend with Pentax K-x White using my Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5. By default in jpg, noise reduction (NR) is set to Medium and NR kicks in at iso 800 and above. I snapped few pictures while my sweetie took a break in the barber shop where we meet Bear Bear with camera again.

1/100 sec, f/4.0, 58mm, iso 800, 0 Ev
no flash, no processing
pentax k-x high iso test shots

1/125 sec, f/4.5 wide open, 70mm, iso 800
no flash, no pp
pentax k-x high iso test shots


1/80 sec, f/4.0, 37mm, iso 400
My Boys in background

pentax k-x high iso test shots


cropped a bit to get closer, some lighting adjustment for backlit
should have brought in an external flash
1/125 sec, f/4.5 wide open, 70mm, iso 400

pentax k-x high iso test shots

I will hopefully find time to test the K-x on macro as I wonder if the missing of red dot in obtaining AF will be a problem in K-x. The normal shooting seems an non issue. But in MF, I always rely on the red dot for the position on the flower in close up. I have to see how easy it goes. I tried out the LiveView in K-x and I was disappointed at first with K-x just like my K20D. I later find that LiveView, though slow and loud in AF, actually works quite nicely on overhead shot as in event shooting people from a higher point at a angle pointing downwards. LV may have improved in K-x when compared to K20D.

I don't think you can trust my samples as I do shoot in plain jpg. Here is a shot in iso 6400 with DA 40mm f/2.8 in f/5.0 with default Medium NR


iso 6400, NR default in Medium

pentax k-x high iso test shots

I am perhaps really the last person you should ask for test photos. I am never a test chart kind of guy. I despise all the pixel peeping kind of technical details. I shoot pictures the same way as my best friend Javier does on his street_vision. Jpg's are my buddy as I have no time for post processing -- my lame excuses. Just few of the test shots in original high resolution exported into my website for your references. All are shot hand-held with Pentax K-x and DA 40mm f/2.8 limited

The name of the files are pretty much self explanatory. The iso 6400 with medium NR that I posted above is the 5th one with name for

  • iso6400_f5_0_medium_nr.jpg
And focus is on the white picture frame with my picture Love and Affection In Color that was shot with Pentax DA 50-200mm f/4.0-5.6 with Pentax K10D.

My forum buddy
Somanna asked a question about the printing with picture frames. I used my $80 all-in-one printer with Canon mp 360 with Epson utlra-premium paper. This is not something to be followed as I think you can do way better with online printing with smugsmug and other well known places. If you are interested in occasional printing at home, I recommend reading up on Canon MP990 and Canon MP980 types of printers with very good scanning even for 35mm films. A review link from imaging-resource
Impressions & Notes
  • Pentax K-x is excellent in high iso noise handling. I can safely trust it to shoot cleanly in iso 3200 and when in doubt needed, I will boldly push it to iso 6400 and rely on post processing to deal with noise
  • Details are outstanding in 1600 and good in iso 3200 and manageable in 6400. With my personal experience with K20D which is quite good in noise handling as compared to K10D. I can trust it to be clean up to iso 1600. With K-x, I can count on it to be quite clean in 3200 and subject to later studies, I have confidence in shooting iso 6400 when in doubt the scene dictates the necessity
  • The K-x with DA 40mm f/2.8 limited is an ideal combo for traveling light.
  • The DA-L lens is quite improved from the 1st version that I used with K100D.
  • Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 still stays as my go-to 1 lens choice in walk-around. It works well with the K-x in a small form factor

Related:

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

woohoo I feel famous for being mentioned in your blog!
In regards to your statement about having an external flash for that shot of Bear Bear, did you try using the pop up flash? I find my k10d's is sufficient enough just for fill flash, where I dial it down some. I have a af360, but I barely use it, and when I do, it's for bouncing or wireless. Speaking of, do you know if the Kx has the wireless control?
-Somanna

street_vision said...

Hin, I too feel blessed to be mentioned. :) A buddy of mine just got a K-X and I got the chance to use it for about 1/2 hour today and no kidding. The high ISO performance is something to behold. I have it about 1/2 to a full stop better that the K20D and atleast 2 stops better than the K-7...The lack of an LCD screen really bothers me though as well as a confirmation light in the view finder. Aside from that, it is quite the cam!

David Wong said...

Hin,
Is the missing focus confirmation an issue for you?
My DL does not offer this feature, and that's one thing I don't like about it.

Anonymous said...

I thought it wasn't necessarily a "focus" confirmation but just a selection red light. I believe there is a separate focus confirmation indicator....?
-Somanna

David Wong said...

Oops, you are right, I meant to say Focus selection or Focus point, not focus confirmation.

Andrew said...

lime green!
http://tokyocamerastyle.com/post/280211443/shimokitazawa-pentax-k-x-there-are-a-few-digital

Unknown said...

Levels of details, image quality, noise, features - I love everything about this little gem.

r4 dsi

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Welcome to Hin's Photo Corner, this is my learning blog on photography, blogging and advertising. And I hope you enjoy your visit. For contact, please comment in blog post or email me directly hintheman at gmail.com.

 

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