My K3 Experience

[pinholecam]

Have tried MF before n its really good. But I can't afford the many zeros to pay for it.

Actually, for your needs, its actually cheaper than mine.

I was in Jpn recently, 645D 2nd hand is about $5K, 645Z about $9K+ new.
Could have bit the bullet with the 645D, but I am a generalist shooter, so I will need a wide lens for landscape and that would be a $5K 28-45mm, not including other lenses.
So too expensive in total.

For your main focus on portraits, its better, DA55; FA120; FA150; or the FA zooms, all are cheap $300-$500 2nd hand prices.


Flash sync is slow though (1/125).
I have far too many 135 format lenses anyway to switch up.

 

[HTC One X]

This week was the first that I pulled the SD card outta the K-3 and popped it into LR. I'm finding the images soft and high ISO stuff noisy. I don't reckon it's the lens but am hard pressed to figure out what is wrong...

I have read something about ISO being worser than the K-5 series bodies but some of the stuff at ISO6400 looks terrible... Do I turn NR off and PP the RAW files? Is there any other way?

I would concur with you. I do get them sometimes and at one pt of time i wondered if it was the AA filter simulator that was faulty. Eventually i figured its due to the lens you use and also the conditions you shoot under. And when you get it right with the right lenses the images are stunningly detailed. Well an excuse for you to get all the DA*s

 

[SyncGuy]

What brand??? I curious ...

Fuji lo.. Take any camera out there and just fire off their onboard flash.. In low light or not, damn balanced.. How they do it I also dunno.

Always thought it has got to do with it being mirrorless but the other I tried with the A7 and em-1, still look like flash being used..

But anyway, for the general masses, it's a plus point..

 

[SyncGuy]

Actually, for your needs, its actually cheaper than mine.

I was in Jpn recently, 645D 2nd hand is about $5K, 645Z about $9K+ new.
Could have bit the bullet with the 645D, but I am a generalist shooter, so I will need a wide lens for landscape and that would be a $5K 28-45mm, not including other lenses.
So too expensive in total.

For your main focus on portraits, its better, DA55; FA120; FA150; or the FA zooms, all are cheap $300-$500 2nd hand prices.

Flash sync is slow though (1/125).
I have far too many 135 format lenses anyway to switch up.

Yea.. Agree with you.. I also wish to get it with only the standard 75mm lens..

Poseur, Jia you!

 

[poseur]

Flash sync is slow though (1/125).
I have far too many 135 format lenses anyway to switch up.

1/125 sync speed is more then enough. Pair with an ND 3 or ND 6. You can achieve "HSS" similar results shooting wide open.

 

[SyncGuy]

1/125 sync speed is more then enough. Pair with an ND 3 or ND 6. You can achieve "HSS" similar results shooting wide open.

Yep! With K3 AF system, which is similarly used in the 645Z, no worries about darkened VF..

If not, just use VND, like how I do for my lousy K30 AF system..

 

[GSiGuy]

Ah... I see... Maybe try convert it to b&w then.. Or just don't print those images at A4 size.. Standard 4R can liao..

Remember, photographers usually look at pixels whereas viewers always look at the picture.

Could you post a pic or two for us to see?

I'll try and get some up tonight. Yeah that's what i did for some of the pics. Covert to B&W and leave the graininess in.

Firstly, are you sure your shots are in focus?
Next, K3 pixel density is not K5 pixel density, basically, you are 'zooming' in more that on a 16mp file, so when ppl make that statement that K3 100% worse than K5, of course it is, different level of 'zoom in'.
The K3 file downsampled to the size of the K5 file will have an advantage over the latter.
RAW is also what it is, RAW, so you will need to set the appropriate settings (usually sharpening and NR, as well as exposure and contrast (light/dark levels) )

I am not sure what you are getting, so could be user expectation, user error, etc.

Better to post some photos.

Thanks, Pinholecam! Yes, i think part of the problem was that I did not take into account that the "zoom-in" at 1:1 is more than with a 16MP file. I kinda suspected that may be the case (although too lazy to compare with some of my K-30 pics on LR) but now that you have mentioned it, this is quite likely the case.

I've turned NR totally off now. From photouniverse's video, he had claimed better results.

I do however wonder if "upping" the sharpening will affect RAW files? If so, maybe there is benefit to be had...

Also, does updating my LR version so that it includes K-3 profile help at all?

 

[GSiGuy]

I would concur with you. I do get them sometimes and at one pt of time i wondered if it was the AA filter simulator that was faulty. Eventually i figured its due to the lens you use and also the conditions you shoot under. And when you get it right with the right lenses the images are stunningly detailed. Well an excuse for you to get all the DA*s

Errrr... actually most of my pics i'm scrutinising were taken with a DA*16-50...:dunno:

 

[felixcat8888]

Errrr... actually most of my pics i'm scrutinising were taken with a DA*16-50...:dunno:

I had the same issue as you when I first started using the K3 and I thought it was the K3's problem. I had to AF tune my lenses and it become sharp again.

DA*16-50 - +10
Sigma 70-200 - +10
FA43 - +3
FA77 - +3
FA*85 - +6

Try it and you will be surprised by the end results

 

[GSiGuy]

I had the same issue as you when I first started using the K3 and I thought it was the K3's problem. I had to AF tune my lenses and it become sharp again.

DA*16-50 - +10
Sigma 70-200 - +10
FA43 - +3
FA77 - +3
FA*85 - +6

Try it and you will be surprised by the end results

Thanks! I'll try that!

 

[pinholecam]

I'll try and get some up tonight. Yeah that's what i did for some of the pics. Covert to B&W and leave the graininess in.



Thanks, Pinholecam! Yes, i think part of the problem was that I did not take into account that the "zoom-in" at 1:1 is more than with a 16MP file. I kinda suspected that may be the case (although too lazy to compare with some of my K-30 pics on LR) but now that you have mentioned it, this is quite likely the case.

I've turned NR totally off now. From photouniverse's video, he had claimed better results.

I do however wonder if "upping" the sharpening will affect RAW files? If so, maybe there is benefit to be had...

Also, does updating my LR version so that it includes K-3 profile help at all?

Yes, better to have latest updated profile.
Even though its supposed to be DNG, its not optimized for the camera unless you have the latest profile.

I don't think NR off and sharpening settings will affect the RAW.


The files will benefit from a low level detail sharpening first when converting from RAW to JPG.
This accentuates fine details (though AA filtered sensors benefit more here) , to be more easily picked out by a later sharpening program and/or leave the 'gross' sharpening to be done later at the JPG presentation stage.


There is also chance of focus accuracy so you may want to do some bench tests.

 

[poseur]

Yea.. Agree with you.. I also wish to get it with only the standard 75mm lens..

Poseur, Jia you!

Don't add oil me...unless someone add $$$ to my wallet....lol

 

[felixcat8888]

Don't add oil me...unless someone add $$$ to my wallet....lol

No oil but we add fire and sauce. kekeke

 

[pentriot]

My recent trip to Korea.
Not so good for pics due to the greyish weather & timing.

 

[felixcat8888]

My recent trip to Korea.
Not so good for pics due to the greyish weather & timing.

I like the 2nd photo, with the light streaks