K5, low light--it's not just better ISO

[Ron Kruger]

There's something different about the way the K5 handles colors and contrasts in low light shooting, regardless the ISO. The woodduck was at 800 ISO, f-3.2, 500th sec, 200mm, complete overcast, but still produced vivid colors. I suspect it has more to do with the expanded DR than ISO, as evidenced in this challenging shot of otters playing. This one was ISO 400, 125th sec, f-2.8, 200mm.
At any rate, the more I use the K5 the more I'm learning how I can push it and still maintain excellent IQ. Quite a camera.

[Pacerr]

No fair, Ron. You used to be the LOW ISO advocate and now you're trolling with fine ISO 800 images out'a that new K5 like a sleazy used car salesman.  You're bustin' my chops here, pal.  I don' NEED a K5.

H2

[davidhampshire]

wow,   nice of the wood duck sitting on land like that,    ron,    hadn't realized they had those colors on their breast ,     excellent shot;     dave

[davidhampshire]

pacerr,   you need a k-5 or three....  you don't know what you're missing if you haven't got at least one.    dave

[Ron Kruger]

Thanks Dave.
Hank: I still shoot everything at the lowest ISO possible. It is the first thing I lower if I can and the last thing I raise if I must, so the vast majority of the time, I use ISO 80.
The P&S DSLR guys don't seem to notice that images get flatter and duller with each bump of ISO. I do find 800 acceptable on the K5, just as I found 400 acceptable on the K20D and 200 acceptable on the K10D, but I still don't find these higher ISOs desirable, especially for large prints and publications.
My point here is that I think the expanded DR is actually more important than the expanded ISO capabilities of the K5. Dark animals, such as otters, beavers and crows are most difficult, and I really doubt I could have gotten as good a shot of the otters here at 400 ISO with my K20D at 100 ISO.
However, when I have good light, which is the paramont component I chase for any shot, I still feel quite satisfied with the total preformance of the K10D at 100 ISO and use it without hesitation or thoughts about changing lenses on my K5.
No matter what I'm shooting, or shooting with, there's still no substitute for good light and low ISOs.

[davidhampshire]

ron,   don't you think that the k-5 is excellent just for the whole user experience with it?     you probably don't use as many of the features that i may,  since you know what you are doing,   but still,   just the feel of the camera,   together with the iso ,   and that  expanded down to 80,   i'd buy ten more of these if i could,    not that pacerr really needs one,  but he'd like the camera.      dave

[blackcloudbrew]

David, I agree with you the that K5 is just excellent. While I can't do it now, I have actually considered buying another K5 body as I usually shoot with multiple cameras and my K20d is just not as good a friend anymore.

[Pacerr]

Yeah, well, I'm not too proud to entertain offers if anyone's in the mood to swap a K5 body for three of my K200D's, a K100DS and a *istDS body. I'd even sweeten the pot with a few classic Super Taks and/or SMC-M's or a medium format Mamiya M645 or TLR film kit.  

(But did ya ya notice how Ron's gradually slidin' down that slippery ISO slope toward a 12 MP confession? Who knows, 'e may already be a closet speed-freak case!  )

H2

[blackcloudbrew]

Quite honestly, Ron has always impressed me as someone who does things for hard specific reasons. He has said he switched from Nikon to Pentax because of the 'Pentax look.' He got a K10d because he felt that the sensor gave him better color. He is learning more about how to utilize the K5's abilities than I may ever learn. I respect that and I respect that he is a pro (although clearly he stages his fish and game shots...) and knows what sells and what he wants. So he can slip a bit down that slippery ISO slope all he wants in my book. I'll keep learning from him.

[Pacerr]

In all seriousness, having spent time with Ron, I've no doubt that if he chooses to use higher ISO's and specific gear it will be to excellent effect, for well considered reasons and after careful experimentation.

H2

[Ron Kruger]

Well, I'm overwhelmed. But here's the truth about "staging" shots: any shot that is not set up or "staged" in some way is just an average snapshot with no "photographic vison" or real "creativity."
I don't have a lot of equipment, so I develop an intimate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of every lens and body. For me, they are tools, not toys.
I'm a long way from discovering all the strengths and limits of the K5, and the PP latitude of RAW images from it, but I have been very impressed with it and CPU4 so far.

[Pacerr]

Not so fast there, buddy. There's still that issue of rented fish!  

[Ron Kruger]

One of my biggest challenges, is I usually have to catch a good fish myself and then hand it to my unaccomplished partner to take a picture of it and him/her. In fact, I usually have to tell those "models" with no real experience how one acts when landing a good fish.

[Pacerr]

Oooo, stabbed with my own sword -- an' photo evidence to boot!  

At least you cropped the Styrofoam cooler with the rental store stickers out'a the pix!  

H2

[blackcloudbrew]

And the K-mart tags off your clothes too, no doubt.