K5 Reversal Film

[Ron Kruger]

Here's a shot I got this afternoon with the Reversal Film mode. What do you all think?

[blackcloudbrew]

Nice intense colors. I like this look. Actually, it looks like your look.

[tcom]

Wow, excellent saturation on the colors and great clarity.

[spyglass]

T-man, I am confused    is the mode really called Reversal Film mode? I use to use reversal film in my darkroom to make a transparent positive of negative. "Disa no looka likea my olda filma" 



Spyglass

[Ron Kruger]

Thanks for the comments. I have no idea why they call it "Reversal" Film, except that the old positive film was often refered to as reversal, and this does remind me a lot of Kodachrome. Heck guys, it reminds me of K25. Prints even better than it looks on screen.
So far it seems that using it depends upon the light. The softer the light the nicer the effect. In strong light, it is easy to go over the top, and this shot might be tipping a bit, even though this shot was taken about two hours before dark. Would have liked to wait another hour or so, but had the nag with me. Can't wait to use it early and late on fall colors, sunsets.
Got some good results with it a few days ago in cloudy conditions too, where more saturation is a good thing.
I love it: like running into a long lost friend. I'll bet Paul Simon likes it too.
Camera Utility 4 is cool, too, because with single clicks, you can run through the nine program modes for any shot to choose the best for the lighting--and not just for the K5. I can apply all the same effects to RAW images from my K10D as well, which is like having a powerful upgrade for all older models.

[Mike Pearson]

Definitely a Kodak moment 

Mike

[Mike Pearson]

Ron,

I'm using Camera Utility 4.33 - where did you fine the 9 alternatives? It's probably right under my nose and I'm just having a seniors moment 

Mike

[Ron Kruger]

Mike: First you need to click on a RAW file to put it in the main viewer (won't work on JPEGs), then click on "Custom" on the left top (next to Lab and Browser). On the right top, click on "Custom Image." Just below that is a pull-down menu into which "Camera Settings" is the default. Clicking the down arrow to the side will give you a menu with a great deal of options.

[Mike Pearson]

Thanks Ron for the help - yes I was having a senior's moment with a JPEG open 

Mike

[Ron Kruger]

I am really impressed with PCU4 and am glad I shot RAW will all my digital cameras. I went back and retrieved a foggy creek shot with fall colors I took a couple of years ago and applied Reversal Film to it. The increased color richness and darker shadows are the perfect treatment for sunlit fog. This treatment captures the fog and the glowing foliage the way it actually looked in early light. The first one is the K20D shot that I spent considerable PP time on. The second is one touch in PCU4.

[blackcloudbrew]

I'm liking this thread and your results as well. This isn't a setting I use - so far - but I'm going to be re-examining this a bit too in my work. Thanks.

One LightRoom setting that seems a bit like this is the 'Direct Positive' preset. I use it but I really didn't understand it (other than how it looks). I found this article on it that demonstrates the look. http://rambleon.org/2007/...ightroom-direct-positive/ In some ways, it's kinda similar to your reversal film look.

Earl

[Ron Kruger]

Yes, I would think the Direct Positive preset in LR is very similar. However, from testing various PP softwares (including LR), I came to the conclusion that most of them are designed with Canon and Nikon in mind, especially when it comes to RAW conversions, so while LR may apply similar parameters in Direct Positive as the Pentax designed Reversal Film, I wonder if the end product might be slightly different. That's the kind of thing I found in previous test comparisons.
An interesting comparison would be the same RAW file, such as the opening fishing scene also processed with Direct Positive, then posted side-by-side for comparions. If you are willing, I'll email the RAW file to you to convert in LR. You can then email the JPEG back to me, and I'll resize it to post with the opening version.
Reversal Film is a speciality shooting/processing mode to enhance those soft lighting situations, and I plan to use it to add some pop and pazaz to those scenes. One thing I found most interesting about the old K20D conversion, is it not only added drama to the scene, but enhanced detail as well. I don't know if it is actually sharper, or the wider gaument of light and dark areas brings out more detail to the eye, without all those "shadow details" distracting the mind's eye.

[Ron Kruger]

By the way, in PCU4, below the nine program modes, are 16 picture modes that also can be applied to the RAW file, just as if it were shot that way in camera. I'm really loving this software, because with what I do, the less PP I do the more photo and design editors like it. My goal for a long time has been to get it right (or as close as possible) at time of capture. These options give me a second chance, after the fact, to get it right at time of capture, because any of the parameters applied to the RAW image before conversion to JPEG are the same as if it were shot that way originally. It essence, it is changing camera settings via the computer, as one might tethered.
On another site, someone posted about a aftermarket guide to the K5. I would like a detailed book about PCU4, explaining exactly what all these options do.