Damn You, Sigma DP2m

I should have never borrowed the Sigma DP2m from my brother. I was quite happy in my ignorance, shooting what I thought were very nice Pentax lenses on very nice Pentax bodies. But then I made the mistake of borrowing the Sigma and running a little backyard test against my brandy spankin' new Pentax K-3 mated with the very nice FA31mm F1.8 Limited. The Sigma had bested the 16 megapickle K-01 with the FA31 (I used the K-01 instead of the K-5 because of the allegedly weaker AA filter). I thought that the K-3, with extra megapickles and without an AA filter would draw closer to the DP2m, but to be honest, it wasn't close.

Pentax K-3 Graded Cat Test.

So I graded the cat this morning to see what I could pull from the K-3's video. One of the lessons that I've learned with the Panasonic GH2 is that if you want to grade the shot in post then it's best to shoot flat, turning down sharpness, saturation, and contrast in camera, and then adding it back in (with more control and on color calibrated monitors) in post. So that's what I've done here with the K-3. Watch:



Some observations:

1. Overall the K-3 file looks quite nice here and grades pretty readily.
2. I underexposed the shot on purpose in the hopes of not blowing out the white fur. As a result, the darks are a bit crushed; the camera appears to have less exposure range with video.
3. The whiskers and the fur sharpen up quite nicely.
4. I really like the FA43.

Overall, it's a promising performance. The K-3 seems to be doing ok with close up work. I've been less enamored with subjects at a greater distance, but there's more testing to do there before coming to any conclusions.

Testing the RICOH PENTAX K-3 HD Video Image Stabilization (AKA Shake Reduction, SR)

Went for a walk with the new K-3 this weekend to test out some of its video capabilities, specifically to see if digital image stabilization (SR) was useful on a monopod. Here are some sample shots:

Pentax K-3 Unboxed With Words

Cool COOL COOL! It’s here earlier than I expected. OMG I’m just glad that I was here to receive the package instead of being out to lunch or having something resembling a normal life out there in the world. And I’m sick of hitting refresh on the UPS tracking screen. Thank you Mr. UPS guy!

Quick, where’s my box opener?! Wait, should I set up the camera and record a video? Screw that, I wanna see this puppy. I guess I could just record a second unboxing later. But that would be kind of cheating, right? Whatever, let’s get this baby opened!

A Reason to Shoot RAW

Sample files of the new Pentax K-3 are now being released to the Internets. Imaging Resource does a great job of taking test photos under controlled conditions for the pixel peepers to pore over. And while I'm a proponent of the idea that the greatest variable in any photograph opportunity is the photographer itself, I get caught up in the 100% pixel peeping war like everyone else.

And so I was a little worried when I compared the new K-3 to the older Pentax K-5iis and Nikon D600, looking at a particular patch of red fabric that's particularly challenging. At ISO1600, it looked like the K-3 was blurring the subtle reds into one:



But then I took a deep breath and five minutes to download the ISO1600 RAW from the Pentax K-3:



Phew, that was close! Looks like the detail is still there in the RAW file.

Pentax K-3: The RAW Video Bubble is Burst

We've received word from John Carlsson, Senior Marketing Manager at Ricoh Imaging USA. No RAW video. Read my lips. No RAW video. Well, it was fun while it lasted.

Pentax K-3: Can it Capture the Hearts and Minds of Budding Cinematographers?

The above is a screengrab from DVXUser.com, a popular video forum. While they've got plenty of sections on ENG style video cams and such, they've also got a booming HDSLR section featuring the front-runners in the space–Panasonic, Canon, and Nikon. Sony's got it's own section for everything from the prosumer NEX to their full-framed F series video cameras.

Where's Pentax?

Every once in a while a Pentax thread will show up in the HDSLR- General / Other section, but not very often. And if you step outside of the Pentax bubble to see if anyone else is talking about the video capabilities of the new K-3, you'll see that absolutely nobody is discussing it on DVXUser.com. Likewise, there's no mention on DVInfo.net, another popular hangout. EOSHD.com does have a thread about the K-3 rumored RAW video, but people aren't holding their breath.

Back in the Pentax bubble there's a lot of chatter about the K-3's video capabilities, and with good reason; it's the first Pentax that takes video seriously. But if DVXUser.com and other online hangouts are any indication, it will take a lot more than competence to win the hearts and minds of budding cinematographers. It will take something cool, a killer app, like RAW video.

Let's hope the spec sheet is right.

Pentax K-3: I totally don't want this camera. Not only is it ugly, but it probably takes crap photos and video.

Pentax K-3: Is Pentax finally getting serious about video?

So here are some leaked shots of the upcoming Pentax K-3, the new APS-C flagship.

Of particular note is the headphone jack and lever to switch between stills and video modes. This last piece is particularly interesting, as most cameras have a video selector on the mode dial. That way works, but selecting between Program Mode, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual Mode is often a menu dive away. A separate Stills/Video lever makes it easy to switch between any of these modes while shooting videos or stills. Nice. It would have been nicer still to have this control near the mode dial and thus have all of the primary decision points in one place, but we'll take that as progress.

The headphone jack is nice too, something that all but a few makers have chosen to exclude. But the most interesting thing for me is this bit of info from the leaked specs:

Until recently, shooting video was like shooting JPEGs - you better get things right in the camera. A small handful of prosumer cameras now offer RAW shooting; hopefully Pentax is joining the fray. We'll have to wait and see of course, as the difference between specs and reality is often great...

Cracks in the Facade

And so a scant few days after posting the rumored Pentax K-3, I find myself wondering it it's time to move away from the Pentax K-mount. A number of things have happened in the last six months to bring me to this point. One, I've really grown to like the Nikon V1 and am considering further investment in the Nikon 1 system. At first, I bought it as a rig camera, taking some nice intervalometer photos in Maine. Then I promoted it to second camera on my trip to Ontario. And it did well. I shoot with a very flat picture profile, which makes out of the camera RAW files looks kind of "meh", but the files handle pretty aggressive post processing without falling to pieces.

And then the big test came; I brought it on my last VT dual sport trip as the first camera (I also had a Panasonic GH2 along for video and backup). And the V1 did great. No, the image quality isn't at the level of the Pentax K-5, particularly when you push even a smidge beyond ISO400. And it doesn't have much DOF. And the zooms are on the slow end. And so on and so on. But I know that I can get magazine worthy files from this little machines, and I know that the platform will only improve as sensor technology improves and Nikon sees fit to develop more interesting lenses. To that end I've looked at second bodies and just purchased the SB-N7 Speedlight. If I just add the 6.7-13mm wide angle zoom, I'll have the ultimate small camera motorcycle travel kit.

So where does that leave the Pentax K-5 or the upcoming K-3? I'm not shooting events as much as I used to, so a DSLR is not high on my priority list. I'm using smaller sensor cameras to give me telephoto reach, and as I wrote recently, I'm enjoying the small zooms of the smaller formats. I don't think that I'll ever give up having a DSLR completely as they are such good workhorses, but they seem to be moving to the back of the shelf in terms of getting used.

And if I'm going to keep one, maybe I should get one whose lenses can be shared. Maybe I should go back to....Nikon. I started shooting more seriously with a D70 back in 2004 after all. And if I choose my lenses well, I can use them on a Nikon DSLR and on the Nikon 1 with the adapter and also on the GH2 with another adapter. A tri-fecta if there ever was one.

In a perfect, rational world, that is what I should do. Then why do I hesitate?

Is this the new Pentax K-3?

The rumor mill is on overdrive right now, speculating about the highly-anticipated (to Pentaxicans at least) K-5 replacement. Everyone's been calling it the K-3 assuming that the number four bears some taboo in Japan, and this early spy photo suggests that will be the name.

But looky here, is the K-3 really smaller than the K-5 and its successors K-5ii/s??? Did the engineers at Ricoh Pentax manage to fit more goodness in a smaller package? Wow.

Mind you, it doesn't look a ton smaller, but when you think of it's competitors like the Canon 7D and Nikon D300 (both long overdue for a refresh, unless they're effectively replaced by the budget full frame cameras of their respective marques), the K-5 was already a welterweight amongst heavyweights. And now this, the K-3 looks to be a middleweight!

Alas, the camera is likely to still be considered large by the current mirrorless fans of cameras from Olympus and Sony. But the K-3–if it follows the natural order of things and represents an improvement over the already very good K-5iis–can off faultless ergonomics. And when compared to the Panasonic GH3 it should be able to offer better still image quality, although I'd be surprised if it even got close to the GH3's class leading video capabilities. It's taken Panasonic three generations to get where it is; it's not likely that Pentax will leapfrog them.

The most natural competitor that I'd see the K-3 up against is, oddly enough, the Fuji X-Pro1. After all, they are both APS-C interchangeable lens cameras supported by some pretty sweet primes. If you've ever held an X-Pro1, you know how surprisingly large they are. Likely larger than the K-3. But they are lighter, and at the end of the day, users aren't likely cross-shopping the two as they offer two very different shooting experiences. And from what I've seen, you've got your SLR people and your rangefinder people, and never the 'twain shall meet.

Let's see what the next few days bring. Bring it on, Pentax!

UPDATE: Some sharp knives over at PentaxForums.com have pointed out the risk of using the green ring of the DA18-135. That ring, you see, is likely several inches away from the body, and unless the two cameras are photographed the same focal length there may be distortion that changes the relative sizes of the lens vs. the body. So, the K-3 may be similar in size to the K-5 after all. We'll just have to wait and see. Wouldn't be a bad thing.

Roadtrip with a 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

I'm currently down in Hatteras NC (OBX) with a 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. Hyundai was kind enough to loan us the car for a one week review, and our first thought was, "let's put some miles on this puppy." So we filled the tank in NJ and 13 hours and 481 miles later we were at the Seaside Inn. And the tank wasn't empty! We averaged nearly 42MPG and stopped for everything but gas - food, ice cream, bathrooms, photo ops. I don't think I've ever driven a car with that much range.

In any case, one of the bags was filled with camera gear, a rolling case from jLab (no, I've never heard of them either) that I poached from Groupon for like $30. Score! The bag's got the following:

• Panasonic GH2 with 12-35 F2.8
• Nikon 1 V1 with 10-30, 30-110, 10/28, and 18/1.8 lenses
• Panasonic LX-7
• Pentax Q with 5-15 and 01 Standard Prime
• Pentax K-01 with FA43
• Merlin Steadicam 2
• Switronix TorchLED light
• small reflector
• chargers, batteries, memory cards
• Apple Macbook Pro
• Apple iPad
• the kitchen sink

The Panasonic LX7 and Nikon 1 have gotten the most use so far; they are just so small and convenient that they always end up in our backpack. The review is for NewMotor, a digital publication, so the highest resolution that we're going to need is for an iPad with Retina Display, 2048 by 1536 pixels. The LX7 and Nikon 1 will be able to handle that no problem; heck nearly all digital cams will be able to handle that.

I feel a bit guilty about bringing the Pentaxes along, or to be more precise, about leaving them behind. They're both great cameras but a luxury for this project. I guess that it's one of those things where if you've got a big bag you'll be sure to fill it. I think I'll bring out the FA43 today; that lens needs a workout...

Flowers + Rainy Day = Rainy Day Flower Photos

A Pentax K-5 with the DA* 50-135mm F2.8, a Panasonic GH1 with the 100-300mm F4.0-5.6, and the Pentax Q with the 02 Zoom were used to create these photos. Can you guess which is which?

The Day in Which a Panasonic LX7 and Pentax Q Pretend That They are GoPros

I brought a Panasonic LX7 and a Pentax Q to a recent automotive press event where I got to test drive a number of electric and hybrid cars (along with some hooning in a Miata and wicked looking matte grey Hyundai Veloster Turbo). A Nissan GTR, Chevy Camaro Hot Wheels Edition, Cadillac CTS-V and a passel of Rolls Royce and Jaguar convertibles where also on hand but I avoided driving them. Ignorance is bliss, right?

The New Normals

Back in the 70s (when having a big bushy mustache wasn't ironic), the standard kit of most budding photographers included a SLR without the "D" mated with a fast 50. It was F2.0 if you were on a budget, F1.7 if you ate cheese sandwiches for a week, and an F1.4 if you just got that big promotion.* With some change rattling in your piggy bank, you'd save up for a moderate wide around 28mm and a short telephoto of around 105mm and Bob was your uncle.** The fast 50–the normal–got the hardest workout, as it was pretty close to your actual vision and useful in a lot of situations.

Streets of Chinatown NYC (Panasonic LX7 et al.)

Panasonic LX7 with the Pentax K-5 + FA43 thrown in for good measure. I also brought the Pentax Q but the LX7 got the bulk of the workout. The Panny's fast zoom makes it well suited to street work, from a fast and wide 24mm F1.4 to a still fast telephoto 90mm F2.3 that lets me reach across the narrow streets of Chinatown for candid shots:

Self Portraits

Self Portrait in Red

Pentax Q with 01 Prime

Head in the Clouds (But Not Quite Magritte)

Panasonic LX7

Self Portrait on the Train

Panasonic LX7

Couldn't Resist.

A ridiculously inexpensive Pentax Q with the 02 Zoom 5-15mm f/2.8-4.5 (27.5-83mm EQ) is now part of the stable. I'm planning on doing some in-car multicam video soon, and this kit came closest to my requirements (28mm EQ focal length, 1080P HD, Image Stabilization). I also wanted 60FPS and a mic input, which the Q doesn't have, but no other small camera had the exact features that I needed either. So the Q gets the nod, and I'll have to make up for the shortcoming with separate audio and no 1080P60 for now. Every tool is a compromise of some sort.

Distractions

Been distracted by this thing called "work" lately so I haven't been able to post. But I wanted to stop in and make sure that there's actually a photo (instead of a chart) at the top of the page....



Taken with the ever-handy Pentax Q with the 01 Standard Prime. I take it with me nearly everywhere I go, even running. I'll be first in line for a pancake to make the package even smaller.

3 Primes in the New World

So how much does it cost to build a 3-prime kit with one of those fancy new mirrorless/CSC cameras?

Now I've written a lot about the quality of the Pentax K-01 images, and you can get a nice 3 prime setup for just under $1500. But cheaper still is a Sony NEX with the 5n kit and a Micro Four-Thirds kit based on the Panasonic GX1. With the Sony you'd have to be willing to accept a thin lens lineup. But the sensor is good, and the system plays well with adapted lenses, or so I've been told. And while the Panasonic GX1 is a really nice camera (I've seen some stunning 18x24 BW prints from it), most rate it a step behind the 16MP Sony sensor found in the K-01. 90% of the time the difference won't matter. A step above the K-01 kit in costs are the Olympus OM-D E-M5 kit and the Fuji X-E1 kit. Both have EVFs which of course the K-01 lacks.