Web Analytics RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: K-7 Wins Over K-5 in IQ (Specifically)!

Monday, November 08, 2010

K-7 Wins Over K-5 in IQ (Specifically)!

For the photos below, from this flickr page:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28177041@N03/5152110098/sizes/z/in/photostream/ (For explanations and shooting/conversion details, please look here.)


(Click to Enlarge in a New Tab/Window.)

It can be noted that for the K-5 picture, whilst virtually has no shadow noise, it has more obvious purple fringing across the high contrast edge (see the left cheek of the boy's face). Do note that the same lens was used for both cameras and test shots and the shooting conditions were the same.

Besides, whilst the K-5 has little shadow noise, it just can't give more highlight headroom than the K-7. See the right face of the boy, it can be yet noted that highlights are clipped for both images.

With the low shadow noise of the K-5 and sensor, there is a trick to play, though, if the user just wants to have more highlight and details retained. That is, to shoot in RAW, intentionally underexpose the image and then apply +ve digital compensation to bright up the whole image. Whilst for doing this, shadow noise will be increased, highlights could be preserved better.

Last but not least, as for the skin tone colour response and textural feel, I think K-7 is still doing better for this shootout and samples. Overall, I found K-7's picture renders somehow more natural skin tones and has less plastic skin feel. Furthermore, the K-7 picture could look sharper, too, putting aside the annoying noise that is superimposed on the image.

Comments (27)

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illdefined's avatar

illdefined · 748 weeks ago

isnt purple fringing an artifact of the lens not the sensor? after all the negative things you've said about the K-7, you're now going to say the K-5 is worse? sounds like you're desperate looking for negatives to the K-5 and get your visits up.
3 replies · active 748 weeks ago
Well there you have it... two terrible pictures to choose from.
Looks like you hit a new low RH
Sorry but to take an "ISO 100 shot boosted +4 EV in Lightroom" and then use this as comparison is IMHO just stupid.
This is searching for differences that will never appear is you know how to use a camera.
2 replies · active 748 weeks ago
Toomas Kadarpik's avatar

Toomas Kadarpik · 748 weeks ago

Lightroom 3 support for K-5 is not out yet ? Or is it ? Yes I have seen also some fringing with 14mm lens, little bit more than with K20 sensor. High dynamic sensors of 14 stops need better lenses in this aspect. In K7 and K20 those areas are burned with the same amount of light. I have not seen problems with DA*55 at least, and not with 50-135 but Samyang 14 has fringing problem.

But what is related to smoothing of the skin, it is definitely not true, K5 renders superb detail images, quite different class from the Samsung sensor.
2 replies · active 748 weeks ago
Toomas Kadarpik's avatar

Toomas Kadarpik · 748 weeks ago

Lightroom 3 support for K-5 is not out yet ? Or is it ? Yes I have seen also some fringing with 14mm lens, little bit more than with K20 sensor. High dynamic sensors of 14 stops need better lenses in this aspect. In K7 and K20 those areas are burned with the same amount of light. I have not seen problems with DA*55 at least, and not with 50-135 but Samyang 14 has fringing problem.

But what is related to smoothing of the skin, it is definitely not true, K5 renders superb detail images, quite different class from the Samsung sensor.
1 reply · active 748 weeks ago
Stirring up controversy increases response to your site. That's the only explaination for this nonsensical post. Color me gone.
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
Now we all know it. Scrap DxO and listen to RH. DxO just tested the K-5's sensor to be the best APS-C sensor ever, rivaling FF and MF sensors, but surely their scientific measurements are NOTHING against the comparison presented here.

Good lord, RH, don't you think it is becoming a bit too comical? Your attempt to trash the best APS-C sensor ever is real-life-satire at its finest. If someone made this up they'd be rightly criticized to be way over the top.
RiceHigh,

Post both pictures including untouched! EXIF. Then we'll see.
Hey Rice - how about trolling a little bit more clever than that?
Mr. Rice, you were bashing so much about K-7 when it was released 2 years ago or so. Now when K-5 achieves good recognition, you are trying to show that it is worse than K-7, only with 1 example photo. OMG, this is so terrible.

I agree with you that K-7 has terrible noise at low light, but still it can produce good photo. But, K-5 has better in all aspect than K-7.

I will suggest you once more, you must buy K-5 immediately and measurebate it yourself. We will appreciate your opinion when you have K-5 in your table. And I am sure if two years ago you bought K-7, you would love it !!! So now, you should not miss the moment to buy K-5 ^^
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
Michael A.'s avatar

Michael A. · 748 weeks ago

DxOMark Pentax K-5 = 82 Nikon D7000 = 80 Canon EOS 7D = 66 ... No wonder K-5 is in short supply, CaNikons are switching to Pentax.. :o)))
Toomas Kadarpik's avatar

Toomas Kadarpik · 748 weeks ago

Rice, can I supply some test images to you, I have thousands of photos already out from my K5 with superb quality, the camera is all in all producing superb detail, low noise and high dynamic images. I will open my professional website soon for photography but so far everything is on my Lightroom and dozens of other programs. I am moving from IT sector to visual arts and design, studied physics and CS before, done too many different labs and measurements, sorry I still can not see any problems with K5, except very high dynamic range, witch toll lenses very very hard, DA* does well in this segment, also my sigma EX series, third party can be a problem and must be tested. I seriously considered FF before, but this camera changed my mind, I would suggest APC-S and MF (645D,PhaseOne,Hasselblad) duo to everyone who is serious and it fits into usage scenario. Before I was thinking D3X but not any more, APS-C is ligtweight and does well in everyday shooting, MF does superb large format images I need to my canon Image prograph, but K5 17" prints are superb as well.

THE WORLD HAS CHANGED AND NOW IS TIME TO TURN THIS SITE ALSO TO POSITIVE SIDE RICE, I ADMIT REALLY YOUR EFFORT, IT PROBABLY MADE PENTAX LISTEN MORE AND THEY HAVE PRODUCED NOW 4 MARVELLOUS CAMERAS, K-X,K-R,K5,645D. ALL CAMERAS ARE TOP RANKED IN DXO MARK AND ARE PRODUCING SUPERB QUALITY IMAGES IN ITS CLASS. EVERYONE WHO KNOWS ECONOMY CAN PREDICT THAT REAL COMPETITION BETWEEN FOUR VENDORS IS POSITIVE, NOW WE HAVE, CANON,NIKON, SONY AND PENTAX + DOZEN MF PLAYERS IN THE WORLD AND MF, FF,APS-C PRICE GAP IS NARROWING. CANIKON GAME WAS BORING, REALLY BORING, BYT THEY DID GOOD SALES JOB INDEED AND ARE STILL DOING IT.

AND CANON AND NIKON CAMERAS ARE STILL SUPERB AND ARE PRODUCING SUPERB IMAGES AS THE LENSES. I JUST DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW HARD IT IS TO ADMIT THAT NOT WE HAVE MORE OPTIONS AND POSSIBILITIES IN THE ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL SENSE FOR EVERY CLASS OF SHOOTER.

WHAT WE HAVE GOT ALREADY FROM THIS COMPETITION:
HDR IMAGING INSIDE DSLR, STILL IN THE BEGINNING BUT USABLE
STEALTH SILENT SHUTTER FROM PENTAX
BETTER CAMERAS FROM NIKON AND CANON
FIRST DSLR FEATURED MF CAMERA 645D
FROM 645 WE GOT BETTER AF TO PENTAX APS-C
VERY HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE, WE HAVE NOT SEEN EVEN IN MF
MF MARKET COMES DOWN TO NORMAL PRICE LEVEL, 10000.
FREEEZEPROOF WEATHEPROOF APS-S BODY FROM PENTAX, I LIVE IN NORDICS
second most stupid blog entry ever
Barbarosa's avatar

Barbarosa · 748 weeks ago

I think we now need samsung senzor
They say you caught bann to your face on DPR forum and they laugh hard at you lots there. They should know that you are coming back there lots so they can laugh more.
I just discoverd your Blog Rice a few days ago. I like the fact you tell things the way they are without fear of being crucified by pentax community or fanboys. I too noticed that the K-5 image quality was not much better than k-x in some areas, specifically micro contrast. I brought up the issues of poor micro contrast in pentax forums. And the fact that the k-5 lacks in certain areas. People get hostile because they're pentax obsession will not let them see things objectively, truthfully. I sold my k-5 and kept my k-x because I honestly could see no difference between the 2 in ISO performance. K-5 actually seemed a bit worse in some scenarios. Micro contrst on k-x is much better. Eyes and skin are shinier, more glowing. I think the increase, possibly is what killed the micro contrast in the K-5. It's horrible. Maybe too many pixels on the sensor. I like k-x color better also. Keep doin what you're doin and don't be afraid to speak your mind!!! I enjoy reading your blog and the responses because of the controversy. And truth :)
1 reply · active 682 weeks ago

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