Inclinometer inside the K200D?

[airconvent]

Hi
I noticed an interesting feature of the K200D. When I take the image in portrait mode, whether it is the left side that is facing up or the right side, the image always displays in correct orientation when in display mode. This seems to suggest that the camera has an inclinometer and this info is stored inside the image file to enable the camera to tell which is the right way up. You can try it..

[flowerpot]

same for K20D...

[nikkie]

any non-entry level point and shoot also has it. very simple, it's some clever software coding. what inclinometer? hehe..
only D3 has a built in gyroscope.

[airconvent]

don't think its software. ok. not as sophisticated as an inclinometer but perhaps a sensor switch that activates when you tilt the camera either way.

[istDeS]

The feature for the image to display in correct orientation in display mode can be turn on or off in custom mode.

[istDeS]

What you mentioned here is known as Orientation Sensor in digital cameras.

Orientation Sensors in Digital Cameras

[airconvent]

Thanks Desmond!
I confirmed the K200D has the ability to store this info and to change the file display mode to show correct orientation but it does not have option to save the actual image in the correct orientation. I noticed this when displaying the thumbnails on my windows explorer and had to manually rotate them.
I think windows explorer then update the EXIF data again because when I open the file in ACDSee later, it displays the correct orientation too.
Regards

[istDeS]

airconvent, you should not be using the window explorer to rotate the photos. I think you do not know the damage when using windows explorer to rotate photos. when you use the rotate functions of the window explorer, most of the image metadata are deleted.

A small test you can try. Use the pentax photo browser (or any other browser that can display the correct photo orientation without the need to rotate) to open a portrait photo from your camera. The browser will display the photo in correct orientation. Use the window explorer to do a double-rotation on that portrait photo (rotate, then rotate back). Use the pentax photo browser to view that photo again, it will not be able to display the photo orientation correctly again.

[airconvent]

Thanks Desmond.
Metadata is not so critical to me once I have archive them. They are mostly family shots. I find it most convenient to simply download into the PC via card reader and then use thumbnail to rotate the images before archiving them.

However, as for the rotation, it is as what I have indicated. Windows explorer will update the orientation once I do a rotation, so if the image has been rotated twice, naturally any image software will show the new position because the original status has been over written.

btw, since I purchased ACDsee 10 and PS Elements, I had not had the need to re-install my Pentax Viewer and Lab programmes since upgrading my pc. Both serve my purpose well. I have been using an old "OEM" copy of ACDSee since my school days but recently with new features added, I bought ACDSee 10 for only $60 and together with PS Elelments, replaced an assortment of legacy programmes that I used to process and edit images. And I only use Elements for the rare raw processing but even ACDSee has raw processing capability now.

[Gengh]

Metadata may be one thing, but I'm not sure if Windows actually uses a lossless jgp rotation algorithm. If it doesn't, then you're losing IQ with every rotation that you perform on the photos. Doing just one rotation may be fine, but remember not to turn the photo one full circle thinking that 360degrees rotation has no effect on the photos...

[hjbyeo]

funny thing is they have it for K200D, but not the K-M! And they discontinued the K200D...

[airconvent]

Hi
As Fengwei has pointed out earlier, the K200D has been restored.

http://www.pentax.jp/english/imaging/digital/slr/

Whether it is to faciliate clearing of old stock or to placate angry K200D fans is anybody's guess!

Thanks Gengh, I do not see any degradation in the images or their printouts so I guess I can still live with the minor loss in quality after rotation.