Help k7: Auto iso setting & dynamic range setting for k7


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jxlex

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Hi good ppl here!

Just need some advice on 2 issues here :) just got the k7 today (lovely promo btw :)) and abit confused with the settings... Previously using k10d

namely, 1) auto iso setting & 2)dynamic range setting

1) is there anyway I can turn off the auto iso? I normally shoot in AV priority mode and for some weird reason, I can't set my iso to 100... Could it be some other setting I have set that caused it?? I prefer very much to shoot in iso100 but somehow the auto iso prevents me to go any lower then 100 (the current setting is 200-400). I can limit how high it goes but I can't bring it down to 100... Anyone can help?

2) the dynamic range setting: any good use for it? Should I just leave it at off? Otherwise what would be a reasonable setting recommended?

Would really appreciate some expert advice :) thanks so much in advance!
 

Auto ISO simply means allowing the camera to set the ISO based on the user defined sensitivity range. Auto ISO is on by default, with the camera's initial range being ISO 100 to 800.

Now the K-7 has a dedicated ISO button. Pressing it and using the rear e-dial allows you to set the ISO manually, visible on the top and rear LCD. Pressing it and the Green button toggles the Auto ISO on or off, if the rear e-dial is used. In order to set the Auto ISO range, you can do so in 2 ways. The first way is to press the Menu button and go to Page 1 of the Recording Mode tab. You need to navigate to ISO Auto setting and set the minimum and maximum range using the 4 way buttons. The second and quicker method is to press the Info button twice. The Auto ISO range is displayed on the rear LCD. Use the 4 way buttons to highlight it and use the front e-dial to set the minimum ISO and the rear e-dial to set the maximum ISO.

The reason why you can't set ISO 100 is because Highlight Correction under the D-Range setting is enabled. The minimum ISO is then ISO 200. Once you switch off Highlight Correction, you can select ISO 100. Again you can access this function thru the Menu button or by pressing the Info button twice.

I like to shoot as low an ISO as possible, so I un-check Highlight Correction as I do use ISO 100. As to Shadow Correction, best you do your own tests to see if low, medium, high or off works best.
 

Auto ISO simply means allowing the camera to set the ISO based on the user defined sensitivity range. Auto ISO is on by default, with the camera's initial range being ISO 100 to 800.

Now the K-7 has a dedicated ISO button. Pressing it and using the rear e-dial allows you to set the ISO manually, visible on the top and rear LCD. Pressing it and the Green button toggles the Auto ISO on or off, if the rear e-dial is used. In order to set the Auto ISO range, you can do so in 2 ways. The first way is to press the Menu button and go to Page 1 of the Recording Mode tab. You need to navigate to ISO Auto setting and set the minimum and maximum range using the 4 way buttons. The second and quicker method is to press the Info button twice. The Auto ISO range is displayed on the rear LCD. Use the 4 way buttons to highlight it and use the front e-dial to set the minimum ISO and the rear e-dial to set the maximum ISO.

The reason why you can't set ISO 100 is because Highlight Correction under the D-Range setting is enabled. The minimum ISO is then ISO 200. Once you switch off Highlight Correction, you can select ISO 100. Again you can access this function thru the Menu button or by pressing the Info button twice.

I like to shoot as low an ISO as possible, so I un-check Highlight Correction as I do use ISO 100. As to Shadow Correction, best you do your own tests to see if low, medium, high or off works best.

dynamic range on = iso = 200...

switch it off and iso and go to 100...


Ah.... thanks man! much appreciated... :) :thumbsup:
 

Hi good ppl here!

Just need some advice on 2 issues here :) just got the k7 today (lovely promo btw :)) and abit confused with the settings... Previously using k10d

namely, 1) auto iso setting & 2)dynamic range setting

1) is there anyway I can turn off the auto iso? I normally shoot in AV priority mode and for some weird reason, I can't set my iso to 100... Could it be some other setting I have set that caused it?? I prefer very much to shoot in iso100 but somehow the auto iso prevents me to go any lower then 100 (the current setting is 200-400). I can limit how high it goes but I can't bring it down to 100... Anyone can help?

2) the dynamic range setting: any good use for it? Should I just leave it at off? Otherwise what would be a reasonable setting recommended?

Would really appreciate some expert advice :) thanks so much in advance!
1) never touch k-7 before. read creampuff's explanation, seems different from k20d and k100d.. so follow his advice, he has a k-7.

2) not very useful if you ask me. you might as well do shadow/highlight recovery in photoshop, which is all it does. what matters is the DR of the sensor.

of course, if you wish to spend less time post processing and have a certain result in mind that can be achieved with in-cam settings, and that requires "expanded DR", go ahead and go bananas. :)
 

Hi good ppl here!

Just need some advice on 2 issues here :) just got the k7 today (lovely promo btw :)) and abit confused with the settings... Previously using k10d

namely, 1) auto iso setting & 2)dynamic range setting

1) is there anyway I can turn off the auto iso? I normally shoot in AV priority mode and for some weird reason, I can't set my iso to 100... Could it be some other setting I have set that caused it?? I prefer very much to shoot in iso100 but somehow the auto iso prevents me to go any lower then 100 (the current setting is 200-400). I can limit how high it goes but I can't bring it down to 100... Anyone can help?

2) the dynamic range setting: any good use for it? Should I just leave it at off? Otherwise what would be a reasonable setting recommended?

Would really appreciate some expert advice :) thanks so much in advance!

Congrats! What lenses did you get with your K-7?

You might want to try playing around with DR off and in ISO100 for a while first. If you find yourself getting a lot of overblown highlight clippings, then turn it on and see if you prefer that. Or if you are happy enough with the IQ at ISO200 then turn the DR on.

You can recover some highlight clipping in PP if shooting RAW, but DR mode can recover a lot more (up to +1 EV more)
 

a really conservative option is to shoot RAW (bypass the jpeg engine which may apply overly-zealous settings) with highlight recovery on, it's hard to blow highlights that way, though sometimes they appear to clip (to your eyes) on your camera's LCD (which displays boosted jpeg preview even in natural mode, unless you customize the display), in raw convertor it'll be just fine, at least in ACR..
 

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...your camera's LCD (which displays boosted jpeg preview even in natural mode, unless you customize the display), in raw convertor it'll be just fine...

Very true! One of the major gripes I have with the K-x is its really lousy LCD screen. But its seems I'm one of the minority who is really bugged by this... for I rarely read negative comments from others here regarding the K-x's LCD... so I guess it really does not matter much to the majority of K-x users.

Some of my compacts which are 2 years old have better LCD screens at the same resolution... seems Pentax really pinched on the LCD to keep the cost of the K-x as low as possible... so I'm not complaining too much.

But yes... a customized LCD, with some experience, does allow for improved judgment regarding exposure and clipping. One of the first things I do with any new camera is to try to get the brightness of its LCD to match my color-calibrated PC monitor as closely as possible.
 

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1) never touch k-7 before. read creampuff's explanation, seems different from k20d and k100d.. so follow his advice, he has a k-7.

2) not very useful if you ask me. you might as well do shadow/highlight recovery in photoshop, which is all it does. what matters is the DR of the sensor.

of course, if you wish to spend less time post processing and have a certain result in mind that can be achieved with in-cam settings, and that requires "expanded DR", go ahead and go bananas. :)

Thanks! much appreciated.

Congrats! What lenses did you get with your K-7?

You might want to try playing around with DR off and in ISO100 for a while first. If you find yourself getting a lot of overblown highlight clippings, then turn it on and see if you prefer that. Or if you are happy enough with the IQ at ISO200 then turn the DR on.

You can recover some highlight clipping in PP if shooting RAW, but DR mode can recover a lot more (up to +1 EV more)

Thanks. I didnt buy any lens with the body... i previously using k10d so continue to use my old lens as i have no complains with them... hands a bit itchy to try the WR1855kit though :)

a really conservative option is to shoot RAW (bypass the jpeg engine which may apply overly-zealous settings) with highlight recovery on, it's hard to blow highlights that way, though sometimes they appear to clip (to your eyes) on your camera's LCD (which displays boosted jpeg preview even in natural mode, unless you customize the display), in raw convertor it'll be just fine, at least in ACR..

Thanks bro. Yup i always shoot raw... rather bring more SD cards then try to save space by shooting in JPEG :) not perfect at shooting yet so PP is a great plus :)

Very true! One of the major gripes I have with the K-x is its really lousy LCD screen. But its seems I'm one of the minority who is really bugged by this... for I rarely read negative comments from others here regarding the K-x's LCD... so I guess it really does not matter much to the majority of K-x users.

Some of my compacts which are 2 years old have better LCD screens at the same resolution... seems Pentax really pinched on the LCD to keep the cost of the K-x as low as possible... so I'm not complaining too much.

But yes... a customized LCD, with some experience, does allow for improved judgment regarding exposure and clipping. One of the first things I do with any new camera is to try to get the match as closely as possible the brightness of its LCD to my color-calibrated PC monitor.

Thanks :) Talking about calibration... about time to calibrate monitor again.....
 

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