Pentax Kx vs Canon 7D vs Nikon D300s -- High ISO Performance

[fengwei]

Canon 7D body: 1700$ - Nikon D300s body: 1700$ - Pentax K-x body: 600$

You probably think it's unfair to compare these three cameras together. But some guy extracted a few sample photos taken by KX/7D/D300s at high ISO from Imaging Resource "Comparometer" ™ Digital Camera Image Comparison Page
. The pictures speak for themselves


****************

CANON EOS 7D (18mp) - ISO 1600
%100 full crop

Full Resolutions >> http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/3950/e7dinbi01600.jpg

****************

NIKON D300S (12mp) - ISO 1600
%100 full crop

Full Resolutions >> http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/5012/d300sinbi1600.jpg

****************

PENTAX K-x (12mp) - ISO 1600
%100 full crop

Full Resolutions >> http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/8824/kxinbi01600.jpg

 

[fengwei]

CANON EOS 7D (18mp) - ISO 3200
%100 full crop

Full Resolutions >> http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/3517/e7dinbi03200.jpg

****************

NIKON D300S (12mp) - ISO 3200
%100 full crop

Full Resolutions>> http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/1169/d300sinbi3200.jpg

****************

PENTAX K-x (12mp) - ISO 3200
%100 full crop

Full Resolutions >> http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/2189/kxinbi03200.jpg

 

[fengwei]

CANON EOS 7D (18mp) - ISO 6400

%100 full crop

Full Resolutions >> http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/9727/e7dinbi06400.jpg

****************

NIKON D300S (12mp) - ISO 6400

%100 full crop

Full Resolutions >> http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/4710/d300sinbi6400.jpg

****************

PENTAX K-x (12mp) - ISO 6400

%100 full crop

Full Resolutions >> http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/5356/kxinbi06400.jpg

 

[fengwei]

Full Resolutions


Canon 50D ISO6400
http://75.126.132.154/PRODS/E50D/FULLRES/E50DINBI06400STDNR.JPG

Nikon D90 ISO6400
http://75.126.132.154/PRODS/D90/FULLRES/D90INBI6400.JPG

Canon 7D ISO12800
http://75.126.132.154/PRODS/E7D/FULLRES/E7DINBI12800.JPG

Pentax K-x ISO12800
http://75.126.132.154/PRODS/KX/FULLRES/KXINBI12800.JPG

 

[Grey Knight]

wow.. just wow.. any comparison with the K7?

 

[fengwei]

wow.. just wow.. any comparison with the K7?

Yeah, you can check by yourself

 

[Grey Knight]

Yeah, you can check by yourself

paiseh just saw haha.
thanks!

 

[Titan10k]

Interesting, good to know

 

[creampuff]

Wow! Expensive Canon and Nikon DSLRs get pwned by budget entry level Pentax... :sweat:

 

[snapnut]

Woa! Dun that make you feel good u have pentax lenses... made my week... Thanks fengwei.

 

[elavan]

canon always had pretty filtering that work very well on faces, but doesn't look as great where the extra grit is needed. the dummy's face differences from the k-x show it well.

It's the filtering differences that is dumb to situations, but I wonder what's up with the nikon, the chroma noise is low in amount, but worse than the k-7 kind.

 

[rotisiao]

add SR to K-X's already fantastic ISO capabilities plus pentax's fast primes.:heart: :thumbsup:

 

[baolong]

Wow to K-x, I am lost for words..:bigeyes: time to jump ship back to P camp, back to dark side :bsmilie:

 

[elavan]

straight out of camera high ISO performance is overrated, do think through carefully, but still, will welcome you to the dark side :devil::bsmilie:

 

[airconvent]

noise performance aside, if you look at the K100D and K200D samples against Canon 30D and Nikon D80, the detail retention is way ahead of the pack for the Pentax. My friends were surprised when I showed them the sample

 

[alanswan]

noise performance aside, if you look at the K100D and K200D samples against Canon 30D and Nikon D80, the detail retention is way ahead of the pack for the Pentax. My friends were surprised when I showed them the sample

Don't you find that they will always still say "But....."?
Because they have to justify to themselves the extra premiums they paid...?

 

[elavan]

this thread is almost like a flamebait, no bait coming in yet? :bsmilie:

 

[airconvent]

Don't you find that they will always still say "But....."?
Because they have to justify to themselves the extra premiums they paid...?

Of course of course....if not how can they afford those full page advertisements every week whereas Pentax go by word of mouth..no horse run ?!

this thread is almost like a flamebait, no bait coming in yet? :bsmilie:

No lah...reason the other 2 don't do as well is because of more aggressive noise control. For the same shots the K100/200D is "noisier" because of lesser noise reduction. But for the k-x, I believe its due to an improved CMOS sensor plus better noise processing algorithm that lowers noise but retain detail.

 

[elavan]

you will curse your AA/NR filter at lower ISO..

that's why I am behind my cause, altho it's a lost cause: the grainier the better, minimal filtering

 

[baolong]

I am really impressed by Pentax hardwork on this latest KX, noise control is impressive... that means I don't need to bring my tripod out for night photography...:thumbsup: