The primary difference between the K20D and D300 in the case of high ISO noise was tuning of the NR system, with metering being secondary. Nikon tuned the D300 to meter about 1/2 a stop lower than indicated (IE ISO 6400 shots metered around ISO 4400, although the camera's sensor was capable of a true ISO 6400) to reduce noise as well as biasing the NR towards suppressing Chroma noise at nearly all costs. Pentax's metering is closer to the nominal ISO rating and Pentax tuned the NR system towards detail at all costs.
Given a modicum of post, the K20D can deliver every bit of high ISO IQ as the D300. You just need to do the detail-robbing NR in post. -Adam On Thu, Jul 9, 2009 at 11:28 PM, paul stenquist<[email protected]> wrote: > I would think its performance at high ISO is similar to the D300. But it > would take a controlled experiment to be sure. The K20 wasn't far behind the > D300 if at all, and the K7 seems to be a bit better than the K20. But any > underexposure throws the results off, because upping the exposure in > conversion increases noise dramatically. I'm still learning the meter on the > K7. Both of these shots should have had + 1/3 stop or so of exposure comp. > The sky was the problem in the house shot, and the bar shot originally > included a slice of a brighter room that I cropped out. Of course at a > lesser ISO that much underexposure wouldn't matter, but at 3200 it can be > significant. > Paul > On Jul 9, 2009, at 11:17 PM, P. J. Alling wrote: > >> Comparing them to the output from the D700 is hardly fair, I would expect >> the D700 to simply blow the K-7 away at high ISOs, the question is how does >> it compare to the D300... >> >> paul stenquist wrote: >>> >>> I pulled my battery off the charger and took a few test shots with the >>> DA* 16-45 in extremely low light. I posted two on photo.net. In this folder >>> you'll see a near full frame of each and a100% crop. The ISO was set to 3200 >>> and high ISO noise reduction is set to medium. I'd guess each was about a >>> quarter stop underexposed, so slightly better performance is probably >>> possible. I'd judge these as slightly better than the K20D but definitely >>> not in the same league as the Nikon D700. Of course, this isn't a conclusive >>> test, just a first look. >>> >>> Low light focus was very good with the focus assist light.I love the >>> quiet shutter on this camera and the hi-res monitor display. That will be a >>> big plus at wedding receptions and the like. The camera doesn't fit my hand >>> right without the battery grip, because with a wrist strap my thumb ends up >>> too high on the back of the camera. But I think it will be fine with the >>> grip. It feels like a little tank. Well built. >>> >>> The folder of four shots is here: >>> http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=921625 >>> >>> Exposure info is included in each pics title. The bar shot was at 50mm, >>> the house pic at 18mm. >>> >>> Paul >>> >>> -- >>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>> [email protected] >>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>> follow the directions. >>> >> >> >> -- >> >> >> The free man owns himself. He can damage himself with either eating or >> drinking; he can ruin himself with gambling. If he does he is certainly a >> damn fool, and he might possibly be a damned soul; but if he may not, he is >> not a free man any more than a dog. >> >> --G. K. Chesterton >> >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> [email protected] >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >> follow the directions. > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and > follow the directions. > -- M. Adam Maas http://www.mawz.ca Explorations of the City Around Us. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
