A beginner question about megapixels.

"Scooter the Mighty" <Greyguy3 DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161967214.026809.119100@b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Last year I bought a Pentax *istD. I'm pretty happy with it, except
> that it doesn't accept some of my older non-automatic lenses. Pentax
> now offers a couple of bodies (K100D and K10D) that do accept these
> lenses, and I'm thinking about swapping out for one of them.
>
> The K100D is 6 megapixels, and the K10D is 10mp. My main question is
> whether or not the additional 4mp is worth the additional $300 (leaving
> aside the other differences in the cameras). I don't usually make huge
> enlargements, is there going to be a difference I can see in, say, and
> 8x10?
>
The difference would be hard for me to see. As for you, I can't say.
Jim
 >> Stay informed about: A beginner question about megapixels. 

Scooter the Mighty wrote:
> Last year I bought a Pentax *istD. I'm pretty happy with it, except
> that it doesn't accept some of my older non-automatic lenses. Pentax
> now offers a couple of bodies (K100D and K10D) that do accept these
> lenses, and I'm thinking about swapping out for one of them.
>
> The K100D is 6 megapixels, and the K10D is 10mp. My main question is
> whether or not the additional 4mp is worth the additional $300 (leaving
> aside the other differences in the cameras). I don't usually make huge
> enlargements, is there going to be a difference I can see in, say, and
> 8x10?

K10D has the maximum speed (ISO) of 1600. K100D/K110D has the maximum
speed of 3200. I think it has to do with the pixel size. The camera
with the 6MP sensor has larger pixels, and this is why it has a higher
sensitivity (and dynamic range). Thus, I would prefer the 6MP camera...
I still have not found out if their functionalities are equal, though.
 >> Stay informed about: A beginner question about megapixels. 

"Scooter the Mighty" <Greyguy3.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Last year I bought a Pentax *istD. I'm pretty happy with it, except
> that it doesn't accept some of my older non-automatic lenses.

I have a DS and the 110D, far as I can see both accept ANY Pentax lens ever
made. Even screw mount. By non-auto do you mean a preset lens (no auto
diaphragm)? Even that should still be able to meter OK... and since you
bought it long ago, it's FREE :^)

I have many K-mount optics, M, A, FA and DA. No problem with any.

--
Anti-Spam address: my last name at his dot com
Charles Gillen -- Reston, Virginia, USA
 >> Stay informed about: A beginner question about megapixels. 

David J Taylor wrote:
> minnesotti wrote:
> []
> > K10D has the maximum speed (ISO) of 1600. K100D/K110D has the maximum
> > speed of 3200. I think it has to do with the pixel size. The camera
> > with the 6MP sensor has larger pixels, and this is why it has a higher
> > sensitivity (and dynamic range). Thus, I would prefer the 6MP
> > camera... I still have not found out if their functionalities are
> > equal, though.
>
> What happens if you use ISO 1600, but with a +1 stop exposure compensation
> (which I presume the camera allows?)?

And what prevents me from using a +1 stop compensation on the ISO3200
camera ?
 >> Stay informed about: A beginner question about megapixels. 

David J Taylor wrote:
> Randy Berbaum wrote:
> []
> > I think that exposure compensation is implemented in the meter and
> > thus only effects the aperture/shutter speed settings. It does not
> > specifically change the amplification factors (which is where ISO
> > speed is changed). So even tho a 1600 with +1 compensation may
> > virtually equal 3200 with zero comp, the implementation would be
> > different. The sensor signal amplification may top out at 3200 but
> > you can still adjust the shutter speed and or the f-stop to equal +1
> > stop from what the meter is recommending.
> >
> > Of course this is how I understand it, and so others may have a
> > different view. And in all likelyhood the truth will be somewhere in
> > the middle.
> >
> > Randy
>
> Yes, I got it wrong, of course. To get the 3200, you would use 1600 with
> /minus/ one stop exposure compensation. That's /if/ the camera allows
> this.

I was satirical. What I actually wanted -- I wanted to know if there
are any more features in K10D which would justify buying it and not
buying K100D (apart from pixel count). I have not heard it.
 >> Stay informed about: A beginner question about megapixels. 

minnesotti wrote:
[]
> K10D has the maximum speed (ISO) of 1600. K100D/K110D has the maximum
> speed of 3200. I think it has to do with the pixel size. The camera
> with the 6MP sensor has larger pixels, and this is why it has a higher
> sensitivity (and dynamic range). Thus, I would prefer the 6MP
> camera... I still have not found out if their functionalities are
> equal, though.

What happens if you use ISO 1600, but with a +1 stop exposure compensation
(which I presume the camera allows?)?

David
 >> Stay informed about: A beginner question about megapixels. 

minnesotti wrote:
> David J Taylor wrote:
>> minnesotti wrote:
>> []
>>> K10D has the maximum speed (ISO) of 1600. K100D/K110D has the
>>> maximum speed of 3200. I think it has to do with the pixel size.
>>> The camera with the 6MP sensor has larger pixels, and this is why
>>> it has a higher sensitivity (and dynamic range). Thus, I would
>>> prefer the 6MP camera... I still have not found out if their
>>> functionalities are equal, though.
>>
>> What happens if you use ISO 1600, but with a +1 stop exposure
>> compensation (which I presume the camera allows?)?
>
> And what prevents me from using a +1 stop compensation on the ISO3200
> camera ?

The noise? <G>

But again - what does the camera actually allow?

David
 >> Stay informed about: A beginner question about megapixels. 

David J Taylor <david-taylor.DeleteThis@blueyonder.co.not-this-bit.nor-this-part.uk>
wrote:
: minnesotti wrote:
: > David J Taylor wrote:
: >> minnesotti wrote:
: >> []
: >>> K10D has the maximum speed (ISO) of 1600. K100D/K110D has the
: >>> maximum speed of 3200. I think it has to do with the pixel size.
: >>> The camera with the 6MP sensor has larger pixels, and this is why
: >>> it has a higher sensitivity (and dynamic range). Thus, I would
: >>> prefer the 6MP camera... I still have not found out if their
: >>> functionalities are equal, though.
: >>
: >> What happens if you use ISO 1600, but with a +1 stop exposure
: >> compensation (which I presume the camera allows?)?
: >
: > And what prevents me from using a +1 stop compensation on the ISO3200
: > camera ?

: The noise? <G>

: But again - what does the camera actually allow?

I think that exposure compensation is implemented in the meter and thus
only effects the aperture/shutter speed settings. It does not specifically
change the amplification factors (which is where ISO speed is changed). So
even tho a 1600 with +1 compensation may virtually equal 3200 with zero
comp, the implementation would be different. The sensor signal
amplification may top out at 3200 but you can still adjust the shutter
speed and or the f-stop to equal +1 stop from what the meter is
recommending.

Of course this is how I understand it, and so others may have a different
view. And in all likelyhood the truth will be somewhere in the middle.

Randy

==========
Randy Berbaum
Champaign, IL
 >> Stay informed about: A beginner question about megapixels. 

Randy Berbaum wrote:
[]
> I think that exposure compensation is implemented in the meter and
> thus only effects the aperture/shutter speed settings. It does not
> specifically change the amplification factors (which is where ISO
> speed is changed). So even tho a 1600 with +1 compensation may
> virtually equal 3200 with zero comp, the implementation would be
> different. The sensor signal amplification may top out at 3200 but
> you can still adjust the shutter speed and or the f-stop to equal +1
> stop from what the meter is recommending.
>
> Of course this is how I understand it, and so others may have a
> different view. And in all likelyhood the truth will be somewhere in
> the middle.
>
> Randy

Yes, I got it wrong, of course. To get the 3200, you would use 1600 with
/minus/ one stop exposure compensation. That's /if/ the camera allows
this.

Cheers,
David
 >> Stay informed about: A beginner question about megapixels. 

minnesotti wrote:
[]
> I was satirical. What I actually wanted -- I wanted to know if there
> are any more features in K10D which would justify buying it and not
> buying K100D (apart from pixel count). I have not heard it.

What is the price difference? I might be tempted by the more recent
camera, as it might have fixed any faults with the earlier one, and
perhaps they have learnt how to make the anti-shake better. It does seem
a lot heavier, though. Why, I wonder, does only the later camera have a
review (actually a preview) on D P Review?

David
 >> Stay informed about: A beginner question about megapixels. 

"David J Taylor" <david-taylor.RemoveThis@blueyonder.co.not-this-bit.nor-this-part.uk>
wrote in message news:4lG0h.42775$r61.22983@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> minnesotti wrote:
> []
>> I was satirical. What I actually wanted -- I wanted to know if there
>> are any more features in K10D which would justify buying it and not
>> buying K100D (apart from pixel count). I have not heard it.
>
> What is the price difference? I might be tempted by the more recent
> camera, as it might have fixed any faults with the earlier one, and
> perhaps they have learnt how to make the anti-shake better. It does seem
> a lot heavier, though. Why, I wonder, does only the later camera have a
> review (actually a preview) on D P Review?
>
> David
>

The K10D is a much more upgraded camera, the K10D is somewhere between a D80
and a D200, the K100D is more like a D50 (although some areas seem to be
better speced. I would not recommend the K10D for a beginner, the K100D is a
superb camera for a beginner.
 >> Stay informed about: A beginner question about megapixels. 

"minnesotti" <minnesotti.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I was satirical. What I actually wanted -- I wanted to know if there
> are any more features in K10D which would justify buying it and not
> buying K100D (apart from pixel count). I have not heard it.

The K10D has a true solid glass pentaprism, which is brighter. The K100D
has a "pentamirror" which is a hollow box of mirrors, a cheaper compromise.
Plus, one would hope, the K10D is built stronger and/or with more
precision.

--
Anti-Spam address: my last name at his dot com
Charles Gillen -- Reston, Virginia, USA
 >> Stay informed about: A beginner question about megapixels. 

David J Taylor wrote:
> Randy Berbaum wrote:
> []
>> I think that exposure compensation is implemented in the meter and
>> thus only effects the aperture/shutter speed settings. It does not
>> specifically change the amplification factors (which is where ISO
>> speed is changed). So even tho a 1600 with +1 compensation may
>> virtually equal 3200 with zero comp, the implementation would be
>> different. The sensor signal amplification may top out at 3200 but
>> you can still adjust the shutter speed and or the f-stop to equal +1
>> stop from what the meter is recommending.
>>
>> Of course this is how I understand it, and so others may have a
>> different view. And in all likelyhood the truth will be somewhere in
>> the middle.
>>
>> Randy
>
> Yes, I got it wrong, of course. To get the 3200, you would use 1600 with
> /minus/ one stop exposure compensation. That's /if/ the camera allows
> this.

You can make the camera "allow" that. Set the aperture and keep cranking
down the shutter speed.

--
John McWilliams
 >> Stay informed about: A beginner question about megapixels.