K100D Super Playing In The Snow.

[roseberry guitars]

<p>We normally don't get a lot of snow here in the Pacific North West but when we do...I'm out there! I grew up in the Canadian Rockies and miss the winters a lot<br>

So, if you don't mind I'll share a few photos of our snow. All taken with my seldom used K100D Super. I really like the JPEG results from this little camera. Actually better than that from my K10D. But don't tell anyone I said that, I'll deny it totally!</p><div></div>

[roseberry guitars]

<p>Dogs love the snow.</p><div></div>

[roseberry guitars]

<p>A walk through the Royal Roads University grounds.</p><div></div>

[roseberry guitars]

<p>And for all you X-Men movie fans...</p><div></div>

[cory_zerkee]

<p>Nice shots. Ah yes, RRU. I have walked those grounds before. :)</p>

[mountainvisions]

<p>Haha, nice shots, we just got our first real snowfall here as well. There was quite a bit just 30 minutes north of me last weekend, but this is the first time I can ski locally. I'd say about 6-9 inches.<br>

<br /> More expected Sunday so I am pumped. Plus, I took the day off from work so no complaints!</p>

<p>Tomorrow I am hoping to get some skiing/snowshoeing/ice climbing in. The best thing about living someplace with 4 long seasons is you always have something to look forward to!</p>

[duane_mills]

<p>Great shots Scot - thanks for sharing. I really like the action captured in "Rippin". The Jpeg IQ from the K100D Super is perhaps the best to date in the Pentax dslr line - and is certainly better than the Jpeq results from the K10D (this has also been well documented in serveral published K10D reviews). That being said, your K10D is still still superior to the Super in many ways and is utilized to its maximum potential when capturing images in RAW format.</p>

<p>One of the nicest features of the K100D Super is the small size of the camera - if you dispense with the shoulder strap and get a good hand strap like the Pentax PTX 85101 or the new Camera Armor SafeGrip you'll really enjoy the compactness and versatility of the Super little camera.</p>

<p>Cheers</p>

 

[jgredline]

<p>Scot, Nice shooting and what wonderful exposer. I hear that shooting snow is a very difficult thing to do. I will driving my kids up to snow on Monday it looks like. I would also agree that the K100D's put out some brilliant J pegs. better than the K10D.</p>

[julie_luther]

<p>Quote: I really like the JPEG results from this little camera. Actually better than that from my K10D.<br>

Why? What do you see as being different?<br>

For the record, I have a K10D--and I don't always get the results I expected/hoped for. Still learning how to use it. Just wondering what you see in your K100D results that you don't get in your K10D.<br>

Thanks.<br>

-Julie</p>

<p><br /></p>

[alisa_stieg]

<p>I'm jealous, Scott! Wish we'd get some snow here!<br>

Those are great shots! I like Long Cold Road the best!</p>

[roseberry guitars]

<p>Thanks for the comments gang. I appreciate you taking the time. I hope you don't tire of my dog photos. They are my constant companions and as I only have three photos of my last dog I am determined to document these gals life. I do tend to take more of the Border Collie than the Aussie. She is more camera friendly it seems.<br>

Justin, we seem to only get two seasons here, Raining and Not Raining, so when the snow comes it's special. I just got some new bindings for my wood/babiche snowshoes so I'm all set to go. I'm old school for sure, love the wood stuff; canoes, tele skis -w- leather boots, snowshoes. Nothing like the sound and feel of natural stuff out in nature.<br>

Javier, snow is actually quite easy to expose properly. Brightly lit snow is 1.5 - 2 stops brighter than 18% (medium)grey. In film I would give about 1.5 - 2 stops of over exposure or set the EV dial +1.5 - 2. With my Pentax K100D and K10D I find that I often lower the EV -0.3 - -1.0 and get results that I like. I also use the polorizer filter as it tends to cut some of the glare and allows me to have a couple stops more stops DOF to play with. On clear sunny days I often take a reading from the northern sky (southern south of the equator) and use that as my base exposure setting. It's an old trick from my film days and gives a very close 18% grey reading.<br>

The K100D Super matrix metering does quite well with snow and surprisingly the above photos EV ranged from -0.3 - + 0.3. There was a little tweeking (mainly fill light) in a couple of the shots but basically that is what came out of the camera. And Julie, that is what I find different about the K100D Super from the K10D. The JPEG setting on the K100D seems to be more to my liking and takes less tweeking later than the K10D. Although, I mostly shoot RAW with my K10D so haven't experimented that much with the JPEG setting.<br>

The big issue with snow shots is the White balance. Shade or overcast sky is especially nasty. The best way for handling this is to point the camera at a clean patch of snow ( a minimum of darker areas is important as they will taint your setting and give a wrong color cast) and set with the Manual white balance mode. Your white balance will then be fine for your photo session. The shadows and also the snow has a slight blue cast so I don't mind that showing through in my photos but I know many prefer a very white snow. On sunny days snow never looks that white to my eye , however, on overcast days I agree with a more whiter cast.<br>

A few years ago I was in White Sand Nat. Monument, NM and my snow experience paid off just fine. That sand is exactly like snow except that it was super hot. Really took some doing to wrap my mind around that one.<br>

Have fun in the snow all.</p>

 

[michael_kuhne]

<p>Delightful shots, Scot! And well exposed for the lighting and the snow too. Yes, I would not part with my k100D super!! </p>

<p>Julie, the K100D Super makes a virtually ideal compact alternative and backup for the K10D/20D, with its lightweight design, full feature set, and complementary capacity for SDM lenses, which is a valuable upgrade of the Super. So the Super version is important, and it also comes with updated firmware. Its JPEG images are bright, snappy, and colorful. Good sharpness and colors that pop. Last time I looked, there were some still in stock at Tristate camera. </p>

<p>The K10D, while turning out decent JPEGs, is primarily designed for shooting in RAW mode, in which it still represents excellent quality. The K20D performance includes definite improvement for JPEGs over its predecessor.</p>

<p>You can take a look for yourself at imaging resource website. Click on compare sample images, where you can bring up two models. At the top, first select "all cameras" to include past models. Use the house poster example, and click on the enlargement icon to get the blowup. You can also use the auto scroll button on your mouse to drift to any spot on the image. The K100D Super is also very good for low light or action high ISO performance, like ISO 1600. Even usable at 3200. For one thing, its 6mp design uses larger size pixels, which gathers light with less noise. The same size pixels as Nikon's full frame models. It also has excellent in camera processing except for the auto WB under flourescent lighting, which is a typical problem for most models. Unlike other brands, at the higher ISO, Pentax does not employ high amounts of noise suppression. This allows greater clarity to be preserved, and noise can be dealt with in a separate software program with better results, as needed. </p>

<p> </p>

[julie_luther]

<p>I appreciate your responses to my query about the K10D vs. K100D Super. I wasn't aware of the Imaging Resource website, so I'll do some poking around there. Basically, I bought the K10D because of the weather sealing. I take most of my photos outside including in really dismal weather. I figured that the jpeg quality would have to compare to the high-end Olympus P&S I bought in 2001, but the Pentax photos have been much softer than I like. I end up tweaking the sharpness setting as well as a few other things here and there. Like I said, still learning, but it looks like I bought myself a very powerful tool that requires I exercise a few more brain cells than the Olympus did. And working with RAW is a whole 'nother level. </p>

<p>Anyway, thanks again for the insights and tips. I'll keep studying and take more shots. Helps keeps the Alzheimer's at bay.</p>

 

[michael_kuhne]

<p>I just checked imaging resource today, and their website is down at this time. Most unusual.</p>

[revolver]

<p>Javier,</p>

<p>shooting snow is not difficult...you just need the right caliber!...lol<br>

we just got over a foot this past weekend. Fun part is spraying the kids with the snow thrower! how dare they have fun while I am working!!!!</p><div></div>

[revolver]

<p>The aftermath!</p><div></div>

[jgredline]

<p>Thank for the encouragement Chris. I will driving up to the mountains Wed with my kids. I will see what I come up with and good or bad will post some up :)</p>