cardig48

I own a Pentax K-1 DSLR. I know that it is a very good camera shooting RAW. However, I shoot only in the JPEG mode. The K-1 takes good pictures...but not as good as I have read. I am inquiring if you know the adjustments needed to maximize the quality of the JPEG pictures. Great help is appreciated...!!

Thanks,
Greg

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Maybe see what adjustments are available and adjust them to [i[]your[/i] liking?

SonyA580 Loc: FL in the winter & MN in the summer

Starting at the beginning, what do you get that you do not like? Is it color, contrast, sharpness or some combination of all 3? If you could post an example so we could see what you're talking about possibly we could be able to offer suggestions.

lsimpkins Loc: SE Pennsylvania

Suggest posting this question on pentaxforums. Far more K-1 users there. In addition, their review of the camera has suggested settings.

RightOnPhotography Loc: Quebec,QC

I was a Pentax shooter since 1983 and the K-1 was my last Pentax before I switched to Nikon.
I shot only in RAW and the quality was excellent. I suggest you try it once before you give up. You can perform quite a few improvements to RAW files and convert them to JPEG in the Faststone, which is a free software and it can handle Pentax's .pef files as well as .dng.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I am not a Pentax user but I have known Pentax quality since 1957. It was then Asahi Pentax and I believe it was originally sold with a 55 mm f2.2 lens.

The K1 from the information I have is a great camera. With all due respect, the images of any camera are as good as the expertise of the operator. I do not know of your experience as a photographer but images that are not quite to the standards of quality from others should tell you something and I have to assume that the optics you are using are fine and that the camera is performing to specs. Cameras and lenses are only tools.

The biggest difference between JPEG and RAW data is that to obtain the maximal benefits of the raw data the person editing must be experienced. A JPEG has all editing made in camera and that means that it is the operator who sets the adjustments according to his or her taste to obtain the results wanted. If those JPEG files are not to your liking then you have to review those adjustments in camera and modify them as per your taste. The least that you manipulate in post a JPEG the better.

I hope this helps.

jburlinson Loc: Austin, TX

This has been a common complaint since the camera was first introduced. One popular approach to improving the jpg quality is as follows:

Pentax has 3 sharpening radius settings (with built-in unchangeable NR), this is often overlooked - as other cameras don't have this radius control flexibility.

Get the image parameter screen up (-that allows control of Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, etc), highlight the Sharpness control at the bottom of the list, then change the radius of the sharpening algorithm… by turning the Rear-thumb wheel to change from 'Standard' sharpness to 'Extra' sharpness.

Then dial the value down to -3 (otherwise it may be too strong). Standard and Fine sharpness use a large radius, and apply NR (even if turned off), 'Extra' sharpness uses a tight radius and no NR (if NR is turned off).

Also manually turn off NR - even at higher ISOs
High ISO NR > Custom > set all on 1st page to off, then 2nd page increase to taste.

Try this and let us know if it helps.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

The best settings are the ones that work best for the lighting and subject matter. This is why shooting raw is usually preferable. There is no way you can set the camera for any setting that will work best for all situations. When shooting raw, all you have to do is ensure that you get the exposure that captures the most picture information. You can then adjust the images to your liking in post processing. It really does sound like you are ready to at least start investigating raw. I have never seen an out of the camera jpeg that could compete with the same image shot as raw and adjusted in post processing.