One more K10D review from Impress Watch
Impress Watch has rolled out one more Pentax K10D review, in Japanese (auto translated). Now with more thoughts on image quality settings, white balance and ergonomics, with even more full resolution samples, and side by side comparison of the four major 10 Mpix competitors: Pentax K10D, Nikon D80, Sony A100 and Canon 400D.
Images by Impress Watch (Copyright (c) 2006 Impress Watch Corporation and an Impress Group company) were used to build this chart.
K10D shows significantly more details, especially in comparison with Sony’s first DSLR. Of cause, Pentax DA 16-45mm F4 lens is better than Nikon, Canon and Sony lenses used in this “test”, but it also have a big minus – chromatic aberrations visible in the first row. It seems, DA 16-45mm produce amount of CA (or purple fringing) that was hardly visible at 6 Mpix shots but too bad for K10D’s higher resolution. On the other shots made with Limited lenses in similar conditions or in the night shots there are no remarkable CA at all.
December 2nd, 2006 at 3:16 am
There is one interesting thing I can see: these samples are clearly showing that lenses remain number one contributing factor to technical image quality. Not more mega pixels, lower noise or better imaging engine. All current DSLR camera bodies are capable of delivering excellent image quality and for most practical purposes there is no significant difference between them. But putting the wrong lens on an otherwise excellent body could significantly influence image quality. I would like to see this test redone with, say, 50mm/1.4 at f/8 with all cameras. I would expect resulting image quality to be practically identical with that “standardized” setup.
December 2nd, 2006 at 4:37 am
Yes. I hope we will see more scientific test soon from Phil at DPreview.
December 10th, 2006 at 10:16 am
Yes, agreed this test is not really valid. Indeed comparing the Canon 400D with kit lens to the Pentax with a specialist 16-45 mm lens is a bit . But then again perhaps we should expect a bit of bias from a website called ‘PentaxLife’! Try sticking the EF17-40mm f4L USM on the front of the Canon and running a re-test.
December 10th, 2006 at 11:15 am
Well, may be Santa will give me EF17-40L and a Canon 400D for a Christmas… And a big black truck loaded with Pentax gear. :)
May 30th, 2007 at 9:57 am
To Simon Richardson :
Well, in case you hadn’t noticed; this PentaxLife site is merely referring and linking to the highly acclaimed Japanese site DC Watch (Impress.co.jp). If you can read Japanese, you will most likely find an explanation and elaboration as to why they have chosen the current lenses.
Canon EF 17-40/4 is L glass, their Pro series. The Pentax DA 16-45/4 is not in the Pentax star series, then one would have to choose the FA* 28-70/2.8, or the upcoming DA* 16-50/2.8. Most of the zooms in the STAR series are fast lenses, else there will be an upcoming DA* 60-250/4 later this year.
Would comparable high quality glass be tested, I would imagine that the results would be as Ivan Glišin suggests.
I don’t see this test as negative for the Canon, Nikon or Sony; since the 16-45/4 is the better kit option that many choose; until the DA* 16-50 mm F2.8 ED AL [IF] come out.
June 7th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Follow up :
Hi again Simon,
I don’t know how proficient you are at Swedish, but I came across a review from the Canon shooter Jesper Ekvall. He reviews the K10 with the 16-45 lens :
http://www.fotosidan.se/cldoc/6652.htm
He tested it against his 28-70/2.8L, and the 16-45 could hold its own pretty well, though he could see a difference. He then tested it against the 17-40/4L, and the 16-45 without much problem beat it on the edges. And he stated that the 17-40/4L was a lens that he generally found to be a fine piece of glass.
On another note, the 16-45 is not a specialist lens. It was a lens that could be bought as a package deal together with the original *Ist D, and now they have made a similar upscale package combination with the K10. It is this kit that I plan to get.
The inexpensive 18-45 lens, is what was sold with the DS and DL cameras, and now also the K100.
The 16-45 does have some CA as noted, so it is not a super lens. But it just goes to show, what we knew already that Pentax every once and a while bring out some very fine standard glass.