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Author Topic: APC sensor for landscapes?  (Read 4692 times)

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jon

« on: March 26, 2011, 01:33 »
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In 2008 I uploaded a few images to micro sites. Then I got busy at work and gave up stock shooting for a couple of years. To my surprise, some of my images, mainly urban landscapes, have continued to sell. Now I want to get into stock again, either micro or via my own site or both. I want to upgrade from my old Pentax K10D. The Canon 5D2 seems like the obvious choice for landscape work but then I have to buy into a new system. Since I have Pentax lenses the path of least resistance is to go with the Pentax K-5, which has a smaller sensor and lower MP than the 5D2 but also newer technology. But maybe I should just bite the bullet and go FF if the image quality is significantly better. So how much image quality, if any, does a camera like the K-5 give up vs. the 5D2 for landscape shooting at low ISOs?

Thanks.


« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2011, 04:12 »
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There is a noticeable difference.  Have a look at the samples on sites like dpreview and you can see for yourself.  Personally, I don't mind using my 550D, as it's good enough for microstock and alamy.  There is another option, I use autopanopro to stick photos together and I can now have whatever resolution I want.

« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2011, 04:43 »
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Get the K-5 and stay with wonderful Pentax glass !!  :D
.

« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2011, 12:34 »
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Apart from noise (which will not be much if you stick to low ISOs), is there a significant advantage between a cropped sensor and FF? I believe lens quality will be an issue whenever you increase pixels - I know people who loved the 17-40mm with a 12MPix camera and were disappointed when they started using a 21MPix camera.

Perhaps even more of an issue in a FF because it will use more of the edges of a lens (I'm not sure about the latter, however).

« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2011, 04:33 »
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hi,

according to dxo mark the pentax k-5 has the highest dynamic range of any camera on the market. So may well be worth serious consideration

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Camera-Sensor/Sensor-rankings/%28type%29/usecase_landscape

I found many of the pentax lenses had higher than average levels of PF, but with work it can be cut out. One reason I went fullframe was I wasn't overly happy with CA on apsc ultrawide lenses, I think its better on ff but now corner sharpness suffers :).

I actually liked the pentax cameras more than the glass :), luminous landscape review of pentax mf mentions happy to drop a little quality if req'd (and he makes the point that he hasnt dropped) to have a camera that is just so nice to use. I always enjoyed using the pentax but going through 5 16-50's and still not getting a good was the last straw. If I could use my sony zeiss lenses on a pentax cam I'd be happy :)   (the sony a850 is another option)
« Last Edit: March 27, 2011, 08:00 by Phil »

« Reply #5 on: March 27, 2011, 05:25 »
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The key issue for landscapes would be the width of the Pentax sensor. It is only 2/3 the size of a 35mm full-frame sensor. If you want to take wide-angle landscapes, a 24mm lens is only going to give you the same angle of coverage as a 35mm lens on a full frame camera. You'd need to go as wide as 12mm to get the coverage an 18 0r 20mm lens would give you on full frame.

Now, what sort of landscapes do you want to shoot and what focal lengths can your existing lenses offer? That's probably where your answer lies. If you are going to have to get new lenses, anyway, then the issue about sticking with Pentax ceases to matter. And you need to check how good your existing lenses are when dealing with the zero tolerance for CA etc on the micros' inspections.

With a full-frame Canon I wouldn't advise the 17-40, the 24-70 2.8L is very good, though. If you want 18mm or thereabouts on full frame, the Zeiss Distagon 18/3.5 ZE would probably be the way to go, if you have the cash. It's manual focus but that shouldn't be a problem.


 

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