Pentax *ist DS noise?

Hey all... I'm looking to finally get a DSLR that'll take my old 35mm pentax
lenses. I was drooling over the one and only choice last year, but now with the *ist
DS I thought I'd finally found a better compromise.

Trouble is, I've seen the sample-images at http://www.steves-digicams.com, and
the DS seems to have significantly more sensor noise than the Canon units or even the
*ist-D! I can understand a noisy image at ISO800, but even the 400 shots have
discernable noise by comparison. I thought that the DS used the same sensor as the D,
so it should be the same, no?

Can anyone comment on this before I shell out big bucks? The main reason for
getting a DSLR for me is to have big, low-noise sensors and to use my current lenses.
If it's too noisy, I'm not nearly as interested.

Also, anyone know about the "optional accessory" for split-image matte
viewfinder on the DS? I'm assuming that's the split-image focus aid on the old manual
focus 35mm cameras, right? I was worried about using manual-focus lenses on the new
camera without it. I wasn't able to find where to buy it or how much.

Thanks!
-Cory

--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

I was curious about this little camera but I can't really say I've been
impressed by images I had seen.

I was curious about this little camera but I can't really say I've been
impressed by images I had seen.

wrote:
:
: Trouble is, I've seen the sample-images at http://www.steves-digicams.co
: m, and
: the DS seems to have significantly more sensor noise than the Canon units or eve
: n the
: *ist-D!

My brother has the 300D and I have the ist-DS - my camera has
significantly LESS noise than his. My ISO 1600 shots look much less
grainy and noisy than 1600 shots on his.

I don't know what Steve did for those test shots, but they are not
representative at all.

I can email you some shots I took on Thanksgiving with my DS - 1600 ISO,
handheld shots under a chandelier in the dining room. Nice, clean, sharp
images. Much better than I could have done with his 300D. Drop me a note
if you would like a couple of unedited frames straight from the camera.

Dumb name for the camera, though. That's my big issue with it (if you can
call it a big issue).

-Charles

--
Charles Robinson
Minneapolis, MN

http://www.visi.com/~charlesr

wrote:
:
: Trouble is, I've seen the sample-images at http://www.steves-digicams.co
: m, and
: the DS seems to have significantly more sensor noise than the Canon units or eve
: n the
: *ist-D!

My brother has the 300D and I have the ist-DS - my camera has
significantly LESS noise than his. My ISO 1600 shots look much less
grainy and noisy than 1600 shots on his.

I don't know what Steve did for those test shots, but they are not
representative at all.

I can email you some shots I took on Thanksgiving with my DS - 1600 ISO,
handheld shots under a chandelier in the dining room. Nice, clean, sharp
images. Much better than I could have done with his 300D. Drop me a note
if you would like a couple of unedited frames straight from the camera.

Dumb name for the camera, though. That's my big issue with it (if you can
call it a big issue).

-Charles

--
Charles Robinson
Minneapolis, MN

http://www.visi.com/~charlesr

Charles Robinson wrote:
: My brother has the 300D and I have the ist-DS - my camera has
: significantly LESS noise than his. My ISO 1600 shots look much less
: grainy and noisy than 1600 shots on his.

: I don't know what Steve did for those test shots, but they are not
: representative at all.

That is the opposite of the impression one gets from Steve's site. The 300D
looks OK, even at high ISO. The *ist-D looks good as well. The *ist-DS looks very
noisy by comparison.

-Cory

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

wrote in
:

That is the opposite of the impression one gets from Steve's
site. The 300D
looks OK, even at high ISO. The *ist-D looks good as well. The
*ist-DS looks very noisy by comparison.


Jepp - the DS pictures are way to grainy. but ...
.... it is not likely that DS is noisier than D.
So ... I will wait until I see another review.


/Roland

wrote in
:

That is the opposite of the impression one gets from Steve's
site. The 300D
looks OK, even at high ISO. The *ist-D looks good as well. The
*ist-DS looks very noisy by comparison.


Jepp - the DS pictures are way to grainy. but ...
.... it is not likely that DS is noisier than D.
So ... I will wait until I see another review.


/Roland

On 14 Dec 2004 20:38:12 GMT, Roland Karlsson wrote:

wrote in
:

That is the opposite of the impression one gets from Steve's
site. The 300D
looks OK, even at high ISO. The *ist-D looks good as well. The
*ist-DS looks very noisy by comparison.


Jepp - the DS pictures are way to grainy. but ...
... it is not likely that DS is noisier than D.
So ... I will wait until I see another review.

The DS has a "bright picture" mode which is the default, and it applies
excessive amounts of sharpening and contrast. It also does terrible things
to the noise characteristics at higher ISO of course. Turn it off (and never
turn it back on!) and all is well.


--
John Bean

Cynics regarded everybody as equally corrupt... Idealists regarded everybody
as equally corrupt, except themselves (Robert Anton Wilson)

John Bean wrote in
:

The DS has a "bright picture" mode which is the default, and it
applies excessive amounts of sharpening and contrast. It also does
terrible things to the noise characteristics at higher ISO of course.
Turn it off (and never turn it back on!) and all is well.

Hmmmmm .... "bright picture"? Does not sound like they are
all that bright if they apply something at higher ISO that
results in all that noise

Hope you are right. I am right now trying to convince myself
that it is worth the money to get one. And I am very willing
to be convinced But stuff like that noise was really
setback in my argumentation.


/Roland