Camera Labs

Hi Paul, congrats on your K10D.

My first tip for any new DSLR owner is to visit our sister site, www.dslrtips.com !

Bonsoir Paolo,

Difficult question

I agree with Gordon with the first tip

If second tip would be to read the manual very closely, third one could be to read a more user- and photo-oriented book like Pentax K10D - Magic Lantern Guide, by Peter K. Burian

But most important is taking pictures, pictures and more pictures to learn how the K10D reacts and how much you could trust it .

Two ways:

• either you explore the settings, like the different modes one by one, Av, Tv, Sv, Program, ...
• or you choose a kind of picture, like still photography, landscape, and you test and try till you're happy with the result.

Actually, I've combined both approaches in my Pentax K10D User Review

Best regards,

_________________
--- rei_vilo
Pentax K-5 + BG4 + DA* 16-50 + DA* 50-135 + DA* 60-250 + AF-540FGZ
reivilophotography.weebly.com

Sorry for the delay in replying - I just didn't get around to it.

To be honest I may not be the best person for handing out tips but I'll do my best.

Rather than repeating what the others have said I will add my own, please try to view my tips as additions and not replacements for what the others have said and also remember these are my opinions and are based on my experiences only.

1. Use RAW - I tend to shoot RAW+ jpeg using the PEF format. One of the largest differences I have found is that when using flash whilst indoors the amount of recoverable information that has been lost in the jpeg is shocking - give it a go.

2. Raw software - I use Adobe Camera Raw - I just can't get to like the Pentax version.

3. Store the camera in an postion other than lcd down, when I adapted a rucksack (until I can decide on which specialised photo back pack to buy) I stored it lcd down and this caused me some dust issues and kept finding that the dust on the sensor needed a wet clean - now I store it lens down using my cleaning kit jammed under the hand grip to take the weight off the lense mount - no more dust issues - I assume that it just falls off

4. Use the floating ISO option and restrict the iso between 100 and 400 - I usually leave it on this setting unless I have a sepcific use for the higher settings or wish to restrict it to the lower ones.

5. I changed the EV steps from 1/2 to 1/3 (menu/ custom setting/ ev steps) - have a play with this as it affects shutter speeds (I like the 25 seconds option which you don't get with 1/2 steps) and the ISO's and probably other things I have not noticed or forgotten that I have noticed - have a play and decide which suits you best.

6. (yes I know you asked for 5) - I set the camera to the following as it suits my needs the most, wb when using flash to setting 2, digital preview to include bright/dark areas, metering mode as multi segment, drive to continuousand af area as selectable - also of course update to firmware version 1.30 if you have not done so already - I change the settings only when I need to such as when using the tripod I use the remote setting on 3 seconds delay to make use of the mirror lock up.

7. It's probably time for me to stop waffling.



Hope the above help


Cheers


Stu.

_________________
K10D + optimistic idiocy

My pic's - http://www.flickr.com/photos/10126769@N05/

What about the body IS system efficiency? I 'm confused...
A review from Cnet said: "Shake Reduction only buys you a little over one stop" while Pentax claims it gets you from 2,5 to 4 stops. (& it should make a great difference in practice)

_________________
Gear: Nikon D80, 18-105mm, 35mm F/1.8, 85mm F/1.8, SB-600
Visit my work here

Hi Razvan, check our reviews of the cameras in question to see our own measurement of how well the stabilisation works. Some are better than others.

Bonjour Razvan,

For shake reduction, see my review here.

Actually, the best is to test and try in order to learn how much you could trust the shake reduction system. This is part of the mearning curve of the K10D

_________________
--- rei_vilo
Pentax K-5 + BG4 + DA* 16-50 + DA* 50-135 + DA* 60-250 + AF-540FGZ
reivilophotography.weebly.com