Pentax K-1 pixel shift

[MJP]

The Pentax K-1 is smokin' hot for everything apart from continuous autofocus (which truly sucks). One of the best functions of this camera is pixel shift resolution, which works like this (more information available through Googling) . . . 

 

 

The results . . . 

 

 

Album here . . . 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/56053365@N07/albums/72157668253018426

 

Lloyd Chamber's reckons it's comparable or even superior to a lot of medium format. Caveat: It really is only good for static subjects.

[Goompa]

 

Nice friendly review here .... certainly not a pocket camera !

[FracturedRabbit]

Will it work handheld, or is a tripod required?

[MJP]

21 minutes ago, FracturedRabbit said:

Will it work handheld, or is a tripod required?

 

Tripod definitely required. Also, you need to post-process in Pentax Silypix to sort out false colour/other problems such as running water.

[FracturedRabbit]

The upcoming E-M1 2 is meant to offer the same feature handheld; although I'll believe it when I see it.

[MJP]

1 hour ago, FracturedRabbit said:

The upcoming E-M1 2 is meant to offer the same feature handheld; although I'll believe it when I see it.

 

I can't see it's possible. Pentax has an algorithm which replaces moving subjects in the pixel shift with an unshifted overlay, like water or gently blowing leaves, but it's limited in application.

[vaultdweller0013]

19 hours ago, MJP said:

 

I can't see it's possible. Pentax has an algorithm which replaces moving subjects in the pixel shift with an unshifted overlay, like water or gently blowing leaves, but it's limited in application.

 

If they can get the time between shots down low enough, it could work. Right now, it currently takes about 1s for the current Olympus cameras to take the 8 shots needed. They have been talking about trying to get that down to 1/60th of a second:

https://www.dpreview.com/articles/5476551037/interview-with-setsuya-kataoka-from-olympus-om-d-high-resolution-mode

Now, that was in Feb 2015, over 18 months ago. They are working on it, but I wouldn't predict it would be out soon.

 

Speculating randomly, I would think the problem is getting a good enough true global (non-rolling) electronic shutter. Assuming that it roughly would take the same time to read and clear the pixels as taking the actual picture, this would taking the 8 pictures at about 1/900s. If the read and clear was instant, it would be taking 8 pictures with 1/480s. As an aside, this could also potentially increase the flash sync speed up to those speeds. Some progress has been made on this, such as the Sony RX100 IV with on-chip DRAM and 1/32000s shutter. However, I don't think Sony has managed a true global shutter on the RX100 IV and that is only a 1" sensor, so it is probably still a ways off for M43, let alone APS-C or FF.

[FracturedRabbit]

The rumours say that is included in the new E-M1, out next month. But global shutter is not included in the update.

[MJP]

10 hours ago, vaultdweller0013 said:

 

If they can get the time between shots down low enough, it could work. Right now, it currently takes about 1s for the current Olympus cameras to take the 8 shots needed. They have been talking about trying to get that down to 1/60th of a second:

https://www.dpreview.com/articles/5476551037/interview-with-setsuya-kataoka-from-olympus-om-d-high-resolution-mode

Now, that was in Feb 2015, over 18 months ago. They are working on it, but I wouldn't predict it would be out soon.

 

Speculating randomly, I would think the problem is getting a good enough true global (non-rolling) electronic shutter. Assuming that it roughly would take the same time to read and clear the pixels as taking the actual picture, this would taking the 8 pictures at about 1/900s. If the read and clear was instant, it would be taking 8 pictures with 1/480s. As an aside, this could also potentially increase the flash sync speed up to those speeds. Some progress has been made on this, such as the Sony RX100 IV with on-chip DRAM and 1/32000s shutter. However, I don't think Sony has managed a true global shutter on the RX100 IV and that is only a 1" sensor, so it is probably still a ways off for M43, let alone APS-C or FF.

 

The elusive global shutter. I thing of myth and legend. Maybe one day. Probably be in a Sony computer-lens device first and then available in an actual camera sometime after that.

 

I took the day off from this exhausting river rebuild project (where I sit by the river all day watching two excavators and one dumper doing as little as possible) to attend the Great Dorset Steam Fair, a venue I shall return to this bank holiday Monday for a proper days shoot. Now if and when pixel shift can be used for this . . .