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Author Topic: Pentax K1 and white dots (same as Nikon D810 and D800e)  (Read 2099 times)

Paul2660

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Pentax K1 and white dots (same as Nikon D810 and D800e)
« on: August 18, 2016, 08:26:01 pm »

Sadly it does appear that Pentax either overlooked the white dot issue on the 36MP Sony or they felt that enabling long exposure noise reduction was enough. 

Net, the K1 has the exact same issue both the Nikon D810 and early D800e cameras had with long exposures and the creation of thousands, possibly millions of fine white dots during longer exposures (in the 30 seconds to 2 minute range).  Nikon recalled the first round of D810 cameras for this issue and fixed later versions of the D800e as they shipped but never issued a recall on the D800e.  I had 2 800e's early and late and there was a difference for sure.

Nikon's original notice:

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/service-and-support/service-advisories/hyvanded/Technical-Service-Advisory-for-Users-of-the-Nikon-D810.html

My old article showing the same problem on the D800e:

http://photosofarkansas.com/2013/08/02/d800-reticulation-issues-during-night-photography-white-dot-problems/

The K1 has this issue just like both of the Nikon's already mentioned.  If you enable long exposure noise reduction in camera most of the dots will be removed, but if are stacking for either star trails or time lapse the gaping created by the long exposure dark frame will ruin the sequence.  And if you run any tool to close the faint gaps created in most star trails when shot with an intervalometer, the white dots become a dotted line.  I have taken around 100 or so 1 to 3 minute shots testing this and the dots are present in most of the K1 shots.  ISO is a moot point as they show up from 200 to 3200. 

So if you are planning to use the K1 in stacking type of astro-photographic work, just be aware of the dots, and if you workflow will enable you to use in camera noise reduction, I would recommend turning it on, even though it's very wasteful on battery life as you are shooting a full dark frame each time and are locked out of the camera during this shot, just like with Nikon. 
Or you can use Capture One Vr 9 as Phase with their single pixel noise reduction will remove the vast majority of the dots when the raw is loaded into C1.  If you shot as a jpg, and did not have the noise reduction on in camera, then the dots are fixed.  I have two screen shots one from LR the other C1 and you easily see how bad the dots look in the LR shot, and how well C1 handles this.  So far C1 is the only raw converter I have found that does.

Paul C

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Paul Caldwell
Little Rock, Arkansas U.S.
www.photosofarkansas.com

NancyP

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Re: Pentax K1 and white dots (same as Nikon D810 and D800e)
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2016, 03:15:45 pm »

Interesting. Looks typically Ozarks there.
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Paul2660

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Re: Pentax K1 and white dots (same as Nikon D810 and D800e)
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2016, 08:19:50 am »

Yes, lower Buffalo River. 

Paul C
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Paul Caldwell
Little Rock, Arkansas U.S.
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