Is a Pentax K50 a viable camera for Alamy?

[Hal Saunders]

The K50 is a June 2013 release date so by current standards its a pretty old camera. It's a 16 megapixel APSC design, I am aiming to upgrade around mid 2021 to either a KP or the upcoming K3 Series 3 when pricing becomes clearer.

Simply, is the K50 viable from an image quality viewpoint for Alamys  purposes. I realize the obvious answer is "upload images and see" but I'm  just trying to save myself the grief, in case my images are rejected, of wondering if it's  me, the camera or something else, my fear is that by today's standards image noise could be a factor and I also, by default, do image sharpening in post which apparently is also a big problem in Alamy rejecting images.

I'm equally happy to start submitting now, or wait till I get the new camera and shoot/process for Alamy then. Simply, am I expecting a bit much for such an old camera to get past QC?

[Betty LaRue]

I think you can do it but your rate of keepers will be smaller. I suggest inspecting at 100%, then using selective noise reduction on large areas besides the subject.

I used to do that quite often with my first digital 6mp Nikon, the D70, then D-200 and D300. Skies, especially.
These days LR does great but a rare time I have put an image in Photoshop and done a bit of selective noise reduction to keep from softening the main subject too much in LR. I’ve saved a few images that should have been tossed. I only do it to the rare one I really loved or was a one-off opportunity like this one except for the noise. The below image (one of a set) was taken with my RX1003 in a room substantially darker than it appears here. It was somewhat noisy to begin with, then when I upped the exposure in post, that made it worse.  A bit of all over noise reduction in LR, then selective in PS. I think you can do selective in LR, but I’m so familiar doing it in PS that I just carry on.

Edited January 4, 2021 by Betty LaRue

[Cal]

Should be absolutely fine. I've submitted a good few images here from very old digital cameras that I had when I was younger as some of the images I had in storage were stock suitable. On checking my Alamy folder I have:

 

-34 images submitted and passed QC from a Canon EOS 1Ds (no QC fails) - this is an 11MP full frame (an early example of such) 18 year old SLR

-114 images submitted and passed QC from a Canon EOS 450D (no QC fails) - this is a 12MP APS-C 12 year old SLR

-516 images submitted and passed QC from my now dead Sony A35, one QC fail due to an image with a bit too much noise.  This is a 16MP 9 year old SLT.

 

The majority of the rest of my images are from my current camera bodies, both 24MP Sonys, one an A99 (full frame, 8 years old) and an A77ii (APS-C, 6 years old) and a handful from similarly aged kit as the first three including one image from an A200 and a few from an A65. None of these images from older bodies were "snuck through" QC by hiding them in larger submissions, but I did have to be careful with noise and colour casts. I find some older DSLR/SLT type cameras particularly pre-2010 in some strong lighting exhibit odd colour casts that it is really hard to process out. 

 

Keep images above 6MP and carefully control noise in a program like lightroom and there should be no issue.

[Mr Standfast]

2 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

"but your rate of keepers will be smaller"

 

 

As Betty says, you will be rejecting a lot of pictures.

[MizBrown]

I have some that have passed from a Nikon D50, 6 MP.   Work on framing and composing in the camera rather than planning to crop afterwards. 

[Bill Kuta]

My last 2-3 submissions have been from my Sony NEX-6 with the kit 16-50mm. It's 16mp like the K-50, and about a year older by release date. Never have had a problem with the images from it. 

[shearwater]

Hello Hal,

I mostly use a Nikon D90, which is a 12MP APS-C from 2008. I have got very few QC failures (fingers crossed), can't remember the last one. 

Just shot RAW, edit carefully and be your harder critic and you should do fine.

Good luck!

Regards

Edited January 5, 2021 by shearwater

[Hal Saunders]

Thank you to everyone that responded, it is much appreciated! I'll upload three images for QC and see how I go, noting the advice here on how to check them. Fingers crossed,  hope all three pass and I can become a regular contributor. 

[Robert M Estall]

I shoot with a Pentax K-5 which also has a 16 megapixel sensor, most likely the same sensor. That's going to produce a 48Mg file before any cropping. No problems with QC. If in doubt, reduce size down towards 20 Mg. Don't push your luck by submitting high ASA rated images or anything liable to noise. Just submit well lit straightforward shots for your first submissions. The new K-3 III will not be cheap and will almost certainly have a 24 Mg sensor and ratle long at a speed few photographers will use. But it will be good value compared to many alternatives. Put a quality piece of glass on it. It has been confirmed that the K-3 III will have a little bigger sensor at 25.77 mb and pretty amazing low light capability and a 3.2 inch fixed screen & slightly magnified viewfinder. No prices yet but I'd be surprised if it was really high. It will still be a modest sized sensor

Edited January 17, 2021 by Robert M Estall