K-3 AF w/targets coming toward you

RockvilleBob · 11-11-2013, 04:45 AM - **1 Like**

I had this on another post but thought I would put on the forum in a separate topic.

this was my second attempt shooting cars traveling towards me at about 25 to 30 mph - I feel the K-3 is a big improvement over my K-5. The leaves on the road help show how the focus point tracks the car.

Much better results today shooting moving cars.
Revised car sequence viewable here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h67gsvyfb...l2ottiRe5/JPEG
I revised the settings for shooting cars as an auto focus test and I feel the results are good. You can see a 20 shot sequence here https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h67gsvyfb...l2ottiRe5/JPEG
The settings:
Shooting in RAW = Photoshop JPEG conversion with no PP
TAV 1/2000 sec f4 using DA*300 - personally I prefer TAV which is the mode I use shooting wildlife.
all auto focus menu items set to 1 -- that is Menu Items C 15, 16, 17 and 18 set to default 1
Focus area is SEL L all the points used with the center point selected

I also tried setting the Action in AF.C Continuous (menu item C 17) option to AUTO(setting=2) and FPS(setting=3) and feel focus priority, setting =1, gave me what I wanted. Personally a few less shots in focus, especially with the speed of the K-3, is better than more shots. I will see how this works in practice shooting birds.

bwDraco · 11-11-2013, 08:26 AM

That looks really good. How does this compare to the K-5?

--DragonLord

johnmflores · 11-11-2013, 09:56 AM

Well done. Looks promising. Thanks for sharing. Is that The Stig driving?

lister6520 · 11-11-2013, 09:56 AM

Are you using the 'Expanded Area AF' ?

With the K-30 I have succesfully shot racing cars approaching with at least 90% success rate using that feature and centre point selected as the starting point.

I'm not sure whether you are considering those shots as succesful or not as it depends on which part of the car you intended to be in focus.

panoguy · 11-11-2013, 10:05 AM

Great stuff, Bob. Thanks for testing this and posting your results!

Originally posted by johnmflores

Is that The Stig driving?

The only Hondas the Stig would drive either have two wheels or the paint of a Formula 1 team on them.

Originally posted by lister6520

I'm not sure whether you are considering those shots as succesful or not as it depends on which part of the car you intended to be in focus.

We need a car with a giant focus target on the hood...

**ak_kiwi** · 11-11-2013, 11:41 AM

Thanks for that info Bob - will come in handy for a couple of school sports shoots this week.

RockvilleBob · 11-11-2013, 01:22 PM

Originally posted by lister6520

Are you using the 'Expanded Area AF' ?

With the K-30 I have succesfully shot racing cars approaching with at least 90% success rate using that feature and centre point selected as the starting point.

I'm not sure whether you are considering those shots as succesful or not as it depends on which part of the car you intended to be in focus.

I was focusing on the license plate - I thought they were good
and yes - expanded area and center focus point
The settings:
Shooting in RAW = Photoshop JPEG conversion with no PP
TAV 1/2000 sec f4 using DA*300 - personally I prefer TAV which is the mode I use shooting wildlife.
all auto focus menu items set to 1 -- that is Menu Items C 15, 16, 17 and 18 set to default 1
Focus area is SEL L all the points used with the center point selected

I also tried setting the Action in AF.C Continuous (menu item C 17) option to AUTO(setting=2) and FPS(setting=3) and feel focus priority, setting =1, gave me what I wanted. Personally a few less shots in focus, especially with the speed of the K-3, is better than more shots. I will see how this works in practice shooting birds.

11-11-2013, 04:45 AM - 1 Like	#1
RockvilleBob Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Lewes DE USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,780	K-3 AF w/targets coming toward you I had this on another post but thought I would put on the forum in a separate topic. this was my second attempt shooting cars traveling towards me at about 25 to 30 mph - I feel the K-3 is a big improvement over my K-5. The leaves on the road help show how the focus point tracks the car. Much better results today shooting moving cars. Revised car sequence viewable here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h67gsvyfb...l2ottiRe5/JPEG I revised the settings for shooting cars as an auto focus test and I feel the results are good. You can see a 20 shot sequence here https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h67gsvyfb...l2ottiRe5/JPEG The settings: Shooting in RAW = Photoshop JPEG conversion with no PP TAV 1/2000 sec f4 using DA*300 - personally I prefer TAV which is the mode I use shooting wildlife. all auto focus menu items set to 1 -- that is Menu Items C 15, 16, 17 and 18 set to default 1 Focus area is SEL L all the points used with the center point selected I also tried setting the Action in AF.C Continuous (menu item C 17) option to AUTO(setting=2) and FPS(setting=3) and feel focus priority, setting =1, gave me what I wanted. Personally a few less shots in focus, especially with the speed of the K-3, is better than more shots. I will see how this works in practice shooting birds.

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11-11-2013, 08:26 AM	#2
bwDraco Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: New York Photos: Albums Posts: 1,071	That looks really good. How does this compare to the K-5? --DragonLord

11-11-2013, 09:56 AM	#3
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361	Well done. Looks promising. Thanks for sharing. Is that The Stig driving?

11-11-2013, 09:56 AM	#4
lister6520 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 733	Are you using the 'Expanded Area AF' ? With the K-30 I have succesfully shot racing cars approaching with at least 90% success rate using that feature and centre point selected as the starting point. I'm not sure whether you are considering those shots as succesful or not as it depends on which part of the car you intended to be in focus.

11-11-2013, 10:05 AM	#5
panoguy Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Washington, D.C. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,327	Great stuff, Bob. Thanks for testing this and posting your results! Originally posted by johnmflores Is that The Stig driving? The only Hondas the Stig would drive either have two wheels or the paint of a Formula 1 team on them. Originally posted by lister6520 I'm not sure whether you are considering those shots as succesful or not as it depends on which part of the car you intended to be in focus. We need a car with a giant focus target on the hood...

11-11-2013, 11:41 AM	#6
ak_kiwi Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Auckland, New Zealand. Posts: 328	Thanks for that info Bob - will come in handy for a couple of school sports shoots this week.

11-11-2013, 01:22 PM	#7
RockvilleBob Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Lewes DE USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,780 Original Poster	Originally posted by lister6520 Are you using the 'Expanded Area AF' ? With the K-30 I have succesfully shot racing cars approaching with at least 90% success rate using that feature and centre point selected as the starting point. I'm not sure whether you are considering those shots as succesful or not as it depends on which part of the car you intended to be in focus. I was focusing on the license plate - I thought they were good and yes - expanded area and center focus point The settings: Shooting in RAW = Photoshop JPEG conversion with no PP TAV 1/2000 sec f4 using DA*300 - personally I prefer TAV which is the mode I use shooting wildlife. all auto focus menu items set to 1 -- that is Menu Items C 15, 16, 17 and 18 set to default 1 Focus area is SEL L all the points used with the center point selected I also tried setting the Action in AF.C Continuous (menu item C 17) option to AUTO(setting=2) and FPS(setting=3) and feel focus priority, setting =1, gave me what I wanted. Personally a few less shots in focus, especially with the speed of the K-3, is better than more shots. I will see how this works in practice shooting birds.