Chinese Dragon Boat Race (93 Photos)

RiceHigh · 10-08-2008, 07:32 AM

Some photos to share, taken by K100D, with a F* 300/4.5, Single AF mode, Av mode and ISO from 200 to 800 (mostly 400):-

RiceHigh/Dragon Boat Competition - Page 1 - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Full story and diary on the shooting experience below:-

RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: Chinese Dragon Boat Race

kenyee · 10-08-2008, 07:57 AM

Do you have a Canon 300/4.5 lens?
That would have been a great place to do a test of continuous focus. The dragon boats probably would each have "lanes" and each race would use the same lanes. Run continuous AF for the Canon 5D and then do the same w/ the K100D (or borrow a friend's K20D). Then calculate the percentage of in-focus shots.
Next year? :-)

RiceHigh · 10-08-2008, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by kenyee

Do you have a Canon 300/4.5 lens?
That would have been a great place to do a test of continuous focus. The dragon boats probably would each have "lanes" and each race would use the same lanes. Run continuous AF for the Canon 5D and then do the same w/ the K100D (or borrow a friend's K20D). Then calculate the percentage of in-focus shots.
Next year? :-)

The first thing I just wanted to have is the camera allowed me to release the shutter any time in the C-AF mode, only after that the hit rate is then considered. My 1987 Pentax SFX can do it, why now the K100 and K10 cannot? In my book, it is just called a BUG.

There is nothing to compare also. As others here have pointed out before, it does actually not make much sense to compare the K100 to the 5D. We *should* only compare similar grade products of different brands. But then what is the comparable ranked product to the 5D in the Pentax land?

attack11 · 10-08-2008, 08:53 AM

did you have the flash up? af-c allows you to fire until you're out of buffer.

rfortson · 10-08-2008, 09:02 AM

Nice shots, RH! Looks like a fun event to photograph and you got a nice variety of shots. Glad to see you posting some pictures.

RiceHigh · 10-08-2008, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by attack11

did you have the flash up? af-c allows you to fire until you're out of buffer.

Of course No.

RiceHigh · 10-08-2008, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by rfortson

Nice shots, RH! Looks like a fun event to photograph and you got a nice variety of shots. Glad to see you posting some pictures.

Thank you.

attack11 · 10-08-2008, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by RiceHigh

The first thing I just wanted to have is the camera allowed me to release the shutter any time in the C-AF mode, only after that the hit rate is then considered. My 1987 Pentax SFX can do it, why now the K100 and K10 cannot? In my book, it is just called a BUG.

then what did you mean with this? you were in af-c and you couldn't take a shot?

Jester_rm · 10-08-2008, 12:12 PM

There's some great shots in there RH, thanks for the link!

*roentarre* · 10-08-2008, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by kenyee

Do you have a Canon 300/4.5 lens?
That would have been a great place to do a test of continuous focus. The dragon boats probably would each have "lanes" and each race would use the same lanes. Run continuous AF for the Canon 5D and then do the same w/ the K100D (or borrow a friend's K20D). Then calculate the percentage of in-focus shots.
Next year? :-)

It is canon 300mm f4 IS L and it is significantly faster in day light comparing to Pentax Fa or F 300mm f4.5

Da* 300mm f4 is definitely improved with its SDM AF but it is nothing comparing to the canon 300m f4 IS L.

However, in the low light environment, they are in the same class...

RiceHigh · 10-08-2008, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by attack11

then what did you mean with this? you were in af-c and you couldn't take a shot?

Yes. It is such a *bug*!

RiceHigh · 10-08-2008, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by jester_rm

there's some great shots in there rh, thanks for the link!

- :-)

magnum1 · 10-08-2008, 07:05 PM

I read your blog.

I need to disagree a bit with you. I shoot many indoor events such as basketball - volleyball and those events probably have some of the poorest lighting around. I usually use my pentax 50-135 (2.8) and have wonderful results with action shots (c-af). I do notice some hunting when I use my Sigma 24-70 (2.8) so I think the hunting is more a lens design factor. I use a K10D and will not hesitate to purchase the K20 as soon as the cash becomes available.

IMHO

kenyee · 10-08-2008, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by RiceHigh

The first thing I just wanted to have is the camera allowed me to release the shutter any time in the C-AF mode
...
does actually not make much sense to compare the K100 to the 5D.

FWIW, in AF-C, I've gotten it to fire w/o being in focus. I had to use it for a macro test against a flat sheet of paper w/ a 105/2.5 lens at 1:1...only locked one 1:10 times for some reason

I'm not sure why your K100D didn't let you fire away even though it didn't have focus lock. Sounds more like it was in AF-S mode.

As for 5D vs. K100, it was just a curiosity question...people obviously wouldn't compare them when deciding what to buy. I had thought the Canon 40D would do better than the K20D but Chris (?) did a test comparison w/ an employee running toward him and the percentage in focus was comparable.

That still would have been a great place to compare AF-C performance between various brands though, for all the reasons I mentioned...

*Damn Brit* · 10-08-2008, 07:28 PM

I started to look at your pictures but something told me to look at your blog entry first.

I'm glad that I did, you were just using that event for more of your usual Pentax bashing.

I have to admire your tenacity, spending all that time just so you have an excuse to gripe again.

Unfortunately you have let yourself down, your pictures, although there were a couple of decent ones there, serve to show that you are nothing more than an average photographer. How many years have you been taking pictures? Quite a few I should imagine. And this is the standard you have achieved?
Point and shoot cameras are very affordable these days, why don't you get yourself one?

Thanks for posting, it made my day.