K-5 Continous focus in bad lighting sports example

Urkeldaedalus · 12-04-2010, 12:03 AM

Alright, I've seen some requests for a sequence of continuous autofocus results from the K-5 before, so I've been meaning to post an example if I got a good selection to work with. Here a string of photos I took tonight during a high school girls basketball game in bad gymnasium lighting with the DA* 200. The girl in this photo is driving almost directly at me down the court at a pretty fast clip. I had it on focus priority autofocus.

Other particulars -- ISO6400 f/2.8 and 1/500 shutter speed. Shot in RAW

This series is started the picture after focus was first acquired. There were all in a row, roughly as they appeared on my memory card. (A little lightning and minor sharpening in post.)

The camera is still trying to focus on her even as the ref runs into the way

After this the focus got disrupted by the ref's presence so I ended the series there. If anyone is interested I can provide a link to large sizes of photos. You can see from the moderate sized ones that the focus on her face is better in the middle of the sequence, and is not as good in the beginning and the toward the end. I'm not saying it always does this well, and in better lighting conditions it may even do better, but I was pretty impressed with the performance in this particular instance.

JohnBee · 12-04-2010, 12:22 AM

Looks very impressive!
Any idea what the orange cast is, at the upper left of some of the first images?

KungPOW · 12-04-2010, 01:42 AM

The orange cast, I expect to be the flouescent lights in the gym.

**Ex Finn.** · 12-04-2010, 05:09 PM

They could have used mixed lighting in the ceiling, looks like high pressure sodium (orange) and metal-halide mix.

Last edited by Ex Finn.; 12-04-2010 at 05:13 PM. Reason: Spelling mistakes.

kadarpik · 12-04-2010, 06:58 PM

Yes that's true, it is even quite effective shooting from car moving 90 km/h and if car is approaching from opposite direction. I did the test with sigma 70 EX macro which has screw drive but it is fast and quite silent. For me screw drive seems to be faster than SDM but it depends on light also. Thera are also tests at Rice High ultra critical insane site, where K5 performs same level as D7000. I have not been in trouble with K5 AF-C at all.

12-04-2010, 12:03 AM	#1
Urkeldaedalus Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Iowa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,369	K-5 Continous focus in bad lighting sports example Alright, I've seen some requests for a sequence of continuous autofocus results from the K-5 before, so I've been meaning to post an example if I got a good selection to work with. Here a string of photos I took tonight during a high school girls basketball game in bad gymnasium lighting with the DA* 200. The girl in this photo is driving almost directly at me down the court at a pretty fast clip. I had it on focus priority autofocus. Other particulars -- ISO6400 f/2.8 and 1/500 shutter speed. Shot in RAW This series is started the picture after focus was first acquired. There were all in a row, roughly as they appeared on my memory card. (A little lightning and minor sharpening in post.) The camera is still trying to focus on her even as the ref runs into the way After this the focus got disrupted by the ref's presence so I ended the series there. If anyone is interested I can provide a link to large sizes of photos. You can see from the moderate sized ones that the focus on her face is better in the middle of the sequence, and is not as good in the beginning and the toward the end. I'm not saying it always does this well, and in better lighting conditions it may even do better, but I was pretty impressed with the performance in this particular instance.

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12-04-2010, 12:22 AM	#2
JohnBee Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Newrfoundland Photos: Albums Posts: 4,667	Looks very impressive! Any idea what the orange cast is, at the upper left of some of the first images?

12-04-2010, 01:42 AM	#3
KungPOW Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vancouver, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,699	The orange cast, I expect to be the flouescent lights in the gym.

12-04-2010, 05:09 PM	#4
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	They could have used mixed lighting in the ceiling, looks like high pressure sodium (orange) and metal-halide mix. Last edited by Ex Finn.; 12-04-2010 at 05:13 PM. Reason: Spelling mistakes.

12-04-2010, 06:58 PM	#5
kadarpik New Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Tallinn Posts: 8	Yes that's true, it is even quite effective shooting from car moving 90 km/h and if car is approaching from opposite direction. I did the test with sigma 70 EX macro which has screw drive but it is fast and quite silent. For me screw drive seems to be faster than SDM but it depends on light also. Thera are also tests at Rice High ultra critical insane site, where K5 performs same level as D7000. I have not been in trouble with K5 AF-C at all.