[Andrew Crouch]

I have had a DA*300F4 since early 2013, and use it with my K5 firmware V1.01 purchased December 2011, often for photographing birds. Autofocus speed has always been slow with this combination (small birds in motion), and it hunts particularly when taking birds flying overhead with only a sky background. Autofocus C helps, but is only a little better. Is anyone aware of any firmware or other refinements that have come since these dates that may have improved this situation, or particular combinations of settings that may help?

Thanks.

[hcc]

There is not magic solution. But Manual pre-focus and Hi-continuous shooting in AF-C do help with BIF (Bird in flight). That is, you pre-focus manually your lens on an object about the right distance. Switch back to AF.C. Your lens will have a shorter distance to focus.

Also Hi continuous shooting enable you to get a greater percentage of good shots. More generally, I tend to use always Hi continuous shooting in nearly every situation and this heps me to have some 'keepers'.

My 5 cents....

[eddaytona]

We're up to V 1.16 in K-5 firmware. Try it. You might like it.

[derekkite]

This isn't a stellar combination, but you may want to consider sending the pair in to a shop for calibration. From there, use the center point and learn exactly where you can get focus. For birds practice panning technique. Also practice manual focus for those situations where the body doesn't focus on what you want.

[Stargeezer]

I've owned the da*300 since 09 and the k-5 for 2 years and I feel your pain.
Technique can help but it is not the answer. I eliminate shutter button focus and use the back focus button.
It gives you a lot more control with the focus hunting issues.
I have tried the k-30 for a few weeks and it was a great improvement for bif. But kept the K-5 because of everything else.

I did send my k-5 and da*300 to CRIS for repair last year. It came back exactly the same.

I do love the da*300 and it's keeping me from changing to Nikon.
With the price drop on the k-3's I think I will go that route first in the new future.

Good luck, Joe

[crewl1]

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your degree of CBA) the best way to improve AF on most Pentax lenses is to put them on a K-3.