K-5 IIS Autofocus

texmark · 02-23-2013, 11:25 AM

Hey guys,

I thought I was 100% sure in what I was doing with selling my old Nikon and switching to a Pentax K-5 IIS, but I wanted to ask about the autofocus in the Pentax. My primary concern is if I take the camera to an air show or to the new F1 track in Texas, will the autofocus be quick enough to catch the fast moving planes and cars? I'd likely use a 50-300mm lens. I'm used to using a Nikon D300s, and the autofocus was always sharp. Tell me about your experience with Pentax and if I have any reason to worry or if it should be fine.

Regards

Franky2step · 02-23-2013, 11:49 AM

I don't own the K-5 iis but I did own the D300 and currently shoot with the K-5. Nikon's auto focus is fantastic compared to Pentax and most Canon dslr's.

goubejp · 02-23-2013, 11:52 AM

Took the K5 regularly for airshows, AF is good for that kind of pictures, my opinion in that aircrafts are not difficult to track with AF because they are big and distant; birds in flight are much more difficult to track. For F1 I have no experience, but cars usualy always use the same trajectories on the track so you can prefocus or use catch in focus and it will be fine. Some examples of the last airshow (weather was suck)

SteveB · 02-23-2013, 12:01 PM

My K100D worked fine at air shows so I'm sure a K5 will cope.

texmark · 02-23-2013, 12:06 PM

Hey Franky2step i agree . Nikon 300s AF is just perfect.
Goubejp. Nice shots. What lens did you use to take those pictures?
Thank you for your responses. I really like the k5 IIs performance. Beautiful camera with great quality pictures.

Adam · 02-23-2013, 12:23 PM

The K5 will probably get the job done, but it's sadly not in the same league as the Nikon for action. Hopefully that changes when Pentax announces their D7100 competitor (though obviously you can't become number 1 in af overnight)

texmark · 02-23-2013, 12:30 PM

I hope so. I can wait a couple more months. Thank you guys for your help.

goubejp · 02-23-2013, 12:44 PM

Hi Texmark,
for this airshow I used the DA*200 f2.8, as luminosity was poor indeed I needed a fast lens...
Some others of the same airshow

Its was near Toulouse, the Airbus A380 made a short visit

texmark · 02-23-2013, 01:22 PM

Very nice. The A 380 is biiiiggggg.
Few pictures from Alliance Air Show

texmark · 02-23-2013, 01:23 PM

All pictures was taken with nikon D90 and 70-300mm lens

wafflehaus · 02-23-2013, 01:33 PM

That last one is sweet. Would you call that a sonic boom?

texmark · 02-23-2013, 01:36 PM

Yes sir. A sonic boom.

texmark · 02-23-2013, 01:38 PM

Couple more.

DeadJohn · 02-23-2013, 02:20 PM

Originally posted by wafflehaus

That last one is sweet. Would you call that a sonic boom?

Originally posted by texmark

Yes sir. A sonic boom.

It is probably not a true sonic boom triggered by supersonic flight. For safety reasons supersonic flight is typically not authorized at air shows. The effect shown in those photos can happen at slower flight speeds when water vapor condenses, especially in humid air.

starbase218 · 02-23-2013, 02:44 PM

The K-5 II(s) should be fine for airshows. I took my K-5 to Farnborough air show (UK) last year and shot with the DA 55-300. Most photos are perfectly focused. The only time I got in trouble was when it completely lost focus and started to hunt, which takes a few (valuable) seconds with that particular lens. But thanks to quick-shift, I was able to adjust focus so the (fuzzy) plane would be visible in the viewfinder, and let the AF take it from there. I used AF-C and single-point AF. I would speculate that the zone-tracking system in the K-5 II(s) would allow other AF points to take over when necessary, so that hunting won't occur as often.

edit: case in point: http://i45.tinypic.com/fkqfyp.jpg (somehow this doesn't work with img tags?)

02-23-2013, 11:25 AM	#1
texmark Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Plano Posts: 41	K-5 IIS Autofocus Hey guys, I thought I was 100% sure in what I was doing with selling my old Nikon and switching to a Pentax K-5 IIS, but I wanted to ask about the autofocus in the Pentax. My primary concern is if I take the camera to an air show or to the new F1 track in Texas, will the autofocus be quick enough to catch the fast moving planes and cars? I'd likely use a 50-300mm lens. I'm used to using a Nikon D300s, and the autofocus was always sharp. Tell me about your experience with Pentax and if I have any reason to worry or if it should be fine. Regards

02-23-2013, 12:23 PM	#6
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,594	The K5 will probably get the job done, but it's sadly not in the same league as the Nikon for action. Hopefully that changes when Pentax announces their D7100 competitor (though obviously you can't become number 1 in af overnight) Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

02-23-2013, 02:44 PM	#15
starbase218 Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Planet Earth, Sol system, Milky Way galaxy, Universe Posts: 1,119	The K-5 II(s) should be fine for airshows. I took my K-5 to Farnborough air show (UK) last year and shot with the DA 55-300. Most photos are perfectly focused. The only time I got in trouble was when it completely lost focus and started to hunt, which takes a few (valuable) seconds with that particular lens. But thanks to quick-shift, I was able to adjust focus so the (fuzzy) plane would be visible in the viewfinder, and let the AF take it from there. I used AF-C and single-point AF. I would speculate that the zone-tracking system in the K-5 II(s) would allow other AF points to take over when necessary, so that hunting won't occur as often. edit: case in point: http://i45.tinypic.com/fkqfyp.jpg (somehow this doesn't work with img tags?) Last edited by starbase218; 02-23-2013 at 03:00 PM.

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02-23-2013, 11:49 AM	#2
Franky2step Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Niagara Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 793	I don't own the K-5 iis but I did own the D300 and currently shoot with the K-5. Nikon's auto focus is fantastic compared to Pentax and most Canon dslr's.

02-23-2013, 11:52 AM	#3
goubejp Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: France Photos: Albums Posts: 804	Took the K5 regularly for airshows, AF is good for that kind of pictures, my opinion in that aircrafts are not difficult to track with AF because they are big and distant; birds in flight are much more difficult to track. For F1 I have no experience, but cars usualy always use the same trajectories on the track so you can prefocus or use catch in focus and it will be fine. Some examples of the last airshow (weather was suck)

02-23-2013, 12:01 PM	#4
SteveB Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: U.K. Posts: 685	My K100D worked fine at air shows so I'm sure a K5 will cope.

02-23-2013, 12:06 PM	#5
texmark Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Plano Posts: 41 Original Poster	Hey Franky2step i agree . Nikon 300s AF is just perfect. Goubejp. Nice shots. What lens did you use to take those pictures? Thank you for your responses. I really like the k5 IIs performance. Beautiful camera with great quality pictures.

02-23-2013, 12:30 PM	#7
texmark Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Plano Posts: 41 Original Poster	I hope so. I can wait a couple more months. Thank you guys for your help.

02-23-2013, 12:44 PM	#8
goubejp Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: France Photos: Albums Posts: 804	Hi Texmark, for this airshow I used the DA*200 f2.8, as luminosity was poor indeed I needed a fast lens... Some others of the same airshow Its was near Toulouse, the Airbus A380 made a short visit

02-23-2013, 01:23 PM	#10
texmark Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Plano Posts: 41 Original Poster	All pictures was taken with nikon D90 and 70-300mm lens

02-23-2013, 01:33 PM	#11
wafflehaus Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: New Orleans (go Saints!) Photos: Gallery Posts: 33	That last one is sweet. Would you call that a sonic boom?

02-23-2013, 01:36 PM	#12
texmark Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Plano Posts: 41 Original Poster	Yes sir. A sonic boom.

02-23-2013, 02:20 PM	#14
DeadJohn Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New York Posts: 4,833	Originally posted by wafflehaus That last one is sweet. Would you call that a sonic boom? Originally posted by texmark Yes sir. A sonic boom. It is probably not a true sonic boom triggered by supersonic flight. For safety reasons supersonic flight is typically not authorized at air shows. The effect shown in those photos can happen at slower flight speeds when water vapor condenses, especially in humid air.

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