[betaPhoto]

Actually, I don't really care. This issue has been brought up enough, do we really need ANOTHER thread?

Apparently a lot of people do care as noted by the interest in the issue.

If the K-5 can't be fixed to focus correctly between EV1 & EV4, I know I won't get one and I'd really like to get one!

[Smeggypants]

Actually, I don't really care. This issue has been brought up enough, do we really need ANOTHER thread?

You do care. You're in here moaning about it.

My K-5 has the FF problem. I'm here, not to moan, but to talk about the issue

do we really need ANOTHER thread?

I've never joined a forum where I was forced to open up every thread?

All you are doing is adding to the noise you are moaning about.

[qtopplings]

well I didn't know what the latest complaint was about until I started reading it, and then just got annoyed at yet another thread on this subject.

Ok, now I care a little. I'd like to see some real world pictures that show how this issue is such a big deal. Not uber-geeky controlled tests to force some more reasons to complain. Show me some everyday shots that are messed up by this issue, and then I'll care.

[betaPhoto]

I've just spent the whole week doing tests just like this (I'm on sick leave, so I have plenty of time to kill!)...

With my FA50/1.4, my K5 focuses quite well until EV1. Below that, it's hit & miss and it will really lock on contrasty edges only, right until EV-1 (but it often ends up with a blinking hexagon instead of a FF).

At the start I noticed FF in low-light situations, but after a careful fine-tuning of my lenses, and the v1.02.21.10 upgrade (don't know if it has an effect!), I can't see it anymore. I disabled the AF assist lamp too, as I found it really disturbing for my subjects, so maybe it has an effect too.

Could you post a few at EV2-3 and EV8-14 (for comparison, as I understand it could be adjusted for low light but then be off at normal light levels).

[Cannikin]

Can your K-5 focus accurately with the following parameters:
* EV2 & EV3 area (as well as EV 8 or so for accuracy comparison) (EV1-EV4 is sighted as the main trouble).
* The focus distance should be between 2 and 5 feet (.5-1.5 meters) where the problem is quite pronounced.
* The f-stop should be f2.0 to f2.8.

If it can, show people some shots of it. End the hysteria by showing the K-5 can be capable of low light focus accuracy!

I have done testing in atrocious lighting (~EV 0.7), very warm white fluorescent, f/2.8, near macro focus distance (DOF ~1mm). The camera had a very hard time finding focus at all, and only by targeting a high contrast transition did it lock. No one in their right mind would ever shoot like this. And yes, I physically blocked the AF assist light (for some reason it would refuse to lock if I just disabled it, so I left it on and blocked it). The target was also mostly shaded from any direct light from any source (to produce the ridiculously dark conditions).

The test produced... back focus by about 2-3mm. My other macro lens produces very slight front focus (corrected by -2). It looks very similar in EV 5 indirect overcast sunlight (maybe very slightly less pronounced, but still back focused). The same with my original K-5 body, where most of my lenses produced noticeable back focus. None of the lenses required more than +-3 AF correction.

I am very aware of the problems my cameras have had (both my original and replacement K-5s suffer from bounce flash overexposure, the first one had stains, and my K-x has severe shutter blur/mirror slap at 1/100s), and have dealt with people acting like I don't know what I'm doing. Low light FF is not one of these problems.

[Zugzwang]

well I didn't know what the latest complaint was about until I started reading it, and then just got annoyed at yet another thread on this subject.

Ok, now I care a little. I'd like to see some real world pictures that show how this issue is such a big deal. Not uber-geeky controlled tests to force some more reasons to complain. Show me some everyday shots that are messed up by this issue, and then I'll care.

Here you go. Focus point is the photo the girl is holding




And if you go to my flickr site you ca see the EXIF and what a proper focus should look like via a K7

IMGP0912 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[30v iPentax]

Paras testi on oma kokemus iPentax. Yli 30v kokemus Pentax aina hyvä. Nyt K-5 on hyvä, eli paras kamera edelleen. Nikon ja Canon käyttäjiä on ollut aina. Mainoksen ja ropakandan uhreja löytyy joukossa aina.

[Michaelina2]

As I posted in another thread:

"I ordered a K-5 body from B&H on Wednesday, Jan 26. It arrived new and factory fresh (Manf date: 14-Jan-11, shutter count = 0) on Friday, Jan 28. I paired it to a DFA 100/2.8 MACRO WR, upgraded to FW 1.02, and immediately put it through the classic stains test described here and elsewhere. Result = clean sensor (NO PROBLEM). I also shot some typical tungsten lit subjects at f/2.8 using AF in low light settings that were much darker than usual for me, but NOT so dark the AF assist light came on. Result = focus seems spot on, works great (NO PROBLEM). So for me, I'm putting the sensor stain and AF FF/BF issues out of my mind and am looking forward to some photographic fun... Appears to be a neat tough camera body just like the tons of reviews suggest..."

Cheers... M

[Ray Pulley]

The Pentax K5 get a lot of praise and wins comparisons , gold awards and so on.
What does this say about the quality of all this reviews and test when it is clear to K5 users and traders that hardly 1 not dramatic front focussiing sample can be found around the globe ?

People who had the opportunity to test upto 50 K5`s in a row on the issue state that ALL cams have the same problem.
Is there a rule that misfocussing under artificial light is not important in tets or is the issue not an issue at all and are those that complain nuts ?

What we can learn out of this is most probably that serious bugs are likely not to surface in tests that are commonly recognized as "good" and reliable.
Even the one in this forum did not mention it . I would drop dead if the issue is not existing in the cam the test was done with. (Allike Sean Rieds and DPreveiws cam)
Keep bringing out your commercial tests ladies and gentleman but I will refer to forums like this in which real day to day users post their experiences.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5-forum/123082-pentax-k-5-images...mpetition.html

You must have missed the many reports of "soft focus" images found in early K5 reviews....

Ray

[creampuff]

Here you go. Focus point is the photo the girl is holding




And if you go to my flickr site you ca see the EXIF and what a proper focus should look like via a K7

IMGP0912 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Looking at a snapshot like this, I personally think it is impossible to determine with certainty if the mis-focus is due to an inherent problem with the camera or if it is user error. The exif says auto bracket exposure. Were you trying to shoot a sequence of shots?

[areidjr]

Looking at a snapshot like this, I personally think it is impossible to determine if the mis-focus is due to the camera or if it is user error.

Ah, yes. The user can nail focus with the K7 but not with the K-5. Yep, looks like user error to me

[Zugzwang]

Looking at a snapshot like this, I personally think it is impossible to determine with certainty if the mis-focus is due to an inherent problem with the camera or if it is user error. The exif says auto bracket exposure. Were you trying to shoot a sequence of shots?

I wish it was user error but unfortunately not. Could you please explain to me how bracketing would affect the auto focus?
Anyways, from looking at your blog it would seem to me that there aren't enough FFocus examples in the world that would convince you that there is a problem with your precious K5. That Pentax group of yours must undoubtedly strike fear in the heart of any nikon or canon user that passes by. Good on you guys.
P.S. where do you get the snazzy Pentax apparel?

[muratm]

We have to figure out first if it is a defect with lots of users experience or not...
If it is a defect, which means a QC problem, so we can not blame review sites.
It seems it is a defect just like a seonsor stain problem, that needs to be fixed!!
since also lots of people claims their AF is fine...

me myself, I bought K-5 few weeks back.

Yes it has FF problem which fine AF adjuctsment can NOT fix even. But mostly in low tungsten light.
It happens with 18-55 kit lens; imagine, notmally it is supposed to be one of most appropitrate lens for k-5...

also 18-55 is average or below average quality for a such great potential camera.. nobody mentions that..

anyway, it is a very good point that you did,
ne need to figure out if this problem is with all cameras or not..
if yes, then review sites is not effecient for sure, no exuse for them.. this is a important standart and they shall test this... since they are talking about all details some of them are nonesense to me and dont tell me they test basic AF performances in different light conditions...!!!!!