[Tony3d]

Ok, I've had my K5 now for about 3 weeks, and just love this DSLR. Can't think of anything to add to it except 16:9 aspect ratio when shooting stills using liveview. My big question is why do many people beg for more focus points? I always leave my focus on spot, and just point to what I want in focus. I find this method works great. Seems like moving the focus point all around the screen takes a lot of time. Is there something I'm not understanding here?

---

Last edited by Tony3d; 09-03-2015 at 06:18 PM.

[Gimbal]

The thing with a thousand focus points is that the camera sort of get a low resolution image of focus information. Thus, in theory, you can aim at something moving and let the AF track that something while it moves across the screen.

[JeffJS]

Ok, I've had my K5 now for about 3 weeks, and just love this DSLR. Can't think of anything to add to it except 16:9 aspect ratio when shooting stills using liveview. My big question is why do many people beg for more focus points? I always leave my focus on spot, and just point to what I want in focus. I find this method works great. Seems like moving the focus point all around the screen takes a lot of time. Is there something I'm not understanding here?

I do the same thing. If you want to try and track a moving object, set your drive mode to continuous with AF-S, and the camera will only take a photo when it detects focus. Works for me (most of the time).

The thing with a thousand focus points is that the camera sort of get a low resolution image of focus information. Thus, in theory, you can aim at something moving and let the AF track that something while it moves across the screen.

That would imply that the Pentax dSLRs have the ability to track focus. In my experience, it's dismal to non-existent at best.

[SpecialK]

If you are using a tripod it might be handy to be able to move the focus point rather than the camera. Also at close focus distances, you can introduce focus error because the edge of the frame is proportionately noticeably further away than the center. I also use center almost exclusively.

[max889]

Yep, me too. Using several AF points gets in the way more often than not.

[Gimbal]

That would imply that the Pentax dSLRs have the ability to track focus. In my experience, it's dismal to non-existent at best.

Not really, aren't we talking about why some people want more focus points?
That is, in the future.
The current models have the number of points they have.

[TOUGEFC]

I use the focus points almost exclusively, its very easy and Im very fast at it, its all about compostion, and having those focus point allows you to have more control of composition and the way you frame the subject of focus in your shots.

Having your subject in the center all the time will often result in boring compositions!

---

Last edited by TOUGEFC; 10-16-2011 at 04:32 PM.

[RonHendriks1966]

That would imply that the Pentax dSLRs have the ability to track focus. In my experience, it's dismal to non-existent at best.

You can try it with AF-C in LiveView. It does excist, AF-tracking, but don't expect to much.

This is something I want in the next camera.

About the number of focus points. Most camera's with 50 ot more focuspoints are still most of the time used with only the center point. That wont change.

[JeffJS]

Not really, aren't we talking about why some people want more focus points?
That is, in the future.
The current models have the number of points they have.

Could be, I've never really given it a lot of thought. I just do my own predictive AF.

[JeffJS]

You can try it with AF-C in LiveView. It does exist, AF-tracking, but don't expect to much.

This is something I want in the next camera.

About the number of focus points. Most camera's with 50 ot more focuspoints are still most of the time used with only the center point. That wont change.

Typically, this is just my experience, when I want to take a picture of a moving object, it's a surprise to me that the opportunity has presented itself. The opportunity usually lasts about 2 seconds and then it's gone. So fumbling with LV (which has its uses for me) is a waste of time. Not to mention I usually have the wrong lens on the camera anyway. Even with the DR and 16Mp of the K5, a 15mm lens doesn't do well with a large bird in telephoto territory. That sort of thing,

[Tony3d]

Thanks everyone. Really helped a lot.

[simico]

More (39, 50, etc) focus points have a big advantage: the individual focus sensors are smaller, therefore you can select the point of focus on your subject with pinpoint accuracy. With Pentax's oversized focus areas you have no idea where it will put focus, for example the oversized focus area covers half of the face so it may focus on the eye or on the eyebrows or even on the nose.
Also check https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5-forum/162489-hitting-aufofocus-subject-help.html

That's why I like the many focus points in Nikon, even though I also use only the center one most of the time.