[pinholecam]

Agree that this is really helpful.
Knowing the size of the center AF point allows the user to use the center AF properly.

Thanks for the post.

[Giklab]

Come to think about it, it's mostly professional cameras that show AF points for what they really are.

[Verglace]

A very informative post, should be made a sticky, along with the other usual things such as noisy live view

[mtansley]

it's mostly professional cameras that show AF points for what they really are.

Brand flame war ON.

[Winder]

My second biggest complaint about Pentax AF is the golf ball sized center AF point. When shooting singers and musicians I have found the AF locked on to the microphone in front of the face even though it was outside of the center circle. When I tested it I found the center AF point was slightly bigger than the center circle and would grab high contrast objects on the edge before it would focus in the center. Now that I understand how big it is I can work around it, but it does slow me down at times.

Pentax needs at least 21 points spread out or they need to reduce the center AF point by 50%. A VF with 1.5x magnification would be nice too. At F/2 in low light it is really hard to tell if critical focus is on the eyes or 4" in front of the face on the microphone.

[westmill]

My second biggest complaint about Pentax AF is the golf ball sized center AF point. When shooting singers and musicians I have found the AF locked on to the microphone in front of the face even though it was outside of the center circle. When I tested it I found the center AF point was slightly bigger than the center circle and would grab high contrast objects on the edge before it would focus in the center. Now that I understand how big it is I can work around it, but it does slow me down at times.

Pentax needs at least 21 points spread out or they need to reduce the center AF point by 50%. A VF with 1.5x magnification would be nice too. At F/2 in low light it is really hard to tell if critical focus is on the eyes or 4" in front of the face on the microphone.

Some zoom lenses keep there focus point as you zoom in and out. It might be worth trying zooming in for focus lock and zooming back out to compose the shot.
If that wont work, your prob just better shooting manual. I guess you would be shooting at wide apretures which isnt going help any lol

[Giklab]

My second biggest complaint about Pentax AF is the golf ball sized center AF point. When shooting singers and musicians I have found the AF locked on to the microphone in front of the face even though it was outside of the center circle. When I tested it I found the center AF point was slightly bigger than the center circle and would grab high contrast objects on the edge before it would focus in the center. Now that I understand how big it is I can work around it, but it does slow me down at times.

Something else that varies between bodies then.

A VF with 1.5x magnification would be nice too.

I'm really interested now. I don't recall any camera in history to have >1.0x stock magnification.

[kenyee]

At F/2 in low light it is really hard to tell if critical focus is on the eyes or 4" in front of the face on the microphone.

If I did narrow DOF shots a lot more, it'd probably drive me nuts w/o using the Canon EE-S type screen some folks have mentioned.
When I've tried it in the past, the regular screen seems to show what I think is in focus, but I end up doing multiple shots w/ AF-C to make sure one of them is what I want which I'd have to check on the rear LCD.
I wish Pentax would consider that kind of focusing screen in the K-5 replacement as well as making the focus points a lot smaller...still hoping the K-01 has fixed the fat focus point issue...

[Winder]

Some zoom lenses keep there focus point as you zoom in and out. It might be worth trying zooming in for focus lock and zooming back out to compose the shot.
If that wont work, your prob just better shooting manual. I guess you would be shooting at wide apretures which isnt going help any lol

I currently only have the Sigma 50mm F/1.4, 85mm f/1.4 & DA* 200mm for my K-5.

Going back to the venue that gave me so much trouble last week and see if the new firmware has improved anything. Probably just take the 85mm.

[RonHendriks1966]

At F/2 in low light it is really hard to tell if critical focus is on the eyes or 4" in front of the face on the microphone.

Well with 85mm and f2.0 it isn't easy to put your focus just spot on everytime. Your DOF is tiny, but it would help if the camera was smarter.

[westmill]

I currently only have the Sigma 50mm F/1.4, 85mm f/1.4 & DA* 200mm for my K-5.

Going back to the venue that gave me so much trouble last week and see if the new firmware has improved anything. Probably just take the 85mm.

Ive not downloaded it yet, so I would be intrested to see if there are anymore improvements as there was in 1.12.
It has to be physicaly imposs to make the sensors smaller with firmware though so I cant see it will solve much there
I did another model shoot today and another 300+ pics with no oophs. Lots are not as sharp on the eyes where I want but all are usable.
Ive racked my head for a workaround, but I cant see one. One thing that I have thought about is that maybe a pentax lens would have been
better than the tamron because of the ability of manual focusing in Single Shot AF.
Just a thought for you.... but in your case you could try multi point CF ! Im thinking it is more Likely to pick up on the movement
behind the mic etc. Not sure... but it sounds reasonable !

[Ex Finn.]

Come to think about it, it's mostly professional cameras that show AF points for what they really are.

Hehe..You must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. This is Pentax forums, not c*nonland.. They are the only professional shooters.
At least that is what my canon shooter coworkers imply.

[Verglace]

Hehe..You must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. This is Pentax forums, not c*nonland.. They are the only professional shooters.
At least that is what my canon shooter coworkers imply.

I think he was referring more to the camera classification rather than the person using it. For example Pentax classifies the k-5 as advanced-amateur or high end prosumer ( source: PENTAX - PENTAX ANNOUNCES K-5 DIGITAL SLR FOR ADVANCED AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERS ), while the 645D is the one they classify as the 'Professional' one.

[westmill]

I think he was referring more to the camera classification rather than the person using it. For example Pentax classifies the k-5 as advanced-amateur or high end prosumer ( source: PENTAX - PENTAX ANNOUNCES K-5 DIGITAL SLR FOR ADVANCED AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERS ), while the 645D is the one they classify as the 'Professional' one.

I think so too, but I also think he is wrong anyway. In my experience the cheaper or consumer cameras seem to use the same sensors as
the rest of the family. There may be less and less well managed but they appear to be the same size.
With the exception of normal advances in technology or maybe a manufacturer changing the supplier of course etc etc.
I cant see as this has any bearing on the K5 having huge sensors anyway ?
I also beleive the 645D uses the exact same focusing system as the K5.
Pentax use the fact when promoting the K5.

[lightbulb]

Actually if you divide the box outside the middle circle into nine sections equally, that will be the focus points. The vertical twin focus points on the extreme left and right can only focus on everything but vertical contrasty subjects.