K-5 low/tungsten light front focus issue with latest firmware, send to CRIS?

Shaarawy · 11-04-2012, 10:09 AM

Can one conclude that the garanteed solution is using the micro focus adjustment (taking in consideration how far the subject is) ??!
Or LV.. or finally, maunual focusing ??!

Btw.. Is that Canon manual focusing screen the only one there ?

I haven't got a K-5 yet, still using films!

.. Is the K-5 II really better regarding FF ?!

Thanks everybody for valuable tests and photos, this is very much appreciated!
Shaarawy
_______________
Super A / 50mm f1.4 / 28-135mm f4

rawr · 11-04-2012, 04:04 PM

Originally posted by Shaarawy

Is the K-5 II really better regarding FF ?!

The K-5 II (and the K-30) seem to have addressed all the known, reported issues.

Shaarawy · 11-05-2012, 02:01 AM

Yes, i've read they "seem" to be performing better.. waiting for some users' confirmations though!
Thanks anyways Rawr

rawr · 11-05-2012, 03:51 AM

Since the K-30 and K-5 II both have new AF hardware specifically designed to deal with some of these issues, you might like to browse the K-30 area of the forum, where some K-30 users explicitly say that there are no AF problems with tungsten and low-light.

mbukal · 11-05-2012, 05:09 AM

repeat and explicitly states the Pentax K-30 has the perfect focus (in its class) and there's absolutely no problem with ff and bf even when tungsten - fluorescent light or at high aperture even at high ISO, the focus is much better than the Kr and K-5 (fast - accurate - determined), I was the owner Kx and Kr and I've used the K-5 and now I'm the proud owner of K-30 , I'm talking from experience and not read any reviews

Shaarawy · 11-05-2012, 07:49 PM

Yes Rawr and here's Mbukal confirming too

Thanks guys.. Seems i really need to browse and read more!
Interesting to know that Pentax are dealing with the core thing instead of, for example, adding some useless extra focus points

rawr · 11-05-2012, 08:49 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Shaarawy

Interesting to know that Pentax are dealing with the core thing

Indeed.

It is worth noting that the issue of tungsten and low-light interfering with AF isn't unique to Pentax. Case in point:

Quote:

New in the Canon EOS 7D is a feature that tweaks the behavior of the AF system based on color information from the new color-sensitive exposure sensor, reducing AF problems often encountered when shooting under artificial illumination. Canon staff told us that back-focus errors can relatively common under artificial lighting, particularly in stadiums or other sporting venues. Canon didn't go into details of why this might be the case, or what specifically they did to correct it, but it's not too hard to figure out: Without special correction, a lens system will bring different wavelengths of light into focus on different planes. High-quality camera lenses are usually well-corrected apochromats, so this isn't a problem at the image sensor. The relatively simple optics (lenses and prisms) in AF systems are another matter, though, so it's very likely that long (red) wavelength light would produce a different focus point than would short (blue) wavelength illumination. By taking the color of the light source into account, the camera can compensate for this tendency, in much the same way that it can handle micro focus adjustments for different lenses.

Canon EOS 7D Camera Optics - Full Review

There were some hardware features of the K-5 that dealt with this to a degree, then Pentax dealt with it further via K-5 firmware updates. Now with the K-30 and K-5 II, Pentax have continued their work to deal with this issue, and by all accounts it sounds like they have done well.

Shaarawy · 11-06-2012, 03:28 PM

Yes they did.. Thanks for the info!
I guess the next step should be some DC lenses !!

11-05-2012, 05:09 AM	#35
mbukal Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: zagreb Posts: 668	repeat and explicitly states the Pentax K-30 has the perfect focus (in its class) and there's absolutely no problem with ff and bf even when tungsten - fluorescent light or at high aperture even at high ISO, the focus is much better than the Kr and K-5 (fast - accurate - determined), I was the owner Kx and Kr and I've used the K-5 and now I'm the proud owner of K-30 , I'm talking from experience and not read any reviews Last edited by mbukal; 11-05-2012 at 06:19 AM.

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11-04-2012, 10:09 AM	#31
Shaarawy New Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Cairo Posts: 13	Can one conclude that the garanteed solution is using the micro focus adjustment (taking in consideration how far the subject is) ??! Or LV.. or finally, maunual focusing ??! Btw.. Is that Canon manual focusing screen the only one there ? I haven't got a K-5 yet, still using films! .. Is the K-5 II really better regarding FF ?! Thanks everybody for valuable tests and photos, this is very much appreciated! Shaarawy _______________ Super A / 50mm f1.4 / 28-135mm f4

11-04-2012, 04:04 PM	#32
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by Shaarawy Is the K-5 II really better regarding FF ?! The K-5 II (and the K-30) seem to have addressed all the known, reported issues.

11-05-2012, 02:01 AM	#33
Shaarawy New Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Cairo Posts: 13	Yes, i've read they "seem" to be performing better.. waiting for some users' confirmations though! Thanks anyways Rawr

11-05-2012, 03:51 AM	#34
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Since the K-30 and K-5 II both have new AF hardware specifically designed to deal with some of these issues, you might like to browse the K-30 area of the forum, where some K-30 users explicitly say that there are no AF problems with tungsten and low-light.

11-05-2012, 07:49 PM	#36
Shaarawy New Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Cairo Posts: 13	Yes Rawr and here's Mbukal confirming too Thanks guys.. Seems i really need to browse and read more! Interesting to know that Pentax are dealing with the core thing instead of, for example, adding some useless extra focus points

11-05-2012, 08:49 PM - 1 Like	#37
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by Shaarawy Interesting to know that Pentax are dealing with the core thing Indeed. It is worth noting that the issue of tungsten and low-light interfering with AF isn't unique to Pentax. Case in point: Quote: New in the Canon EOS 7D is a feature that tweaks the behavior of the AF system based on color information from the new color-sensitive exposure sensor, reducing AF problems often encountered when shooting under artificial illumination. Canon staff told us that back-focus errors can relatively common under artificial lighting, particularly in stadiums or other sporting venues. Canon didn't go into details of why this might be the case, or what specifically they did to correct it, but it's not too hard to figure out: Without special correction, a lens system will bring different wavelengths of light into focus on different planes. High-quality camera lenses are usually well-corrected apochromats, so this isn't a problem at the image sensor. The relatively simple optics (lenses and prisms) in AF systems are another matter, though, so it's very likely that long (red) wavelength light would produce a different focus point than would short (blue) wavelength illumination. By taking the color of the light source into account, the camera can compensate for this tendency, in much the same way that it can handle micro focus adjustments for different lenses. Canon EOS 7D Camera Optics - Full Review There were some hardware features of the K-5 that dealt with this to a degree, then Pentax dealt with it further via K-5 firmware updates. Now with the K-30 and K-5 II, Pentax have continued their work to deal with this issue, and by all accounts it sounds like they have done well.

11-06-2012, 03:28 PM	#38
Shaarawy New Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Cairo Posts: 13	Yes they did.. Thanks for the info! I guess the next step should be some DC lenses !!