K-5 Auto Focus Out of Focus ?

KRaZiGLiTcH · 04-06-2014, 06:11 PM

Hey everyone i have been taking photos recently using the method by Wired (Perfect Focus Everytime) and i have been enjoying it the photos come out quite clear, but recently i have been to some events and when ever i am at a focal of like 18mm or more i will AF on the subject and then it would be unclear but clear in the viewfinder ? and the people i am taking photos of a really close to me(Not sure how many ft away as i can't tell from just my eyes) i tried my 18-135mm it happens and my 50mm 1.8 same thing and i searched about it and people have said its a problem with the K-5 saying it's AF is not great and can be off ?.

And i have noticed most photos that turn out clear for me are close up.

**kiwi_jono** · 04-06-2014, 07:19 PM

As a test, have you tried contrast focus under Liveview ? In theory this should be as accurate auto focus as you will get. If thats spot on then its likely to be calibration of phase auto focus.

Also is your dioptre setting on view finder centered (or set for your eyes)? If not set right, then what looks to be in focus can be out of focus to some degree.

You can micro adjust auto focus for each lens (under Menu - AF Fine tune) as long as focus is not too far out. I find I need to adjust every lens I have to get the best out of them - it makes a big difference. I suggest you download some focus charts (and follow instructions) to do this though because these can make a big difference to the accuracy of the result.

KRaZiGLiTcH · 04-06-2014, 07:43 PM

Originally posted by kiwi_jono

As a test, have you tried contrast focus under Liveview ? In theory this should be as accurate auto focus as you will get. If thats spot on then its likely to be calibration of phase auto focus.

Also is your dioptre setting on view finder centered (or set for your eyes)? If not set right, then what looks to be in focus can be out of focus to some degree.

You can micro adjust auto focus for each lens (under Menu - AF Fine tune) as long as focus is not too far out. I find I need to adjust every lens I have to get the best out of them - it makes a big difference. I suggest you download some focus charts (and follow instructions) to do this though because these can make a big difference to the accuracy of the result.

Thanks for the reply, I have used live view and it focus's clearly also a note the background of some of my images are clear yet the subject in front is not even though i pointed and focused right on them(I know this is back focusing) But i am just freaking out a bit due to so many people saying the K-5 as problems with AF and is off is this true ?.

**kiwi_jono** · 04-06-2014, 07:52 PM

Well I'm using a K-5 and find the AF pretty good (certainly better than the K-x I had before).
I do find (as others have) that to get the best out of it you do need to fine tune autofocus (in menu - AF Fine tune I think but don't have camera in front of me). Also there have been reports of AF tuning drifting but over 2 years that has not happened to me.
I'm not aware of any wide spread issue with K-5 autofocus but I have seen some reports of people having trouble fine tuning autofocus (and it drifting over time). I understand that the autofocus on the K-3 is improved but the K-5 works well for me.

I would try and fine tune the focus (download some focus charts and follow instructions) first and see if you can properly adjust the camera. If not then its got a fault otherwise see how you go - I think you will find its fine.

**Canada_Rockies** · 04-07-2014, 08:23 AM

Picking up on your comment that the background is in focus and the subject is not, this can happen when the camera is on one of the focus modes that allows the camera to pick the focus point to use and the subject is low contrast. To find out if it is back focus, switch to centre point AF and make sure the subject fills the ( ) area in the middle of your viewfinder. This will force the camera to use the subject to focus. You can then make a decision based on facts rather than speculation.

KRaZiGLiTcH · 04-07-2014, 01:57 PM

Originally posted by Canada_Rockies

Picking up on your comment that the background is in focus and the subject is not, this can happen when the camera is on one of the focus modes that allows the camera to pick the focus point to use and the subject is low contrast. To find out if it is back focus, switch to centre point AF and make sure the subject fills the ( ) area in the middle of your viewfinder. This will force the camera to use the subject to focus. You can then make a decision based on facts rather than speculation.

Well i always have it on SEL,Also i did change the Diopter so it looks way clearer now,
its just odd that photos were Oof when i was really close to the subject and i always fill the ( ) spot all the time maybe it was just the Dipoter i will be taking more photos and test to see if its better due to changing it.

One3rdEV · 04-07-2014, 05:46 PM

Be sure to let us know how things turn out. If you have more than one lens- do they all behave similarly or different in regards to focus accuracy and front or back focus? Some people have experienced very good performance from their original K5 models. So it should be possible to ultimately find the cause and get it resolved.

Steve.Ledger · 04-07-2014, 06:05 PM

Originally posted by KRaZiGLiTcH

I have used live view and it focus's clearly also a note the background of some of my images are clear yet the subject in front is not even though i pointed and focused right on them(I know this is back focusing) But i am just freaking out a bit due to so many people saying the K-5 as problems with AF and is off is this true ?.

By 'clear' I assume you mean 'sharp' ?
Live View will always be in focus on the subject you choose, make sure you use centre point and have focus confirmation enabled. You can always 1/2 press focus and hold then recompose if the subject is not to be in the centre of the frame.

And what do you mean by "so many people saying the K-5 as problems with AF" ?? How many is 'so many' ?
I've never heard of any general manufacturing defect with AF on a PENTAX. AF speed perhaps, but that is always fixed with updates.

Originally posted by KRaZiGLiTcH

Well i always have it on SEL

Use centre point, not SEL.

How about you upload a RAW sample of one of your images so we can see what you are seeing?

KRaZiGLiTcH · 04-07-2014, 07:43 PM

Originally posted by Steve.Ledger

By 'clear' I assume you mean 'sharp' ?
Live View will always be in focus on the subject you choose, make sure you use centre point and have focus confirmation enabled. You can always 1/2 press focus and hold then recompose if the subject is not to be in the centre of the frame.

And what do you mean by "so many people saying the K-5 as problems with AF" ?? How many is 'so many' ?
I've never heard of any general manufacturing defect with AF on a PENTAX. AF speed perhaps, but that is always fixed with updates.

Use centre point, not SEL.

How about you upload a RAW sample of one of your images so we can see what you are seeing?

Ok so i have changed my camera to just centre point now,Later i will do some photos also i did change my Diopter it looks clearer now. Also i use Wired's technique of holding the AF Button and leaving it on AF-C

and by so many i read this https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/115-pentax-k-5/218145-k-5-iis-focus-consi...-vs-k-5-a.html I freak out sometimes if a problem happens you know.

I have attached this photo,I focused with my 50mm prime directly on his chest Armour but as you can see the guy in the red like white shirt in the background to the right is focused.

KRaZiGLiTcH · 04-07-2014, 10:50 PM

Originally posted by twitch

The AF cross picked the hanging "Door B" sign. That's how big the AF cross points are.

Wow,So what do i do ?.thanks

Steve.Ledger · 04-07-2014, 10:56 PM

Originally posted by KRaZiGLiTcH

Wow,So what do i do ?.thanks

Use centrepoint AF.
Make sure focus confirmation is enabled so you can see where the focus point has locked.

KRaZiGLiTcH · 04-07-2014, 10:58 PM

Originally posted by Steve.Ledger

Use centrepoint AF.
Make sure focus confirmation is enabled so you can see where the focus point has locked.

Will that fix it if so thanks heaps.

---------- Post added 04-08-14 at 04:00 PM ----------

Originally posted by twitch

Unless you've cropped that photo it looks like you aimed at the guys head which is dead center, not his chest. In future aim better, take the photo and then check on LCD you got it.

No i did aim at his chest it was in the ( ) and i did check the LCD and saw it was like how you's are seeing it.

KRaZiGLiTcH · 04-07-2014, 11:22 PM

Originally posted by twitch

Have you cropped the photo because it looks to me like the neck is the center of the frame. The thing with AF cross points is you need to give them a target where the whole cross is over what you want it to focus on. The best target was mid-torso with his elbows out like that), not his neck. Sometimes the AF point is not perfectly aligned with the brackets either, and if yours is like this one then that explains it. See a sample below .....

Best way to find out it is to test at home with a simple target against a plain background and see when the centre AF point can pick up the target by gradually aiming from off center to center; top to bottom, left to right.

Thanks for the help,I will test and try everything.

adwb · 04-08-2014, 11:34 PM

If you can get a a3 size sheet of white paper and draw a black cross with a marker pen in the centre about 1 inch by 1 inch then at various distances manually set the focus off and using centre point put the red indicator on the cross and let the camera focus , now unfocuse and move the red point off to one side and activate the focus and move in till it focuses you will find it will focus long before you get the red dod on the cross. Try it top to bottom and side to side, this will give you a understanding how big the focus area is and make you realise the further away you are and therefore the smaller your target is the harder it is to accurately focus on a small thing like the chest armour

KRaZiGLiTcH · 04-09-2014, 12:25 AM

Originally posted by adwb

If you can get a a3 size sheet of white paper and draw a black cross with a marker pen in the centre about 1 inch by 1 inch then at various distances manually set the focus off and using centre point put the red indicator on the cross and let the camera focus , now unfocuse and move the red point off to one side and activate the focus and move in till it focuses you will find it will focus long before you get the red dod on the cross. Try it top to bottom and side to side, this will give you a understanding how big the focus area is and make you realise the further away you are and therefore the smaller your target is the harder it is to accurately focus on a small thing like the chest armour

Thanks i will most likely try this soon ^_^,Then how do i AF on something that is small and far away ? is that when MF comes in.

04-06-2014, 06:11 PM	#1
KRaZiGLiTcH Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 204	K-5 Auto Focus Out of Focus ? Hey everyone i have been taking photos recently using the method by Wired (Perfect Focus Everytime) and i have been enjoying it the photos come out quite clear, but recently i have been to some events and when ever i am at a focal of like 18mm or more i will AF on the subject and then it would be unclear but clear in the viewfinder ? and the people i am taking photos of a really close to me(Not sure how many ft away as i can't tell from just my eyes) i tried my 18-135mm it happens and my 50mm 1.8 same thing and i searched about it and people have said its a problem with the K-5 saying it's AF is not great and can be off ?. And i have noticed most photos that turn out clear for me are close up.

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04-06-2014, 07:19 PM	#2
kiwi_jono Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,437	As a test, have you tried contrast focus under Liveview ? In theory this should be as accurate auto focus as you will get. If thats spot on then its likely to be calibration of phase auto focus. Also is your dioptre setting on view finder centered (or set for your eyes)? If not set right, then what looks to be in focus can be out of focus to some degree. You can micro adjust auto focus for each lens (under Menu - AF Fine tune) as long as focus is not too far out. I find I need to adjust every lens I have to get the best out of them - it makes a big difference. I suggest you download some focus charts (and follow instructions) to do this though because these can make a big difference to the accuracy of the result.

04-06-2014, 07:43 PM	#3
KRaZiGLiTcH Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 204 Original Poster	Originally posted by kiwi_jono As a test, have you tried contrast focus under Liveview ? In theory this should be as accurate auto focus as you will get. If thats spot on then its likely to be calibration of phase auto focus. Also is your dioptre setting on view finder centered (or set for your eyes)? If not set right, then what looks to be in focus can be out of focus to some degree. You can micro adjust auto focus for each lens (under Menu - AF Fine tune) as long as focus is not too far out. I find I need to adjust every lens I have to get the best out of them - it makes a big difference. I suggest you download some focus charts (and follow instructions) to do this though because these can make a big difference to the accuracy of the result. Thanks for the reply, I have used live view and it focus's clearly also a note the background of some of my images are clear yet the subject in front is not even though i pointed and focused right on them(I know this is back focusing) But i am just freaking out a bit due to so many people saying the K-5 as problems with AF and is off is this true ?.

04-06-2014, 07:52 PM	#4
kiwi_jono Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,437	Well I'm using a K-5 and find the AF pretty good (certainly better than the K-x I had before). I do find (as others have) that to get the best out of it you do need to fine tune autofocus (in menu - AF Fine tune I think but don't have camera in front of me). Also there have been reports of AF tuning drifting but over 2 years that has not happened to me. I'm not aware of any wide spread issue with K-5 autofocus but I have seen some reports of people having trouble fine tuning autofocus (and it drifting over time). I understand that the autofocus on the K-3 is improved but the K-5 works well for me. I would try and fine tune the focus (download some focus charts and follow instructions) first and see if you can properly adjust the camera. If not then its got a fault otherwise see how you go - I think you will find its fine.

04-07-2014, 08:23 AM	#5
Canada_Rockies Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sparwood, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,385	Picking up on your comment that the background is in focus and the subject is not, this can happen when the camera is on one of the focus modes that allows the camera to pick the focus point to use and the subject is low contrast. To find out if it is back focus, switch to centre point AF and make sure the subject fills the ( ) area in the middle of your viewfinder. This will force the camera to use the subject to focus. You can then make a decision based on facts rather than speculation.

04-07-2014, 01:57 PM	#6
KRaZiGLiTcH Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 204 Original Poster	Originally posted by Canada_Rockies Picking up on your comment that the background is in focus and the subject is not, this can happen when the camera is on one of the focus modes that allows the camera to pick the focus point to use and the subject is low contrast. To find out if it is back focus, switch to centre point AF and make sure the subject fills the ( ) area in the middle of your viewfinder. This will force the camera to use the subject to focus. You can then make a decision based on facts rather than speculation. Well i always have it on SEL,Also i did change the Diopter so it looks way clearer now, its just odd that photos were Oof when i was really close to the subject and i always fill the ( ) spot all the time maybe it was just the Dipoter i will be taking more photos and test to see if its better due to changing it.

04-07-2014, 05:46 PM	#7
One3rdEV Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: So-central, MI Posts: 285	Be sure to let us know how things turn out. If you have more than one lens- do they all behave similarly or different in regards to focus accuracy and front or back focus? Some people have experienced very good performance from their original K5 models. So it should be possible to ultimately find the cause and get it resolved.

04-07-2014, 06:05 PM	#8
Steve.Ledger Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Far North Qld Posts: 3,301	Originally posted by KRaZiGLiTcH I have used live view and it focus's clearly also a note the background of some of my images are clear yet the subject in front is not even though i pointed and focused right on them(I know this is back focusing) But i am just freaking out a bit due to so many people saying the K-5 as problems with AF and is off is this true ?. By 'clear' I assume you mean 'sharp' ? Live View will always be in focus on the subject you choose, make sure you use centre point and have focus confirmation enabled. You can always 1/2 press focus and hold then recompose if the subject is not to be in the centre of the frame. And what do you mean by "so many people saying the K-5 as problems with AF" ?? How many is 'so many' ? I've never heard of any general manufacturing defect with AF on a PENTAX. AF speed perhaps, but that is always fixed with updates. Originally posted by KRaZiGLiTcH Well i always have it on SEL Use centre point, not SEL. How about you upload a RAW sample of one of your images so we can see what you are seeing?

04-07-2014, 10:50 PM	#10
KRaZiGLiTcH Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 204 Original Poster	Originally posted by twitch The AF cross picked the hanging "Door B" sign. That's how big the AF cross points are. Wow,So what do i do ?.thanks

04-07-2014, 10:56 PM	#11
Steve.Ledger Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Far North Qld Posts: 3,301	Originally posted by KRaZiGLiTcH Wow,So what do i do ?.thanks Use centrepoint AF. Make sure focus confirmation is enabled so you can see where the focus point has locked.

04-07-2014, 10:58 PM	#12
KRaZiGLiTcH Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 204 Original Poster	Originally posted by Steve.Ledger Use centrepoint AF. Make sure focus confirmation is enabled so you can see where the focus point has locked. Will that fix it if so thanks heaps. ---------- Post added 04-08-14 at 04:00 PM ---------- Originally posted by twitch Unless you've cropped that photo it looks like you aimed at the guys head which is dead center, not his chest. In future aim better, take the photo and then check on LCD you got it. No i did aim at his chest it was in the ( ) and i did check the LCD and saw it was like how you's are seeing it.

04-07-2014, 11:22 PM	#13
KRaZiGLiTcH Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 204 Original Poster	Originally posted by twitch Have you cropped the photo because it looks to me like the neck is the center of the frame. The thing with AF cross points is you need to give them a target where the whole cross is over what you want it to focus on. The best target was mid-torso with his elbows out like that), not his neck. Sometimes the AF point is not perfectly aligned with the brackets either, and if yours is like this one then that explains it. See a sample below ..... Best way to find out it is to test at home with a simple target against a plain background and see when the centre AF point can pick up the target by gradually aiming from off center to center; top to bottom, left to right. Thanks for the help,I will test and try everything.

04-08-2014, 11:34 PM	#14
adwb Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bristol UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,636	If you can get a a3 size sheet of white paper and draw a black cross with a marker pen in the centre about 1 inch by 1 inch then at various distances manually set the focus off and using centre point put the red indicator on the cross and let the camera focus , now unfocuse and move the red point off to one side and activate the focus and move in till it focuses you will find it will focus long before you get the red dod on the cross. Try it top to bottom and side to side, this will give you a understanding how big the focus area is and make you realise the further away you are and therefore the smaller your target is the harder it is to accurately focus on a small thing like the chest armour

04-09-2014, 12:25 AM	#15
KRaZiGLiTcH Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 204 Original Poster	Originally posted by adwb If you can get a a3 size sheet of white paper and draw a black cross with a marker pen in the centre about 1 inch by 1 inch then at various distances manually set the focus off and using centre point put the red indicator on the cross and let the camera focus , now unfocuse and move the red point off to one side and activate the focus and move in till it focuses you will find it will focus long before you get the red dod on the cross. Try it top to bottom and side to side, this will give you a understanding how big the focus area is and make you realise the further away you are and therefore the smaller your target is the harder it is to accurately focus on a small thing like the chest armour Thanks i will most likely try this soon ^_^,Then how do i AF on something that is small and far away ? is that when MF comes in.