[figmental1978]

If you are using the confirmation beep, or green hex, or red dot in MF, it doesn't help in Tungsten light. Because the only difference with autofocus is you are manually turning the focus ring, and the camera still decides if it has focus or not.

So the camera still uses the AF module, but you're the one turning the lens.

Great point, I guess I didn't think about this.

[Deimos]

Great point, I guess I didn't think about this.

But you can get it pretty close with the beep or hex confirmation then figure out how much of a turn it takes from the confirmation to really be in focus. It should be pretty consistant and then the focus confirmation can still help a bit with MF

[figmental1978]

Thanks for the reminder about the upcoming market next sunday.

Yeah, I'm looking forward to it!

[Metalwizards]

Best way to manual focus is with live view and using the zoom function. Zoom in all the way and you will never ever miss focus. It's really quite nice, but not easy to do on the fly.

[yanzhi0714]

one problem here...when using M50 1.7, I manual focused by looking through the viewfinder, sharp tack in focus....but subject I focused on came out blurry in the photo, what might be the problem?

[Verglace]

Maybe the camera shifted position when you pressed the shutter button causing it to blur

[adwb]

Am I correct to assume that you used a tripod and a remote or 2 second timer to take your sample images?

[ToGo]

Figmental1978 I have the same problem with my KR. I also have a Pentax DL and when I got the KR I was disappointed because the image quality seemed worse than the DL. I thought it might be auto focus, but even outdoors the images seemed a little off.

I contacted Pentax support and they recommended using Tim Jackson’s “focus test” chart. They also recommended taking two photos one manually focused and one in auto.

After taking the first test photo with a DA 40mm using manual focus I noticed the focus was way in front of the focus point. I tested it with 2 other Manual focus lens, a 50mm A and a 50mm M and got the same results.

Thinking that my eyes are going I left everything set up and switched the quick release plate to the DL and repeated the test. All the picture with the DL seemed to have a lot better focus.

I’m no expert, and I hate to self diagnose my camera, so I sent it off to be serviced. I’ll let you know what happens. Here are some of my test pics.

All Pictures taken with manual focus on a tripod with wireless shutter release, SR off, camera at 45 degrees. I focused on the center line on the word "focus here". For all the photos I didn't relied on cameras focus confirmation, focused totally by eye getting the word "focus here as sharp as possible.

KR with DA40 @ 2.8


DL with DA40 @ 2.8


KR with 50MM A @2.0


DL with 50MM A @2.0


KR with 50MM M @2.0


DL with 50MM M @2.0

[Deimos]

if the focus is off in outdoor light, did you check the diopter?

fyi I see no photos

[ToGo]

The diopter was set right, and is at the same setting as the DL in the center position.
Thanks for the heads up with the photos. I had the private setting on in the gallery. Let me know if you still don't see them.

[BobDoLe]

i also found i had the front focus issue (before i found out it is a common problem) and noticed i could still use the focus indicator light as a guide, but that i would typically focus just past it. with a 50mm f1.4 manual lens, there's only so much i can do with with the viewfinder... very frustrating.

i went and ordered a O-ME53 magnifying eyepiece, but until that gets here and/or pentax gets that rumored firmware update, i'm using live view often. as stated above, i also do not miss a focus. tapping that live view button, then the info button 3-4 times to get zoomed in really helps nail the focus.

[yanzhi0714]

hmm...didnt use a tripod, maybe is eye's compability with diopter too, cant get it to have the readings in the viewfinder to be 100% sharp. (i'm using M50/1.7, so manual focusing is needed :S)

Any seniors can give some tutorial on how to look through the viewfinder properly?

Thank you

[kheldour]

Obviously this is a current problem with the K-r.

Is that only in manual mode, or does the FF issue occur all the time?

[ToGo]

My KR Front focused in auto also. I had to dial in an -8 to -9 to get half way decent auto focus with a DA 40mm. Also the photos I took out side/natural light were a little off, but I think the FF wasn't so apparent because of a smaller aperture/greater depth of field and subject matter that was more forgiving. LV seemed spot on.

[doozer]

Togo can you explain me how that would be technically possible, to have a front focus in manual focusing mode? I mean it's a DSLR and what you see through the viewfinder should be in principal exactly the same what the sensor sees as soon as the mirror is lifted. If you have a FF issue in manual mode, I would assume that this is not a focusing problem but an issue with the mirror.

edit: besides, I can't imagine that such an issue would be related at all to the AF FF issue