So, I installed the new firmware on my two Qs and was eagerly looking forward to partaking in the joys
of focus peaking. This I have to say: this is just another laughable gimmick from Sony. In no way does
it aid one in focusing manually. Instead of concentrating on the object requiring focusing, you wait
for the shimmering dots to appear. My goodness, I can do without this.

Dom

[Adam]

So, I installed the new firmware on my two Qs and was eagerly looking forward to partaking in the joys
of focus peaking. This I have to say: this is just another laughable gimmick from Sony. In no way does
it aid one in focusing manually. Instead of concentrating on the object requiring focusing, you wait
for the shimmering dots to appear. My goodness, I can do without this.

Dom

Well, with the Q, everything is in focus anyway, so I see where you're coming from

On DSLRs/K-mount cameras it's much more useful, same applies if you're shooting with adapted lenses.

[jatrax]

This I have to say: this is just another laughable gimmick from Sony.

I thought this was a Pentax innovation? Or does it come with the sensor or something? Just a little confused about what Sony has to do with it.

[crewl1]

It helps in certain situations and have used it for macro with adapted lenses effectively.

I find the 4x magnify without peaking more useful for telephoto.

I am glad they added peaking.

[stormtech]

My goodness, I can do without this.
Dom

Simple enough solution - just turn it off.

I thought this was a Pentax innovation? Or does it come with the sensor or something? Just a little confused about what Sony has to do with it.

From what I have gathered, Sony were out with this first - as far as still photography is concerned.
It is purely software-based; not an area in which Pentax are known to be innovative.

Dom

[MarinatedHerring]

I have to say that it has helped me out greatly with using Nikkor lenses on the Q. I use both the focus peaking and the x2-x4 magnification. Considering the Q doesn't have a viewfinder makes me believe focus peaking is even more helpful on really sunny days.

[Anvh]

I thought this was a Pentax innovation? Or does it come with the sensor or something? Just a little confused about what Sony has to do with it.

It's not from Pentax or Sony, this was already here years ago but then with video camera's.

Focus peaking is really nothing new but it's new to the photo camera.

Now lets hope we will also see Waveform soon on camera's

[Docrwm]

Have any of you tried to focus an 85/1.4 without it? I didn't think so.

[volosong]

Have any of you tried to focus an 85/1.4 without it? I didn't think so.

or an A 50/1.2? Probably not.

[hnikesch]

I find it very difficult to focus any adapted telephoto lens without focus peaking especially when hand holding chasing a bird. If I had lots of time and was always using a tripod I could live without it but I wouldn't want to.

Hans

[ducdao]

I have both Sony 5N and Pentax K-01 with latest firmware and quite frankly the focus peaking of Pentax is trailing behind Sony's. I found the focus peaking really helpful and enjoyable on the Nex5N but I had to turn it off on the K-01 as to me it was more annoying than helpful. It's not as precise as the one from Sony.

[snostorm]

I find it very helpful with adapted lenses, some more than others, and the FE, which I previously found very hard to focus. It does take some experimenting to get a handle on how to use it.

Shooting the Q effectively requires very critical focus, despite the commonly held assumptions about small sensors and DOF. Establishing DOF uses "reasonably in focus", and this is very different from the critical focus plane.

Scott

[jatrax]

It's not from Pentax or Sony, this was already here years ago but then with video camera's.

Ah, thank you for the info. I've never owned a video camera so was not familiar with it.

[NotSteve]

I bought a used Q about the time the firmware update came out. It actually took me a while to get the hang of focus peaking and see the necessity for it. I thought it would be more dramatic, for one thing. While it's not dramatic, I find it very effective on the fisheye lens which is manual focus. Despite having a very short throw and a fixed aperture of 5.6, it still needs to be focused properly, same as any other lens. Having recently acquired the Pentax K-Q adapter, I can also vouch for its effectiveness with adapted lenses as well. Focus peaking makes up for the lower resolution of the display, makes it very easy to see what will be in focus.

So, I installed the new firmware on my two Qs and was eagerly looking forward to partaking in the joys
of focus peaking. This I have to say: this is just another laughable gimmick from Sony. In no way does
it aid one in focusing manually. Instead of concentrating on the object requiring focusing, you wait
for the shimmering dots to appear. My goodness, I can do without this.

Dom