[pingflood]

We really should have guessed this. Why would Pentax put a more advanced AF system in a $1600 body than a $12,000 body that has only recently been introduced?

Apples to oranges. Nobody with a 645D would be expected to go out shooting sports or something, but decent AF performance is often expected from a smaller format cam.

[paperbag846]

Doesn't the 645D have really good AF?

Just because it does not have more points does not mean it will be less accurate... a little like claiming that more megapixels automatically means higher IQ.

I'm very excited for the K-5. I only bought my K20d a year ago and therefore might skip this upgrade (OR buy it when they release the next flagship), but this K-5 looks to be leaps and bounds more flexible than my k20d (which has 2 real issues for everyday - somewhat limited DR and really bad noise beyond ISO 1600).


I must say that I have a lot of confidence in the Penax/Hoya partnership. All they need to do now is announce a full-frame for release (maybe around 2012). I don't want one, but I think it would help the brand's credibility quite a bit.

[DogLover]

Apples to oranges. Nobody with a 645D would be expected to go out shooting sports or something, but decent AF performance is often expected from a smaller format cam.

No, I understand that the cameras are aimed at different markets, but I still stand by my original post.

[Adam]

Adam, I have to say I'm disappointed. With all the rumors coming and going in the forum, you've several times linked to the specs on the front page suggesting they're the real deal. And considering you're the admin here, I believed you have some real connections and inside information. And now this. Are you saying that you just pick random rumors like the rest of us and present them as the forum gospel?

As with all rumors, you have to take them at face value. Nothing can be confirmed true until it becomes official, and sources that pretend to be credible can always end up being false. I've been contacted be several individuals with inside info, all of which requested anonymity. The rumors about the K-r (posted several days prior to its launch) turned out to the true, but only time will tell the true incarnation of the K-5 The things posted on the homepage are the "most probable" variants of the rumors on the site. You can't expect me to be a god and only fork out rumors that end up being true

Adam
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Adam, have you noticed what the link to the front page specs happens to be named like? "Pentax K-5 Specifications Official". Not "The most plausible from all the randomly picked rumors".

But soon we'll all what all the fuss is about.

EDIT: OK, there's the question mark.

[Kunzite]

An anonymous source today informed me that the K-5 will be using the same 11-point AF system as in the 645D. Yes, it will be SAFOX IX+, but no, it won't have 18 points.

Edit-
Additionally:
-The AF system should nevertheless be extremely accurate in low-light situations
-7 or 8 FPS: nobody knows for sure
-The ISO range will be 80-25600

ISO 80-25600? Made up, like the 18 AF points?
And how come "nobody knows", few days before the announcement? At least someone at Pentax must have a clue...

[zackspeed]

Correction: ALL rumors are false until the 21th of September. Only from that date there will be facts

......20th?......

[Adam]

EDIT: OK, there's the question mark.

Exactly!

By the way, take this thread itself at face value as well, as who knows whether or not the guy providing this info was making things up or not. He sounded credible, and was not a site member here on PF, but I won't be disclosing further information on him for the sake of requested privacy. I did receive another message shortly thereafter confirming the 11-point AF story, which also claimed that regardless of this, the AF in the K-5 will be VASTLY IMPROVED, "just like in the K-r". So there you have it. All that's left is patience until the 20th, I guess. Or was it the 21st?

[noser]

I'm really curious about the AF now. Of the things that I wanted improvement on, faster and more accurate AF was #1 on my list.

If the K-5 is using the 645D AF system we know it works well in lower light / contrast conditions, and it's probably more accurate. Nice.

But speed is still an open question - first we have the speed of the AF system itself; does the 645D focus 'instantly'? Is it predictive? And what about those modes... hmmm...

The other question is if it's all a waste of effort, if the speed limit is really set by the SDM lenses. MMMmmmmf...

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[Ash]

A rumour overruling a rumour?!?
Well, anyway - I made the prediction earlier, and if the above rumour is now more accurate, then I was right

11 AF points, fine. As long as AF is zippier, it's all good.
As for fps, I'm tipping 7 - in line with the A580, which has the same sensor.
ISO? 80 is a weird starting point. I reckon 100.

Forget these speculations - I wanna know about the battery grip, now.

[Ash]

And Adam,
The announcement of Pentax K-5 features and specs being put on the forum is misleading!
What about the Pentax K 5 - Pentax News - PentaxForums.com

...let alone being a broken link!

[blende8]

Perhaps you should try a camera body with 51-ish number of points...

51 is hilarious.
Maybe some specialized sports photographers need this.
I don't.
I use MF 50% of the time, should use it more.
And, it's not the number, it's the position. It doesn't help to squeeze 51 points into the middle 30% of the frame.

[deadwolfbones]

51 is hilarious.
Maybe some specialized sports photographers need this.
I don't.
I use MF 50% of the time, should use it more.
And, it's not the number, it's the position. It doesn't help to squeeze 51 points into the middle 30% of the frame.

As someone who owns a D700 and a K-7...

The 51 points in the D700 make letting the camera choose the focus point nearly feasible in most situations, something I'd never do on the K-7. It's most useful, yes, for the motorcycle racing photos I take, but it's also great for quick crowd shots where you don't have time to focus and recompose.

[krandle]

Has anybody implied it would affect you? You may as well say a lack of anything above ISO 800 doesn't affect you if you never use anything higher, or that 1fps wouldn't affect you because blah blah... but can you not understand how potentially improved AF performance can affect and excite quite a number of people who are NOT tied to center point single shot shooting?

Hope you're able to successfully remove that irritant from your tukus!

[Blue]

Someday I will understand how the number of AF points affects me who always uses center point focus.

Me to! Especially when I'm up in a bugs face.