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bossa · 08-14-2012, 09:10 PM

Originally posted by RonHendriks1966

The DA*55 will always be slow because of the larger trow in focussing.

I thought my DA*55 was pretty fast at AF actually. I sent it away for therapy (due to it's constant chatter) and they decided to keep it until a new SDM shows up. Maybe it's meant to be slow and mine was just too fast for it's own good.

nick52 · 08-14-2012, 10:16 PM

I recently rented a DA* 200mm and the AF was fast AF.
I liked the MF on that thing even more than my old film lenses. Great lens, I am most adamant that Ricoh/Pentax is working on the AF if they really are going to compete with Canon and Nikon though.

Shanti · 08-15-2012, 03:54 PM

Hi is the AF really so bad on the K5? am thinking to switch systems from Oly 43..but need AF that's good enough for animals & tracking birds..is it smarter to wait for a K3 or whatever?

ElJamoquio · 08-15-2012, 04:44 PM

Originally posted by Shanti

Hi is the AF really so bad on the K5? am thinking to switch systems from Oly 43..but need AF that's good enough for animals & tracking birds..is it smarter to wait for a K3 or whatever?

I don't think the AF is bad on the K-5. There are some tests that show it's quite good. When I tried the D7000 I wasn't thrilled with the Nikon; when I briefly tried a friend's 5D III, I could tell that the Canon was better.

The K-5 has a very large AF sensor. I don't know if that AF sensor size was reduced for the K-30 or not, or whether it would be reduced for the K-3. If you're tracking birds/animals in the open I don't think you'd really find a problem. If you're tracking them behind some branches I think you would find a problem.

ogl · 08-15-2012, 07:35 PM

Originally posted by Shanti

Hi is the AF really so bad on the K5? am thinking to switch systems from Oly 43..but need AF that's good enough for animals & tracking birds..is it smarter to wait for a K3 or whatever?

AF is on high level in terms of speed and prehensility almost in any light condition, but there is some questions with accuracy in no good light condition or in mixed light with some lenses.

Zafar Iqbal · 08-16-2012, 05:57 AM

Originally posted by Shanti

Hi is the AF really so bad on the K5? am thinking to switch systems from Oly 43..but need AF that's good enough for animals & tracking birds..is it smarter to wait for a K3 or whatever?

Get a K-30 or wait for something better than K-5.

bxf · 08-16-2012, 06:32 AM

Originally posted by Zafar Iqbal

Get a K-30 or wait for something better than K-5.

Every time I see a comment referring to the K-30's supposedly superior AF, I go back to the K-30 review and read it again. Whereas it appears that the CDAF is clearly superior to that of the K-5, I don't see where there's any clear indication that the K-30's PDAF is superior. Am I missing something?

solar1 · 08-16-2012, 06:41 AM

Ok, I bit. Looked to see what's new and relevent on the thread about the K5 replacement... wow, great place to discuss anything but.

**PPPPPP42** · 08-16-2012, 06:57 AM

Originally posted by solar1

Ok, I bit. Looked to see what's new and relevent on the thread about the K5 replacement... wow, great place to discuss anything but.

The problem being the discussion of something that doesn't exist, once its official we can go from speculating to debating actual features.

deadwolfbones · 08-16-2012, 08:40 AM

Originally posted by bxf

Every time I see a comment referring to the K-30's supposedly superior AF, I go back to the K-30 review and read it again. Whereas it appears that the CDAF is clearly superior to that of the K-5, I don't see where there's any clear indication that the K-30's PDAF is superior. Am I missing something?

Zafar and I both own both the K-5 and K-30, and we've both (separately) come to the conclusion that in the field, the K-30 is indeed more reliable than the K-5, with a better keeper rate and a better sense of confidence in your tool.

deadwolfbones · 08-16-2012, 08:41 AM

Granted, there may be some K-5s out there that perform better than ours do.

Winder · 08-16-2012, 09:03 AM

Originally posted by Shanti

Hi is the AF really so bad on the K5? am thinking to switch systems from Oly 43..but need AF that's good enough for animals & tracking birds..is it smarter to wait for a K3 or whatever?

I sold my E-3 and picked up a K-7, then K-5. Olympus AF for tracking is better than Pentax AF. Olympus 4/3 lenses with SWD are pretty fast. You will notice a difference.

parsons · 08-16-2012, 10:59 AM

Pentax K-5 now also discontinued in the US | Photo Rumors
the k-3 or whatever will be out soon though, and you should expect that it will have better AF than the k-30.

LFLee · 08-16-2012, 11:05 AM

LOL... when I read the OP said about the "astronomy stuff"...... obviously OP was slow on catching up with Pentax news....

Medium FormatPro · 08-16-2012, 11:08 AM

Originally posted by Winder

Olympus AF for tracking is better than Pentax AF

I agree that this is the case in most circumstances. But also note that in general; the smaller the sensor the smaller that one can get away with the physical size of optics and also how far the optics have to move - thereby faster focusing.

08-15-2012, 03:54 PM	#168
Shanti Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Western Denmark Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 927	AF not good on K5? Hi is the AF really so bad on the K5? am thinking to switch systems from Oly 43..but need AF that's good enough for animals & tracking birds..is it smarter to wait for a K3 or whatever?

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08-14-2012, 09:10 PM	#166
bossa Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Adelaide Posts: 4,546	Originally posted by RonHendriks1966 The DA55 will always be slow because of the larger trow in focussing. I thought my DA55 was pretty fast at AF actually. I sent it away for therapy (due to it's constant chatter) and they decided to keep it until a new SDM shows up. Maybe it's meant to be slow and mine was just too fast for it's own good.

08-14-2012, 10:16 PM	#167
nick52 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Texas Photos: Albums Posts: 243	I recently rented a DA* 200mm and the AF was fast AF. I liked the MF on that thing even more than my old film lenses. Great lens, I am most adamant that Ricoh/Pentax is working on the AF if they really are going to compete with Canon and Nikon though.

08-15-2012, 04:44 PM	#169
ElJamoquio Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 4,873	Originally posted by Shanti Hi is the AF really so bad on the K5? am thinking to switch systems from Oly 43..but need AF that's good enough for animals & tracking birds..is it smarter to wait for a K3 or whatever? I don't think the AF is bad on the K-5. There are some tests that show it's quite good. When I tried the D7000 I wasn't thrilled with the Nikon; when I briefly tried a friend's 5D III, I could tell that the Canon was better. The K-5 has a very large AF sensor. I don't know if that AF sensor size was reduced for the K-30 or not, or whether it would be reduced for the K-3. If you're tracking birds/animals in the open I don't think you'd really find a problem. If you're tracking them behind some branches I think you would find a problem.

08-15-2012, 07:35 PM	#170
ogl Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sankt Peterburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,382	Originally posted by Shanti Hi is the AF really so bad on the K5? am thinking to switch systems from Oly 43..but need AF that's good enough for animals & tracking birds..is it smarter to wait for a K3 or whatever? AF is on high level in terms of speed and prehensility almost in any light condition, but there is some questions with accuracy in no good light condition or in mixed light with some lenses.

08-16-2012, 05:57 AM	#171
Zafar Iqbal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229	Originally posted by Shanti Hi is the AF really so bad on the K5? am thinking to switch systems from Oly 43..but need AF that's good enough for animals & tracking birds..is it smarter to wait for a K3 or whatever? Get a K-30 or wait for something better than K-5.

08-16-2012, 06:32 AM	#172
bxf Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Lisbon area Posts: 1,660	Originally posted by Zafar Iqbal Get a K-30 or wait for something better than K-5. Every time I see a comment referring to the K-30's supposedly superior AF, I go back to the K-30 review and read it again. Whereas it appears that the CDAF is clearly superior to that of the K-5, I don't see where there's any clear indication that the K-30's PDAF is superior. Am I missing something?

08-16-2012, 06:41 AM	#173
solar1 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Southern Calif Posts: 565	Ok, I bit. Looked to see what's new and relevent on the thread about the K5 replacement... wow, great place to discuss anything but.

08-16-2012, 06:57 AM	#174
PPPPPP42 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Wisconsin Photos: Albums Posts: 951	Originally posted by solar1 Ok, I bit. Looked to see what's new and relevent on the thread about the K5 replacement... wow, great place to discuss anything but. The problem being the discussion of something that doesn't exist, once its official we can go from speculating to debating actual features.

08-16-2012, 08:40 AM	#175
deadwolfbones Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Santa Fe, NM Posts: 7,451	Originally posted by bxf Every time I see a comment referring to the K-30's supposedly superior AF, I go back to the K-30 review and read it again. Whereas it appears that the CDAF is clearly superior to that of the K-5, I don't see where there's any clear indication that the K-30's PDAF is superior. Am I missing something? Zafar and I both own both the K-5 and K-30, and we've both (separately) come to the conclusion that in the field, the K-30 is indeed more reliable than the K-5, with a better keeper rate and a better sense of confidence in your tool.

08-16-2012, 08:41 AM	#176
deadwolfbones Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Santa Fe, NM Posts: 7,451	Granted, there may be some K-5s out there that perform better than ours do.

08-16-2012, 09:03 AM	#177
Winder Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 6,617	Originally posted by Shanti Hi is the AF really so bad on the K5? am thinking to switch systems from Oly 43..but need AF that's good enough for animals & tracking birds..is it smarter to wait for a K3 or whatever? I sold my E-3 and picked up a K-7, then K-5. Olympus AF for tracking is better than Pentax AF. Olympus 4/3 lenses with SWD are pretty fast. You will notice a difference.

08-16-2012, 10:59 AM	#178
parsons Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: ENGLAND Posts: 389	Pentax K-5 now also discontinued in the US \| Photo Rumors the k-3 or whatever will be out soon though, and you should expect that it will have better AF than the k-30.

08-16-2012, 11:05 AM	#179
LFLee Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Southern California Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,292	LOL... when I read the OP said about the "astronomy stuff"...... obviously OP was slow on catching up with Pentax news....

08-16-2012, 11:08 AM	#180
Medium FormatPro Banned Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Charleston & Pittsburgh Photos: Albums Posts: 1,668	Originally posted by Winder Olympus AF for tracking is better than Pentax AF I agree that this is the case in most circumstances. But also note that in general; the smaller the sensor the smaller that one can get away with the physical size of optics and also how far the optics have to move - thereby faster focusing.