[RiceHigh]

Looks like I might as well add my Amen to that also.

A-MMMEEENNN !!

[regken]

As I said, that's the reason why I got the 30D: focus tracking in good light ;-)

Did not try it yet but I hope I'll see the clear difference that is supposed gto be there.

Please let us know what your thoughts are after you try it. This is a solution I'm considering.

Thanks,

Ken

[CharlieO]

I know that everyone one wants the best that they can afford. I am one of them. I would like to interject that I have photographed several highschool football games using my DA50-200 on my K10D and I really don't feel that the autofocus nor the 3.0 fps is subpar or inadequate. Most of the games are shot in the very poor lighting typical of small town facilities. If it works, the attached link is from one play. I was focusing on the two guys in the foreground but, the action was really behind them. Any thing out of focus was not the fault of the camera. I usually take anywhere from 300-600 pictures at any game and typically, the pictures that are not keepers are caused by motion blur due to my not having a "fast" lens, not autofocus problems. Yes, I would love to own a D300 or D3 or what ever someone say is the ultimate camera. I personnely feel that for $729.00 (what I paid for my K10D in August) I DO have the ultimate camera. If I could afford a 1700.00-3000.00 camera, I would still think the K10D would be the ultimate camera for it's price. If you want 6+ fps and a gazillion point autofocus system that will lock onto a mosquito wing at 3000 yards SELL YOUR PENTAX and leave the people who APPRECIATE what a fantastic tool Pentax makes alone and go bash us on someother website. Even the K20D at $1200.00 is still a great deal compared to a D300 at around $1800.00 (body only). Think about this. The $500.00-600.00 price difference is the equivalent of purchasing a K100D Super. A whole other camera. I would like to apologize for my rant, but I won't. Every since the K20D was announced and the official specs were released every website I have been too has had someone(s) rant about all of the problems with the camera's frame rate or autofocus speed and it is getting pretty old.

(https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/16750-can-your-cam...tml#post137341)

[lol101]

Please let us know what your thoughts are after you try it. This is a solution I'm considering.

Thanks,

Ken

I took the 30D + 70-200f4 for a quick test under a light drizzle yesterday (so no comparative testing yet).

Light was rather dim (1/250s f4 ISO 1600) and I tryied following cars comming towards me at around 50-60km/h.

Success rate is above 90% for this combo (30 frames at 5fps==> one or two slightly oof).

With 3fps, it's closer to 100%.

That just tell us one thing we knew: canon AF and tracking is working.

Before jumping to conclusion, I'd like to try it on something slower but not necessarily easier: kids playing or rollerblading: close subjects + non constant speed, and see how it fares but given the quickness of it, I am optimistic.


I think I will eventually stay with my K10 + 12-24 + 50f1.4 for outdoors (don't know if I am letting the 50-135 go... I really like this lens but it's much slower to AF than the Canon) and the 30D + 70-200 + 50f1.4 for action and low light pics (I have not yet officially decided on the 30D but since I have it new with a 2 years warranty for €599... it's hard to resist ;-) high ISO on the 30D is also impressive IMHO)

[regken]

I think I will eventually stay with my K10 + 12-24 + 50f1.4 for outdoors (don't know if I am letting the 50-135 go... I really like this lens but it's much slower to AF than the Canon) and the 30D + 70-200 + 50f1.4 for action and low light pics (I have not yet officially decided on the 30D but since I have it new with a 2 years warranty for €599... it's hard to resist ;-) high ISO on the 30D is also impressive IMHO)

Thank!
It looks more and more like a two system approach makes the most sense. I'm looking forward to more of your thoughts.

Thanks,
Ken

[RiceHigh]

I took the 30D + 70-200f4 for a quick test under a light drizzle yesterday (so no comparative testing yet).

Light was rather dim (1/250s f4 ISO 1600) and I tryied following cars comming towards me at around 50-60km/h.

Success rate is above 90% for this combo (30 frames at 5fps==> one or two slightly oof).

With 3fps, it's closer to 100%.

That just tell us one thing we knew: canon AF and tracking is working.

Before jumping to conclusion, I'd like to try it on something slower but not necessarily easier: kids playing or rollerblading: close subjects + non constant speed, and see how it fares but given the quickness of it, I am optimistic.


I think I will eventually stay with my K10 + 12-24 + 50f1.4 for outdoors (don't know if I am letting the 50-135 go... I really like this lens but it's much slower to AF than the Canon) and the 30D + 70-200 + 50f1.4 for action and low light pics (I have not yet officially decided on the 30D but since I have it new with a 2 years warranty for €599... it's hard to resist ;-) high ISO on the 30D is also impressive IMHO)

I think eventually you would use your newer Canon combo most of the time as it suits your critical and more demanding applications whereas for general applications, there will be no big difference.

My case is similar to yours but I do not have a versatile enough lens collection for the Canon system nor I do not think Canon's optics are better nor they worth the much higher price for those better optics. So, in the meantime, I shall still run two systems and to see if there will be a "proper" Pentax DSLR body which will suit my needs later on some days. What I meant "proper" is that if I could see catch-up improvements in the AF and AE departments..

[hudsong]

I hope that Pentax realizes if they had AF on par with Canon and Nikon, and maybe a little faster FPS (not something I care about at all, personally) that there would be absolutely no reason to have a Canon or a Nikon over a Pentax.

[TaoMaas]

I hope that Pentax realizes if they had AF on par with Canon and Nikon, and maybe a little faster FPS (not something I care about at all, personally) that there would be absolutely no reason to have a Canon or a Nikon over a Pentax.

Thanks for making me laugh! I think you're right, but I also think you're underestimating the public's ability to find fault. Even if Pentax were to get all the technical stuff right, then we'd start hearing that the camera is too heavy or doesn't feel right or the viewfinder's too dim, etc... There'd be something, I promise you. We need only to look at how Canon and Nikon cameras are viewed. They DO have the technical stuff down and they still draw complaints. Some folks are just never happy, IMO.

[RiceHigh]

Thanks for making me laugh! I think you're right, but I also think you're underestimating the public's ability to find fault. Even if Pentax were to get all the technical stuff right, then we'd start hearing that the camera is too heavy or doesn't feel right or the viewfinder's too dim, etc... There'd be something, I promise you. We need only to look at how Canon and Nikon cameras are viewed. They DO have the technical stuff down and they still draw complaints. Some folks are just never happy, IMO.

Yes, that's what called "there is no perfect camera in this planet" point of view.

But then, for what we need for our own use and requirements, there are some better or less worse camera one than another.

[Tom Lusk]

I hope that Pentax realizes if they had AF on par with Canon and Nikon, and maybe a little faster FPS (not something I care about at all, personally) that there would be absolutely no reason to have a Canon or a Nikon over a Pentax.

Sorry, Taomass- that's not funny; it's plain old sad.

It appears lots of long-time Pentax users are either looking at Canon or Nikon for their next camera or have already made the switch. It's unfortunate Pentax does not have the resources to implement basic improvements to their cameras that would keep most of their users satisfied.

[TaoMaas]

It's unfortunate Pentax does not have the resources to implement basic improvements to their cameras that would keep most of their users satisfied.

Hi, Tom. It's the concept that Pentax isn't keeping "most" of their users satisfied that I tend to disagree with. I'm not sure Pentax missed the mark that much. It just seems to me that those for whom the changes DID miss the mark are being much more vocal. And that's to be expected. Folks don't usually complain when things go right for them.

[kent vinyard]

Ken,
Your thoughts about running 2 systems is exactly what I did. 90% of my work will be done with my Pentax K10 but, for sports action I found an old beater nikon d2h and a used 70-200 sigma. When Pentax comes up with a K1D or whatever that has faster af and tracking the nikon will be gone.

[TaoMaas]

Yes, that's what called "there is no perfect camera in this planet" point of view.

Which happens to be true, by the way. There is no magic bullet. There is no camera that feels great, has the best auto-focus, best high ISO quality, highest fps, best flash control, highest overall image quality, best lens selection (zoom and prime) and is inexpensive.
There's always going to be a trade-off somewhere. It's up to each of us to decide what we can and can't live without.

[kent vinyard]

Tommy,
Its just that just like in the old days most photogs learned on a Pentax k1000 and when their skills got better or they got really serious about photography a lot of them moved to another brand because Pentax didn't have a good enough upgrade. Pentax has an opportunity now to really get in the digital era if they will not drop the ball with serious upgrades. ALL of the cameras in the K20 price range have faster af and excellent af tracking. As said before the best image quality in the world won't help if the af misses the shot.

[VHDEL]

(don't know if I am letting the 50-135 go... I really like this lens but it's much slower to AF than the Canon)

Is the AF slower because of the K10D's AF module isn't as quick as the Canon,
or because Pentax's SDM is slower than Canon's USM?

I wonder if there is much speed difference between in lens motors from Pentax/Sony/Nikon/Canon.

Cheers

Del