[Kunzite]

I want lots of high quality autofocus points clustered near the centre, to help me get a focus lock on fast moving objects such as planes and birds and racing bikes, even if I haven't got them exactly centred.

That doesn't mean that I want others to be disappointed - I'm happy if they have other autofocus points elsewhere, as I long as I have control over whether to use them.

Those two requirements are not exclusive, fortunately (except when a manufacturer decide to only follow one of them).

What I want to see is if the new AF system can make the difference between birds and bushes (as the K-5 II's has a preference to focus on the latter).

[Barry Pearson]

Per se it does not, you are right. But manufacturers use to provide a standard screen the patterns of which indicate where AF points are located / how they are "organized".

Yes indeed. The K-5-series screen shows round brackets to left and right of the centre, large rectangular brackets left and right further out, and smaller rectangular brackets left and right further out still.

It is any example screen or extra diagram (for example page 36 of the K-5II(s) manual) that shows a mapping of AF points to those brackets. The brackets themselves say very little, (nothing at all about how many points there are within each pair of brackets or what types they are), except for suggesting where points or clusters may be. And they certainly say nothing about whether there are any points at all outside the smaller rectangular brackets.

I would like to know how points are clustered within the large rectangular brackets and what types they are, and what type of point(s) are within the small rectangular brackets (because I have found those somewhat useful for focusing near the front of planes and cars and bikes, etc). I would also like to know how much control I have about what points or groups of points I can select. But the screen doesn't tell me that.

I was simply making the point that the screen itself, without additional information, tells us little about the autofocus system.

[snake]

Does that say anything about the autofocus system? The autofocus system is in the base of the camera, and is unchanged if the viewing screen is swapped for another.



I want lots of high quality autofocus points clustered near the centre, to help me get a focus lock on fast moving objects such as planes and birds and racing bikes, even if I haven't got them exactly centred.

That doesn't mean that I want others to be disappointed - I'm happy if they have other autofocus points elsewhere, as I long as I have control over whether to use them.

Personally, I want, at a minimum, another focus point between the two horizontal outer ones. When I'm in portrait, if I'm too far out, I can't focus sharply on the face without too much headroom being a result and cropping becoming necessary.

On the K-5 v.1 that outermost point essentially was useless and didn't properly focus on much, no matter what lens.

However, a tradeoff with no easy access to switching between center and selection doesn't seem enticing to me.

[bwDraco]

AF point of the AF corresponds to the luminous flux of F2.8 to three points (25 cross point), center point 27

27 points, 25 cross-type, with three f/2.8 high-precision points.

Looks like a 5x5 grid in the center region in place of the old 3x3 grid, with two outer points on the left and right as before.

It's not exactly what I wanted to see, but those looking for a denser arrangement of AF points will certainly benefit. Hopefully, the algorithms behind it have been reworked as well.

--DragonLord

[ElJamoquio]

If the center point AF is about half the size it used to be, I'll be happy.

[Rupert]

Just curious...what is the puropse/use of a headphone jack?

I'm not in much of a camera buying mood, but unfortunately, I seem to be heading that direction. This looks like a decent camera and the features are even more plentiful than I would require to shoot a bunch of damn squirrels. My only concern is the AF system? While my K5 original is much better than my previous Pentax cameras, it still falls short of most Nikon cameras I have sampled in AF speed and accuracy.. A little faster, and a lot more accurate would push me over the edge pretty fast. In particular in low light.
As far as looks, I think it is ugly, but so are the DSLR's of the other brands, so that is not really much of a factor....for beauty I have my X20, but sometimes you need more than a Toy Camera! Squirrels will not pose for Toy Cameras, it is far beneath their "dignity", I've been told.

Regards!

[Col]

If the center point AF is about half the size it used to be, I'll be happy.

I'll be happy to know exactly where the f***er is!

Still will 25+2 require a new method on viewfinder indication? and what pattern gives 3 f2.8 at the centre?

[repaap]

Just curious...what is the puropse/use of a headphone jack?

I'm not in much of a camera buying mood, but unfortunately, I seem to be heading that direction. This looks like a decent camera and the features are even more plentiful than I would require to shoot a bunch of damn squirrels. My only concern is the AF system? While my K5 original is much better than my previous Pentax cameras, it still falls short of most Nikon cameras I have sampled in AF speed and accuracy.. A little faster, and a lot more accurate would push me over the edge pretty fast. In particular in low light.
As far as looks, I think it is ugly, but so are the DSLR's of the other brands, so that is not really much of a factor....for beauty I have my X20, but sometimes you need more than a Toy Camera! Squirrels will not pose for Toy Cameras, it is far beneath their "dignity", I've been told.

Regards!

I'd belive that use for headphone jack is actually plug your headphone in and listen voice balance while shooting video... As far as I'd think this focus system will be best so far from pentax. They were warming up with K-5II, and now boosted it up to here. this thing seems to have what I need and more for me for future shootings!

[Rupert]

Thanks Repaap! Makes sense, but I am not a video shooter so it's not that I'm all that dumb.....though some might agree that's the problem...it's just that I didn't automatically think of video.

I sure didn't want to hook up a headphone and hear little recorded messages reminding me that I have all the settings just right to screw up a good shot. I can already do that without any help from Pentax!

Regards!

[repaap]

It could be for something else too. It has been thought among us at forums. But I really doubt it.

So you can think of that plug as bonus thing, if you decide to shoot some video some day

[Andi Lo]

I can use it for mp3 player How many GB is the K-3?

[ak_kiwi]

and what pattern gives 3 f2.8 at the centre?

:d

[TenZ.NL]

Attachment 190261

:d

And that thing has some (dead) serious tracking capabilities

[Col]

i can use it for mp3 player :d how many gb is the k-3?

512GB

2x 256GB SDXC cards