[TenZ.NL]

I have, FNAC Laboratoires. I haven't seen any tests beyond the K-5, but of the results I have seen, the K-x, K-r and K-5 have similar performance to comparably priced and contemporary Canons and Nikons. The K-5 was equal to the D7000, the 7D and D300 beat all other APS-C bodies in AF-C mode (K-5, D7000, 60D).

We are still talking about different lenses. I don`t mean disrespect but I`m still sceptical.

The 7D still beats the 70D for continuous auto-focus and burst mode. If the Canons you were referencing as being miles ahead in AF are Full Frames, then I won't argue. For APS-C, I don't believe it.



You are talking about Canon. Pentax AF is not limited to f5.6 or f8 and will work beyond that. With a DA*300, you lose a stop, from f4 to f5.6. That may affect whether the camera can find focus in some extreme or marginal condition, but not the speed at which the AF moves. The main complaint with SDM is that it moves the lens elements too slowly, especially with the portrait lenses; DA*55 and DA*50-135mm. I'm pretty certain the DA*300 is as fast as a screw drive or competitors' standard micro-motor lenses. It is slower than expensive ring drive lenses.

Note that when stopping down a DA*300 to f8 with a TC mounted, the effective f-stop is f/11, but the focussing is done with the aperture wide open, at f5.6.

Oke, what you`re saying makes sense but my own 16-50 isn`t blistering fast either. The DA*300/TC combo is a possible option I might consider but I`m afraid to spend €1,5K and find out it`s not what I`m looking for.

PS: Didn`t the 7D inherit the AF system of the 1D Mk whatever?

[Adam]

Of course I don't know for 100% if this product will hit the streets. I have heard about several products from Pentax in advance that were pulled last minute or were announced a lot later than expected.

The Pentax roadmap says HD, so it's most likely an authentic photo We will know for sure in two weeks (or less)!

[ElJamoquio]

I have, FNAC Laboratoires.

How do they test moving targets? What's the size of their targets?

[audiobomber]

How do they test moving targets? What's the size of their targets?

They have a computer simulation of a child running toward the camera, where they test how quickly the camera nails focus. Pentax does well at this. The second test is a vehicle approaching at speed, they measure how many hits on the target and how closely the target gets before focus is lost.

I've shot K-3 DA*300 series of BIF and a series where the camera ignored distractions and focussed on the subject. I also posted a truck approaching at speed with the 18-135 at 135mm. I posted the results here. I shot a hockey game a couple of weeks ago, the tracking was nothing short of amazing. With Hold AF on High, it simply ignored other players and the aluminum uprights holding the plexiglas. I had almost zero misses.

[Kunzite]

The Pentax roadmap says HD, so it's most likely an authentic photo We will know for sure in two weeks (or less)!

I think you're not telling us everything

[Rondec]

Looks real enough for me -- I mean we know it is coming, that's not a question. The performance and price are the questions in my mind and those won't really be known until it is in the hands of Pentaxians.

[ElJamoquio]

They have a computer simulation of a child running toward the camera, where they test how quickly the camera nails focus.

Best test I've heard of.

Pentax does well at this.

The problems I have with Pentax (say, K5/DA*300) is both a speed problem and a 'target' problem - often it will lock onto the wrong thing.

I've had a bit better luck with the D600. Haven't tried any newer Pentax stuff but it sounds promising.

[bossa]

HD DA 1.4X AW AF Rear Convertor

AW: All Weather???

can't really tell if there is a ring around the edges made of rubber.

looks the piece anyway ^^

bugger just went through the posts from the site.
and the HD does seem not to be on the same level as the rest of the text...

If it's a fake, it's a nice fake, somebody went through a lot of work to present this ^^

The text doesn't accurately follow the curve of the barrel as well.. at least either the printing is "fake" or the unit is genuine mock-up.

[asahi man]

The Pentax roadmap says HD, so it's most likely an authentic photo We will know for sure in two weeks (or less)!

Public Roadmap and internal Roadmap :-)
And yes,this picture could be modified.It was not made for public information.
Remember the first pictures of the K-5 and other K bodys....also not 100% live pictures anytimes.

[FW Birds]

I am really looking forward to the 1.4 teleconverter. I find the K-3 and DA*300mm to be a wonderful birding combination that is easy to carry on long walks due to its reasonable size. The HD, SDM, weather sealing, and added reach of the teleconverter might make it even better. I glad the Pentax name is displayed on it. Can't wait to pick one up!

[derekkite]

Best test I've heard of.



The problems I have with Pentax (say, K5/DA*300) is both a speed problem and a 'target' problem - often it will lock onto the wrong thing.

I've had a bit better luck with the D600. Haven't tried any newer Pentax stuff but it sounds promising.

The K3 is much better on the target problem. It locks and tracks well. As for speed I did a test with my dog running towards me. The K5 would give a shot or two almost by chance. The K3 is better but as the dog approaches it starts to lag. Close in focus requires more focus throw and the lens can't keep up. I've noticed the same with a busy bush scene close in, maybe 10-30 feet where things move quickly, and the lens seems slow. Further out than that it is plenty fast enough.

[monochrome]

Haven't tried any newer Pentax stuff but it sounds promising.

Your experience, then, may be somewhat dated.

[audiobomber]

The K3 is much better on the target problem. It locks and tracks well. As for speed I did a test with my dog running towards me. The K5 would give a shot or two almost by chance. The K3 is better but as the dog approaches it starts to lag. Close in focus requires more focus throw and the lens can't keep up. I've noticed the same with a busy bush scene close in, maybe 10-30 feet where things move quickly, and the lens seems slow. Further out than that it is plenty fast enough.

That's not my experience, so clearly the camera can't be the issue. I have a series of a large dog running at top speed toward me, 16 photos with the K-3 and 18-135mm at 135mm, 1/1000s, f/5.6. Sixteen shots in a row, most are sharp. I think all would have been with a faster shutter speed. The last one, the face is out of the frame. The camera focussed on the dog's tail, and it is sharp.

I tried to post the whole series on Picasa, but there is no more Picasa. It is not Google+, and they automatically "enhance" my photos. The enhancement messed with white balance and exposure so badly that I couldn't stand to look at it and deleted them. Here are a couple from the series. I didn't post the last one because like I said the dog's face was past me.

[rvannatta]

Well I've said I would buy a converter for as long as there has been a discussion of them. It will be interesting to see how
it works, -- i.e. does I do its own focusing like the 1.7x adapter, or pass through to the lens.

In the dream world it might optimize and do some of both. I'm a converter junky and own both a 1.4x-L and 2x-L as well as a 1.4xS
and the 1.7x adapter and a couple of some long glass worthy of these, but my research has pretty consistently produced results
suggesting, that unless the lighting in the part to be cropped was destracting the exposure that you could do about as well simply
cropping the shot in photo shop. Most of my issues with really long effective focal lengths seem to be related camera shake/vibration.

When you take a long lens such as the Pentax-a 400 or the FA 600 and stack couple of these pieces of glass on them it seems very
hard to clean up your technique enough to manage the vibration...even with remote releases, beanbag support, mirror lock up and the like

What would be cool is if this new product doesn't work like the 1.7x adapter with manual lenses, would be the ability to stack it
with a 1.7x adapter and a strong manual focus such as the Pentax-A 400 f/2.8 and get an auto focus result.

[ElJamoquio]

Your experience, then, may be somewhat dated.

...uh, yeah, that's why I wrote that sentence.