[colodion]

Tried K-3ii on DFA150-450 yesterday : no difference in AF speed or acuracy / K-3 in AF-s.
Didn't have opportunity to compare in AF-c.

According to the manual of the camera in AFS can go faster with the new objectives, I always shot in AFA and catch-in, it is the fastest and safest.

[enoeske]

According to the manual of the camera in AFS can go faster with the new objectives, ....

But according to real people testing this out, it appears they do not AF faster

[colodion]

I have not noticed any difference in the k3 to k3II but still have not received 150 450 300 I shooting with 1.4x Rearconverter DA and not go wrong.
He has won a lot in reducing noise, processes it in a night and left clean

[Nicolas06]

Hint: they were likely shooting:

(a) different scenes;
(b) different events;
(c) different lenses;
(d) different camera settings;
(e) different levels of shooting experience.

You want overly simple answers for complicated questions.

Second hint... More or less direct implication of what you just said...

K5 vs K3 is very visible. Like K5 vs K20D... because each time the difference is huge and you see it in most situations. Low light, portraiture, action, wildlife, even landscape for the AF speed.

I can say explictely that AF of K3 is really faster in all situation than K5 and there tests from PF and others that show it. (Hit rate rougly increased by a 15-20%) I can say that most (>50%) low light shoot with FA50 and DA35 were off focus before with K5 AF and now most are focussed accurately. I can say that when I do portraiture with off center point now if I select the eye, the focus is on the eyes. Before it was sometime on the eye, maybe 1 time out of 4... and other time on the ear, the nose... If i wanted to be spot on it was manual focus and/or live view. And the hardware match it because the AF point are much smaller. I did tests with my K3 and if you focus on an object that has a distinctive color now the focus is kept even if you move the camera or the subject move (not too fast) even if there obstacles. Before there was no tracking. And again the hardware match it (before 77 metering in BW, no 80K+ metering in color).

Now K3-II just a small evolution of K3 (hence the name) and the K3-II AF hardware or metering didn't change. They say it is only software improvement for AF... but old K3 also did get software upgrade related to AF too recently.

=> The performance increase is far less visible obviously. AND very noticable is higly subjective and might be only for some kind of lenses, settings, type of scene and require a very experienced pro photographer to show as you explained.

Maybe there nothing to write home about it, really.

[kenspo]

But according to real people testing this out, it appears they do not AF faster

AF-C is supposed to be improved. And my experience say it is.

[RockvilleBob]

Second hint... More or less direct implication of what you just said...

K5 vs K3 is very visible. Like K5 vs K20D... because each time the difference is huge and you see it in most situations. Low light, portraiture, action, wildlife, even landscape for the AF speed.

I can say explictely that AF of K3 is really faster in all situation than K5 and there tests from PF and others that show it. (Hit rate rougly increased by a 15-20%) I can say that most (>50%) low light shoot with FA50 and DA35 were off focus before with K5 AF and now most are focussed accurately. I can say that when I do portraiture with off center point now if I select the eye, the focus is on the eyes. Before it was sometime on the eye, maybe 1 time out of 4... and other time on the ear, the nose... If i wanted to be spot on it was manual focus and/or live view. And the hardware match it because the AF point are much smaller. I did tests with my K3 and if you focus on an object that has a distinctive color now the focus is kept even if you move the camera or the subject move (not too fast) even if there obstacles. Before there was no tracking. And again the hardware match it (before 77 metering in BW, no 80K+ metering in color).

Now K3-II just a small evolution of K3 (hence the name) and the K3-II AF hardware or metering didn't change. They say it is only software improvement for AF... but old K3 also did get software upgrade related to AF too recently.

=> The performance increase is far less visible obviously. AND very noticable is higly subjective and might be only for some kind of lenses, settings, type of scene and require a very experienced pro photographer to show as you explained.

Maybe there nothing to write home about it, really.

Excellent points. A next generation AF system is needed to bring Pentax DSLR AF into a leadership position. It is good to see Ricoh making the effort to improve AF, getting as much as they can out of what is in the current K3 line. This shows they recognize the issue. The hope and expectation is that the next generation APS-C DSLR will have a state of the art AF system and that new lenses introduced will have faster focusing mechanisms.

[StigVidar]

Excellent points. A next generation AF system is needed to bring Pentax DSLR AF into a leadership position. It is good to see Ricoh making the effort to improve AF, getting as much as they can out of what is in the current K3 line. This shows they recognize the issue. The hope and expectation is that the next generation APS-C DSLR will have a state of the art AF system and that new lenses introduced will have faster focusing mechanisms.

My experience on photos like this, Facebook bilder, is that I got as many sharp photos as users with comparable Canon and Nikon cameras

[colodion]

My experience on photos like this, Facebook bilder, is that I got as many sharp photos as users with comparable Canon and Nikon cameras

Beautiful photos, the photo is in the mind and not in the camera or on the mark

[Winder]

AF-C is supposed to be improved. And my experience say it is.

Improved accuracy or speed?

[kenspo]

Improved accuracy or speed?

Both..but i can only tell from my kind of work. I get much higher rate of good pics now..and it feels smother.

[RockvilleBob]

My experience on photos like this, Facebook bilder, is that I got as many sharp photos as users with comparable Canon and Nikon cameras

Excellent point. I am a very content Pentax owner. My desire is for improved tracking of moving subject is AF.C mode, such as birds in flight. There are some excellent photos of birds in flight taken with Pentax cameras but looking at the 'keeper' rate I achieve versus other photographers (with similar capability using Canon or Nikon cameras) when I go out to shoot with them, I find that generally their keeper rate is higher. I also find shooting side by side with photographers of similar ability, shooting BIF, that Canon and Nikon shooters generally acquire subjects in focus faster than me shooting with the K3. The K3 is head and shoulders better than my K5 in this environment. While some of this difference can be that they are better than me shooting in this environment I feel the camera and lenses contribute to this discrepancy. This speed to focus and higher keeper rate is also probably a function of both a better continuous focus engines in those cameras and lenses built to focus faster. I still come away from a day shooting BIF with some very good keepers but it would be nice to acquire subjects faster and get a higher keeper percentage.

[Shanti]

Both..but i can only tell from my kind of work. I get much higher rate of good pics now..and it feels smother.

My question was is it better on the 150-450/K3II combo? did you get to use that lens by chance(like for a trad.jazz concert,where distance from trumpet/banjo is needed for sanity )

---------- Post added 06-26-15 at 04:18 AM ----------

Tried K-3ii on DFA150-450 yesterday : no difference in AF speed or acuracy / K-3 in AF-s.
Didn't have opportunity to compare in AF-c.

would be great if you could try AF-C @ 450mm ,as main problem area for Pentax,and I have seen how good you are with that lens,so would be very helpful

[kenspo]

I dont need the 150-450 so sent it back :P I know a couple who have it. I can borrow them one of my Mark II's..so they can test

[Zafar Iqbal]

Picked up my second K-3 II body today. w00p w00p

[Zygonyx]

Congrats !