[WorksAsIntended]

This was one area where Hoya really dropped development. There were minor improvements from the K10 to the K5 with regard to auto focus, but they were tiny to say the least. And as far as I can remember, the K5 II only added a little improvement with focusing in tungsten lighting situations.

People complained constantly prior to the K3 about the size of the auto focus points (they were pretty big), the inability to track, and the wonkiness in certain lighting situations. And SDM lenses were hopeless when it came to tracking anything.

I would just say that Pentax is usable now with the right lenses and I expect continued improvements.

Tbh, the k10d was already far behind the competition. I had a K10d and a Nikon D200 at the same time. The Nikons af was superiour in every way.

[Kunzite]

I never had a problem shooting football, softball or cycling with my K-5 and I don't have a problem shooting sports with my K-1II. Weird. I must be lucky.

Or skilled.

[deus ursus]

Possibly because the K-5IIs doesn't offer that mode at all?

It does. The problem is, the focus points are too far between, so the subject get 'lost' on the way from one focus point to the next. Then it seems like the camera is searching around after the subject, and finds all different things to focus on.

I"ve found that the best way is to use spot focus (center point). Usually I crop the photos before publishing* anyway.

*: On the team's Facebook group

[Rondec]

Tbh, the k10d was already far behind the competition. I had a K10d and a Nikon D200 at the same time. The Nikons af was superiour in every way.

I wouldn't have said that the K10 and D200 were in the same category. The K10 ended up selling for 500 or 600 less than the D200. Regardless, the k10 was fine for AF-S performance but worthless with regard to AF-C.

[WorksAsIntended]

I wouldn't have said that the K10 and D200 were in the same category. The K10 ended up selling for 500 or 600 less than the D200. Regardless, the k10 was fine for AF-S performance but worthless with regard to AF-C.

That is true. The Nikon equivalent in pricing was the D80 at this time. I was comparing D200 and k10d because i know both very well. The D80 was somewhere in between in AF performance, closer to the D200 though.
I think that the relative af performance of Pentax(relative to competition) is now better than it used to be but there still is much room for improvement.

[Kunzite]

It does. The problem is, the focus points are too far between, so the subject get 'lost' on the way from one focus point to the next. Then it seems like the camera is searching around after the subject, and finds all different things to focus on.

I"ve found that the best way is to use spot focus (center point). Usually I crop the photos before publishing* anyway.

*: On the team's Facebook group

I still have the K-5iis - it doesn't. You're talking about auto area which doesn't attempt subject tracking.
And the tracking is done by the metering system; the K-5's is too rudimentary for that.

[ThorSanchez]

I never had a problem shooting football, softball or cycling with my K-5 and I don't have a problem shooting sports with my K-1II. Weird. I must be lucky.

You can certainly do it if you master rapid back button focusing, have a fast lens, use center-point only, AF-S, keep the center point on your subject of interest at all times. Maybe there are other methods, but in eight years of trying to shoot kids playing football/soccer that's the only way I get an acceptable keeper rate. Any time I use anything but center/spot focus I get most shots focused on the background, not the players, and the camera reacts more slowly before focusing on the sidelines or trees. This is with a K-3II, there are probably some differences with a K-5 or K-1II.

[WorksAsIntended]

And this is the thing, even in sports, most well compositioned pictures do need a focus point somewhere else than the center. In soccer for example either on the ball or the face area, not on the chest. A lot of great shooting moment pictures in soccer also follow the rule of thirds, so the center focus point possibly misses the player completly.
Center af is not sufficient for good sports photography.

[ThorSanchez]

And this is the thing, even in sports, most well compositioned pictures do need a focus point somewhere else than the center. In soccer for example either on the ball or the face area, not on the chest. A lot of great shooting moment pictures in soccer also follow the rule of thirds, so the center focus point possibly misses the player completly.
Center af is not sufficient for good sports photography.

I've never tried single-point SEL, with the point off-center. That might be useful in some framing situations, but probably make it more difficult in others as the action flows around the field. It would be more helpful to select a player and follow him around, framing as appropriate, and have the camera track him and keep him in focus. Will it be a magical upgrade to my photography, probably not. But I assume it would be helpful.

[WorksAsIntended]

It would be more helpful to select a player and follow him around, framing as appropriate, and have the camera track him and keep him in focus. Will it be a magical upgrade to my photography, probably not. But I assume it would be helpful.

This is where I agree on every point.

On the k3 II find myself often using 9 grouped points and furiosely change its position.

[ThorSanchez]

This is where I agree on every point.

On the k3 II find myself often using 9 grouped points and furiosely change its position.

I could never get that to work as well as center/spot.

[deus ursus]

I still have the K-5iis - it doesn't. You're talking about auto area which doesn't attempt subject tracking.
And the tracking is done by the metering system; the K-5's is too rudimentary for that.

Well, that's strange. Mine clearly has a function called "Expanded area AF". Maybe I have a special edition?

[ThorSanchez]

Well, that's strange. Mine clearly has a function called "Expanded area AF". Maybe I have a special edition?

Expanded area just means that the camera will try to focus on something in that expanded area when you hit the AF button. Tracking means the camera will try to lock onto something and then keep that in focus as it moves around.

[Ahab]

Name? Here we are

Kentucky Fried Chicken?

[Kunzite]

Well, that's strange. Mine clearly has a function called "Expanded area AF". Maybe I have a special edition?

You have a setting which doesn't quite work.
What I'm saying is that since the K-3 we have a tracking system that works (to some extent). To quote them:
"The PENTAX Real-time Scene Analysis System accurately detects the color, shape and movement of a subject, and keeps monitoring it throughout the imaging process. With the help of this innovative system, the K-3 automatically shifts the AF point to trace the subject’s movement with great speed and precision. Thanks to a wide AF area covered by 27 AF points, it maintains the sharp focus on the subject, even when it’s moving at high speed or when you are using the high-speed continuous shooting mode."
Feature 2?K-3 | RICOH IMAGING