[reh321]

Apologies for continuing the off-topic excursion, but are you saying the PLM lens by itself works quite well on the K-30? Misbehaves only with the TC? I might be interested in giving that combination a go, hence my question.

Yes, in cloudish weather here, when my K-30 reports -2 to +2 exposure, I am getting reasonable images.
Mourning Doves - PentaxForums.com
However, once I have put the 1.4X TC on, the system suddenly shows no ability to focus.
This was a complete revelation to me.

[pqberger]

KP's Playback View specifications make such mentions, yet there is no GPS in the Pentax KP.

Thanks, I've since read that on the KP spec sheet. I'm probably not likely to go buy a AU$300 accessory just for that purpose. Might be merging in a GPX file from my phone if I really want location details when out birding.

[thibs]

Thanks, I've since read that on the KP spec sheet. I'm probably not likely to go buy a AU$300 accessory just for that purpose. Might be merging in a GPX file from my phone if I really want location details when out birding.

You won't needed.
They'll do like they did with Theta, mate the cam and the phone by Bluetooth and position will be embedded in your photos metadata.

[someasiancameraguy]

You won't needed.
They'll do like they did with Theta, mate the cam and the phone by Bluetooth and position will be embedded in your photos metadata.

Makes me hopeful that the GPS pairing with phone will be good then.

[Kunzite]

Makes me hopeful that the GPS pairing with phone will be good then.

Someone with a working GR III might be able to test that - the K-3 III, being newer, should work at least as well?

[Ishpuini]

Someone with a working GR III might be able to test that - the K-3 III, being newer, should work at least as well?

As I wrote elsewhere it works between my GR III and my phone (Google Pixel XL 1st gen), but only for the first sequence of shots following the establishment of the connection between the app and the camera. I did set things up to keep the connection going, but still found out it's lost easily. I really don't want to take out my phone and so to speak reinitiate the connection before every shot, so I stopped trying to after half a dozen attempts.
Note that I'm not passing judgement on Ricoh or the GR III. I'm fully aware that my phone is not the most recent one (though updated to the last but one Android version), and as such might be the weak link rather than the camera...

[Breakfastographer]

Yes, in cloudish weather here, when my K-30 reports -2 to +2 exposure, I am getting reasonable images.
Mourning Doves - PentaxForums.com
However, once I have put the 1.4X TC on, the system suddenly shows no ability to focus.
This was a complete revelation to me.

It does sound intriguing. Thanks for sharing the revelation, unexpected as it was.

[clackers]

Yes, in cloudish weather here, when my K-30 reports -2 to +2 exposure, I am getting reasonable images.
Mourning Doves - PentaxForums.com
However, once I have put the 1.4X TC on, the system suddenly shows no ability to focus.
This was a complete revelation to me.

Once you go past f5.6, there's no guarantee an autofocus system will work. It's the TC that's doing the hit on your aperture.

[reh321]

Once you go past f5.6, there's no guarantee an autofocus system will work. It's the TC that's doing the hit on your aperture.

I was intrigued by the fact that my KP will autofocus surely and quickly at almost any set aperture {yes, I know that AF uses aperture 'fully open', so 'set aperture is of little importance in this} and almost any level of darkness that doesn't need ISO above 128K when shutter speed is around 1/125, but the K-30 struggles as soon as the TC makes that small reduction in light. The KP clearly has a much better AF system.

[clackers]

I was intrigued by the fact that my KP will autofocus surely and quickly at almost any set aperture {yes, I know that AF uses aperture 'fully open', so 'set aperture is of little importance in this} and almost any level of darkness that doesn't need ISO above 128K when shutter speed is around 1/125, but the K-30 struggles as soon as the TC makes that small reduction in light. The KP clearly has a much better AF system.

Yeah, it's pretty much the K-1 AF system, right?

[MikeyBugs95]

Yeah, it's pretty much the K-1 AF system, right?

I think it's basically the K-3II system because both have 27 points.

[reh321]

I think it's basically the K-3II system because both have 27 points.

I often use nine points - or even one - to save processing.
In any case, it is a big improvement, so those who are evaluating Pentax AF with an older variant in mind should be careful of what they say.

[RobG]

Yes, in cloudish weather here, when my K-30 reports -2 to +2 exposure, I am getting reasonable images.
However, once I have put the 1.4X TC on, the system suddenly shows no ability to focus. This was a complete revelation to me.

The combination of the K3 and 55-300 PLM with the 1.4x TC works OK for me in good light. It focusses poorly in low light (eg around sunset).

---------- Post added 02-12-20 at 08:28 AM ----------

I often use nine points - or even one - to save processing. In any case, it is a big improvement, so those who are evaluating Pentax AF with an older variant in mind should be careful of what they say.

Meanwhile I've been looking at cameras with 425 points.

[Paul the Sunman]

Meanwhile I've been looking at cameras with 425 points.

What is the point of that?

[reh321]

What is the point of that?

If a camera has a processor dedicated to focusing, and the software is ‘smart’, they may use different subsets of the focus points depending on circumstances.