Originally posted by blende8 The press release states:
"The K-7’s new SAFOX VIII+ wide-frame autofocus system features 11 sensor points (with nine cross-type sensors positioned in the middle). By adding a light source type to its data range, and driven by a greatly improved algorithm, this AF system assures reliable, responsive autofocus operation superior in speed and accuracy to the previous system."
How do you think this is realized?
Well, it IS a marketing release and has no specificity or data to back up the claims, so what does this statement really mean?
We know what the light source sensor does, and frankly I would be hard-pressed to believe that adding a sensor that has to be read and processed and then taking that data and using it to adjust the AF would make the whole process FASTER. After all, in the K20D no such sensor/calculation was included.
More accurate in certain lighting, yes, as that is what it is designed to do, but Faster, no. This part has nothing to do with speed improvements.
That leaves us with unspecified improvements to software and perhaps changes to the hardware that are not known to us or even mentioned.
So, if one takes the press release as the source, we are left mainly with claims about software improvements, which I am sure are true, but to what extent?
How do algorithms improve low-light focus speed?
I also do not see any mention of anything new in continuous AF or in predictive AF capabilities, although improving the speed of the overall system should also improve the ability to continuously focus even if it is not a true predictive system.
Time will tell.
Ray