Anecdotal evidence for superior Pentax AF

gazonk · 02-23-2010, 05:32 AM - **1 Like**

...picked up on the Google News radar... BCLocalNews.com - Experiences photographing speed skating

"Klimasch used his Nikon D300 with a 70-210 Sigma the first night and a Pentax K20D with a 50-135 Pentax on the second. I wouldn’t have anticipated much difference, but Klimasch said his success rate was better with the Pentax. Walter’s conclusion was the Pentax Predictive Focus Tracking is better for his skating subjects."

In your face, AF whiners

Mike.P® · 02-23-2010, 06:08 AM

So it was nothing to do with the fact he had a 50-135mm f2.8 on the Pentax and a Sigma 70-210mm f/4-5.6 on the Nikon?

eigelb · 02-23-2010, 06:11 AM

sigma made f/2.8 70-210mm lenses

**Rondec** · 02-23-2010, 06:13 AM

Sort of an odd comparison. I think the D300 would do quite a bit better pared with Nikon's 70-200 f2.8 VR (of course that lens also runs close to 2000). Proves the point that the glass is the place to start.

gazonk · 02-23-2010, 06:47 AM

Originally posted by Mike.P®

So it was nothing to do with the fact he had a 50-135mm f2.8 on the Pentax and a Sigma 70-210mm f/4-5.6 on the Nikon?

It doesn't say which lens it was.

To all: Please don't miss the "anecdotal" part of the subject

Btw. I found the photographer in PPG: PENTAX Photo Gallery

Wheatfield · 02-23-2010, 07:02 AM

Another apologist thread.

reeftool · 02-23-2010, 09:03 AM

Probably the most important thing he mentioned was "he became better over time". It does go to show that one can shoot sports with a Pentax. We hear so much bs all the time that it can't be done. Getting good sports shots takes practice and experience regardless of camera and lens.

kenyee · 02-23-2010, 09:12 AM

FWIW, a friend w/ a D90 got a *lot* less keeper shots of his kids w/ the Tokina 50-135 (the equivalent of the DA*). I suspect Nikon does some magic w/ their AFS system that makes it work better for predictive AF than screw drive...

lithos · 02-23-2010, 10:02 AM

That's because by the time Pentax had focused on the spot where the skaters were, they'd already done a lap and come back to the exact same place where the camera was pointed...

filorp · 02-23-2010, 10:23 AM

i can agre with every posts above at the same time - its everything about the lens... nikon including/above d300 + nikkors 70-200 and 24-70 cannot be matched by anything from pentax (reg speed but reg technical quality of pict.... i would discuss)

wlachan · 02-23-2010, 10:40 AM

Two things come to my mind after reading the interview.
- Shouldn't the Nikkor 70-200/2.8 VR be used for a fair comparison? Third party lenses are not known for speedy AF.
- Without actually looking at the full size pictures, we have no way to tell the quality of his works. Filling the entire frame with the subject can be a lot more challenging than the subject filling 25% of the frame.

**Rondec** · 02-23-2010, 12:22 PM

Originally posted by wlachan

Two things come to my mind after reading the interview.
- Shouldn't the Nikkor 70-200/2.8 VR be used for a fair comparison? Third party lenses are not known for speedy AF.
- Without actually looking at the full size pictures, we have no way to tell the quality of his works. Filling the entire frame with the subject can be a lot more challenging than the subject filling 25% of the frame.

Yes and no. If you price the D300 and Nikkor 70-200 f2.8 VR II, you find that it runs about 4000 dollars new. The K20 and 50-135 together run about 1700 dollars (these are Amazon prices). You can compare the two for along time, but clearly, at least cost wise, the Nikon had better perform better with that kind of cost.

jmbradd · 02-23-2010, 12:24 PM

so which is it, news or rumor?

PentaxPoke · 02-23-2010, 12:27 PM

Originally posted by jmbradd

so which is it, news or rumor?

Fantasy.

gazonk · 02-23-2010, 12:36 PM

Originally posted by jmbradd

so which is it, news or rumor?

It's News, but entertainment section

02-23-2010, 05:32 AM - 1 Like	#1
gazonk Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Oslo area, Norway Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,746	Anecdotal evidence for superior Pentax AF ...picked up on the Google News radar... BCLocalNews.com - Experiences photographing speed skating "Klimasch used his Nikon D300 with a 70-210 Sigma the first night and a Pentax K20D with a 50-135 Pentax on the second. I wouldn’t have anticipated much difference, but Klimasch said his success rate was better with the Pentax. Walter’s conclusion was the Pentax Predictive Focus Tracking is better for his skating subjects." In your face, AF whiners

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02-23-2010, 06:08 AM	#2
Mike.P® Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New Milton, Hampshire, UK Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,154	So it was nothing to do with the fact he had a 50-135mm f2.8 on the Pentax and a Sigma 70-210mm f/4-5.6 on the Nikon?

02-23-2010, 06:11 AM	#3
eigelb Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Italy Posts: 174	sigma made f/2.8 70-210mm lenses

02-23-2010, 06:13 AM	#4
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,650	Sort of an odd comparison. I think the D300 would do quite a bit better pared with Nikon's 70-200 f2.8 VR (of course that lens also runs close to 2000). Proves the point that the glass is the place to start.

02-23-2010, 06:47 AM	#5
gazonk Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Oslo area, Norway Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,746 Original Poster	Originally posted by Mike.P® So it was nothing to do with the fact he had a 50-135mm f2.8 on the Pentax and a Sigma 70-210mm f/4-5.6 on the Nikon? It doesn't say which lens it was. To all: Please don't miss the "anecdotal" part of the subject Btw. I found the photographer in PPG: PENTAX Photo Gallery

02-23-2010, 07:02 AM	#6
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,975	Another apologist thread.

02-23-2010, 09:03 AM	#7
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,552	Probably the most important thing he mentioned was "he became better over time". It does go to show that one can shoot sports with a Pentax. We hear so much bs all the time that it can't be done. Getting good sports shots takes practice and experience regardless of camera and lens.

02-23-2010, 09:12 AM	#8
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	FWIW, a friend w/ a D90 got a lot less keeper shots of his kids w/ the Tokina 50-135 (the equivalent of the DA*). I suspect Nikon does some magic w/ their AFS system that makes it work better for predictive AF than screw drive...

02-23-2010, 10:02 AM	#9
lithos Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Brisbane, QLD, AUS Posts: 3,261	That's because by the time Pentax had focused on the spot where the skaters were, they'd already done a lap and come back to the exact same place where the camera was pointed...

02-23-2010, 10:23 AM	#10
filorp Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Aberdeen Scotland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 398	i can agre with every posts above at the same time - its everything about the lens... nikon including/above d300 + nikkors 70-200 and 24-70 cannot be matched by anything from pentax (reg speed but reg technical quality of pict.... i would discuss)

02-23-2010, 10:40 AM	#11
wlachan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 2,625	Two things come to my mind after reading the interview. - Shouldn't the Nikkor 70-200/2.8 VR be used for a fair comparison? Third party lenses are not known for speedy AF. - Without actually looking at the full size pictures, we have no way to tell the quality of his works. Filling the entire frame with the subject can be a lot more challenging than the subject filling 25% of the frame.

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02-23-2010, 12:22 PM	#12
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,650	Originally posted by wlachan Two things come to my mind after reading the interview. - Shouldn't the Nikkor 70-200/2.8 VR be used for a fair comparison? Third party lenses are not known for speedy AF. - Without actually looking at the full size pictures, we have no way to tell the quality of his works. Filling the entire frame with the subject can be a lot more challenging than the subject filling 25% of the frame. Yes and no. If you price the D300 and Nikkor 70-200 f2.8 VR II, you find that it runs about 4000 dollars new. The K20 and 50-135 together run about 1700 dollars (these are Amazon prices). You can compare the two for along time, but clearly, at least cost wise, the Nikon had better perform better with that kind of cost.

02-23-2010, 12:24 PM	#13
jmbradd Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Portland, OR Photos: Albums Posts: 325	so which is it, news or rumor?

02-23-2010, 12:27 PM	#14
PentaxPoke Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,411	Originally posted by jmbradd so which is it, news or rumor? Fantasy.

02-23-2010, 12:36 PM	#15
gazonk Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Oslo area, Norway Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,746 Original Poster	Originally posted by jmbradd so which is it, news or rumor? It's News, but entertainment section