[RockvilleBob]

I would appreciate any experience with 1st Frame Action in AF.C ( Menu C3) When to use the default of Release Priority (1) versus AUTO (2) versus Focus-Priority (3). Perhaps if Pentax explained what AUTO does it would help me decide but right now to me the choice is the default (1) Release Priority or number (3) Focus Priority.. Any help, insight, experience would be appreciated.

I asked Pentax Sweden to explain this to me but they gave me an avoiding answer so I guess they dont know yet. I am thinking that auto maybe should be used with the new AF.A-function? My tests are inconclusive...

[RockvilleBob]

I looked to other sources and here is something I found: Copied from: Ibarionex Perello. “Canon 5D Mark III: From Snapshots to Great Shots (Dylan Evers' Library). My comments in RED


Customizing AF Function
You can further customize the camera to suit your unique shooting needs when using AI Servo AF. Customizing the autofocus function determines whether confirmation of focus, releasing the shutter, or a balance of the two will be the priority.
For example, some photographers who shoot football may prefer to weight the priority to release to ensure that they get a shot, even if it isn’t tack sharp, because it may be an important moment in game play. They don’t want to lose an important moment waiting for the camera to nail the focus. This may result in some images being slightly out of focus, but it may make the difference between getting and not getting the all-important shot.
By default, the camera sets an equal weight between focus confirmation and the release. However, you have the ability to bias the performance either way for the first and subsequent images when shooting continuously.


My reading of this is that if you want to put the emphasis on getting a shot over getting a shot in focus the the settings on the K-3 should be C3 #16 set to 1(DEFAULT) and C3 #17 set to 3. Likewise if you want the emphasis to be on getting the sharpest picture possible then the settings on the K-3 should be C3 #16 set to 3 and C3 #17 set to 1 (DEFAULT) These settings are new to me but if this is correct then Pentax should make the DEFAULT options consistent so they compliment each other. In other words the default setting should be the same with either the emphasis on getting a shot versus emphasis on getting good shots. I still have no idea what AUTO is for the settings.


AI Servo 1st Image Priority TO ME THIS IS C3 #16 1st Frame Action in AF.C
This setting controls how the camera will perform for the first image captured during a continuous burst when shooting in AI Servo AF:
1. Press the Menu button and turn the Main Dial to access the AF2: AI Servo menu screen. Rotate the Quick Control Dial to select AI Servo 1st image priority. Press the Setting button.

1. Rotate the Quick Control Dial counterclockwise to select Release to make taking the picture the priority. Rotate the Quick Control Dial clockwise to make focusing the priority.

AI Servo 2nd Image Priority TO ME THIS IS C3 #17 Action in AF.C Continuous

This setting controls how the camera will perform with subsequent images made during a continuous burst when shooting in AI Servo AF:
1. Press the Menu button and turn the Main Dial to access the AF2: AI Servo menu screen. Rotate the Quick Control Dial to select AI Servo 2nd image priority. Press the Setting button.
2. Rotate the Quick Control Dial counterclockwise to select Release to make taking the picture the priority. Rotate the Quick Control Dial clockwise to make focusing the priority.

[audiobomber]

I would appreciate any experience with 1st Frame Action in AF.C ( Menu C3) When to use the default of Release Priority (1) versus AUTO (2) versus Focus-Priority (3). Perhaps if Pentax explained what AUTO does it would help me decide but right now to me the choice is the default (1) Release Priority or number (3) Focus Priority.. Any help, insight, experience would be appreciated.

RELEASE PRIORITY: The camera fires immediately, whether it has acheived focus or not
AUTO: The camera guesses at whether you want to wait for focus before it fires.
FOCUS PRIORITY: The camera will not fire until focus is achieved

I can't see me using anything but focus priority. I trash out of focus shots.

[RockvilleBob]

RELEASE PRIORITY: The camera fires immediately, whether it has acheived focus or not
AUTO: The camera guesses at whether you want to wait for focus before it fires.
FOCUS PRIORITY: The camera will not fire until focus is achieved

I can't see me using anything but focus priority. I trash out of focus shots.

My feelings also. This means changing C3 #16 from the default setting1 (Release Priority) to 3 Focus Priority but leaving C3 #17 at the default setting as I read the manual.
For Birds in flight with no trees in the way you would leave C3 #18 Hold AF Status at the default setting OFF and change to C3 #18 to Low, Medium or High depending on the level of visual obstructions your subject travels past.

[lister6520]

I like that you can set it differently for the first shot and subsequent shots when continuous shooting.

For me the first shot mode should always be 'release priority' because like that you have full control over whether to wait for the focus or just hit the shutter. If you don't want OOF shots then just don;t press the shutter before it confirms focus.

For the next and subsequent frames in continuous shooting both options make sense depending on what you need. In continuous shooting you cannot decide at what point to shoot - it wouldn;t be continuous shooting if you did, so it makes sense to let the camera take the shot only exactly after it has achieved focus by setting it to focus priority (Menu 17 selection 1). That way you ensure that the pictures are all in focus while at the same time maintaining a frame rate not achieveable by repeatably pressing the shutter. It will slow down a bit but not too much.

If you are shooting something moving fast but only laterally and at narrow apertures then you can afford to leave option 17 on 'FPS-Priority'. That way you get the highest possible frame rate. FPS priority does not at all mean that it forgets about focus. It will still track and focus properly but if the focus is a bit difficult it might not have perfected the focus at the point of shooting. It all depends on what depth of field you have and how quickly the target is changing its distance from you.

Well, there is another complication. Even with focus priority you will find that it will still shoot away even if it cannot focus. It seems that even in focus priority there is a sort of 'deadline' which once reached will fire anyway regardless of whether focus has been achieved or not. I'm not sure how long that is but seems to be about half a second, or perhaps a third.

[RockvilleBob]

I like that you can set it differently for the first shot and subsequent shots when continuous shooting.

For me the first shot mode should always be 'release priority' because like that you have full control over whether to wait for the focus or just hit the shutter. If you don't want OOF shots then just don;t press the shutter before it confirms focus.

For the next and subsequent frames in continuous shooting both options make sense depending on what you need. In continuous shooting you cannot decide at what point to shoot - it wouldn;t be continuous shooting if you did, so it makes sense to let the camera take the shot only exactly after it has achieved focus by setting it to focus priority (Menu 17 selection 1). That way you ensure that the pictures are all in focus while at the same time maintaining a frame rate not achieveable by repeatably pressing the shutter. It will slow down a bit but not too much.

If you are shooting something moving fast but only laterally and at narrow apertures then you can afford to leave option 17 on 'FPS-Priority'. That way you get the highest possible frame rate. FPS priority does not at all mean that it forgets about focus. It will still track and focus properly but if the focus is a bit difficult it might not have perfected the focus at the point of shooting. It all depends on what depth of field you have and how quickly the target is changing its distance from you.

Well, there is another complication. Even with focus priority you will find that it will still shoot away even if it cannot focus. It seems that even in focus priority there is a sort of 'deadline' which once reached will fire anyway regardless of whether focus has been achieved or not. I'm not sure how long that is but seems to be about half a second, or perhaps a third.

Thanks - I appreciate the insights since this is all new to me.

[Miguel]

I would suggest testing out all the settings, taking notes, and seeing what works for you. The guidance given above is really good, but I'd treat it as a starting point. I would ignore the "auto" settings that leave more judgement to the camera. It took me several weeks to feel confident understanding how the Canon 7D AF system works. Even with this experience, I expect a few weeks to grok the Pentax one. There are a lot of permutations buried in the menus.

M

[derekkite]

I have the hold status on medium, all the rest focus priority. It is easy to cancel the hold by releasing and pressing the shutter halfway. There was an issue with the hold in one circumstance; I was shooting small birds close in, with a busy scene of branches. The release and press worked but it slowed things down. In most other circumstances the hold has not got into the way and helped to keep focus on what I wanted.

Probably in that circumstance, hold status set to off and spot focus would work. Another user mode.

[bass3587]

I would suggest testing out all the settings, taking notes, and seeing what works for you. The guidance given above is really good, but I'd treat it as a starting point. I would ignore the "auto" settings that leave more judgement to the camera. It took me several weeks to feel confident understanding how the Canon 7D AF system works. Even with this experience, I expect a few weeks to grok the Pentax one. There are a lot of permutations buried in the menus.

M

He said "grok"