K-3 Bird In Flight

JinDesu · 11-04-2013, 12:56 PM

Originally posted by audiobomber

This next link shows three shots in series, with a crop from each shot to show the area of focus. The K-3 ignored all distractions; the second bird, wires and pole are all out of focus, the subject is tack sharp.
https://picasaweb.google.com/bonhommed/K3TrackingTest?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXc5cLh-uGl9AE#

Last shot in the series, with crop, for those too lazy to click:

I love you.

Or I love the k-3.

Ugh!

bobmaxja · 11-04-2013, 01:06 PM

Great, this is not pixel pepping but real life photo. This tread will come as popular as the one in K-5

asp1880 · 11-04-2013, 01:29 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by normhead

I wonder why people keep harp on this "coming straight at you" thing.
( ...snip ...)
Where are all these "coming straight at you" shooters?

I'm one of those shooters (occasionally).

The coming straight at you scenario is the hardest test of the tracking system, yielding the highest apparent speed towards the camera.

Plus it's a good composition in sports that shows the athlete's face and expression.

Pictures were shot with the K-5 and the DA200.

Regards,
--Anders.

**woodywesty** · 11-04-2013, 01:53 PM

Originally posted by audiobomber

This next link shows three shots in series, with a crop from each shot to show the area of focus. The K-3 ignored all distractions; the second bird, wires and pole are all out of focus, the subject is tack sharp.
https://picasaweb.google.com/bonhommed/K3TrackingTest?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXc5cLh-uGl9AE#

Last shot in the series, with crop, for those too lazy to click:

Fantastic pictures and thank you so much for including the camera settings in your first post! It helps those like me who are learning digital photography.

**woodywesty** · 11-04-2013, 01:54 PM

Originally posted by nomadkng

I don't think I wanted to see these pictures,,, ugh

I've been trying so hard to find reasons NOT to buy a K3.
Now the GF is going to want one too, she won't be happy with my K5iis after all the complaining I've been doing about it.

Double UGH!

No problem! New K3 and new GF...

**crewl1** · 11-04-2013, 02:17 PM

Originally posted by audiobomber

I have so many tack sharp photos of flying gulls, I don't know what to do with them.

Excellent! Wonder how long I can hold out from getting the K-3 now.

audiobomber · 11-04-2013, 02:31 PM

Originally posted by woodywesty

Fantastic pictures and thank you so much for including the camera settings in your first post! It helps those like me who are learning digital photography.

We all have something to learn with this new camera. The menu settings for AF-C are foreign to me. I don't know whether I chose optimal settings for BIF or not, I just guessed. I'm not even sure that disabling SR is productive, because the SR on this body is supposedly different and improved over previous Pentaxes.

There may be some fine tuning required but my settings did work.

aurele · 11-04-2013, 02:50 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by nomadkng

I don't think I wanted to see these pictures,,, ugh

I've been trying so hard to find reasons NOT to buy a K3.

EXACTLY ! but i think we're screwed : we are going to buy one, despite all the reasonnable thinking !

The Pentax K3 ... my bank account is doooooooomed

lister6520 · 11-04-2013, 03:32 PM

As far as I can tell the 'coming at you' focus problem does exist on the K-r but only when using single AF. In continuous AF it has always worked fine for me, even for cars coming almost straight at me. My other Pentax is a K-30 but I never tried shooting moving targets with single AF, possibly and probably unnecessarily because of my experience with the K-r. However when I think of it I'm not even sure it should work for single AF.

stevebrot · 11-04-2013, 03:54 PM

Originally posted by normhead

I wonder why people keep harp on this "coming straight at you" thing. Funny how no one has ever commented on how Pentax can't do images coming straight at you, and then posted their links to pages filled with images of vehicles or something coming straight at them, proving this is something that's actually relevant to their lives. Where are all these "coming straight at you" shooters? Is this real, or is this an issue fabricated for Canikon marketing reps posting on the site pretending like they want something from Pentax besides their customers?

It is hard to say where the "coming straight at you shooters" are hiding, though I do know that this is a fairly common way to evaluate AF-C.

Steve

Stevizzy · 11-04-2013, 04:45 PM

Originally posted by audiobomber

This next link shows three shots in series, with a crop from each shot to show the area of focus. The K-3 ignored all distractions; the second bird, wires and pole are all out of focus, the subject is tack sharp.
https://picasaweb.google.com/bonhommed/K3TrackingTest?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXc5cLh-uGl9AE#

Last shot in the series, with crop, for those too lazy to click:

That bird just crapped on my car

traderdrew · 11-04-2013, 04:51 PM

Originally posted by audiobomber

I went out to test AF-C and tracking yesterday. I have so many tack sharp photos of flying gulls, I don't know what to do with them. For a sample sequence, go to this link, hit Slideshow.

That's wonderful news. I'm tempted to order one. I like to photograph birds and AF-C is the right setting for them. The birds on my K-5 are a bit to bitmapped sometimes. I'm curious to see how the camera works with the Sigma 500mm F/4.5.

dane.dawg · 11-04-2013, 04:54 PM

Drew, so far the K-3 is great with the Sigma 500/4.5

traderdrew · 11-04-2013, 05:01 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by dane.dawg

Drew, so far the K-3 is great with the Sigma 500/4.5

You know what you are doing dawg. (Dane Dawg gets some great shots.) Oh Man! I'm so tempted to hit the order button.

Edit: I just hit the order button.

caledonian · 11-04-2013, 08:11 PM

I was practicing flight shots this past weekend, also of Ring-Billed Gulls, and with the bird against an empty sky the K-5 with DA* 300 gives a high percentage of sharp photos in AF-C. If the bird flies in front of a tree I find the camera is almost guaranteed to lose the bird and focus on the background object instead.

So for anyone who previously used a K-5 can you say the K-3 is significantly better?

11-04-2013, 01:29 PM - 1 Like	#18
asp1880 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Lyngby, Copenhagen Photos: Albums Posts: 742	Originally posted by normhead I wonder why people keep harp on this "coming straight at you" thing. ( ...snip ...) Where are all these "coming straight at you" shooters? I'm one of those shooters (occasionally). The coming straight at you scenario is the hardest test of the tracking system, yielding the highest apparent speed towards the camera. Plus it's a good composition in sports that shows the athlete's face and expression. Pictures were shot with the K-5 and the DA200. Regards, --Anders. Last edited by asp1880; 11-04-2013 at 01:56 PM. Reason: Specified camera and lens.

11-04-2013, 05:01 PM - 1 Like	#29
traderdrew Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Florida Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 640	Originally posted by dane.dawg Drew, so far the K-3 is great with the Sigma 500/4.5 You know what you are doing dawg. (Dane Dawg gets some great shots.) Oh Man! I'm so tempted to hit the order button. Edit: I just hit the order button. Last edited by traderdrew; 11-04-2013 at 06:16 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Release dates confirmed for K-3, K-3 Silver	rawr	Pentax K-3 & K-3 II	19	10-29-2013 01:40 AM
BIF with the K-30 + DA 55-300	Charlie70	Pentax K-30 & K-50	15	01-13-2013 09:24 AM
K-30 BIF tracking....	UncleRed	Pentax K-30 & K-50	6	12-05-2012 08:24 PM
K-x BIF	gebco	Pentax DSLR Discussion	12	05-09-2012 08:13 PM
Give me your opinion 3 pp BIF	LaRee	Post Your Photos!	7	01-08-2009 10:25 PM

11-04-2013, 12:56 PM	#16
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	Originally posted by audiobomber This next link shows three shots in series, with a crop from each shot to show the area of focus. The K-3 ignored all distractions; the second bird, wires and pole are all out of focus, the subject is tack sharp. https://picasaweb.google.com/bonhommed/K3TrackingTest?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXc5cLh-uGl9AE# Last shot in the series, with crop, for those too lazy to click: I love you. Or I love the k-3. Ugh!

11-04-2013, 01:06 PM	#17
bobmaxja Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Laval, Quebec Canada Posts: 2,171	Great, this is not pixel pepping but real life photo. This tread will come as popular as the one in K-5

11-04-2013, 01:53 PM	#19
woodywesty Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Northern Wisconsin Posts: 725	Originally posted by audiobomber This next link shows three shots in series, with a crop from each shot to show the area of focus. The K-3 ignored all distractions; the second bird, wires and pole are all out of focus, the subject is tack sharp. https://picasaweb.google.com/bonhommed/K3TrackingTest?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXc5cLh-uGl9AE# Last shot in the series, with crop, for those too lazy to click: Fantastic pictures and thank you so much for including the camera settings in your first post! It helps those like me who are learning digital photography.

11-04-2013, 01:54 PM	#20
woodywesty Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Northern Wisconsin Posts: 725	Originally posted by nomadkng I don't think I wanted to see these pictures,,, ugh I've been trying so hard to find reasons NOT to buy a K3. Now the GF is going to want one too, she won't be happy with my K5iis after all the complaining I've been doing about it. Double UGH! No problem! New K3 and new GF...

11-04-2013, 02:17 PM	#21
crewl1 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,807	Originally posted by audiobomber I have so many tack sharp photos of flying gulls, I don't know what to do with them. Excellent! Wonder how long I can hold out from getting the K-3 now.

11-04-2013, 02:31 PM	#22
audiobomber Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806 Original Poster	Originally posted by woodywesty Fantastic pictures and thank you so much for including the camera settings in your first post! It helps those like me who are learning digital photography. We all have something to learn with this new camera. The menu settings for AF-C are foreign to me. I don't know whether I chose optimal settings for BIF or not, I just guessed. I'm not even sure that disabling SR is productive, because the SR on this body is supposedly different and improved over previous Pentaxes. There may be some fine tuning required but my settings did work.

11-04-2013, 02:50 PM - 1 Like	#23
aurele Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Paris, France Photos: Albums Posts: 3,217	Originally posted by nomadkng I don't think I wanted to see these pictures,,, ugh I've been trying so hard to find reasons NOT to buy a K3. EXACTLY ! but i think we're screwed : we are going to buy one, despite all the reasonnable thinking ! The Pentax K3 ... my bank account is doooooooomed

11-04-2013, 03:32 PM	#24
lister6520 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 733	As far as I can tell the 'coming at you' focus problem does exist on the K-r but only when using single AF. In continuous AF it has always worked fine for me, even for cars coming almost straight at me. My other Pentax is a K-30 but I never tried shooting moving targets with single AF, possibly and probably unnecessarily because of my experience with the K-r. However when I think of it I'm not even sure it should work for single AF.

11-04-2013, 03:54 PM	#25
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by normhead I wonder why people keep harp on this "coming straight at you" thing. Funny how no one has ever commented on how Pentax can't do images coming straight at you, and then posted their links to pages filled with images of vehicles or something coming straight at them, proving this is something that's actually relevant to their lives. Where are all these "coming straight at you" shooters? Is this real, or is this an issue fabricated for Canikon marketing reps posting on the site pretending like they want something from Pentax besides their customers? It is hard to say where the "coming straight at you shooters" are hiding, though I do know that this is a fairly common way to evaluate AF-C. Steve

11-04-2013, 04:45 PM	#26
Stevizzy Inactive Account Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 132	Originally posted by audiobomber This next link shows three shots in series, with a crop from each shot to show the area of focus. The K-3 ignored all distractions; the second bird, wires and pole are all out of focus, the subject is tack sharp. https://picasaweb.google.com/bonhommed/K3TrackingTest?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXc5cLh-uGl9AE# Last shot in the series, with crop, for those too lazy to click: That bird just crapped on my car

11-04-2013, 04:51 PM	#27
traderdrew Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Florida Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 640	Originally posted by audiobomber I went out to test AF-C and tracking yesterday. I have so many tack sharp photos of flying gulls, I don't know what to do with them. For a sample sequence, go to this link, hit Slideshow. That's wonderful news. I'm tempted to order one. I like to photograph birds and AF-C is the right setting for them. The birds on my K-5 are a bit to bitmapped sometimes. I'm curious to see how the camera works with the Sigma 500mm F/4.5.

11-04-2013, 04:54 PM	#28
dane.dawg Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: B.C. Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,436	Drew, so far the K-3 is great with the Sigma 500/4.5

11-04-2013, 08:11 PM	#30
caledonian Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Calgary Photos: Albums Posts: 27	I was practicing flight shots this past weekend, also of Ring-Billed Gulls, and with the bird against an empty sky the K-5 with DA* 300 gives a high percentage of sharp photos in AF-C. If the bird flies in front of a tree I find the camera is almost guaranteed to lose the bird and focus on the background object instead. So for anyone who previously used a K-5 can you say the K-3 is significantly better?