K-3 vs E-M1 auto focus

lijimmy80 · 11-13-2013, 02:05 PM

Hi There,

I currently own a Olympus EM5 and was thinking to upgrade to a more pro body. I was all set on the EM1 until I came across Pentax forums. I normally try to stay away from slr cameras but the K-3 has really intrigued me. My one concern though, is the auto focus. Coming from a EM5, what should I expect from the K-3 in terms of accuracy, speed, and low light performance (compared to the Olympus EM1)? I know it can depend on the lens. If I were to go with the K-3, I will be getting the Sigma 35mm 1.4, FA 77mm limited, and DA 15mm limited.

I will admit, what really got me interested in the K-3 is the Pentax community. You guys seem so close knit and so loyal to the brand. Being a "Pentaxian" has such a nice ring to it. But autofocus is important to me (I'm not a pro by any means) and the EM1 is supposedly a notch above the EM5 which Is already incredibly fast to me.

Anyways,

Thanks in advance for all your advices.

**Miguel** · 11-13-2013, 02:39 PM

AF by itself has little meaning; what context are you interested in because what matters here are your particular requirements.

My sports shooting partner uses an EM5 because of the light weight compared with the Nikon kit he used prior. While his skills are just fine, I'm quite unimpressed with the performance aspect of the EM5 for shooting action. It seems like the first shot in a series is OK, but the next 7-8 in the sequence were lousy--not sharp, out of frame. I tried it for 20 minutes and obtained similar results. I'm not very surprised as I don't think mirrorless cameras are ready for primetime for shooting sports in the real world. I've only owned the K-3 for 14 hours, but I believe it would be superior for sports and birds over what you currently have.

M

lijimmy80 · 11-13-2013, 02:52 PM

Originally posted by Miguel

AF by itself has little meaning; what context are you interested in because what matters here are your particular requirements.

My sports shooting partner uses an EM5 because of the light weight compared with the Nikon kit he used prior. While his skills are just fine, I'm quite unimpressed with the performance aspect of the EM5 for shooting action. It seems like the first shot in a series is OK, but the next 7-8 in the sequence were lousy--not sharp, out of frame. I tried it for 20 minutes and obtained similar results. I'm not very surprised as I don't think mirrorless cameras are ready for primetime for shooting sports in the real world. I've only owned the K-3 for 14 hours, but I believe it would be superior for sports and birds over what you currently have.

M

Hi Miguel, Thanks for your reply.

I do mostly street shooting and taking photos of my my kids. Nothing special, but I do enjoy photography and take my hobby seriously. I take my camera everywhere I go just in case I find something interesting to shoot.

Adam · 11-13-2013, 02:57 PM

Originally posted by lijimmy80

Hi Miguel, Thanks for your reply.

I do mostly street shooting and taking photos of my my kids. Nothing special, but I do enjoy photography and take my hobby seriously. I take my camera everywhere I go just in case I find something interesting to shoot.

The K-3 does very well in terms of both live view AF and viewfinder AF. Those three lenses that you've listed are all fast-focusing, so I don't think you'll have any issues with what you need the camera for. Pentax still isn't quite as good as canikon for sports, but that doesn't mean the K-3 can't get the job done

Adam
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kenyee · 11-13-2013, 03:13 PM

Originally posted by lijimmy80

I do mostly street shooting and taking photos of my my kids

For that, either should be fine though the K-3's better performance in low light should make it faster. The 77Ltd isn't that fast focusing (long throw).
One big reason m4/3 bodies seem to focus well is that their DOF isn't that narrow once you factor in the 2x sensor multiplier...Pentax is similar (lenses aren't that fast). This keeps the lenses lighter and focus looks right most of the time.

I tried a GX1 w/ the 14-42x as a travel cam recently and thought it did decently well...though focus speed wasn't that great even compared w/ my old Pentax K20D. Your EM5 is probably a lot faster

11-13-2013, 02:05 PM	#1
lijimmy80 New Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 4	K-3 vs E-M1 auto focus Hi There, I currently own a Olympus EM5 and was thinking to upgrade to a more pro body. I was all set on the EM1 until I came across Pentax forums. I normally try to stay away from slr cameras but the K-3 has really intrigued me. My one concern though, is the auto focus. Coming from a EM5, what should I expect from the K-3 in terms of accuracy, speed, and low light performance (compared to the Olympus EM1)? I know it can depend on the lens. If I were to go with the K-3, I will be getting the Sigma 35mm 1.4, FA 77mm limited, and DA 15mm limited. I will admit, what really got me interested in the K-3 is the Pentax community. You guys seem so close knit and so loyal to the brand. Being a "Pentaxian" has such a nice ring to it. But autofocus is important to me (I'm not a pro by any means) and the EM1 is supposedly a notch above the EM5 which Is already incredibly fast to me. Anyways, Thanks in advance for all your advices.

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11-13-2013, 02:39 PM	#2
Miguel Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Near Seattle Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,743	AF by itself has little meaning; what context are you interested in because what matters here are your particular requirements. My sports shooting partner uses an EM5 because of the light weight compared with the Nikon kit he used prior. While his skills are just fine, I'm quite unimpressed with the performance aspect of the EM5 for shooting action. It seems like the first shot in a series is OK, but the next 7-8 in the sequence were lousy--not sharp, out of frame. I tried it for 20 minutes and obtained similar results. I'm not very surprised as I don't think mirrorless cameras are ready for primetime for shooting sports in the real world. I've only owned the K-3 for 14 hours, but I believe it would be superior for sports and birds over what you currently have. M

11-13-2013, 02:52 PM	#3
lijimmy80 New Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 4 Original Poster	Originally posted by Miguel AF by itself has little meaning; what context are you interested in because what matters here are your particular requirements. My sports shooting partner uses an EM5 because of the light weight compared with the Nikon kit he used prior. While his skills are just fine, I'm quite unimpressed with the performance aspect of the EM5 for shooting action. It seems like the first shot in a series is OK, but the next 7-8 in the sequence were lousy--not sharp, out of frame. I tried it for 20 minutes and obtained similar results. I'm not very surprised as I don't think mirrorless cameras are ready for primetime for shooting sports in the real world. I've only owned the K-3 for 14 hours, but I believe it would be superior for sports and birds over what you currently have. M Hi Miguel, Thanks for your reply. I do mostly street shooting and taking photos of my my kids. Nothing special, but I do enjoy photography and take my hobby seriously. I take my camera everywhere I go just in case I find something interesting to shoot.

11-13-2013, 02:57 PM	#4
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,595	Originally posted by lijimmy80 Hi Miguel, Thanks for your reply. I do mostly street shooting and taking photos of my my kids. Nothing special, but I do enjoy photography and take my hobby seriously. I take my camera everywhere I go just in case I find something interesting to shoot. The K-3 does very well in terms of both live view AF and viewfinder AF. Those three lenses that you've listed are all fast-focusing, so I don't think you'll have any issues with what you need the camera for. Pentax still isn't quite as good as canikon for sports, but that doesn't mean the K-3 can't get the job done Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

11-13-2013, 03:13 PM	#5
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	Originally posted by lijimmy80 I do mostly street shooting and taking photos of my my kids For that, either should be fine though the K-3's better performance in low light should make it faster. The 77Ltd isn't that fast focusing (long throw). One big reason m4/3 bodies seem to focus well is that their DOF isn't that narrow once you factor in the 2x sensor multiplier...Pentax is similar (lenses aren't that fast). This keeps the lenses lighter and focus looks right most of the time. I tried a GX1 w/ the 14-42x as a travel cam recently and thought it did decently well...though focus speed wasn't that great even compared w/ my old Pentax K20D. Your EM5 is probably a lot faster