[enoeske]

Just an anecdote -- My AF-C is still pretty abysmal with my K-3. I shot a wedding over the weekend. At the end of the ceremony, the wedding party walked back down the aisle. I was using my 85mm f/1.4 at around f/2.8. K-3 had AF-C, expanded SEL2? (movable 9 points), hold off, and was in Av mode. The sun was still quite high and the light was very bright.

I shot off about 6 shots per couple as they walked down the aisle. Of those, only 1 was sharp.

However, my AF-S works absolutely great. In the darkness of the reception, dance floor with flashing lights -- my focus is almost always perfect. Exposure is great.

[mohb]

The sun was still quite high and the light was very bright.

I shot off about 6 shots per couple as they walked down the aisle. Of those, only 1 was sharp.

As my K7 could do better than this perhaps it's not entirely the fault of the K3

[starbase218]

I shoot aircraft taking off and lading on occasion with a DA*300mm lens with a DX 1.4x converter, and continually fire of 19 frame burst at 8.3fps and get tack 19 sharp pictures. The focusing system in the K3 works just fine when set to continues high speed shooting.

I think the difference is that these aircraft are so far away that the camera doesn't need to adjust focus by very much very quickly. I took photos on airshows too, primarily with my K-5 and 55-300 which I used back then. Most of the time it was fine, and I'm talking about display teams such as the Red Arrows (I was at Farnborough). And the K-5 doesn't even have AF tracking. I think I just choose a single AF point and tried to keep the aircraft at that position in the frame, with the camera set to AF-C and hi-speed continuous. The only problem I had was when I didn't manage to keep the subject near that AF point.

[Canada_Rockies]

I remember the Vulcan from an Abbotsford international show many years ago. The pilot was in deep doo-doo after the show for flying her like a fighter. VERY impressive when he stood her on her tail and went straight up (at high volume!). Running without anything in the bay, she was pretty light on her feet for something with the acreage of a football pitch!

[enoeske]

As my K7 could do better than this perhaps it's not entirely the fault of the K3

highly possible -- I'm not sure how much more I can do other than set up the camera as I did, place the focus zone on the subject and hold the AF button down. The rest is kinda out of my hands.

[GoldenRGuy]

I have a K5 and a K3. I've used other brands (Nikon). I recently photographed hummingbirds using continuous auto focus with 27 points. On a Pentax 55-300 HD WR zoom at 300mm (f5.8, 1/1600); admittedly not the worlds fastest lens. The camera tracked fast enough that the hummingbird was in focus. And they move quick and abruptly. 8 fps whether the bird was moving back, forward, left or right. Bang, bang - all in focus. I figure if the K3 and the 55-300 can do that it can get slower birds too. A faster lens motor wise may make the tracking even faster but empirically I find its already quite capable. I do not use SR when using the continuous af. I don't use SR at any time unless I feel I need it. Now that all said, I'm not a sports or bird photographer, and my better lenses are all under 100mm. But when I want to track something moving fairly quick the camera does perform. For me. As they say YMMV.

I assume you were using a tripod? These are exactly the types of shots I want to get. I don't do events or racing, but birds, dogs jumping off the dock shouldn't be too much to ask of a camera. I'll try using the 27 points. I've been using the centre spot setting perhaps in error if the target is moving and I'm not panning.

[Rupert]

I've have only recently ever used AF-C. On my K5IIs it worked perfectly, getting me a fast group of shots with plenty in perfect focus to pick from. I was shooting a fast and jittery moving Jay bird and it was plenty adequate for what I was hoping for.

They move fast and are very jittery!


I admit I am not much of a fast action shooter, and my experience was brief and maybe not typical, but I was very pleased to have a choice of shots to choose from with the results. That's my two cents...for what it's worth?

Can't let this go by without letting a damn squirrel in here, it is what I mostly shoot and you don't often need a fast lens or AF system for these lazy squirrels.

Peanut butter on a branch might cause a little action, but not much else will....


Most often you have time to do an oil painting.....


Overall, Pentax makes some pretty neat cameras, I am happy to own one and was happy with all the past models too. Sure, there are others with nice features, but every time I compare, Pentax seems to have the most of the best....and at a better price too!
Regards!

[aleonx3]

highly possible -- I'm not sure how much more I can do other than set up the camera as I did, place the focus zone on the subject and hold the AF button down. The rest is kinda out of my hands.

I can't say for sure what's wrong with yours, but I have been using manual focus lens, catch-in-focus and AF-S, my hit rate is 100% - that is if the focus confirmation is not on, the shutter will not trip. I have fired sequence of shots (shooting mode continuous) and I have plenty of similar shots to choose from (all in focus). And I am using my k-3 and k-5IIs as well.

[GoldenRGuy]

I've have only recently ever used AF-C. On my K5IIs it worked perfectly, getting me a fast group of shots with plenty in perfect focus to pick from. I was shooting a fast and jittery moving Jay bird and it was plenty adequate for what I was hoping for.

They move fast and are very jittery!


I admit I am not much of a fast action shooter, and my experience was brief and maybe not typical, but I was very pleased to have a choice of shots to choose from with the results. That's my two cents...for what it's worth?

Can't let this go by without letting a damn squirrel in here, it is what I mostly shoot and you don't often need a fast lens or AF system for these lazy squirrels.

Peanut butter on a branch might cause a little action, but not much else will....


Most often you have time to do an oil painting.....


Overall, Pentax makes some pretty neat cameras, I am happy to own one and was happy with all the past models too. Sure, there are others with nice features, but every time I compare, Pentax seems to have the most of the best....and at a better price too!
Regards!

What lens were you using?

[Rupert]

What lens were you using?

The Bigma 50-500....I use it more than anything else I have. These were not its best examples, but they fit the topic at hand.

This would be a better Jay ......also shot with the Bigma.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/129469263@N03/albums/72157651162955781/page1

And a better squirrel...although Otis declares there is no such thing as a "bad" squirrel shot.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/129469263@N03/sets/72157651153186152

The Bigma is a fun lens to use, I have enjoyed it even more on the K5IIs....I do shoot mostly animals, and for fun and relaxation the Bigma and Pentax are both winners for me!

Best Regards!

[Srhphoto]

There is not much that is on the level of the upper tier Nikon bodies. With a fast AF lens, Pentax is on par with the Canon product though.


Steve

Not in my experience Steve. A Canon 70D, 7D and even the latest 760D will own the K3 when it comes to AF-C particularly for subjects that move erratically. Move up to something like the 7D mk II and the performance difference is even more pronounced. For what it's worth, I shot a Canon 700D with a 55-250mm STM lens alongside a guy (a Pentax ambassador) using a Pentax K3 + DA* 300mm at a race track last year with cars coming pretty much straight at us and braking from 120mph down to around 50-60mph. This was by no means a structured, scientific test and is a single (my only) example, but on that occasion the Canon setup performed considerably better than the K3.

To balance the above a little, here's a link to a K3 image on my Flickr taken using a Sigma 150-500mm. My thoughts on its performance are in the comments below the image.

https://flic.kr/p/vEnHrN

IMHO, if you want a camera predominantly for AF-C work don't buy a K3. However, if you want the very best all round APS-C body and only need to use AF-C tracking occasionally, then you can't go wrong with the K3.

Cheers,

Simon.

[audiobomber]

If one owns a Canon, it is dead simple to find what settings experts recommend for action. With a K-3, there is no such wealth of experience, and only vague instructions from the manufacturer. I've seen many threads where people complain about K-3 tracking. When questioned about settings, the reason for the bad result becomes clear; the camera was improperly set up.

IME, for tracking with a K-3, you must use SEL Expandable point with AF Hold ON, you must turn off SR, and you must ensure initial focus is locked on the subject before releasing the burst.

My current defaults:

AF-C focus mode
Hi-Speed continuous burst
Center AF point, with 25 point expansion
SR OFF
Custom Menu Parameter Settings:
16. 1st frame action in AF-C - FOCUS PRIORITY (make sure focus is on the target before shooting, or you'll have a string of misses)
17. Action in AF-C Continuous - FOCUS PRIORITY
18. Hold AF status - HIGH

I don't claim these are the best for every situation, but this is where I start.

[boriscleto]

AF.C and Expanded AF. I would not have tried that with the K-5. Of course the K-5 didn't have Expanded AF, just 5 or 9 point.

[audiobomber]

AF.C and Expanded AF. I would not have tried that with the K-5. Of course the K-5 didn't have Expanded AF, just 5 or 9 point.

The K-5 has no settings to control tracking. The K-3 has Auto Select 9 and 27 points, which guarantee the camera will focus on something. In AF-C mode & Focus Priority, the camera re-focusses for every shot, but not necessarily on your initial subject. That is not tracking.

Expanded Area AF starts out with a focal point that you specify (I just use the center point). As long as that point is in focus when you release the shutter, in AF-C with AF Hold ON, the subject is identified by shape and colour, and the focus point tries to follow the subject. That is tracking.

[stevebrot]

Not in my experience Steve.

No problem. My statement was based on the complaints of Canon users shooting next to me at bicycle races. Of course bike races are notoriously difficult for any AF system. Trying to track the leader on a corner with 20 or so members of the peloton jockeying behind is not easy. FWIW, the K-3 is a fail for that case as well.


Steve