[johnkrumm]

I've had the K1 for over a year and tried out the ficus fine-tune feature by just shooting around and adjusting. Of course it was inconsistant and I set everything back to zero. I tend to shoot at f8 and up anyway. Just recently I tried using a focus tool (one of the cheaper folding ones) and took my time in good light. My 31 limited ended up needing +10, and could probably use +11 if that were an option. I definitely notice improvement, surprisingly even at infinity at f8 in yhe corners. My 43 needed +6, and my 77 is perfect at 0.

So, it's worth taking an hour or so to dial things in...

[pschlute]

My Fa31mm Ltd was so bad autofocussing on My k10 that i only used manual focus with it.

On the K1 , i like you have set +10 and could do with +11, but it is sufficient.

I would say pairing all your lenses to the AF when getting a new camera is essential.

[zapp]

I've had the K1 for over a year and tried out the ficus fine-tune feature by just shooting around and adjusting. Of course it was inconsistant and I set everything back to zero. I tend to shoot at f8 and up anyway. Just recently I tried using a focus tool (one of the cheaper folding ones) and took my time in good light. My 31 limited ended up needing +10, and could probably use +11 if that were an option. I definitely notice improvement, surprisingly even at infinity at f8 in yhe corners. My 43 needed +6, and my 77 is perfect at 0.

So, it's worth taking an hour or so to dial things in...

A adjustments are relatve. Your lenses range from +11 to 0, so you may want you AF fine adjustment resetted so that all lenses distribute equally around 0 - suddenly your 43 would be right in the center around the new zero.
Typically I blame the camera for inconsistencies as most newer lenses have very similar values on a given camera - hopefully between +/-10 otherwise your camera needs a rezeroing.

[clackers]

.
Typically I blame the camera for inconsistencies as most newer lenses have very similar values on a given camera.

Lenses follow a bell curve of performance.

There are duds from all brands so decentred they need to be returned to the point of purchase, camera adjustments aren't enough.

[BruceBanner]

I've tried focusing sheets, doing the whole thing as accurately as I can. What i seemed to have found is that adjusting at the widest aperture say f1.4 or f1.6 I can need as much as +6 adjustment, however when going out into the field and shooting at lower apertures (f2.8-f4) and then the results are actually worse (i'm better off turning Fine Adjustments off).

I dunno, just putting my camera in AF.C mode and bursting more I get more success than ever tinkering with the Fine Adjustment modes. I just feel its something that is only applicable to Focus Sheeting and not really that relevant irl handheld shooting. Even when shooting at F1.4 or F1.6 and trying to get that eye perfectly in focus on a portrait model, I will move so ever so slightly during the shoot that having that +6 or not doesn't make enough of a difference, what will give me the shot is AF.C on, a few bursts, refocus and a few bursts more. Somewhere in there is a shot that gets that eye bang on.

I'll have to try again some day with focus sheeting (3x now with same lenses), record the value the lens would benefit being adjusted to, then try focus sheeting all over again another day, see if it's saying the same values again. I'm skeptical, just the resetting up of tripods and sheets again I wonder if the values would alter...

[monochrome]

I just shoot at f/5.6 as I always have. Given we have a limited number of cross-type AF sensors tuned to f/2.8, I think attempts to AF at f/1.4 will be met with limited, random success, not even counting body motion with 2" DoF. We're asking the camera to do something it simply doesn't have the hardware to do.

That being said, my FA31 is soft and there doesn't seem to be anything I can do about it.

[johnkrumm]

Focusing is definitely way more tricky with full frame Pentax than is is with my 4/3 and micro 4/3 stuff, but I'm happy for now. One thing I've learned with the limiteds is to not trust the focus. I usually refocus and shoot several times in order to get that one perfect frame. The other thing I do is switch to live view if shooting in at around 1/100 (if I remember) because shutter shock seems to appear a little more often (not always) and despite the extra clunks, live view shooting is super sharp.

[pschlute]

I have to say I had the opposite experience to Bruce. When I first got the K1 I was very disappointed with my pictures...all of them failing to achieve accurate focus. Once I has done the Fine Adjustment for all my lenses, it was like a new camera. Dont have a single issue.when out taking real pictures...AF nails it every time. I would have another go Bruce.

[BruceBanner]

I have to say I had the opposite experience to Bruce. When I first got the K1 I was very disappointed with my pictures...all of them failing to achieve accurate focus. Once I has done the Fine Adjustment for all my lenses, it was like a new camera. Dont have a single issue.when out taking real pictures...AF nails it every time. I would have another go Bruce.

I think I will, school holidays here now so I gotta find something to pass the time

I just meant to say that I had more success with in focus shots by back button focusing, AS.C on, burst on and spamming the AF a few times at the same time.
I still do flip fine adjustments on from time to time also, just to compare, I get paranoid so I shoot some with it off and some on hehe, but of late I am shooting a lot more wide open so I think it's important to use any advantage possible.

[pakinjapan]

What i seemed to have found is that adjusting at the widest aperture say f1.4 or f1.6 I can need as much as +6 adjustment, however when going out into the field and shooting at lower apertures (f2.8-f4) and then the results are actually worse (i'm better off turning Fine Adjustments off).

Similar story, I am on K3 though. My FA50 macro need -3 when test with autofocus adjusting tool. The -3 works great when do close focus with wider aperture. But it totally off on infinity focus at smaller aperture. It need no auto-focus adjusting at infinity focus.

[BruceBanner]

I just had to spend 5mins in the garden waiting for something, so I picked up a letter from the mail box, put it on the garden path, tried to get a 45 degree angle and just shot some wide 1.4 with my FA50mm handheld. Did it a few times and +5 seemed to be better than 0. I wonder if the whole tripodding and focus charts are really that necessary, because doing it handheld on the garden path is more akin to real life shooting.

EDIT: I just wanted to add that after this small little 'test' detailed above I have had numerous success using the FA50mm for perfect macroish close up shots. However, the longer range shots are completely blurry and out of focus. I've just spent a day yesterday in some beautiful gardens, time after time, the short range macro flower shots when using the FA50mm, perfect focus, the stem or particular petal I was aiming for was spot on, time after time, shot after shot (this using the above mentioned +5 setting). I wish the same could be said for longer range 'easier' targets. Spot center focus point, subject treem subject distance midrange, blurry trunk. Time after time the longer distant shots ruined by the +5 setting. Either I have to revert the +5 to 0 and take into consideration that when shooting close range not to trust the AF system and move the camera slightly to compensate for the 'true' focus point, or make more User Mode profiles where the +5 is only active for a custom setting. That's annoying however, I have multiple lens, multiple styles of shooting, 5 user modes just isn't enough!

So yeh, just wanted to confirm that I feel now more than ever that the AF Finetuning is problematic because distances change the results.