I really don't think the auto-focus is that bad on the K-1

peggers · 10-05-2019, 09:06 PM - **2 Likes**

I do read some negative comments about the auto-focus capabilities of the K-1 and I wish to defend its honour! About a week ago I attended the Australian Rules Football League Grand Final with my K-1 and a Sigma 70-200 F2.8 lens. I found that the focusing was as close to instant as you could get and pretty much every image was a keeper. For views of my shots head across to ianp83 on Instagram.

**bwgv001** · 10-05-2019, 09:32 PM - **2 Likes**

yeah, indeed you got a good number of nice shots. congrats.

Kozlok · 10-05-2019, 11:11 PM - **2 Likes**

Bah, it’s just people griping because we don’t have a thousand focus points. I do gather our tracking isn’t as good as some other brands.

garywakeling · 10-05-2019, 11:28 PM - **2 Likes**

I'm with you, I haven't got any complaints either. I see lots of youtube comparisons of crazy objects zipping all over the screen, but that is not how I take my photos.

peggers · 10-05-2019, 11:38 PM - **1 Like**

The one thing I did do differently was to disable auto focus from the shutter button and use back button focusing only. This seemed to help

**Bruce Clark** · 10-05-2019, 11:47 PM

Looks good to me.

I do a lot with my local team using a K5 and Sigma 150-500 HSM. AF on this is fairly slow and not as accurate as I would like having to cull many shots. However enough keepers to keep the boys happy.

Paul the Sunman · 10-05-2019, 11:59 PM - **1 Like**

Nice ones peggers. Good shots of Bachar Houli. Instagram is not ideal for checking focus, but they look very acceptable. I must say I have found 200 mm a bit short on the K1 for football; I guess you must have been pretty close to the fence.

gerardbaron · 10-06-2019, 01:28 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by peggers

The one thing I did do differently was to disable auto focus from the shutter button and use back button focusing only. This seemed to help

I agree with you: BACK FOCUS button and HOLD setup will do the trick.

Medex · 10-06-2019, 01:30 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by peggers

The one thing I did do differently was to disable auto focus from the shutter button and use back button focusing only. This seemed to help

IMO back button focusing do nothing better than shutter button focusing. You can programm your shutter button for release-priority focusing (then push the button and camera will shoot just after the focus is accuired), but back button does not work in such priority.
Anyway, backh button focusing is very good thing when you shoot static or almost static objects/subjecs - in this case you don't need to re-focus after every shot.

universalfocus · 10-06-2019, 01:39 AM

I don´t know the standards you want to achieve, but mine are glossy prints, magazines, online media agencies and professional press. And I need equipment that delivers this kind of relieability - if possible from Pentax. We pay a huge difference in Equipment prices compared to smartphone users and this should pay off in more relieable technology.

I got no issues with Pentax AF below the 50mm range, but everything above and especially over 200mm is more or less unpredictable (you think it´s ok, you zoom in and - damn). Ok, I haven´t calibrated the AF for every lens yet, so this isn´t my final word on it.

**Cerebum** · 10-06-2019, 02:19 AM - **1 Like**

I agree with the op. I think its fine. People get too hung up on minutii .... Little things lol. You can't argue against the others being faster but Pentax is more than good enough. Its horses for courses. You buy the system that best suits your needs and for me, that's my KP

howieb101 · 10-06-2019, 04:12 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by universalfocus

I don´t know the standards you want to achieve, but mine are glossy prints, magazines, online media agencies and professional press. And I need equipment that delivers this kind of relieability - if possible from Pentax. We pay a huge difference in Equipment prices compared to smartphone users and this should pay off in more relieable technology.

Well top of the line mobile phones are now over US$1,000 so that isn't exactly small change. Just saying.

peggers · 10-06-2019, 04:12 AM

Originally posted by Paul the Sunman

Nice ones peggers. Good shots of Bachar Houli. Instagram is not ideal for checking focus, but they look very acceptable. I must say I have found 200 mm a bit short on the K1 for football; I guess you must have been pretty close to the fence.

Yes Paul The Sunman, the 200mm is a bit on the short side, but as you may have found out at some point, 200mm is the largest lens you are allowed to take into the MCG, so there is an element of compromise. I was lucky enough to be on level 1, row T

---------- Post added 10-06-19 at 10:16 PM ----------

Originally posted by Bruce Clark

Looks good to me.

I do a lot with my local team using a K5 and Sigma 150-500 HSM. AF on this is fairly slow and not as accurate as I would like having to cull many shots. However enough keepers to keep the boys happy.

Ah yes, the "bigma" I always wondered how good it would be for sports photography. Nice combo though, I still have my K5 and loved it

---------- Post added 10-06-19 at 10:27 PM ----------

Originally posted by Medex

IMO back button focusing do nothing better than shutter button focusing. You can programm your shutter button for release-priority focusing (then push the button and camera will shoot just after the focus is accuired), but back button does not work in such priority.
Anyway, backh button focusing is very good thing when you shoot static or almost static objects/subjecs - in this case you don't need to re-focus after every shot.

Good points. The way the back button focus benefit was explained to me was this: The shutter button has a lot of thinking to do when it is pressed, and the less things that it has to do, the better. By disabling the auto focus from the shutter button, it has less to think about and in theory auto focus will therefore be quicker. This may be true, but what I can say is that was no slower so worth persevering with.

dave2k · 10-06-2019, 04:40 AM - **2 Likes**

I generally shoot sports in high speed burst mode with AF-C. So while I'm composing and possibly zooming for a shot I have the back AF button held down for continual focusing. Then when I like what I see I use the shutter button. In the past I tried doing all of this with the shutter button, but when you're moving the camera and possibly zooming, it's quite challenging to press the shutter button enough for AF but not so much as to trigger a burst of shots. I'll never go back from BBF now.

texandrews · 10-06-2019, 11:55 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by peggers

I do read some negative comments about the auto-focus capabilities of the K-1 and I wish to defend its honour! About a week ago I attended the Australian Rules Football League Grand Final with my K-1 and a Sigma 70-200 F2.8 lens. I found that the focusing was as close to instant as you could get and pretty much every image was a keeper. For views of my shots head across to ianp83 on Instagram.

I totally agree.

10-05-2019, 09:06 PM - 2 Likes	#1
peggers Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Endeavour Hills, Victoria, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 210	I really don't think the auto-focus is that bad on the K-1 I do read some negative comments about the auto-focus capabilities of the K-1 and I wish to defend its honour! About a week ago I attended the Australian Rules Football League Grand Final with my K-1 and a Sigma 70-200 F2.8 lens. I found that the focusing was as close to instant as you could get and pretty much every image was a keeper. For views of my shots head across to ianp83 on Instagram.

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10-05-2019, 09:32 PM - 2 Likes	#2
bwgv001 Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Alabama Photos: Gallery Posts: 697	yeah, indeed you got a good number of nice shots. congrats.

10-05-2019, 11:11 PM - 2 Likes	#3
Kozlok Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Albuquerque Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,148	Bah, it’s just people griping because we don’t have a thousand focus points. I do gather our tracking isn’t as good as some other brands.

10-05-2019, 11:28 PM - 2 Likes	#4
garywakeling Moderator Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,759	I'm with you, I haven't got any complaints either. I see lots of youtube comparisons of crazy objects zipping all over the screen, but that is not how I take my photos.

10-05-2019, 11:38 PM - 1 Like	#5
peggers Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Endeavour Hills, Victoria, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 210 Original Poster	The one thing I did do differently was to disable auto focus from the shutter button and use back button focusing only. This seemed to help

10-05-2019, 11:59 PM - 1 Like	#7
Paul the Sunman Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,843	Nice ones peggers. Good shots of Bachar Houli. Instagram is not ideal for checking focus, but they look very acceptable. I must say I have found 200 mm a bit short on the K1 for football; I guess you must have been pretty close to the fence.

10-06-2019, 01:28 AM - 1 Like	#8
gerardbaron Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Mississauga (Canada) Photos: Albums Posts: 139	Originally posted by peggers The one thing I did do differently was to disable auto focus from the shutter button and use back button focusing only. This seemed to help I agree with you: BACK FOCUS button and HOLD setup will do the trick.

10-06-2019, 01:30 AM - 2 Likes	#9
Medex Pentaxian Join Date: May 2013 Location: Vilnius Posts: 1,020	Originally posted by peggers The one thing I did do differently was to disable auto focus from the shutter button and use back button focusing only. This seemed to help IMO back button focusing do nothing better than shutter button focusing. You can programm your shutter button for release-priority focusing (then push the button and camera will shoot just after the focus is accuired), but back button does not work in such priority. Anyway, backh button focusing is very good thing when you shoot static or almost static objects/subjecs - in this case you don't need to re-focus after every shot.

10-06-2019, 01:39 AM	#10
universalfocus Forum Member Join Date: May 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 76	I don´t know the standards you want to achieve, but mine are glossy prints, magazines, online media agencies and professional press. And I need equipment that delivers this kind of relieability - if possible from Pentax. We pay a huge difference in Equipment prices compared to smartphone users and this should pay off in more relieable technology. I got no issues with Pentax AF below the 50mm range, but everything above and especially over 200mm is more or less unpredictable (you think it´s ok, you zoom in and - damn). Ok, I haven´t calibrated the AF for every lens yet, so this isn´t my final word on it.

10-06-2019, 02:19 AM - 1 Like	#11
Cerebum Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Lancaster Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,828	I agree with the op. I think its fine. People get too hung up on minutii .... Little things lol. You can't argue against the others being faster but Pentax is more than good enough. Its horses for courses. You buy the system that best suits your needs and for me, that's my KP

10-06-2019, 04:12 AM - 1 Like	#12
howieb101 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 594	Originally posted by universalfocus I don´t know the standards you want to achieve, but mine are glossy prints, magazines, online media agencies and professional press. And I need equipment that delivers this kind of relieability - if possible from Pentax. We pay a huge difference in Equipment prices compared to smartphone users and this should pay off in more relieable technology. Well top of the line mobile phones are now over US$1,000 so that isn't exactly small change. Just saying.

10-06-2019, 04:12 AM	#13
peggers Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Endeavour Hills, Victoria, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 210 Original Poster	Originally posted by Paul the Sunman Nice ones peggers. Good shots of Bachar Houli. Instagram is not ideal for checking focus, but they look very acceptable. I must say I have found 200 mm a bit short on the K1 for football; I guess you must have been pretty close to the fence. Yes Paul The Sunman, the 200mm is a bit on the short side, but as you may have found out at some point, 200mm is the largest lens you are allowed to take into the MCG, so there is an element of compromise. I was lucky enough to be on level 1, row T ---------- Post added 10-06-19 at 10:16 PM ---------- Originally posted by Bruce Clark Looks good to me. I do a lot with my local team using a K5 and Sigma 150-500 HSM. AF on this is fairly slow and not as accurate as I would like having to cull many shots. However enough keepers to keep the boys happy. Ah yes, the "bigma" I always wondered how good it would be for sports photography. Nice combo though, I still have my K5 and loved it ---------- Post added 10-06-19 at 10:27 PM ---------- Originally posted by Medex IMO back button focusing do nothing better than shutter button focusing. You can programm your shutter button for release-priority focusing (then push the button and camera will shoot just after the focus is accuired), but back button does not work in such priority. Anyway, backh button focusing is very good thing when you shoot static or almost static objects/subjecs - in this case you don't need to re-focus after every shot. Good points. The way the back button focus benefit was explained to me was this: The shutter button has a lot of thinking to do when it is pressed, and the less things that it has to do, the better. By disabling the auto focus from the shutter button, it has less to think about and in theory auto focus will therefore be quicker. This may be true, but what I can say is that was no slower so worth persevering with.

10-06-2019, 04:40 AM - 2 Likes	#14
dave2k Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Michigan Photos: Gallery Posts: 419	I generally shoot sports in high speed burst mode with AF-C. So while I'm composing and possibly zooming for a shot I have the back AF button held down for continual focusing. Then when I like what I see I use the shutter button. In the past I tried doing all of this with the shutter button, but when you're moving the camera and possibly zooming, it's quite challenging to press the shutter button enough for AF but not so much as to trigger a burst of shots. I'll never go back from BBF now.

10-06-2019, 11:55 AM - 1 Like	#15
texandrews Moderator Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Baltimore Photos: Albums Posts: 3,392	Originally posted by peggers I do read some negative comments about the auto-focus capabilities of the K-1 and I wish to defend its honour! About a week ago I attended the Australian Rules Football League Grand Final with my K-1 and a Sigma 70-200 F2.8 lens. I found that the focusing was as close to instant as you could get and pretty much every image was a keeper. For views of my shots head across to ianp83 on Instagram. I totally agree.