Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
05-03-2021, 04:28 PM - 2 Likes   #1
Veteran Member
Gray's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Cape Town
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 536
How difficult are K-3 III AF points to see through the viewfinder?

Two questions for actual K-3III owners...

It appears that the K-3III's AF points light up dark grey when in focus, not the bright red found in previous K-7/5/3 series models.

When using the viewfinder -

1. How difficult are the focus points to see against a dark background and in the dark?
2. Is it possible to change the AF point colour?


See this video, in which the AF points light up okay against a light background, but are nothing like those bright red AF points found in the KP and K-5, for example.



05-03-2021, 04:43 PM - 4 Likes   #2
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
c.a.m's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 4,170
QuoteOriginally posted by Gray Quote
1. How difficult are the focus points to see against a dark background and in the dark?2. Is it possible to change the AF point colour?
I've been playing with my new K-3 Mark III, but have not exercised it in a lot of lighting conditions. However, I've discovered the following.

The black focus points/boxes are easy to see against a light background or subject. However, I find it somewhat difficult to see them against dark backgrounds or subjects. Black-on-dark doesn't work well.

However, there seems to be an undocumented feature:

Pressing the AF Mode button illuminates the viewfinder display with red lighting, so the VF grid, focus-point array, and other indicators appear in red. The AF Mode button does not need to be kept pressed. This helps the user to position the preferred AF point or array onto a dark subject. For any of the 'moveable' AF points, such as the 21-point array, the boxes will illuminate in red briefly as they are moved around with the AF focus point selector lever.

Applicable to AF.S mode: When autofocus is engaged, whether the red illumination is on or off initially, the camera-selected focus points flash briefly in red, then return to black. I find that this helps to locate the focus points that have been used in the AF action. However, as in my K-3 II, the points flash only momentarily, so one needs to pay attention to the viewfinder.

At the moment, I think it's an elegant implementation. We'll see how I get along with it as I use the camera more extensively.

Hope this makes sense.

More info in my post #4 below.

- Craig

Last edited by c.a.m; 05-04-2021 at 03:02 PM. Reason: Mention AF.S mode
05-03-2021, 04:49 PM   #3
Moderator
Loyal Site Supporter




Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Central Florida
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 6,030
QuoteOriginally posted by c.a.m Quote
I've been playing with my new K-3 Mark III, but have not exercised it in a lot of lighting conditions. However, I've discovered the following.

The black focus points/boxes are easy to see against a light background or subject. However, I find it difficult to see them against dark backgrounds or subjects. Black-on-dark doesn't work well.

However, there seems to be an undocumented feature:

Pressing the AF Mode button illuminates the viewfinder display with red lighting, so the grid and other indicators appear in red. When autofocus is engaged, the red illumination turns off, the AF does its thing, the AF-selected focus points flash briefly in red, then return to black. I find that this helps identify the focus points that are used in the AF action.

Hope this makes sense.

- Craig
Yeah, that's the only workaround I see right now. I'm really hoping the contrast/color is improved with the .1 release.
05-03-2021, 05:21 PM - 4 Likes   #4
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
c.a.m's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 4,170
QuoteOriginally posted by gatorguy Quote
Yeah, that's the only workaround I see right now. I'm really hoping the contrast/color is improved with the .1 release.
@gatorguy, I guess that you probably have been through the menus, but I'll add for completeness:


The viewfinder's red light may be set to Auto (VF illuminated only in dark places); ON, or OFF.

Menu C4 > Viewfinder Display > Viewfinder Light.

Also, the illumination brightness seems to adjust automatically -- it's very bright with high contrast against a bright subject (say, a mostly-white screen on my computer monitor).

I have found occasional instances in which neither the black boxes nor red boxes provide sufficient contrast. It's workable, though.

- Craig


Last edited by c.a.m; 05-03-2021 at 05:28 PM.
05-03-2021, 05:43 PM   #5
Senior Member




Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Drayton, Ontario, Canada
Photos: Albums
Posts: 264
Thanks for the tip. I just got my K-3iii a couple of hours ago. The dark lines work nicely against a light background but got lost otherwise. I would have preferred an option that lets you pick the colour (ie white) but the ability to change it on the fly using the AF mode button is pretty handy.
05-03-2021, 07:05 PM   #6
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
Nakedgun's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Southwest
Posts: 1,347
The K-1ii also has this, under Menu-C2-Viewfinder Light.
05-03-2021, 07:34 PM   #7
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
Photos: Albums
Posts: 1,037
It looks like you can configure any of the configurable buttons for the viewfinder light.
I'm not sure if doing that and pressing the button puts the light on or just toggles through the 3 options.

Does any know? I don't have the camera, but I'm curious.

05-03-2021, 10:55 PM   #8
Veteran Member
Gray's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Cape Town
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 536
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by c.a.m Quote
However, I've discovered the following.
Thanks Craig and everyone - that's very helpful. The viewfinder AF point system behaviour obviously needs to be explored and got used to by new users coming from previous generations of cameras.
05-03-2021, 11:34 PM   #9
Veteran Member




Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Antwerp, Belgium
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,727
QuoteOriginally posted by c.a.m Quote
However, there seems to be an undocumented feature
Thanks, great discovery! The AF Mode button is not really one I'm accustomed to using, but I'm guessing on the K-3 III it will see more use.


As usual with Pentax cameras there's probably a lot to find out that's not so clear from reading the manual.

Wim
05-04-2021, 12:25 AM   #10
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
snappyhoffy's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Buckinghamshire, UK
Posts: 183
QuoteOriginally posted by Gray Quote
Thanks Craig and everyone - that's very helpful. The viewfinder AF point system behaviour obviously needs to be explored and got used to by new users coming from previous generations of cameras.
This is strange... I am finding some inconsistency here. I did notice that there was a general red effect in the screen when focus was achieved in dark room (Viewfinder Light set to Auto) and thought that was a nice confirmation. Now I cannot replicate that even if I use the On and Off option and go in a dark cupboard! Something is strange..
05-04-2021, 06:34 AM   #11
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
c.a.m's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 4,170
QuoteOriginally posted by snappyhoffy Quote
This is strange... I am finding some inconsistency here. I did notice that there was a general red effect in the screen when focus was achieved in dark room (Viewfinder Light set to Auto) and thought that was a nice confirmation. Now I cannot replicate that even if I use the On and Off option and go in a dark cupboard! Something is strange..
That's odd indeed. I've not noticed any inconsistency.

Are you able to consistently bring on the red illumination when you press the AF Mode button, when 'Viewfinder Light' option is ON?

Perhaps other members will add to our knowledge base on this feature.

- Craig
05-04-2021, 06:43 AM - 1 Like   #12
mlt
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,159
Great discussion and glad for the additional knowledge on something that isn’t quite clear in the manual. This is definitely a topic for whoever writes a in-depth book on the K3iii should expand upon.
05-04-2021, 06:49 AM   #13
Pentaxian
Andrea K's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Rome, Italy
Posts: 822
Same in the K-1 but pressing the AF mode button will turns on a very sexy red light inside the OVF.
05-04-2021, 07:53 AM   #14
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
snappyhoffy's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Buckinghamshire, UK
Posts: 183
QuoteOriginally posted by c.a.m Quote
That's odd indeed. I've not noticed any inconsistency.

Are you able to consistently bring on the red illumination when you press the AF Mode button, when 'Viewfinder Light' option is ON?

Perhaps other members will add to our knowledge base on this feature.

- Craig
No... now I am worried.. I did have some red light..

I 'RESET' the 'Still View' settings and now get a momentary flash of red light (doesn't stay on) is that correct?

Anyone else out there with same issue?
05-04-2021, 12:13 PM   #15
Pentaxian




Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Buckinghamshire (UK) / Morbihan (FR)
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 470
QuoteOriginally posted by snappyhoffy Quote
No... now I am worried.. I did have some red light..

I 'RESET' the 'Still View' settings and now get a momentary flash of red light (doesn't stay on) is that correct?

Anyone else out there with same issue?
If it is the same as K-1, the red light is on for a short time only.

Hope that helps.
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
af, afc, aps-c, background, dslr, focus, k-3 iii, k-3 iii af, k-3 mark 3, kp, light, mode, square, time, user
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Pentax k70 no beep sound and red points on the viewfinder Dat le Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 3 01-23-2021 10:33 AM
Pentax K-3 Mark III camera AF points arrangement and internal pictures Pelto Pentax News and Rumors 6 12-11-2020 04:44 AM
K50 no visible AF points in viewfinder telum Visitors' Center 10 12-12-2014 06:57 PM
Can't see through Pentax 645 viewfinder lgunders Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 2 10-13-2014 02:17 PM
K5 viewfinder display of AF points sam_553817 Pentax K-5 & K-5 II 6 02-02-2011 10:57 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:27 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top