[Rondec]

I have no idea why the camera struggles with outer focus points with the 16-50. I have the original version, sad to read it's still struggling with the PLM version. It's like the issue I have with Live view only on the 50-135 - serious front/back focusing

Anyway, I think the takeaway from Kobie's great testing is this - under ideal circumstances, the camera will focus on the eye - most shooting isn't done under ideal circumstances - crawling around the floor to capture a toddler playing, catching the eye of a dog in-focus while he's moving around and actually tracking it during motion, photos of people dancing at events, etc... are all best left to cameras with purpose built eye tracking. Sounds like the Pentax system reaches its limits outside of still subjects in good lighting.

I own the 16-50 PLM and have had no issues with it. As I have said, I do tend to use the mode where I select the auto focus point and only use AF-C in situations where I expect subject movement. I have active kids and have had no trouble with achieving high levels of keepers. I'm sorry that your experience has been so negative.

[gatorguy]

You're right. Everyone, the camera is perfect in every way and you will not be disappointed. Buy one.

Obviously it hasn't been perfect for everyone, you being a standout exception. It also has been far from disappointing for the majority of us who use it. On the contrary, it's been a pleasure.

I think the feeling from some owners is that you are pushing the story that your experience is the correct one, the K3III is factually horrid, old, and ineffective, and everyone else who doesn't understand how bad the camera performs is either ignorant or dishonest.

I'm surprised that by now you haven't realized that your time with the K3III is the outlier, abnormal, out-of-the-ordinary, the relatively rare exception to the enjoyment and exceptional results the rest of us are getting from it. IMHO either your camera and Pentax lenses are faulty, or something in the way you're using it is. You don't find it odd that almost no other owner is getting the poor results you are with either the camera or the lenses?

If you have not yet purchased the very inexpensive K3III eBook v1.3 then I recommend you do. There's excellent advice on recommended settings for the way you intend to use yours. The two other options I see are (1) to send your K3III in for troubleshooting and/or repair, or (2) take a hit on selling the entire kit to fund a move to a system you believe will do better for you. The path of least resistance is the eBook.

So far for you personally there's nothing pleasurable about your camera and some of the lenses, and that can possibly change depending on what you choose to do about it, but regularly telling the rest of us we shouldn't be pleased with ours either is non-productive. We simply are not experiencing what you are using the exact same gear.

[Rondec]

Obviously it hasn't been perfect for everyone, you being a standout exception. It also has been far from disappointing for the majority of us who use it. On the contrary, it's been a pleasure.

I think the feeling from some owners is that you are pushing the story that your experience is the correct one, the K3III is factually horrid, old, and ineffective, and everyone else who doesn't understand how bad the camera performs is either ignorant or dishonest.

I'm surprised that by now you haven't realized that your time with the K3III is the outlier, abnormal, out-of-the-ordinary, the relatively rare exception to the enjoyment and exceptional results the rest of us are getting from it. IMHO either your camera and Pentax lenses are faulty, or something in the way you're using it is. You don't find it odd that almost no other owner is getting the poor results you are with either the camera or the lenses?

If you have not yet purchased the very inexpensive K3III eBook v1.3 then I recommend you do. There's excellent advice on recommended settings for the way you intend to use yours. The two other options I see are (1) to send your K3III in for troubleshooting and/or repair, or (2) take a hit on selling the entire kit to fund a move to a system you believe will do better for you. For you personally there's nothing pleasurable about your camera and some of the lenses, but regularly telling the rest of us we shouldn't be pleased with ours either is non-productive. We simply are not experiencing what you are using the exact same gear.

Very much so. The K-3 III isn't perfect, but it has been an improvement on older cameras in terms of accurate focus and tracking. I certainly don't think Seberry is making things up, but I do think that he has a lemon for a camera and he needs to send it in to have it looked at or figure out what setting he isn't using correctly if he wants to avoid flipping his gear for a different brand.

Continuing to do the same thing and expecting different results, is a recipe for deep frustration.

[sebberry]

I'm surprised that by now you haven't realized that your time with the K3III is the outlier, abnormal, out-of-the-ordinary, the relatively rare exception to the enjoyment and exceptional results the rest of us are getting from it.

Odd that you're singling out my comment, which was a reply echoing the experiences initially shared by another user...

[mlt]

Continue to be amazed at the AF improvements in this camera - No additional sharpening or noice reduction ISO 6400 F4.6 1/2500 shot through window glass. DNG converted in Lightroom Classic. Focus was not fooled by the branch in front of the bird

[sebberry]

Kobie - Any chance we could fit Body-less Bella with eyelashes? Eyelash vs iris seems to be the benchmark for how accurately mirrorless can focus these days. Just curious how the K3-3 would compare.

[Kobie]

Kobie - Any chance we could fit Body-less Bella with eyelashes? Eyelash vs iris seems to be the benchmark for how accurately mirrorless can focus these days. Just curious how the K3-3 would compare.

I'll have to go to the beauty store in stealth mode and grab some fake lashes lol

[sebberry]

I'll have to go to the beauty store in stealth mode and grab some fake lashes lol

Amazon!

[jcsnyc]

I am now up to about 3600 photos (largely wildlife) with my K-3 III. While it definitely is a step up from my K3 II and K1 (at least for wildlife)... I am still challenged by accurate focus (which is probably a lot related to my bad techniques.)

I also find the ISO to be pretty awesome BUT when I shoot with the DA* 300 (and a lot with the 1.4x - which then bumps up the ISO) I still need to do some significant cropping and so the ISO helps but with the crop, I lose a bit of sharpness to noise. I also tend to shoot early in the day and am not getting super bright light.

I am thinking of borrowing a friend's Canon Mirrorless to see how that goes. I would hate to abandon Pentax after 30+ years (at least for birding) but I am wondering how the Bird Eye focus AND ability to quickly adjust exposure and see the histogram in the viewfinder AND the availability of longer lenses at reasonable cost helps me (and my novice techniques.)

Anyone know if Animal Eye Focus is coming out for the K3 III? Any other thoughts... (I promise I will work on technique but wonder if I am working too hard when there is technology available that can really help me!)

[sebberry]

A quote from a coworker after using his new Canon R6 MKii to shoot his daughter's hockey game:

"It's amazing watching as the camera locks onto the player's eye, behind their helmet mask, from across the arena. Keeper rate went from 20% to 80%".

[c.a.m]

Keeper rate went from 20% to 80%".

Sounds like the R6 Mk II is working well for him. Which camera was he using previously?

- Craig

[gatorguy]

Sounds like the R6 Mk II is working well for him. Which camera was he using previously?

- Craig

Perhaps he was using Canon mirrorless already (makes sense) and it was the EOS R. The R5/R6 improved things in their lineup a lot for fast action.

EDIT: As I was browsing around looking at AF reviews on various cameras it struck me how many buyers of new cameras a few years ago would use words like "amazing" and "incredible", and phrases like 'OMG!' and "80% keeper rate" to describe the AF of their wonderful new purchase. Then a model generation later the buyers of even newer cameras make the previous gen owners who praised their AF suddenly feel their gear is inadequate. Camera churn is where much of the current revenue comes from IMO.

Just go to MPB and see how many of the last gen cameras are already available used, and at decent discounts. Then consider what the owner was willing to take to get rid of them and ship off to MPB for another round of profit. From A1's and R5's to the very latest Z9 and Alpha A7rV at perhaps 2/3's of what they paid a few months to a couple years earlier?

So in a short period of a couple dozen months or even less a camera buyer goes from overjoyed, happy and heaping praise, to dissatisfied, critical, and willing to take a beating on disposing of what was originally highly rated gear. Geesh.

Marketing works.

For me I'll work at getting better with the cameras I already have instead of chasing magic bullets. Camera churn is way too rich for me.

[c.a.m]

I am thinking of borrowing a friend's Canon Mirrorless to see how that goes.

That sounds like a worthwhile trial. Better still, perhaps the two of you could go on a photo outing and compare your experiences in real time, and you could also use his camera under his guidance.

So in a short period of a couple dozen months a camera buyer goes from overjoyed and happy to dissatisfied and willing to take a beating on disposing of what was originally highly rated gear.

I've gathered from several forums that quite a few photographers seem to 'upgrade' whenever a new camera 'Mark' is released. I think some folks experience an honest improvement in their photography, at least in terms of focused shots. But the churn -- that's the word for it -- seems to be real. There also might be a bit of "fear of missing out" or fear of being left behind.

Wildlife is not my specialty, but over the years I've managed to get decent shots of animals and some birds, without an animal eye AF function. I'd certainly use it if my camera had it, and I'm sure that some of the new mirrorless models are amazing compared to earlier cameras.

- Craig

[lesmore49]

Sounds like the R6 Mk II is working well for him. Which camera was he using previously?

- Craig

Nothing to do with the subject...but your avatar...is that General Wolfe ?

[c.a.m]

Nothing to do with the subject...but your avatar...is that General Wolfe ?

A few years too early! That's Lieutenant-Colonel John By, an English military engineer who supervised the planning and construction of the Rideau Canal in the 1820s-30s between present-day Ottawa (then Bytown) and Kingston. (You're probably familiar with Lt. Col By.)