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01-11-2011, 01:33 AM   #16
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One thing with sports is that to get your timing right. It helps if you know or played the game, or in aviation have a knowledge of the types of ways the planes are displayed in the air and anticipiating the direction.

It also depends on the AF setting, ie. multy segnent or spot, in some cases spot is better while in other multisegment, the more multi segment the better. Some airshow photographers use manual focus and presset the lens at a given distance and then pan as the formation or songle plane moves across, some have both eyes open and then at the last moment shoot in burst mode and keep the folllow through. I do more skydiving photos from the drop zone and that is a lot easier but sometimes one loses the jumper and the camera hunts and you hunt resulting in a lost photo. The two eye is the way to go, still trying to master this myself.

In the days of the Spotmatic we did all this without autofocus, motordrives and the problems were the same and good photos were taken by many so what has changed, not a thing, autoexposure, autofocus, and the choices of what setting to use, what iso ratingetc are still the same as when manual exposure was used the factors are all still there.
The answer is practice, practice, shoot the spot on the ceeling, pretend that it is moving and well pan and as the spot comes into view shoot, and do not forget the follow through, another thing, leave the tripod at home a 200 is a no show as far and hand held goes, a Bigim, Sigma 170 - 500 zoom that is something else and once again hand held is still the way to go for moving subjects and take plenty of photos, i took 1000 + at a airshow, only around 40% were usable.

Just some of my experiences and tips I have picked up here and there.

01-11-2011, 09:38 PM   #17
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understand the games...

QuoteOriginally posted by Elva Quote
One thing with sports is that to get your timing right. It helps if you know or played the game, or in aviation have a knowledge of the types of ways the planes are displayed in the air and anticipiating the direction.
I agree with that, you gotta know the game and how the games are played; it would definitely help a lot if you actually played the game before.

fast tracking AF system is helpful as well, I mean you catch single moment in the film days(all manual), but the advanced AF would get you a series of shots from beginning to the end of certain action...
01-12-2011, 04:13 AM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by luke0622 Quote
I agree with that, you gotta know the game and how the games are played; it would definitely help a lot if you actually played the game before.

fast tracking AF system is helpful as well, I mean you catch single moment in the film days(all manual), but the advanced AF would get you a series of shots from beginning to the end of certain action...
The Kr and K5 seem to be the way .....
01-12-2011, 06:33 AM   #19
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Got the K-5, I just need to get a longer glass to take to some games and test it out... my next purchase would be DA* 200mm/2.8

01-12-2011, 03:59 PM - 1 Like   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by luke0622 Quote
Got the K-5, I just need to get a longer glass to take to some games and test it out... my next purchase would be DA* 200mm/2.8
SDM does not make a good sports motor no matter what body Pentax comes out with. You may well be better off with the fA* version of that lens which is optically identical. I love my DA*200mm but it is not great at indoor sports. My fastest AF lens was probably my FA*300mm F2.8 before I sold it... which is why I wonder if the FA*200 might be a better indoor sports lens than the DA*200

To get a good understanding of what it takes to make a good indoor sports camera check out this review of the 1DmkIV. And remember that they are reviewing what is probably the second best sports camera in the world.

Rob Galbraith DPI: An analysis of EOS-1D Mark IV autofocus performance

Although Pentax AF has improved dramatically since k20D... it is unreasonable to expect it to come close to these standards... which fall well short of perfection.

As the owner of 3 Canon and 3 Pentax cameras I can tell you that it is more than possible to get "a great shot" with almost any camera but your chances of getting "THE SHOT" go up and down depending one where you want to invest your funds.
01-12-2011, 09:41 PM   #21
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Pentax really needs to introduce a 70-200mm f2.8... use DC technology and price at $1800... I'd be happy with that.

Last edited by luke0622; 01-13-2011 at 06:12 AM.
02-21-2011, 09:50 AM   #22
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For us non-pro sport shooters the K5 with fast glass will do fine. With sports as mentioned before timing and knowledge of the sport you shoot will give you a head start. A high FPS and lightning fast AF will help you to get more keepers which is required if you have to come home with the picture for your newspaper or magazine like those pro-shooters.
I don't think Pentax will be be able to lure away pro-shooters from Canikon if they come out with a "sports camera". One of the major things available with Canikon is PROFESSIONAL services at the big sporting events which is not offered by Pentax.

02-21-2011, 05:34 PM   #23
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thats why I am shooting Pentax with FA limited Primes... testing out DA* 200/2.8 on my K-5 right now, so far so good, I mean for a back up... I would eventually move the K-5 for weddings and events shooting...
02-21-2011, 06:10 PM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by ll_coffee_lP Quote
While I don't disagree with you about it being the photographer who gets the shot, the fact remains in that af on Pentax is seriously lacking.

When I shot Pentax (k10, k7) I struggled to get sharp in focus shots when tracking moving subjects. With my Nikon gear there is no struggling at all...everything is in focus.

c(_)
With K-20D which supposed to have worst AF than K-7 but

02-22-2011, 11:12 PM   #25
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I have been very impressed with the K5 Single auto focus and found that it is a vast improvement over K10 and even to a lesser degree to the K7. The continuos AF on the other hand is still low tech compared to the comp IMO. It works relatively well for tracking subjects moving side to side regardless of speed, but it just can't seem to keep up with fast subjects coming towards or away from camera. The first time I used a D700 I was floored at the speed at which it could track subjects in any direction accurately, it is night and day better IHO compared to the K5 in that aspect, but fast auto focus isn't everything....
02-23-2011, 03:04 PM   #26
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QuoteOriginally posted by sjwaldron Quote
What would make the camera one for sports? Specifically, what is lacking that makes it undesirable to shoot Pentax at events like that? A K-5 and DA* 60-250mm would be sufficient I would think, but Pentax probably needs some faster glass I guess (faster in aperture and focus speed).
what is lacking is a set of lenses, starting with 300F2.8, 400F2.8, and a good 200-500F4 lens.

there is nothing wrong with pentax cameras for sports except the lack of lenses.
02-23-2011, 06:17 PM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by Lowell Goudge Quote
there is nothing wrong with pentax cameras for sports except the lack of lenses.
I'm pretty sure the likes of Rob Galbraith (same link as above) would regard even the K-5 as a toy regarding sports AF.

Yes, you can still get great action shots with the K-5 but it simply isn't up there with the top performers. It doesn't need to be, AFAIC, but I'm not a pro earning money with sports shots.

Regarding the lack of lenses, I hear this a lot and always wonder why many people seem to work on the assumption that you can only use Pentax lenses on Pentax cameras. Sigma has a great range of long lenses and now that Sigma started to produce weather-sealed lenses the last unique buying proposition Pentax lenses had seem to disappear.

What's wrong with using long Sigma lenses for sports?

P.S.: I trust Pentax engineers will be able to put an FF sensor into a K-5 or similar body in the not too distant future, but I don't see any chance for Pentax for getting into the sports market any time soon. Too much investment for no likely return and too much engineering. If they manage to solve the K-5's front-focus problem in low-light before the camera has been replaced by a new model, I might change my mind (a bit).

Last edited by Class A; 02-23-2011 at 06:25 PM.
02-23-2011, 08:00 PM   #28
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Lowell, I really think the need for garbage can sized front elements has lessened with the advent of usable high ISO in the K-5 and other new sensors.

Jack
02-24-2011, 10:34 AM   #29
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QuoteOriginally posted by Class A Quote
What's wrong with using long Sigma lenses for sports?

Not a thing.... 90% of my MotoGP images where shot using the BIGMA. Cant wait for Sigma to come out with a weather sealed version.
02-24-2011, 10:54 AM   #30
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I have been using Pentax K10, istds, K20, and now the K5 for sports with the tamron 80-200mm and 300 f2.8 for a couple of years. I am very pleased with the results. I will say the K5 is a huge improvement in response and iso.
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