[BigMackCam]

^ Yes. I'm dead set on the K-3II replacement. ... Basically, that camera will make or break Pentax for me. If it turns out that Ricoh listened to a lot of users & reviewers & actually delivers a super competent AF system with much better tracking, this is going to be one of the very few times that I'll be willing to pay the "early adopter fee"

If you are waiting for the next Pentax to catch up with Nikon (or Canon) tracking, you're barking up the wrong tree. Go Nikon and be done with it? Tracking isn't Pentax's strength.

Nikon tracking will likely always be better

I agree with Norm and Kozlok... Although recent Pentax cameras are somewhat more capable with AF tracking than they're credited for (usually because there's more technique required to get the desired result) they do lag behind the likes of Nikon in that area. They've improved over the years... The K-3 and K-3II are pretty good, really, while the K-1 and KP are better again from what I read. But, it's highly unlikely Pentax will catch up with Nikon on continuous AF tracking any time soon. You might see some incremental improvement with the K-3II replacement, but I doubt it will be a game-changer. If this aspect of shooting is of prime importance to you, you might actually be better off making the jump.

[clackers]

. Single point, back button AF is the only way to kind of track something with the K-50.

?

The K-50 is not a Pentax model with tracking.

I have no problem tracking action with my K-1.

[BigMackCam]

?

The K-50 is not a Pentax model with tracking.

I have no problem tracking action with my K-1.

It has AF.C, clackers... unless I'm missing something?

[clackers]

It has AF.C, clackers... unless I'm missing something?

That's continuous focus, Mike, not tracking like the K-3 or Nikon 7200 does - using the exposure sensors to shift focus onto adjacent FPs.

[normhead]

There has been continuous improvement in AF since the K-5 when it was announced as a priority by Pentax starting with the the K-30. It was meant to be incremental, but in fact it's questionable if they have even kept pace. It's been so long now, I question the "incremental" approach and think Pentax needs to throw out the baby with the bath water and just come up with a decent tracking system that works for one of their models with a couple of lenses it could work well with. I'd be a little shocked if the K-50 was as good as my K-3. But this is a constant situation, people comparing older Pentax gear with older models from the competition. That's a contest so old we already know who wins. I never had tracking work for me at all until the K-3. But I also don't own a K-50 to be able to say if there has been any improvement, from K-50 to D7200, and really its an unfair comparison. The K-50 should be compared to a a D3200 or D5200, not a D7200, which is a K-3 competitor. IF you are going to make these kinds of comparisons at least use similar models.

SO I would say if you are going to consider, consumer Pentax against a Nikon a step up, of course the Nikon will give you something more than the lower cost Pentax, but so will the K-3.

At Henry's the price of an D7200 is $1300 CAD, the price of a K-3 II is $1499 with an 18-135. So should you look into a D7200 for better tracking, of course. Should you look at the K-3II for better tracking of course. The new Pentax APS-c will be a D7500 competitor, not a D7200 competitor.

I just don't understand the logic of writing off the K-3 when you are comparing to a D7200. The D7500 is selling at $2,099 CAD with the 18-140 VR, so for similar capability as the K-3 with better tracking the price tag is $600 CAD. Keep it in perspective. To me it's more about paying the money you need to for better AF, regardless of the system selected.

To me the big thing here is sharing lenses with your father going Nikon. That's a big thing.

But I'd definitely get off the comparing the K-50 to a D7200 thing. That's not a real comparison.

[BigMackCam]

That's continuous focus, Mike, not tracking like the K-3 or Nikon 7200 does - using the exposure sensors to shift focus onto adjacent FPs.

Ah, right. Thanks for that - something I've learned today

[sys3175]

If you are a patient guy, have some experience in fine mechanics and it's not your first encounter with a soldering iron, the fix is not that difficult. (But if you've to buy a soldering iron first, you'd maybe be better off to find someone and have her or him do this for you.)
I was in the same situation like you, my K-50 started to fail when I was on a trip and only some weeks before another one.
After watching the video linked above and finding a replacement in an old laptop's CD drive, I gave it a go and it has not failed again since then.
For the other body, I'd recommend using Eneloops, because this seems to postpone the failure.
With the recent improvements in sensors, the K3ii seems to be somewhat outdated already, so I can understand that you're waiting for its successor.

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Last edited by sys3175; 08-04-2017 at 10:01 AM.