[yoshizuki]

very very nice picture

What I found with my K20D is it's best to use Center Focus Point, and AF-S with rapidly tapping on the shutter button to get the camera focuses faster, or more accurate at the point I want to focus on .
You may notice that you see the subject be sharper through the view finder when it is in focus .

This pic I also used Center Focus Point with AF-S . I followed the bee (it was slow though) and kept tapping on the shutter button until I got the bee in focus then my finger went all the way down to shoot.



As you look at the picture, with all the leaves and flowers, there was no way for the camera to know what I wanted to focus on, if I used Multi Point .

Well, Dragonfly, don't be disappointed in Pentax AF, once you work it out and you'll like it .

Happy shooting .

Best regards Dragonfly

Ken

[Unsinkable II]

but why are you using multipoint AF with something like a plane or bird in the first place, that is just wrong

I use 5 point autofocus for planes and birds as center focusing just makes the camera hunt even more as the subject isn't always bang in the middle of the frame when panning etc.

11 point is just too much for the camera to handle and it often just whirrs a bit and gives up.

[planedriver]

This is a very intersting thread as I almost bought a D300s and the 70-300VR...but just like it was previously said one morning I woke up and dumped the idea and I'm very happy with my Pentax gear again. I have two bodies K200d and K-x. Previously I used the 16-45 f4 on the K200d for wide angle-now replaced it with the 12-24- and the 50-200 on the K-x-now replaced with the 55-300. This 55-300 impresses me a lot and even though it's Af is sluggish with some trick I can get reasonable results with it. The Da 50-200 was a good school with is inferior optical quality and range.

Here are some pictures which normally need a Canon or Nikon or a steady friendly bird:

all taken with the K-x

50-200:








55-300 at 300mm



55-300 at 230mm





Andras

[opiedog]

no way you took those with a pentax !!
absolutely no way!

nice shots!

[rawr]

These are great bird shots, planedriver. Exemplary. I am jealous of your skills.

[rparmar]

If the DA55-300mm cost double people would still say it was a good lens for the money. But these shots show excellent results also with the 50-200mm which only goes to show the photographer also has something to do with image quality!

Well done!

[Unsinkable II]

Lovely shots!

My difference is that I'm shooting fast-moving raptors from 120' in the sky. They really move too fast for a K-x. I have some shots that I'm happy with, but the keeper rate is low, and the "aargh" rate is higher than it could be.

Tried an overseas visiting friend's 550D yesterday, zippy thing. Only US$730 with basic kit lens here in Hong Kong.

I'll be sticking with Pentax for a while tho...

[UnknownVT]

My difference is that I'm shooting fast-moving raptors from 120' in the sky. They really move too fast for a K-x. I have some shots that I'm happy with, but the keeper rate is low, and the "aargh" rate is higher than it could be.
Tried an overseas visiting friend's 550D yesterday, zippy thing. Only US$730 with basic kit lens here in Hong Kong.

This is in good light, right?

Then you might want to take this into consideration -

" The K-x’s autofocus tested well, too, with very strong performance in brighter light. At EV 12 through EV 6, it was equal to or faster than the two competitors. Though its AF was slower than the Canon and Nikon in dimmer light, it remained within 0.6 seconds of them even at its worst. "

from: Camera Test: Pentax K-x | Photography - PopPhoto.com Offers Camera Reviews and Exclusive Photo Tips

[planedriver]

Lovely shots!
My difference is that I'm shooting fast-moving raptors from 120' in the sky. They really move too fast for a K-x. I have some shots that I'm happy with, but the keeper rate is low, and the "aargh" rate is higher than it could be.
Tried an overseas visiting friend's 550D yesterday, zippy thing. Only US$730 with basic kit lens here in Hong Kong.
I'll be sticking with Pentax for a while tho...

First of all thank you all for the positive comments about my pictures! I don't think it makes sense to go into any arguement about how fast a specific bird is but I have to tell you that seagulls are very agile and fly low and they are very difficult to track. So the only reason I'm telling you this is simple-my keeper rate is very low too!!! But until I get even ONE good one I don't care! (this is digital photography and we are talking about entry level body and kit lens or semi kit lens in the case of the 55-300) so I don't think a d700 and a pro lens would make me happier in the long run because if my keeper rate increases significantly I think I would lose interest in bird photography quickly. So the fun factor would go away. Now this is a challenge which can result in pleasent results-which requires skill and technique and some effort and luck of course..a good receipt for a rewarding hobby.

da50-200:




The other thing I like in Pentax is size. My kit includes the K200d with my new 12-24 (used the 16-45 so far) attached to it almost all the time and the K-x with the 55-300 (previously 50-200). I also keep a FA50 1.4 for portraits or low light and either the F35-70 (nice small size and super sharp) or the F35-105 (also very sharp at all length, very fast AF) in my bag to fill the gap between the wide and tele-zooms. Also the big hood for the 12-24 and the giotto pump goes in easily too. And still some place left for...hahaha...let's say DA70 2.4 or.. any useful prime
and this goes into this bag-photo taken with a 0.5 litre water bottle for size comparison:

the two bodies with the lenses and the fa50 and the f35-70 below:


Sorry for the long post

Andras

[rparmar]

That is an incredible shot. Not the bag, that is, but the bird. ;-)

[UnknownVT]

That is an incredible shot. Not the bag, that is, but the bird. ;-)

I agree that b&w shot of the egret(?) is really, really good -

planedriver - do you have a link to a larger size?

The earlier first colored shot almost looks engraving sharp -
to the point it almost looks like it was pasted onto the background
(I know it is not)
but the tone separation between the head-neck and the sky or rest of body is almost unbelievable.

This shows that the 50-200mm kit lens, even though it may have had a lukewarm review from PhotoZone.de,
is more than capable in the hands of a good photographer.

BTW- PopPhoto.com actually raved abut the 50-200mm kit zoom in the form of the Samsung clone
link to review of 50-200 Zoom


Seriously I do not think it's the AF speed that is the true limiting factor -
as shown in the PopPhoto.com AF speed tests the K-x is actually faster than either the Canon or Nikon in good light -

I think what planedriver says is right, birds are fast and agile -
so one has to kind of anticipate them,
and be prepared for lots of shots that may not be ideal,
until one eventually catches a good one.

So it's impressive seeing so many good ones.

[pspentax]

Just don't get a Canon 5DmkII. AF totally sucks on it unless you use the center point....Canon users gripe about it constantly.
And the 40D takes really soft and OOF pictures...Canon users gripe about it constantly.
And don't get a Canon 1DmkIII unless the mirror box has been fixed.

Just sayin'....

ehheeheheh

[planedriver]

planedriver - do you have a link to a larger size?

Andras

[rparmar]

Sweet.

[RBellavance]

Andras, that is a stunning, awesome, jaw-dropping shot. Congratulations !!