Pentax K-7 v Nikon D300s - review, sort of.

Arpe · 05-26-2011, 05:36 PM

Actually the location of the AF button on the back is almost worth the change on its own! The K-7 position is just not sensible or comfortable for prolonged use.

**Rondec** · 05-27-2011, 04:34 AM

I think the K5 has made great strides, but Pentax does not currently have lenses well suited to sports shooters. Glad that things worked out for you in your change.

john5100 · 05-27-2011, 10:08 AM

The thing that's great is that there are so many great cameras out there. The 300s is great and my buddys 7d is great. I'm still a Pentax Guy and will get a K5 one of these days.

congrats on the nice equipment.

eddie1960 · 05-27-2011, 10:19 AM

Glad you like it, If I shot sports I would likely be shooting Nikon as well, as it sits all the pluses you list on Pentax along with the ability to use all the legacy glass is why i'm shooting Pentax. Nikon would be my next choice, and though it's got some odd controls (as you mentioned) compared to Canon it's user friendly

rfortson · 05-27-2011, 08:17 PM

Good run down of the differences, Arpe. Thanks for posting this. I've occasionally thought about switching, but for me the Pentax is the right choice. However, someone was asking about the K5 or Nikon for indoor sports (high school, at that) and I pointed him to this thread. I also recommended Nikon or Canon (I'd prefer Nikon as the menus and handling seem similar to Pentax to me).

However, the K5 is the best all around camera for me. Just a lovely, lovely camera, and amazing high ISO.

twitch · 05-27-2011, 10:19 PM

I managed to get a 95+% focus success rate this morning at soccer with my K-x, this time with a 50-135. It really is very very good on AF-C. I'm honestly not sure how a Nikon would be any better in the kind of situations I'm currently using my camera in. I think it's important to remember just how capable our Pentax cameras are as if you believe everything you read on the web you'd probably give up and not even attempt to shoot sports with a Pentax.

philbaum · 05-28-2011, 02:07 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by twitch

I managed to get a 95+% focus success rate this morning at soccer with my K-x, this time with a 50-135. It really is very very good on AF-C. I'm honestly not sure how a Nikon would be any better in the kind of situations I'm currently using my camera in. I think it's important to remember just how capable our Pentax cameras are as if you believe everything you read on the web you'd probably give up and not even attempt to shoot sports with a Pentax.

I agree fully. Its been said that the best processing software is the one you know how to use. Along those same lines, i think the best camera is the model that inspires one to go out and take pics (and one also know how to use :-))

People that feel better by trash talking other manufacturers of cameras are so pathetic - i mean like they should get a life that means something.

I was getting above a 90% acceptance rate for my live theatre shooting with my K20, but was aware of its shortcomings in the low iso area. Kx was on my radar, but kept waiting and finally got the K5. I couldn't be happier. I've gotten candid pictures of staff preparing the stage, like someone in the rafters focusing spotlights and barndoors, that i could never have gotten with my K20. 4 or 5 of these pictures ended up in the current play's program and they put my headshot on their website under "photography coordinator" as i often find folks to photograph various events for them. Of these photographers, 1 shoots a Canon, 2 shoot Nikon and 2 shoot Pentax. Unlike too many forums, we don't argue about cameras, we talk about honing our skills and composing the best pictures, etc., and its fun to be around artistic people of any stripe. One costume maker let me photograph her making/adjusting masks for an Italian play, 2 of which shots also got in the program.

Twitch - looked at your flickr site. Photos to die for - wow - so good. Like the couple on the street corner that you took at hip level, the National Geographic selected foggy wood shot, man walking up the narrow alley, so many. Pentax ought to select you as a sponsored artist. Nice to know you shoot Pentax

dylansalt · 05-29-2011, 05:33 AM

The reality is that in most instances any old dslr will do and even some p&s to have publishable shots.

Most only used a 50mm in the old days;-)

Most published shots in mags are never more than A4 which even a p&s can easily achieve in most instances and with decent PS skills these days, just about any shot can be "made"

The K5 is certainly a lovely camera but Pentax certainly lacks lens choices for many (and some other features) which for many make the switch worthwhile.

The Pentax 55-300 (I have it) can certainly produce some sublime images, but is no match for the Nikon 70-300 FF with re: tactile feel/quality of lens, autofocus speed and sharpness from 70-250.

Pentax has nothing like the Nikon 16-85 consumer zoom which is only a tad off any primes performance in those focal ranges - its nothing short of phenomenal

I personally found the D7000 much better fit in my hand the the K5 (I have relatively small hands) and too be quite honest I do not find the Nikon big by any means - it's actually lighter with the 16-85 attached then my Contax 35mm with the 50 1.4 Planar.

For anyone to say that 100% flash keeper rate is to be poohed at, I really wonder.

In the same note how can anyone say that 3D tracking with customizable 9-34 assist points is not a massive leap over what Pentax can offer on their flagship K5??

With re: Weather sealing - I have used the Nikon is some very demanding conditions without a hint of "weather" effects.

If the K5 could have matched the D7000 exactly spec for spec and in efficiency in EVERY dept then I most probably would have been using the K5 today

Lastly with regards to published photo's - there are a gazillion amazing shots from the average tog using Oly, Nikon, Canon, Sony and non of them get sponsored.

Why is it that when someone using a Pentax gets a spectacular scenic, sports shot etc it's regrading as amazing due to that it was shot with a Pentax??

But if a tog was looking for the smallest toughest dslr with a LTD or two for street/landscape/event then the K5 is the only dslr that can fit that need.

philbaum · 05-29-2011, 08:32 AM

Originally posted by dylansalt

Why is it that when someone using a Pentax gets a spectacular scenic, sports shot etc it's regrading as amazing due to that it was shot with a Pentax??

Why you are shocked to find Pentax images being discussed on a Pentax forum is a mystery to me.

There's no doubt in my mind that some of the very good features in the D7000 were a result of Nikon competing with the K7. Features such as: weather proofing, quieter shutter (the D300s has a noisy shutter according to a friend of mine who shoots one), undercutting prices of the K5, backward compatibility with older Nikon manual lenses, smaller form factor that you are happy with. When manufacturers like Nikon, Canon and Pentax compete, then the consumer wins. Far from bashing Canon and Pentax, I would think a Nikon owner would encourage competing companies so that Nikon produces even better cameras in the future.

Glad to see that you are happy with the D7000, many of us are also happy with the K5. If you are getting 100% acceptance rate on your photos, then you truly have a miracle camera.

BB_Zone28 · 05-29-2011, 10:11 AM

Originally posted by dylansalt

Why is it that when someone using a Pentax gets a spectacular scenic, sports shot etc it's regrading as amazing due to that it was shot with a Pentax??

Canikon-itus has so infected the photography culture that people are constatnly amazed that any other camera besides Canikon can actually create a great image.

BB_Zone28 · 05-29-2011, 10:36 AM

Originally posted by Arpe

... still getting use to the "Nikonthink" way of menus and doing things, not as good as Pentax imo.

I appreciate you're "Nikonthink" comment as I've found the Nikon way of adjusting a camera an acquired taste after much frustration and searching over and over thru the owner's manual to discover how they can come up with the most unusual ways of doing things from my perspective. Please allow me to rant about this for moment, and I do agree that Nikon does have a great AF system.
I've helped beginners with Nikons (some with D300 that were oversold to them by the camera dealer) to figure out where to find and how to adjust settings on their cameras. Compared to Canon or Pentax cameras which I've used a lot, Nikon has some really different (read: strange) ways of organizing settings and making adjustments. Some things seem redundant as in after you make a menu selection to change something, you have to again tell it that it's really what you wanted when you select it or else it proceeds to ignore what you just selected while you're initially left with the impression that what you've selected should now have been set as it would be for a Canon or Pentax.
Also, a D300 user was having problems finding how to adjust their flash settings on the camera body. That section of the owner's manual said to adjust 'so and so' but we couldn't find how to bring up the menu and we searched thru everything in that section ...apparently the manual assumes you already know things they're not telling you. We even had an aftermarket book with us on the D300 that was 200 to 300 pages and it didn't tell us anything different either. Finally after wasting significant amounts of time we find that there's a button on the body you have to press to activate the menu...why couldn't they have said that in the owner manual instead of assuming you already know that????? Very poorly written, but I guess it adds to the mystique of making Nikons an acquired taste.
I can grab a Pentax or Canon and usually very quickly get things set up for what I want to shoot, but if I grab a Nikon I have to fiddle away critical minutes trying to figure out what the mindset is for how to find and set things.
Thanks for listening to my rant based on personal experience.

Arpe · 05-29-2011, 05:20 PM

Originally posted by twitch

I managed to get a 95+% focus success rate this morning at soccer with my K-x, this time with a 50-135. It really is very very good on AF-C. I'm honestly not sure how a Nikon would be any better in the kind of situations I'm currently using my camera in. I think it's important to remember just how capable our Pentax cameras are as if you believe everything you read on the web you'd probably give up and not even attempt to shoot sports with a Pentax.

Can you get one at 200mm at f2.8?

The focus system is faster on my new camera, there's just no doubt. It also tracks the figure across the frame, Pentax can't do that, so if the figure slips off the centre point, the next point will automatically be used - it works! Plus I can whack on a tc and there's no difference to focus speed! I have done lots of sport with Pentax, and that's why I switched. As I said, for other things Pentax is right up there, just not sports for consistent production of quality photos. Yes you can get some goodies however.

Originally posted by philbaum

I agree fully. Its been said that the best processing software is the one you know how to use. Along those same lines, i think the best camera is the model that inspires one to go out and take pics (and one also know how to use :-))

People that feel better by trash talking other manufacturers of cameras are so pathetic - i mean like they should get a life that means something.

I was getting above a 90% acceptance rate for my live theatre shooting with my K20, ....

Yeah I got to know my camera very well, used them heaps. I'm definitely not trashing Pentax, as you can see in my 1st post. I did some theatrical dance with my Pentax and got heaps of goodies too, I'd imagine theatre, where they're not running straight at you at full speed, would be well handled by a Pentax, and very well so witht eh new sensors.

Originally posted by dylansalt

The K5 is certainly a lovely camera but Pentax certainly lacks lens choices for many (and some other features) which for many make the switch worthwhile.

The Pentax 55-300 (I have it) can certainly produce some sublime images, but is no match for the Nikon 70-300 FF with re: tactile feel/quality of lens, autofocus speed and sharpness from 70-250.

Pentax has nothing like the Nikon 16-85 consumer zoom which is only a tad off any primes performance in those focal ranges - its nothing short of phenomenal

I have the 16-85 too, but haven't used it much yet, nice to hear that about it. Yeah choice is nice too, like TCs that work with the focus system.

Originally posted by philbaum

...Features such as: weather proofing, quieter shutter (the D300s has a noisy shutter according to a friend of mine who shoots one),

Yep, 2 of the things I miss, except the D300s is sealed, but nobody really seems to know how well. That's what's good about Pentax, they at least tell us.

twitch · 05-29-2011, 06:49 PM

Originally posted by Arpe

Can you get one at 200mm at f2.8?

The focus system is faster on my new camera, there's just no doubt. It also tracks the figure across the frame, Pentax can't do that, so if the figure slips off the centre point, the next point will automatically be used - it works!

I suspect you are right on that point, I generally avoid f2.8 as I get sharper results at around f3.5 @ 135mm on the 50-135. I've also only ever used centre point only in AF-C mode, I haven't found it limiting yet so I've yet to try multi point and see if the AF can pass off focus from one point to the other, I have no idea if it can or can't.

steve1307 · 05-29-2011, 08:48 PM

I tried AF-C for the first time with some panning shots and some faster shutter at a motor racing circuit on the weekend. I only used centre focus point as always.

It was pretty overcast & I used a DA70 mainly because that length suited where I was standing and I could open wider for some faster shots (1/1000) without having to push the ISO too high.
When shooting 5fps at 1/1000 AF-C with the single centre point followed really well.
With panning at 1/50 I got some OOF not so much from motion blur (whch are my doing of course) but from the focus changing from shot to shot. ie the first short in sequence was focused OK then the next 1 was OOF and the next was OK. I guess this was the AF-C not quite getting the focus distance quite in time between the slower shutter actuatons.
At 1/500 or 1/1000 it was perfect even at 5fps with enough time for the DA70 to change the focus distance.
I notice that that 50-135 is a bit slower to focus.

AF-C with high shutter speed pretty much 100% shots in focus
AF-C with 1/30 - 1/50 pan probably only 25% but nearly all of those were down to my lousy panning skills. (SR was OFF).
I accidently left SR ON for some of the time and it was more like 2%.

Funny thing, there was guy on the left of me with a D300s + 70-200 and another guy on my right with a 7D + 70-200. I didnt see any of their shots but neither of them were particularly happy. Maybe their arms were getting tired with all that extra weight.

I didn't care, I was having a great time.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/lens-clubs/74194-da-limited-club-89.html#post1522289

Arpe · 05-29-2011, 10:19 PM

Originally posted by steve1307

AF-C with 1/30 - 1/50 pan probably only 25% but nearly all of those were down to my lousy panning skills. (SR was OFF).
I accidently left SR ON for some of the time and it was more like 2%.

Funny thing, there was guy on the left of me with a D300s + 70-200 and another guy on my right with a 7D + 70-200. I didnt see any of their shots but neither of them were particularly happy. Maybe their arms were getting tired with all that extra weight.

I didn't care, I was having a great time.

1/50s is pretty slow so not surprised some didn't turn out! Wouldn't have mattered what gear you had for that.

Yeah the extra weight is there alright.

Your last sentence is what it's all about anyway so it's all good!

05-29-2011, 05:33 AM	#23
dylansalt Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Durban, South Africa Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,052	The reality is that in most instances any old dslr will do and even some p&s to have publishable shots. Most only used a 50mm in the old days;-) Most published shots in mags are never more than A4 which even a p&s can easily achieve in most instances and with decent PS skills these days, just about any shot can be "made" The K5 is certainly a lovely camera but Pentax certainly lacks lens choices for many (and some other features) which for many make the switch worthwhile. The Pentax 55-300 (I have it) can certainly produce some sublime images, but is no match for the Nikon 70-300 FF with re: tactile feel/quality of lens, autofocus speed and sharpness from 70-250. Pentax has nothing like the Nikon 16-85 consumer zoom which is only a tad off any primes performance in those focal ranges - its nothing short of phenomenal I personally found the D7000 much better fit in my hand the the K5 (I have relatively small hands) and too be quite honest I do not find the Nikon big by any means - it's actually lighter with the 16-85 attached then my Contax 35mm with the 50 1.4 Planar. For anyone to say that 100% flash keeper rate is to be poohed at, I really wonder. In the same note how can anyone say that 3D tracking with customizable 9-34 assist points is not a massive leap over what Pentax can offer on their flagship K5?? With re: Weather sealing - I have used the Nikon is some very demanding conditions without a hint of "weather" effects. If the K5 could have matched the D7000 exactly spec for spec and in efficiency in EVERY dept then I most probably would have been using the K5 today Lastly with regards to published photo's - there are a gazillion amazing shots from the average tog using Oly, Nikon, Canon, Sony and non of them get sponsored. Why is it that when someone using a Pentax gets a spectacular scenic, sports shot etc it's regrading as amazing due to that it was shot with a Pentax?? But if a tog was looking for the smallest toughest dslr with a LTD or two for street/landscape/event then the K5 is the only dslr that can fit that need. Last edited by dylansalt; 05-29-2011 at 05:38 AM.

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05-26-2011, 05:36 PM	#16
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452 Original Poster	Actually the location of the AF button on the back is almost worth the change on its own! The K-7 position is just not sensible or comfortable for prolonged use.

05-27-2011, 04:34 AM	#17
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,663	I think the K5 has made great strides, but Pentax does not currently have lenses well suited to sports shooters. Glad that things worked out for you in your change.

05-27-2011, 10:08 AM	#18
john5100 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,725	The thing that's great is that there are so many great cameras out there. The 300s is great and my buddys 7d is great. I'm still a Pentax Guy and will get a K5 one of these days. congrats on the nice equipment.

05-27-2011, 10:19 AM	#19
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,667	Glad you like it, If I shot sports I would likely be shooting Nikon as well, as it sits all the pluses you list on Pentax along with the ability to use all the legacy glass is why i'm shooting Pentax. Nikon would be my next choice, and though it's got some odd controls (as you mentioned) compared to Canon it's user friendly

05-27-2011, 08:17 PM	#20
rfortson Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Houston TX Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,129	Good run down of the differences, Arpe. Thanks for posting this. I've occasionally thought about switching, but for me the Pentax is the right choice. However, someone was asking about the K5 or Nikon for indoor sports (high school, at that) and I pointed him to this thread. I also recommended Nikon or Canon (I'd prefer Nikon as the menus and handling seem similar to Pentax to me). However, the K5 is the best all around camera for me. Just a lovely, lovely camera, and amazing high ISO.

05-27-2011, 10:19 PM	#21
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	I managed to get a 95+% focus success rate this morning at soccer with my K-x, this time with a 50-135. It really is very very good on AF-C. I'm honestly not sure how a Nikon would be any better in the kind of situations I'm currently using my camera in. I think it's important to remember just how capable our Pentax cameras are as if you believe everything you read on the web you'd probably give up and not even attempt to shoot sports with a Pentax.

05-28-2011, 02:07 PM - 1 Like	#22
philbaum Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Port Townsend, Washington State, USA Posts: 3,659	Originally posted by twitch I managed to get a 95+% focus success rate this morning at soccer with my K-x, this time with a 50-135. It really is very very good on AF-C. I'm honestly not sure how a Nikon would be any better in the kind of situations I'm currently using my camera in. I think it's important to remember just how capable our Pentax cameras are as if you believe everything you read on the web you'd probably give up and not even attempt to shoot sports with a Pentax. I agree fully. Its been said that the best processing software is the one you know how to use. Along those same lines, i think the best camera is the model that inspires one to go out and take pics (and one also know how to use :-)) People that feel better by trash talking other manufacturers of cameras are so pathetic - i mean like they should get a life that means something. I was getting above a 90% acceptance rate for my live theatre shooting with my K20, but was aware of its shortcomings in the low iso area. Kx was on my radar, but kept waiting and finally got the K5. I couldn't be happier. I've gotten candid pictures of staff preparing the stage, like someone in the rafters focusing spotlights and barndoors, that i could never have gotten with my K20. 4 or 5 of these pictures ended up in the current play's program and they put my headshot on their website under "photography coordinator" as i often find folks to photograph various events for them. Of these photographers, 1 shoots a Canon, 2 shoot Nikon and 2 shoot Pentax. Unlike too many forums, we don't argue about cameras, we talk about honing our skills and composing the best pictures, etc., and its fun to be around artistic people of any stripe. One costume maker let me photograph her making/adjusting masks for an Italian play, 2 of which shots also got in the program. Twitch - looked at your flickr site. Photos to die for - wow - so good. Like the couple on the street corner that you took at hip level, the National Geographic selected foggy wood shot, man walking up the narrow alley, so many. Pentax ought to select you as a sponsored artist. Nice to know you shoot Pentax

05-29-2011, 08:32 AM	#24
philbaum Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Port Townsend, Washington State, USA Posts: 3,659	Originally posted by dylansalt Why is it that when someone using a Pentax gets a spectacular scenic, sports shot etc it's regrading as amazing due to that it was shot with a Pentax?? Why you are shocked to find Pentax images being discussed on a Pentax forum is a mystery to me. There's no doubt in my mind that some of the very good features in the D7000 were a result of Nikon competing with the K7. Features such as: weather proofing, quieter shutter (the D300s has a noisy shutter according to a friend of mine who shoots one), undercutting prices of the K5, backward compatibility with older Nikon manual lenses, smaller form factor that you are happy with. When manufacturers like Nikon, Canon and Pentax compete, then the consumer wins. Far from bashing Canon and Pentax, I would think a Nikon owner would encourage competing companies so that Nikon produces even better cameras in the future. Glad to see that you are happy with the D7000, many of us are also happy with the K5. If you are getting 100% acceptance rate on your photos, then you truly have a miracle camera.

05-29-2011, 10:11 AM	#25
BB_Zone28 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Broomfield, Colorado Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 152	Originally posted by dylansalt Why is it that when someone using a Pentax gets a spectacular scenic, sports shot etc it's regrading as amazing due to that it was shot with a Pentax?? Canikon-itus has so infected the photography culture that people are constatnly amazed that any other camera besides Canikon can actually create a great image.

05-29-2011, 10:36 AM	#26
BB_Zone28 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Broomfield, Colorado Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 152	Originally posted by Arpe ... still getting use to the "Nikonthink" way of menus and doing things, not as good as Pentax imo. I appreciate you're "Nikonthink" comment as I've found the Nikon way of adjusting a camera an acquired taste after much frustration and searching over and over thru the owner's manual to discover how they can come up with the most unusual ways of doing things from my perspective. Please allow me to rant about this for moment, and I do agree that Nikon does have a great AF system. I've helped beginners with Nikons (some with D300 that were oversold to them by the camera dealer) to figure out where to find and how to adjust settings on their cameras. Compared to Canon or Pentax cameras which I've used a lot, Nikon has some really different (read: strange) ways of organizing settings and making adjustments. Some things seem redundant as in after you make a menu selection to change something, you have to again tell it that it's really what you wanted when you select it or else it proceeds to ignore what you just selected while you're initially left with the impression that what you've selected should now have been set as it would be for a Canon or Pentax. Also, a D300 user was having problems finding how to adjust their flash settings on the camera body. That section of the owner's manual said to adjust 'so and so' but we couldn't find how to bring up the menu and we searched thru everything in that section ...apparently the manual assumes you already know things they're not telling you. We even had an aftermarket book with us on the D300 that was 200 to 300 pages and it didn't tell us anything different either. Finally after wasting significant amounts of time we find that there's a button on the body you have to press to activate the menu...why couldn't they have said that in the owner manual instead of assuming you already know that????? Very poorly written, but I guess it adds to the mystique of making Nikons an acquired taste. I can grab a Pentax or Canon and usually very quickly get things set up for what I want to shoot, but if I grab a Nikon I have to fiddle away critical minutes trying to figure out what the mindset is for how to find and set things. Thanks for listening to my rant based on personal experience.

05-29-2011, 05:20 PM	#27
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452 Original Poster	Originally posted by twitch I managed to get a 95+% focus success rate this morning at soccer with my K-x, this time with a 50-135. It really is very very good on AF-C. I'm honestly not sure how a Nikon would be any better in the kind of situations I'm currently using my camera in. I think it's important to remember just how capable our Pentax cameras are as if you believe everything you read on the web you'd probably give up and not even attempt to shoot sports with a Pentax. Can you get one at 200mm at f2.8? The focus system is faster on my new camera, there's just no doubt. It also tracks the figure across the frame, Pentax can't do that, so if the figure slips off the centre point, the next point will automatically be used - it works! Plus I can whack on a tc and there's no difference to focus speed! I have done lots of sport with Pentax, and that's why I switched. As I said, for other things Pentax is right up there, just not sports for consistent production of quality photos. Yes you can get some goodies however. Originally posted by philbaum I agree fully. Its been said that the best processing software is the one you know how to use. Along those same lines, i think the best camera is the model that inspires one to go out and take pics (and one also know how to use :-)) People that feel better by trash talking other manufacturers of cameras are so pathetic - i mean like they should get a life that means something. I was getting above a 90% acceptance rate for my live theatre shooting with my K20, .... Yeah I got to know my camera very well, used them heaps. I'm definitely not trashing Pentax, as you can see in my 1st post. I did some theatrical dance with my Pentax and got heaps of goodies too, I'd imagine theatre, where they're not running straight at you at full speed, would be well handled by a Pentax, and very well so witht eh new sensors. Originally posted by dylansalt The K5 is certainly a lovely camera but Pentax certainly lacks lens choices for many (and some other features) which for many make the switch worthwhile. The Pentax 55-300 (I have it) can certainly produce some sublime images, but is no match for the Nikon 70-300 FF with re: tactile feel/quality of lens, autofocus speed and sharpness from 70-250. Pentax has nothing like the Nikon 16-85 consumer zoom which is only a tad off any primes performance in those focal ranges - its nothing short of phenomenal I have the 16-85 too, but haven't used it much yet, nice to hear that about it. Yeah choice is nice too, like TCs that work with the focus system. Originally posted by philbaum ...Features such as: weather proofing, quieter shutter (the D300s has a noisy shutter according to a friend of mine who shoots one), Yep, 2 of the things I miss, except the D300s is sealed, but nobody really seems to know how well. That's what's good about Pentax, they at least tell us.

05-29-2011, 06:49 PM	#28
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	Originally posted by Arpe Can you get one at 200mm at f2.8? The focus system is faster on my new camera, there's just no doubt. It also tracks the figure across the frame, Pentax can't do that, so if the figure slips off the centre point, the next point will automatically be used - it works! I suspect you are right on that point, I generally avoid f2.8 as I get sharper results at around f3.5 @ 135mm on the 50-135. I've also only ever used centre point only in AF-C mode, I haven't found it limiting yet so I've yet to try multi point and see if the AF can pass off focus from one point to the other, I have no idea if it can or can't.

05-29-2011, 08:48 PM	#29
steve1307 Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Sydney Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,130	I tried AF-C for the first time with some panning shots and some faster shutter at a motor racing circuit on the weekend. I only used centre focus point as always. It was pretty overcast & I used a DA70 mainly because that length suited where I was standing and I could open wider for some faster shots (1/1000) without having to push the ISO too high. When shooting 5fps at 1/1000 AF-C with the single centre point followed really well. With panning at 1/50 I got some OOF not so much from motion blur (whch are my doing of course) but from the focus changing from shot to shot. ie the first short in sequence was focused OK then the next 1 was OOF and the next was OK. I guess this was the AF-C not quite getting the focus distance quite in time between the slower shutter actuatons. At 1/500 or 1/1000 it was perfect even at 5fps with enough time for the DA70 to change the focus distance. I notice that that 50-135 is a bit slower to focus. AF-C with high shutter speed pretty much 100% shots in focus AF-C with 1/30 - 1/50 pan probably only 25% but nearly all of those were down to my lousy panning skills. (SR was OFF). I accidently left SR ON for some of the time and it was more like 2%. Funny thing, there was guy on the left of me with a D300s + 70-200 and another guy on my right with a 7D + 70-200. I didnt see any of their shots but neither of them were particularly happy. Maybe their arms were getting tired with all that extra weight. I didn't care, I was having a great time. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/lens-clubs/74194-da-limited-club-89.html#post1522289

05-29-2011, 10:19 PM	#30
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452 Original Poster	Originally posted by steve1307 AF-C with 1/30 - 1/50 pan probably only 25% but nearly all of those were down to my lousy panning skills. (SR was OFF). I accidently left SR ON for some of the time and it was more like 2%. Funny thing, there was guy on the left of me with a D300s + 70-200 and another guy on my right with a 7D + 70-200. I didnt see any of their shots but neither of them were particularly happy. Maybe their arms were getting tired with all that extra weight. I didn't care, I was having a great time. 1/50s is pretty slow so not surprised some didn't turn out! Wouldn't have mattered what gear you had for that. Yeah the extra weight is there alright. Your last sentence is what it's all about anyway so it's all good!