[BrianR]

Don't know if they were females and due to my inexperience, shutter was too slow but they were definitely running at me. The little guy was moving.

The grass behind the dog chasing the red frisbee seems to be in focus? This looks like a big focus 'miss' to me and seems to be a bigger problem than the shutter speed, but I'm only looking at a web-sized version.


I've long since given up on using auto focus to track anything moving fast, but I have an ancient camera (k100d) and slow focusing lenses. Manual focus plus timing it right has worked much better for me.

[rhodopsin]

I have two main needs that have emerged now. First:
Action shots. My nephews are really getting into the age of sports now, and while I can get good shots of them now, I can't help but feel I could get MORE good shots of them with another brand. Maybe I'm crazy but the Pentax lacks the confidence in focus that my sister's new Nikon has. (Keep in mind I have a K20D, not a 30 or 5-II or anything...) It's not even how fast it can spin the lens, it is the confidence and accuracy at which it spins it. You know? I don't care about a billion focus points, I could live with one if I needed to.

Newer cams have more "confident" AF...

Work videos: I want to record videos of using my app, others using my app, etc. I currently have NO video capability in my DSLR so I use my iPhone 5 for any video recording. It does ok. But nothing too special, no zoom, etc. If I bought a new camera today it would either be the K-5 or K30... So now the question is... Why would I?

Newer cams have Video features

Full frame doesn't matter, but having these two things suddenly be much more important to me, I can't help but feel my Pentax days are numbered... I love the brand, I love the way they feel, I wish Pentax could just come out with another camera to blow them all away, but I can't wait for that to happen the rest of my life. I hate that I'm even writing these words, but...

Newer cams from any manufacturer haven't improved that much, i.e., the wait could BE that long...

Is there another brand (Hoping Nikon) that would suit my needs well? Two BIG necessities are weather sealed and two dials, otherwise I'm pretty open.

Sure. Any brand of newer camera with those features will suit your needs (as stated) well.


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Reconcile

I love the brand, I love the way they feel, I wish Pentax

with

Is there another brand (Hoping Nikon)

i.e. wishing for Pentax, hoping for Nikon recommendations? Does this have anything to do with sister having a newer better camera?

[Na Horuk]

I think the premise of this thread is a bit odd. "My camera from 2008 (5 years old!) seems to not be as great as someone's new camera - it must be the brand"
With Canikon it seems to only be worth it (as in, better results than Pentax) when you buy their top notch gear. And if an iPhone is good enough for your video needs right now.. the K-5 will be better. And the K-30, too. I don't really understand why you think all new Pentax cams are the same as your 5 year old camera, but that all other brand cameras are better. But hey, have fun with Nikon, enjoy their forums as well

[kenyee]

Sorry, probably should have just checked the EXIF. By "rear AF" you mean the dedicated AF button?

I use this w/ my K20D as well...helps indoors. Prefocus using the AF-ON button, and leave it in AF-C so you can trip the shutter whenever you want. Basically, you end up predicting your subject instead of the camera. If you have large enough DOF, it works fine...

And ditto what folks have said about low end Canikon not having great AF systems. Canon's best AF system is in their 1D series...that's what gave them their reputation...their lower end ones aren't great. Nikon's best AF system is in their D300 and up though it seems they stuck part of that system in the D7100. Their lower systems aren't great, but are still slightly better than our K20D systems'...

[Ponosby Britt]

The grass behind the dog chasing the red frisbee seems to be in focus? This looks like a big focus 'miss' to me and seems to be a bigger problem than the shutter speed, but I'm only looking at a web-sized version. .

DoF for that shot was around 2 ft., about the area of the grass in focus around the dog. It was a brutally bright day and my point was, I could focus on the little bitty dog in a sea of green as he was flying towards me and the frisbee. Notice the frisbee is OOF.

My shutter speed should've been double, plenty of light, my inexperience shooting Frisbee dogs. If I did this a lot, they'd be better but I'd still expect to toss a lot. Its not a great shot but it does illustrate the capablity. It ain't the gear, it was me. I'd use any other brand of camera the same way.

This question comes up a lot on these forums. If you shoot stuff like this a lot, you'll figure out how to shoot it. Doing this once in awhile on a weekend is fun but its not enough to get good at it. Here's a dance shot at 6400, with the infamous low tungsten light levels. No planning here, I was moving around, watching. I shoot rehearsals to learn the choreography. I have some experience with this, probably 40K+ exposures a year.

[pentaxian_tmb]

Not professional quality by any means, but I found my K-20 more than adequate with action shots.






In my limited experience, the trick to action shots is to try and pre-focus and then shoot away.

[BrianR]

DoF for that shot was around 2 ft., about the area of the grass in focus around the dog. It was a brutally bright day and my point was, I could focus on the little bitty dog in a sea of green as he was flying towards me and the frisbee. Notice the frisbee is OOF.

I think most or all of that 2ft DoF is located behind the dog though. The grass behind it looks way more in focus than the grass under it. To me that's a miss.

This question comes up a lot on these forums. If you shoot stuff like this a lot, you'll figure out how to shoot it. Doing this once in awhile on a weekend is fun but its not enough to get good at it.

For sure. Learning how to get the most out of your equipment is worth more than upgrading to the newest shiniest model, and that practice has the bonus of carrying over to the new shiny model when the time comes.

[normhead]

I don't know how I get the shots I do, using huge focus points (by the way, the fact that some people say they are huge, doesn't make it true. When manual foucssing I've seen my focus point move around inside the areas that are supposed to be one huge focal point. That fact that someone says it's true doesn't make it true)







The ones of Tripper chasing the ball, was a sequence of 6 shots in burst mode, 6 of the shots were in clear focus, which is about the same success rate you can get with a Caonon or Nikon on a stationary target. I honestly can't believe how many people who don't know how to get a decent shot out of their cameras post on forums like this as if it's the cameras fault. It's not the camera, it's you. YOu know who you are and some lf you posted in this thread. You have a lot of nerve coming some place like this where people have produced all kinds of incredible shots with exactly the gear you are criticizing.

SO let me give you some pointers.

That shot of Tripper was taken with a K-5, before the improved auto-focus of the K-30 and K-5 II.
It was shot with a very fast lens. 50 mm 1.7. Believe it or not, the amount of light affects how your sensor responds.
Shoot 1/1000 or better to minimize motion blur.

A pile of the negative stuff posted above, they aren't worth responding to. It's just not worth my time to preach to the ignorant. I've shot action shots with manual focus, and these guys are trying to tell you there's an auto-focus system that makes them miss? I don't doubt that they miss. But I put that off as poor technique or slow lenses. Not something built into the camera.

[Ponosby Britt]

A pile of the negative stuff posted above, they aren't worth responding to. It's just not worth my time to preach to the ignorant. I've shot action shots with manual focus, and these guys are trying to tell you there's an auto-focus system that makes them miss? I don't doubt that they miss. But I put that off as poor technique or slow lenses. Not something built into the camera.

Amen, brother, amen.

[mikeSF]

Once upon a time, I looked at people who didn't shoot Pentax and thought they were on something. Now I think they're onto ...

Is there another brand (Hoping Nikon) that would suit my needs well? Two BIG necessities are weather sealed and two dials, otherwise I'm pretty open.

I know we sometimes read reviews that extol another platform's better AF capability or whatnot. Keep in mind that same camera is probably lacking in some other feature, ie weather sealing, in-body shake reduction, etc, so don't get too excited that you will automatically experience an upgrade just by virtue of switching brands. I have many photography friends and NONE of them shoot Pentax and I swear every time I pick up one of their cameras and prepare to be impressed, I actually feel like they are missing out.

You mention action shooting and I bet there are other systems that excel in faster acquisition or more complete frame coverage, so perhaps you can find a system more fitting for your shooting style, and coming from a K20, you will be pleased with any upgrade, even to Pentax. Good luck in the search!

[mcnicko]

Find someone with a Nikon D90 or D80, swap cameras for a day with similar lenses. That will tell you if you'd be better off with a nikon, d90/80 are the equivalent to k20/10. I personally find that Pentax cameras are easier and more comfortable to use and a lot more intuitive.

In general if you find a D90 easier to use than your K20, then a D7000 would probably be more suitable to you than a K5. Keep in mind I have friends that use nikon and canon and all of them find that my K10d is more ergonomic and comfortable to use than their bodies.

[snake]

Well, I'd hate to call my K20D "ancient" but I do understand your point. I'm more so basing my opinion on current Pentax on all those on here who have them. People call the sensor points "dinner plate sized" and the focus speed "molasses" so it's a bit troubling. If I'm dropping a bunch of money into a system again, I need to know it's right for me, make sense?

I hate the way the Canon bodies look/feel but maybe I'd just need to get used to it...

I agree with you on the focus point size and find it to be the biggest handicap.

Speed is quite good, but I'm using ok lenses for that. It's far from "Molasses", I can say that with certainty.

On the original K-5, I deal with FF under dark conditions with the FA35. Said to have been resolved with the new II version AF system, but it appears the large AF points remain.

The problem with the AF points is that they are large in the display, yes, but the actual AF area is larger than the point. Much larger. I don't know if they are trying to assume the role of multiple points, which essentially this mimics with such large areas dedicated to a single point, but it is sometimes crippling. Not all the time, but at times, yes.

I'm able to adapt and knowingly bought the K-5 with these drawbacks in mind, despite having used the D7000 (whose AF is a bit better, but the major difference remains as the AF point size).

I also use the 5DII example a lot, as it's responsible for some of the world's greatest shots over the last few years, and its AF performance isn't that great. Comparable to Pentax in certain conditions. Yet it got the shots because people were using the cams and figured them out.

[TrueFocus]

These are Pentax forums, we love Pentax
Each system has its pros and cons, you should know that there is no perfect camera.
Most DSLR users don't use their camera to the full potential and blame it on the gear.

AF is VERY dependant on the lens used (CA's, AF motor, f-stop) so you would be best off testing the exact camera/lens combination you want to purchase.

I haven't had problems with AF on my K-5 yet, the .13 firmware update improved the focusing speed a lot. It seems to just snap into focus now. (Screw-drive AF)

[Louicio]

I know we sometimes read reviews that extol another platform's better AF capability or whatnot. Keep in mind that same camera is probably lacking in some other feature, ie weather sealing, in-body shake reduction, etc, so don't get too excited that you will automatically experience an upgrade just by virtue of switching brands. I have many photography friends and NONE of them shoot Pentax and I swear every time I pick up one of their cameras and prepare to be impressed, I actually feel like they are missing out.

So true, I used a friends D7000 once and while it was a nice camera, it struggled to focus on an off-centre focus point in a slightly dim room.

To the OP: Play with some new bodies, see what you like. Base your choice on what suits you. Keep in mind Pentax have new camera models coming and they should represent a vast step forward and maybe what you are looking for without spending heaps of cash switching brands.

[Alizarine]

d90/80 are the equivalent to k20/10.

Size-wise, maybe, but in terms of performance, the entry-level K-x is closer than K20/K10.