You're right, that was just silly of me

Yes Sir, it probably was.

I just wonder if you actually even own a piece of Pentax Gear. Or, if your entire purpose of being here is to troll.

Based on the fact that you have furnished no information concerning any gear that you own, I rather suspect that your only purpose is that of......

Well, sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all......

[Wheatfield]

I own several pieces of Pentax gear.

Attachment 12676

This is a fairly recent shot of my small format fleet. It has grown slightly since this picture was taken.
I'm now up to three DSLR bodies (*istD, K10 & K20), as well 8 35mm K-Mount bodies in total (three LX, a black MX, black ME Super, Program Plus (I like black bodies), as well as a K1000 and KM and some screw mount gear (not shown).
Focal lengths range from the 10-17 fisheye zoom through to the A600mm f/5.6 telephoto.
Also I own a 6x7 and 8 lenses, not shown.
I also shoot 4x5, but that's off topic :-)

This is not to say I'm not a troll, I do sometimes come off that way, but when I get back on my meds I seem to normalize, and mostly I am likable and entertaining, with bursts of assholiness from time to time.

[PentaxPoke]

Where did this myth start that Pentax AF is significantly slower than N or C? Even if you use Popphoto data, the D3, yes I said the "Best Ever" $5,000 D3, is only 10% faster in AF at EV6, than the k10d. They didn't even test the k20d! Also that test was done with the FA 50mm lens, whereas the N tests were with USM lenses. That is a factor of 10 in price for a 10% AF improvement. Give me a break.

For those not familiar, EV 6 would be equivalent to f2.8 at a 1/8 shutter speed. That is low light!

[*isteve]

Canon had a manufacturing glitch in the AF sub mirror assembly which affected the AF in some situations from what I've been able to glean off the Canon forums.
This doesn't look like a cover up to me, though YMMV:
Canon 1D MKIII Autofocus- Interactive Review - Pro Photo HOME

Strange how your answer matches exactly the one I got from a Canon rep six months ago. Actually it turned out to affect ALL bodies and no it did not entirely fix the problem for many users and when Chasseur DImage reported the issue before they had owned up to it Canon threatened to withdraw all their advertising (and actually did).

Perhaps you should pick a few posts at random from dpreview or simply talk to some disgruntled users as I have and you'd figure out that things are not all well at Canon land.

Or read this which postdates your ref by some months....
Digital Photography - UPDATE: Canon 1D MKIII Autofocus Problems - National Geographic Magazine - NGM.com

Sorry I have nothing personal against Canon since I am unaffected, but YOU should be careful about using the "fanboy" epithet when you sound like a Canon fanboy.

[morfic]

Wheatfield:
So since Pentax has no model comparable to the 1D series, it suddenly is ok to compare a xxD model series with a 1D series? I mean it's what you do. By calling both the flag ship.
Would there be people out there who would love if the K30D is accompanied by a K3D for their professional needs? You bet.
Considering how bad Pentax is, does this mean you bought all this crap knowing it's bad?

I own several pieces of Pentax gear.

I stand corrected.

[Cam Traviss]

I own several pieces of Pentax gear.

Attachment 12676

This is a fairly recent shot of my small format fleet. It has grown slightly since this picture was taken.
I'm now up to three DSLR bodies (*istD, K10 & K20), as well 8 35mm K-Mount bodies in total (three LX, a black MX, black ME Super, Program Plus (I like black bodies), as well as a K1000 and KM and some screw mount gear (not shown).
Focal lengths range from the 10-17 fisheye zoom through to the A600mm f/5.6 telephoto.
Also I own a 6x7 and 8 lenses, not shown.
I also shoot 4x5, but that's off topic :-)

This is not to say I'm not a troll, I do sometimes come off that way, but when I get back on my meds I seem to normalize, and mostly I am likable and entertaining, with bursts of assholiness from time to time.

That Picture was the Best Comeback EVER !!!!!
God, that was BEAUTIFUL !!

ha ha haaa!!!

[KL Matt]

Try using the AF button for activating AF, not cancelling it. That way your trigger finder and AF are separate but you can release the shutter immediately at any time. Hitting the AF button once very shortly has the effect you are looking for - the camera stops wherever it thinks it's found a lock and doesn't double check. Often, the first guess is very accurate.

I used to have a K10D and one of the really bothersome things about it was AFS was always focus priority. Which was rather annoying for low-light shooting. Yeah, I know AFC has release priority, but I want the focus to just lock in and stay. And I want it to take a picture when I tell it. I know about using the AF button on the back to cancel the AF so that I can actually fire the shutter, but really, losing about half a second for that is somewhat frustrating.

So yeah... still can't configure release priority in AFS mode?

[falconeye]

I own several pieces of Pentax gear.
[...] This is a fairly recent shot of my small format fleet.

Hahaha.

Now, with all that tension removed from the thread and AF as a topic...

let me make reference to
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/25521-magazine-review-...good-info.html
probably the most accurate examination to date (and already discussed to death in the forum).

(the test says: K20D AF.C is good enough but not the best... (nor Nikon, nor Canon))

@Wheatfield: For your dog... the above test shows that 100km/h straight into the camera with 135mm SDM is about the limit with centre focus AF.C (25% misses in burst mode). Some animals are this fast, dogs typically aren't (I don't know for yours, of course). So, I guess that there should be some lens in your astonishing collection which actually could grab your dog running using the K20D. Its on the edge but should be feasible. Keep us posted about your findings.

BTW: some examination about the best lens for AF.C would be a valuable piece of information anyway.

[lol101]

I own several pieces of Pentax gear.


This is a fairly recent shot of my small format fleet. It has grown slightly since this picture was taken.
I'm now up to three DSLR bodies (*istD, K10 & K20), as well 8 35mm K-Mount bodies in total (three LX, a black MX, black ME Super, Program Plus (I like black bodies), as well as a K1000 and KM and some screw mount gear (not shown).
Focal lengths range from the 10-17 fisheye zoom through to the A600mm f/5.6 telephoto.
Also I own a 6x7 and 8 lenses, not shown.
I also shoot 4x5, but that's off topic :-)

This is not to say I'm not a troll, I do sometimes come off that way, but when I get back on my meds I seem to normalize, and mostly I am likable and entertaining, with bursts of assholiness from time to time.

Wheatfield, let me embarass you by stating that I am begining to like you very much!

Lucky for you you weren't within reach or I would have kissed you on both cheeks!

Of course, we will still need to see proper proofs of purchase for all these, just to be on the safe side and establish that you're not some Canon fanboy in disguise, but my intuition tells me that you're OK!



... and by the way I aslo own Canon gear and AF is indeed sizeably better on those than on my Pentaxes although your initial one-liner was clearly an overstatement.

So, it appears that Pentax's AF is very good, Canon's AF is excellent, none of them is perfect and each of them is making progress every year: how's that for being consensual?

[Big Dave]

Well said. I was just thinking the same thing, although without as much detail. Everything is a trade off. Thanks for the reality check.

Dave

The contrast in attitudes in this forum is mind boggling, did someone really just compare a $1100 camera's performance with a $4000 camera?
The guy with the $4k camera would also likely shoot with a USM lens.
So, don't expect wonders from a 40D w/o USM lens either. (although i can only for sure say that the 30D AF is nothing to knock your socks off, i am sure the 40D AF is not that much better) (Tip: Not every portrait lens Canon made is meant to be suitable for sports either (Re: 77 Limited))

....Maybe i shouldn't even reply to any such comments, i just couldn't help it.

[Wheatfield]

Wheatfield, let me embarass you by stating that I am begining to like you very much!

Lucky for you you weren't within reach or I would have kissed you on both cheeks!

Of course, we will still need to see proper proofs of purchase for all these, just to be on the safe side and establish that you're not some Canon fanboy in disguise, but my intuition tells me that you're OK!



... and by the way I aslo own Canon gear and AF is indeed sizeably better on those than on my Pentaxes although your initial one-liner was clearly an overstatement.

So, it appears that Pentax's AF is very good, Canon's AF is excellent, none of them is perfect and each of them is making progress every year: how's that for being consensual?

Sure works for me.

Now, let me tell you why I think comparing a $1200.00 camera (K20) to a $5000.00 (Canon EOS1D) is a valid one.
First, forget about the manufacturing issues in the Canon, you can be assured that an EOD1D MkIV won't have anything wrong. Canon likely isn't stupid enough to let that happen again.

The comparison, while grossly unfair to the Pentax on the surface is still one that needs to be made. It's my way of saying "Look Pentax, this is what the state of the art is. This is what we want in our cameras. This is the kind of performance and build quality that we find desirable". It's not just about AF performance, or frame rates, or buffer speeds, it's about the entire package.
It's about a camera that is rugged enough to take a hit from falling off a tripod and not breaking, as much as it's about 27 full frames per second, and so many focus points you can't see the subject for the squares on the focus screen.

Is the K20 a good camera for the money? You bet your ass it is. I'll never argue otherwise. Could it be a much better camera for not much more money? I'd say yes, for sure it could be. Can Pentax put a world class camera on the market to compete with the best that the big boys in the sandbox can make?
Again, I say yes, they can, and I bet they'd sell every one that they made.
Is it likely to happen?
If we are satisfied with a K20 class chassis and don't demand more, then no, it isn't likely. We'll see incremental improvements, but we won't see major quantum leaps in build and performance.
If we don't demand it, they won't risk doing it.
But if they do it, we'd better be ready with our wallets to back them up, they won't do it twice if we don't.
Do I admit that the law of diminishing returns comes into play? Absolutely. World class costs money, a 20% performance and build quality increase would probably add 50% or more to the street price.
I think it would be worth it though, not just so I can photograph my little rocket sled of a dog, but for the same reason most of those expensive Nikons and Canons exist, which is because it is nice to own and use the very best that money can buy.
It's why I bought Pentax in the first place. As far as I am concerned, their lenses are the very best that money can buy.
It's why I own both a 77mmLTD and an A*85/1.4. It's why I own at least 8 50mm lenses, a 31mm lens and two 35mm lenses. It's why I have an A100mm/2.8 macro and an FA200/4 Macro. It's why I have an A15mm/3.5 and a DA14mm/2.8.
It's why I have an F*300/4.5 and a A600/5.6.
It's why I own 5 Limited lenses, and it's why I sought out black 31 and 77 mm lenses to replace my chrome ones.
I like owning and using the best that there is, and I consider lenses like these to be unsurpassed in image and build quality.
And Bella thinks so too.....
K10, A85 f/1.4

[barondla]

Love to own the A600 5.6. Would be a little afraid to stand it with the big glass at top, as in picture. Don't want it falling over.
thanks
barondla

Enter POINT &SHOOT CONTEST # 7 in P&S forum. Any type cameraexcept slr. Any brand. Any subject.

[jgredline]

Where the rubber meets the road.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/24297-k20d-da-impresive.html

I will tell you what. As I use the K20D more and more the more it impresses me...AFC is really fast and accurate...I also believe it to be faster than the rated 3FPS ....























For you Rice high disciples,
May I suggest you learn to use your equipment before you go bashing it....

[jgredline]

Here is a gif a friend of mine made using the still....