Originally posted by maxfield_photo I agree with the OP, but it's not the number of focus points with which I have an issue, it's the spread. Focus and recompose is fine for most combinations of aperture and subject distance, but when you try to shoot a head and shoulders portrait at f/1.4 even a very small change in angle can shift the plane of critical focus away from the eyes. I admit it, I like cutting the tops of people's heads off. Putting the eyes close to the edge of the frame gives the picture a certain tension. So I'd like to see the 33 points spread over a wider area, but I guess using the points as they are now will force me to shoot a little looser which I can afford to do with a 36mp sensor. It's not a deal breaker for me, just my 'druthers.
I agree, the number is not so important as is the spread. I to like using the impact points for three rule of thirds and find it hard when using large apertures or am at the extremes of the depth of field to focus and recompose. Most of the time it works fine to focus and recompose but those times when it doesn't it's very frustrating.
Focus and recompose worked great with film as the levels of sharpness required where not as hight to obtain an acceptably sharp photo due to the limitations of the film medium itself. Now with 20, 24 36mp and beyond sensors, sharpness has reach a whole new level. This especially true for cameras like the k3 that expose the many flaws in one's technique.
Does this make me want to jump ship to another brand? No. There are to many pluses to pentax to want to do that. Does it make it less frustrating when then brands or my own limitations cause me to me to miss a shot? No.