[tromboads]

Had a ball down at Philip Island on the weekend with a local historic car meet. Sadly I arrived (and without a ND filter) so my shots were a little limited, ANYWAY!

With my K5, I had my DA200 and a DA50-135, having hear everyone tell me how rubbish it would be I was expecting to use them like I had my Taks previous, compose an part of the track I want a car in, wait for the car to enter, CLICK CLICK CLICK.

I was able to use AF-C to track them from corner entry, down out of the corner, all day long. I set my AF point to the right hand side (because that's usually where in the frame I wanted stuff) and it worked fine. As for speeds of auto-focus, I couldn't tell them apart, OH! both the DA200 and DA50-135 have been converted to screw driver.

Have some low res JPEGS;

A110
http://i.imgur.com/SXnXSlg.jpg

Yellow Mellow
http://imgur.com/6hzNdtw.jpg

Wrong way go back
http://imgur.com/FjqoosL.jpg

Just a little outside wheel
http://imgur.com/Gwp2VQa.jpg

Actually that turned out to be far worse :P
http://imgur.com/d7JojNO.jpg

Go chase things with your "crappy" AF cameras everyone.

[BullsOnParade81]

Great action shots. Proving Pentax can autofocus fast moving objects.

[hcc]

+1. Great shots and good testimony on Pentax AF.

[rawr]

No, impossible.

I've been told on PentaxForums that Pentax can't AF on things moving towards or away from the camera, and can only (at best) focus on stuff moving slowly side-to-side across the frame.

[Paul the Sunman]

Had a ball down at Philip Island on the weekend with a local historic car meet.

I was down there yesterday too, stalking wildlife in the Rhyll wetlands. I wondered what all that engine noise was! Great light for photography.

[mee]

No, impossible.

I've been told on PentaxForums that Pentax can't AF on things moving towards or away from the camera, and can only (at best) focus on stuff moving slowly side-to-side across the frame.

The issue/complaints I've seen have been with consistent focus throughout a burst. Say a 10 shot burst.

Throwing up single shots where the camera locked focus isn't proof one way or the other about the tracking abilities in Pentax DSLRs.

I've never had a major issue with locking of focus initially... the issue has been with maintaining focus once 'locked' on.. especially with erratic objects.

[johnmflores]

Pentax AF is fine for personal projects and stuff but if I'm being paid to capture the last corner pass or the winning score or the knockout punch I'm going with Nikon or Canon.

[tromboads]

Mee,
My thumb was well depressing the AF button as it tracked the car and I panned my camera till it was in the position of where I wanted to take it's picture. I'm not sure what more I could ask for really?

John,
By all means.

Paul,
I have a red face / shoulders and neck in testament to how wonderful the sun was that afternoon :P

Rawr,
Yeah shhhh I'm secretly a cheating wizard.

Everyone else,
It's so easy to just read the hype and x y z review and have a conclusion made for you. Back in reality, it does what it says on the tin. So no problem. Only it's so much fun to compare numbers. It's all just measuring bee dicks afterwards when it just, you know, works.

[clackers]

Pentax AF is fine for personal projects and stuff but if I'm being paid to capture the last corner pass or the winning score or the knockout punch I'm going with Nikon or Canon.

Unlike you, I think Tromboads has done a great job, John.

Despite what you say, I would have no worries about getting the crunch pic with Pentax as I did here.

International sprinter Caleb Ewan is doing in excess of 50kmh towards the camera.

[tromboads]

You must be a wizard to Clackers.

[rawr]

I suspect wizardry isn't really at work. The current Pentax gear is usually up to the task most times.

Reminds me that I need to update my flickr with some recent K-1 action shots, but for example some K-3 shots:


MotoX Trio in orange - North Coast Road Racers, on Flickr
K-3 Sigma 70-200 HSM II


Day 2 - Car 40 - Celica - Beaury South stage, on Flickr
K-3 Sigma 70-200 HSM II


Day 3 - Car 0 - Happy Valley stage , on Flickr
K-3 DA*300mm

[tromboads]

The official gets a 2 door corolla? Neat.

Again , I can't believe my eyes. What is this sacrilege you show before me of shots of things moving in focus! I just refuse to believe it. "LA LA LA ALALALALA!"

[nosliwmit]

The official gets a 2 door corolla? Neat.

Again , I can't believe my eyes. What is this sacrilege you show before me of shots of things moving in focus! I just refuse to believe it. "LA LA LA ALALALALA!"

I think it's a Nissan Sunny. My first car was a '71 Sunny. 1.428 screaming liters of raw 4-banger power!

[tromboads]

Oh goodness you are totally correct. They were Datsun 1200's here. And they are worth proper money now too.

[rawr]

My first car was a '71 Sunny. 1.428 screaming liters of raw 4-banger power!

My first car - a 1.289 cc Renault 12, which I paid the reduced price of $500 - $250 - $50 at a local car dealer, as marked on the windscreen when I drove it away - would be jealous.