[Picture Imperfect]

This last weekend the US Marines held an airshow at the local marine base, Miramar, just north of San Diego, CA. They've done this for 20 some years after taking the base over from the US Navy. The movie "Top Gun" had scenes filmed at Miramar when the base was still a navy one. I've gone to several of the shows since they are free and feature numerous flight performances along with static attractions. The highlight of the airshow is, of course, the Blue Angels. For those not familiar with them, the Blue Angels is a US Navy precision flight demonstration team just like the Red Arrows or White Knights. You can Youtube any of the teams to watch them in action. Anyway, as certain as death and taxes, my 55-300 will lose focus on an aircraft with a hearty zzzzzzzzzzzzzt zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt costing me a shot. This happens with the Blue Angels, aerobatic biplanes, WWII warbirds, etc. If it flies, it zzzzzzzzzzzzzzts though this behavior occurs more frequently with modern jets, due I believe to the difficulty in tracking their higher speeds. My 55-300 is the original series lens bought in mid 2011 or so.

Now its not really the lens that is at fault here since it is only responding to how the camera is controlling it. In my case the camera has been a K-5 bought spring of 2011. I've always used the center AF select point and tried both AF-S and -C but always with the same result: zzzzzzzzzzzt zzzzzzzzzzt. My keyboard "Z" key is not going to survive this post I fear.


This year I decided to try something different and took my K200D instead of the K-5 (yes, I have a K200D and no you can't have it) to see if the problem was camera related. Initially I used the center point and was rewarded with more zzzzzz's. Then for fun and games I switched to AUTO point selection and to my amazement the hunting was almost eliminated. The lens would hunt when I tried focusing on far away dot sized aircraft but by the time the aircraft were identifiable in the viewfinder the K200D was locked on tight and rarely lost focus. But even with a good track there were a number of out of focus shots and a goodly number of slightly soft shots though this may be more due to the lens and my technique than a focusing issue. Overall though the focusing and tracking was better in AUTO so I'm going to have to experiment with that on the K-5.

As a side note, the navy use to hold the same airshow in one of the hottest months in San Diego - August - invariably on the hottest weekend in August. I don't know why, but there is a saying that is so true: There is a right way, a wrong way, and the navy way.

[sergysergy]

The original 55-300 isn't the too good at fast focusing and planes can be a challenging test. It is also true that it is a very capable lens and I love mine.

[UncleVanya]

Using back button and quick shift can help. That lens can be a bear to recover missed focus.

[Picture Imperfect]

Using back button and quick shift can help. That lens can be a bear to recover missed focus.

I like the pictures from it and find it decently sharp out to 200 mm but I got it specifically for airshows so the hunting behavior really messes things up.

I'm surprised that the one focus mode that I thought wouldn't do anything actually worked quite well. Even with the aircraft down low in ground clutter (spectators) I only needed to lift the view up above their heads and the AUTO point focus mode would lock on the aircraft with the lowest focus points.

Prior to using Auto I was stretching a finger out to the focus ring to catch it when the lens started hunting. The lens would still want to hunt after being manually refocused though. I have the focus set to the OK button but am undecided if I want to go back to the shutter button for focusing with both the 5 and 200.

[UncleVanya]

I like the pictures from it and find it decently sharp out to 200 mm but I got it specifically for airshows so the hunting behavior really messes things up.

I'm surprised that the one focus mode that I thought wouldn't do anything actually worked quite well. Even with the aircraft down low in ground clutter (spectators) I only needed to lift the view up above their heads and the AUTO point focus mode would lock on the aircraft with the lowest focus points.

Prior to using Auto I was stretching a finger out to the focus ring to catch it when the lens started hunting. The lens would still want to hunt after being manually refocused though. I have the focus set to the OK button but am undecided if I want to go back to the shutter button for focusing with both the 5 and 200.

The plm lens is revolutionary from what I've seen in videos. Sadly it won't work on those bodies.

[Picture Imperfect]

Long term plan is to get an up to date camera next year so that will take care of the PLM problem. The KP is real close to what I like but I really want a top lcd. What I really really want is a shake reduction switch like on the K200D but it doesn't look like Pentax will ever reintroduce it.

The PLM is a mixed bag for me. I'd want the long end to be a bit longer and would like to see that end optimized for sharpness rather than the short end. On the other hand it isn't that expensive and if it focus hunts, it should be fast enough not to be an issue. I'm really looking forward to the telephoto zoom due for release in 2019 and wish the Ricoh officials had given some details on this lens at the PF meeting.

[SpecialK]

My missed airshow shots with the K-5/Sigma 150-500 is what started me leaving Pentax. Ironically I have not gone to an airshow in a few years even though the Canon/Tamron combo works fine.

[DeadJohn]

What I really really want is a shake reduction switch like on the K200D but it doesn't look like Pentax will ever reintroduce it.

On my K-1 I customized the RAW/FX button to toggle shake reduction. The KP might allow a similar choice. (The K-5 regrettably does not.)

[JensE]

And then there is the switchable wheel ... standard on K-1, a C-option on KP.

[steve_k]

I was stationed at Miramar when they made Top Gun. The air shows were great. Wish I had a camera back then. In regards to the weather I think I would take San Diego over the New York Metro area in August. I think I would take San Diego anytime of the year except for fall. Just can’t beat New England in the fall.

[honey bo bo]

I've always used the center AF select point and tried both AF-S and -C but always with the same result: zzzzzzzzzzzt zzzzzzzzzzt.

I had the same happen to me both with the HD WR & HD WR PLM even with back focus. You either have to broaden the focal area or pre-focus on infinity or a particular point. The camera is not able to focus on sky and it takes you & the camera a split second before you hit the target 9.9 times out of 10 on spot focus.

[Cee Cee]

The PLM is a mixed bag for me. I'd want the long end to be a bit longer and would like to see that end optimized for sharpness rather than the short end. On the other hand it isn't that expensive and if it focus hunts, it should be fast enough not to be an issue. I'm really looking forward to the telephoto zoom due for release in 2019 and wish the Ricoh officials had given some details on this lens at the PF meeting.

I don't think it's a deliberate choice to optimise the short end at the expense of the long end, nor is it possible to optimise the other way around, that's just not what happens in lens design. I would think the long end is already optimised to be the best that it can be but the short end will always be better, that's just optics. Not that I'm an expert, just what I've read.

I've used that lens at a few air shows and hunting is a cause of frustration for sure if you miss the target with spot focus, even if you hit the target "spot on" it will often still hunt. I'll have to try your method next time, cheers

[Ex Finn.]

My keyboard "Z" key is not going to survive this post I fear.

Lol. I had lots of air-show keepers with the K-5 55-300 combo, took plenty of practice and learning how it would behave during different scenes.
I also had lot of missed shots, QS helped but that lens is not for fast moving aircraft. Have not used the PLM, hear good things about it.
The KP with 150-450 is pretty good.

[Picture Imperfect]

I always thought zooms were designed for an optimized range, didn't know the range started at the short end. Yet UWA zooms work best at the long end. Life just isn't fair.

Honey bo bo, great action shots! The problem I have is that an aircraft would be the size of the two birds with the center focus point right in the middle and the lens would still lose focus and hunt back and forth. It happens so often I'm beginning to believe the focus is on a timer and after a few seconds it resets. Pre-focus would be difficult with the Blue Angels since the jets can pass by in numerous directions and altitudes and I like to focus (pun not intended) on the nearest one for a pic.

Well, have another year till the next airshow and hopefully by then we'll know something about new Pentax camera(s) and the tele zoom on the roadmap for 2019.

[honey bo bo]

No magic the lens has to have some detail to focus on and the detail has to be in the focusing area you have chosen to use. I have never had a miss if my spot or my 9 point has hit the target. If it misses the target then it hunts briefly and goes to a neutral focal point until I give it something to focus on again ( I Will pre-pick something big @ infinity so I can quickly get general focusing back) . Thats with my HD 55-300 WR , HD 55-300 WR PLM & Sigma APO DG 150-500 . Thats clear sky, snow , water etc all have to have some kind of detail and depending on the quality of your equipment how little detail is needed and how fast it will focus that will determine "In Focus". Pentax & Sigma are excellent in my opinion. Low light is my only problem and I'm not willing to spend Tens of Thousands of dollars to buy a fast telephoto. Besides 8 times out of 10 I can work around low light anyways.

---------- Post added 10-02-18 at 09:54 PM ----------

The problem I have is that an aircraft would be the size of the two birds with the center focus point right in the middle and the lens would still lose focus and hunt back and forth.

The only time that happens to me is in really low light. Maybe something wrong with your lenses. I use back focus all the time so infinity on distant subjects locks in and doesn't reset every time I push the shutter button. I confirm every chance I can lock in on the target without losing focus . (works about 9 of 10 times)