[RiceHigh]

BTW my AF PINT OFFSET is the following.. (maybe someone might know if this is consistent with other models on K10D)

AF PINT OFFSET.
ICCD PINT: 4[UM]
OBJ 2M : 6[UM]
PINT SHIFT : 0[UM]

So, it's the default value (of zero) for the AF offset.

To adjust, when you have entered into the debug mode, set it to "EN" (enable or enter, I guess) from "DIS" (display). Then go to the "Setup" menu as usual, three more items will display.

Go to the "AF Test" and then enter the "AF Corr", enter -ve value for Front Focusing or +ve value for Back Focusing until you can get accurate results with your *particular* lens. Do note that for tungsten light you will need to enter more -ve than that of under daylight, so be aware of this case.

Remember to set back the debug mode to "DIS" finally or the LCD will always turn on and battery power will be wasted.

[PDL]

If you do not like how AF works - disable it. -- In Custom controls there is a switch to de-couple AF from the shutter button (first thing I did with my K10D) and turn off the da*n beep. I use AF but it works only when I press the AF button. I also set the center AF point to be the only one - so I point the camera at what I want to be in focus - hit the AF button - then compose the scene --- just like I do with my old 35mm SLR's from the 70's.

Be aware however, than when shooting wide open the DOF is usually very shallow. SR works well if you shake left - right and rotate (x,y) in the plane of the sensor. If you move back and forth (z) -- all the SR in the world will not make a hill of beans different. Use a tripod.

What mode do you have the camera set in?
Landscape => forground OOF background in focus --- back focus
Macro => forground in focus background OOF -- front focus
This is all stated in the manual (at least for my *ist Ds)

Back in the old days - when lenses had DOF markings and manual focus - we used to manipulate the DOF to provide us with better images --- With my old 28mm I could shoot at f22 set the infinity mark at the far end of the DOF and have the near part of the DOF be at less than 1 meter. One thing I really dislike about AF based cameras is that they have taken away another level of control. Download DOF master Hyperfocal Distance and Depth of Field Calculator - DOFMaster - it's free - play with it and get an idea of what DOF is all about.

Deep-Thought sends it's regards (although I am on Distant-Thought now)
PDL

[nosnoop]

i focus on the green led it should look like this..
the green stub on the leaf with the arrow pointing should be..

In many of your test shots, The area you are trying to focus on is very small (the LED on the mic). Do note that the focus sensor is quite large - the center focus sensor occupies almost the whole circle mark in your viewfinder. Certainly much larger than the red LED focal indicator would suggest.

So it is very easy for the focus sensor to pick up the surrounding in your shots instead of your intended target. That's why you get inconsistent results. If it has Front focusing or back focusing, you should be able to reproduce this easily and consistently shot after shot.

It looks like technique rather than a camera problem.

[jfdavis58]

The OP here appears to be a fraud: perhaps a shill or shill-wannabe of Mr. Ricehigh. Within the last hour or so, "Akcelik" has posted a vile, baseless slam of the K10d on DPReview citing auto-focus issues, poor (yellow) light problems and conjecture about the hopelessness of the situation wrt a firmware upgrade and generally encouraging a dispair all K10 owners should be feeling. He references this thread.

Upon seeing "Akcelik's" thankful reply to Mr. Ricehigh for his 'informative' material I was sorely tempted to withdraw by deletion all my responses to this thread. There is good information offered by good people that would suffer from such a deletion. I'll leave well-enough-alone. The deceitful start and nonsensical parts can be easily and well vetted by even the most junior members---those parts should be ignored.

[roentarre]

He references this thread.

I was sorely tempted to withdraw by deletion all my responses to this thread. There is good information offered by good people that would suffer from such a deletion. I'll leave well-enough-alone. The deceitful start and nonsensical parts can be easily and well vetted by even the most junior members---those parts should be ignored.

I just read that post and I felt for you, John.

k10d is a bargain for what it can do and the hype surrounding k10d does not mean it is fool proof. Afterall, the personal experience is a subjective thing: just like starting to learn to drive a car often makes the driver blame on everything else execept the driver him/herself: stiff gear, uneven roads, bads signs, or even an unhelpful stupid instructor etc.

My grand mother often said to me this:

If you ended up a wry neck after a poor night sleep, do not blame on the bed mattress!

[PDL]

The OP here appears to be a fraud: perhaps a shill or shill-wannabe of Mr. Ricehigh. Within the last hour or so, "Akcelik" has posted a vile, baseless slam of the K10d on DPReview citing auto-focus issues, poor (yellow) light problems and conjecture about the hopelessness of the situation wrt a firmware upgrade and generally encouraging a dispair all K10 owners should be feeling. He references this thread.

Upon seeing "Akcelik's" thankful reply to Mr. Ricehigh for his 'informative' material I was sorely tempted to withdraw by deletion all my responses to this thread. There is good information offered by good people that would suffer from such a deletion. I'll leave well-enough-alone. The deceitful start and nonsensical parts can be easily and well vetted by even the most junior members---those parts should be ignored.

I agree - If the guy can not get anything to be in focus and he is using Manual Focus (as stated in the dpreview thread) and after taking all of our advise. I think the next best thing for him to do is go back to a P&S (or Point and Puke as I call them - I need to buy another one, by Tosh*ba 2.2Mpxl one died after 6 years of use). If he is using a "stable platform" then shoot with a smaller f stop for heavens sake.

I bet this guy is RH - just talking to himself again - wasn't RH banned from dpreview?

(Back on Deep-Thought) PDL

[Jonas B]

Interesting comment.

I think this was on someone's wish list for software improvements, using perhaps selectible autofocus sensors to bracket between, or front to back of the scene focus bracketing

My comment on focusing bracketing is made with the modern viewfinder screens in mind. The older, a bit more dark ones, made for manual focusing, were better but they also don't suffice when it comes to determine the final DOF.

What I am talking about is the fact that when looking in the viewfinder the DOF appears as larger than it does when looking at the picture. As the DOF doesn't build up the same way in front of the focusing point as behind the focusing point it is often hard to foresee exactly what the DOF will be like. For macros, or as in the case with the microphone, you may get a better picture if you focus just a bit in front, or in back, of the subject.

I don't have any camera with "digital preview" but I think this can be a good thing when there is plenty of time.
For some time i used a Minolta A2 which has a pretty good electronic viewfinder with realtime adjustments for exposure and colors and so on. It was to some help in cases like this. Let's see what happens in the future. For now we have free of charge developing and bracketing costs nothing but some time and thinking.

I am not interested in automatic focus bracketing. At the level AF works today it still would be to leave things to brainless decisions.

But it doesn't mean AF is useless. Sometimes one can use it just fine. The Winter Morning Eys in this thread here,
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-your-photos/3671-one-last-winter-morning-eyes.html
are taken with AF, and a not too large aperture opening.

[Jonas B]

The OP here appears to be a fraud: perhaps a shill or shill-wannabe of Mr. Ricehigh. Within the last hour or so, "Akcelik" has posted a vile, baseless slam of the K10d on DPReview citing auto-focus issues, poor (yellow) light problems and conjecture about the hopelessness of the situation wrt a firmware upgrade and generally encouraging a dispair all K10 owners should be feeling. He references this thread.

Upon seeing "Akcelik's" thankful reply to Mr. Ricehigh for his 'informative' material I was sorely tempted to withdraw by deletion all my responses to this thread. There is good information offered by good people that would suffer from such a deletion. I'll leave well-enough-alone. The deceitful start and nonsensical parts can be easily and well vetted by even the most junior members---those parts should be ignored.

A fraud, or whatever, I also wondered a little about the total lack of succes combined with the "Thank you for the tips" -posts. Maybe you are right. Deleting posts is something we all should avoid - what's the point of discussing and learning from eachother if posts are edited or even deleted?

I'll just leave the thread at this point.

[jfdavis58]

Here where I live it's bed time; with the silly daylight-savings time jump it's actually past my bed-time. I digress, but must persist...

It is my honest belief that this entire thread and the accompanying similar thread at DP review are a calculated, orchestrated and well planned sh*t-storm.

I stayed away as much as possible from both threads to avoid ranting and raging repeatedly against both the innocent looking deception that started the thread(s) and it's crescendo along about where the OP stated his preference for the pseudo-science that much of BF/FF auto-focus issues seems based upon.

I apologize to the well-meaning and well-intentioned folks who waded through both threads trying to make some sense of the situation; sadly I could find no sense in much of the rage. I feel for and sympathize with those who have actual real problems with their equipment; and wish you well in effecting adjustments or repairs.

As I am sure that my opinion and stance are well stated on the issue(s), I've fulfilled my personal mission to bring the best possible information in my possession to any who ask.

I bid you good night and pleasant dreams; good light and great opportunities await the dawn.