2 questions on the K20D-about to purchase

Sundance62 · 02-20-2009, 11:41 AM

My sports needs are modest, and not high speed or professional in nature. I have had no trouble at all with any of my Nikons, D100, D200 and D300, even though I was aware Canon had the best overall performance and lenses for sports shooting.

I may try to get the local camera store to pop a newer, faster Sandisk card in the K20D to make sure the write speed and LCD display are not problematic. I do not need instantaneous display, just something less than 2 seconds or so would be acceptable.

er1kksen · 02-20-2009, 05:31 PM

Could you just bring one of your own cards? Or are you a CF shooter?

pentaxmz · 02-20-2009, 05:39 PM

Originally posted by volosong

post #6 in this thread

Weird... I must be going blind. I didn't see that posting until now.

Okay, I see RiceHigh's little unnecessary jab at Pentax (re: down grade from Nikon); but you know... some people in this group have a terrible time with jokes at the expense of Pentax. Yet, *no one* ever objects to the fairly constant putting down of other camera manufacturers or their respective owners. Come-on... tit for tat (silly expression!).

Anyhow, off my soap box...

I do believe RiceHigh brought up a valid issue, in case, AF speed is a concern.

I watched the two sample videos found at the Korean site:??? | ?????? ?? OR reference RichHigh Blog article: http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2009/01/af-speed-difference-of-k-m-vs-k20d.html...67727669747146

The videos compare focusing (using same lens) between the Pentax K-M and the Pentax K20D. My first thought was, "holy smokes, that is what I am experiencing!!"

I created a new posting about this.

Originally posted by volosong

realistically, for a dedicated sports camera, Canon is the best of the bunch. The AF is just too slow for very fast action. I just take pictures like they did in the old

Okay, I am going to do an about face...

A number of people have stated that the Pentax K20D is no good for sports action... but this left me thinking.. wait a sec.... I was a sports photographer in high school, back in the day when auto focus was something one heard about on Star Trek (the one with Captain Kirk and Spock). I never needed no stink'en auto focus to get perfectly focused photos. Was I a genius? Well maybe... but that's not the point... (

) Focusing seems to be a lost art these days... It is not hard to do with a little practice. Just use a bit of aperture and one will have a fair bit of latitude when focusing.

Bottom line, don't let the camera be your excuse for not getting a good photo.

Originally posted by volosong

forgot to mention...when I'm shooting sports, I turn off RAW and only go with JPEG. The JPEG files are pretty good as they are and RAW really isn't needed. I get the faster write speeds and with continuous mode, grab all the frames I want/need.

I agree!

In my experience, most sports photos wouldn't benefit from RAW anyway. Even with a Class 6 SDHC card, JPG is always going to be faster.

Stratman · 02-20-2009, 06:06 PM

RiceHigh was NOT joking when he said it was a downgrade....Just another way for him to put Pentax down. That is what his life has become. Any opportunity to smear Pentax, and he pounces , like a cat on a mouse.

rfortson · 02-20-2009, 07:50 PM

Originally posted by pentaxmz

Weird... I must be going blind. I didn't see that posting until now.

No, you're not going blind. I didn't see it either for at least two days of following this thread. This was the first time I've seen RH's response. And I don't think I have RH blocked as he doesn't really bug me that much.

Something weird is going on with the software, I think.

FunkyMonk · 02-20-2009, 08:28 PM

Originally posted by Sundance62

thanks for all the good input....everyone seems to agree this is an SD card issue, compounded by a demo camera that is probably in need of a serious 'system reset'.

It also seems the K20D is adequate for most non-pro level sports photo use, both in terms of AF and FPS. I never used the full speed FPS of my D300 anyway - a few frames a second is good enough for my intended purposes.

I am still debating between the D90 and the K20D. The video features of the D90 are cool for a quick demo, but without any form of autofocus, the feature is limited to usage where I'd probably opt for still images anyway.

One thing I won't be doing is waiting for a new Pentax DSLR - the price will be too high, and I don't really need megapixels or full-frame.

Thanks again

I shoot weddings with the K20D along side guys with the D300. The camera has performed really well. It does have a few issues with the AF in low light but they aren't a real problem. If you know what you are doing you can get around that. Overall the quality of the pics are just as good as a D300 if not better. You'll have to fine tune the camera settings more so than you will with the Nikon but you can get some really nice results for half the price of a Nikon system. The file sizes are huge at 4* level in jpg. We are talking 10-14meg so get a big SDHC card that is class 6. An 8gb card will hold around 600 images. If you get a flash be sure to get the Metz 58.

jmc7104 · 02-21-2009, 05:20 AM

Originally posted by pentaxmz

Weird... I must be going blind. I didn't see that posting until now.

Okay, I see RiceHigh's little unnecessary jab at Pentax (re: down grade from Nikon); but you know... some people in this group have a terrible time with jokes at the expense of Pentax. Yet, *no one* ever objects to the fairly constant putting down of other camera manufacturers or their respective owners. Come-on... tit for tat (silly expression!).

Anyhow, off my soap box...

I do believe RiceHigh brought up a valid issue, in case, AF speed is a concern.

I watched the two sample videos found at the Korean site:??? | ?????? ?? OR reference RichHigh Blog article: RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: AF Speed Difference of K-m Vs K20D

The videos compare focusing (using same lens) between the Pentax K-M and the Pentax K20D. My first thought was, "holy smokes, that is what I am experiencing!!"

I created a new posting about this.

Okay, I am going to do an about face...

A number of people have stated that the Pentax K20D is no good for sports action... but this left me thinking.. wait a sec.... I was a sports photographer in high school, back in the day when auto focus was something one heard about on Star Trek (the one with Captain Kirk and Spock). I never needed no stink'en auto focus to get perfectly focused photos. Was I a genius? Well maybe... but that's not the point... (

) Focusing seems to be a lost art these days... It is not hard to do with a little practice. Just use a bit of aperture and one will have a fair bit of latitude when focusing.

Bottom line, don't let the camera be your excuse for not getting a good photo.

I agree!

In my experience, most sports photos wouldn't benefit from RAW anyway. Even with a Class 6 SDHC card, JPG is always going to be faster.

Also as well as shooting with just jpg in fast action sports shooting it is advisable to turn off IS if panning. At least seems to work for me. jim

pentaxmz · 02-21-2009, 12:32 PM

Originally posted by rfortson

No, you're not going blind. I didn't see it either for at least two days of following this thread. This was the first time I've seen RH's response. And I don't think I have RH blocked as he doesn't really bug me that much.

Something weird is going on with the software, I think.

I have been noticing other weird problems with this forum.

Multi-quote seems to work sporadically and when quoting (non-multi-quote), sometime other text appears, that wasn't part of the original message.

Strange... I wonder if it is Firefox or vBulletin that is the problem.

julianactive · 02-21-2009, 04:19 PM

Sports photography at a high level might cost more than you are willing to pay. Lenses are probably the key and the good fast ones are pricey.

As far as I am concerned the guy who gets high on rice is a jerk. Trust me if he was on a Canon forum, saying the same things, he would have been booted a long time ago. It seems to me the Canon folks have a short fuse. I know cause I posted about my Canon XS focus issues before I traded it in for my Pentax.

02-20-2009, 05:39 PM	#18
pentaxmz Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 659	Originally posted by volosong post #6 in this thread Weird... I must be going blind. I didn't see that posting until now. Okay, I see RiceHigh's little unnecessary jab at Pentax (re: down grade from Nikon); but you know... some people in this group have a terrible time with jokes at the expense of Pentax. Yet, no one ever objects to the fairly constant putting down of other camera manufacturers or their respective owners. Come-on... tit for tat (silly expression!). Anyhow, off my soap box... I do believe RiceHigh brought up a valid issue, in case, AF speed is a concern. I watched the two sample videos found at the Korean site:??? \| ?????? ?? OR reference RichHigh Blog article: http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2009/01/af-speed-difference-of-k-m-vs-k20d.html...67727669747146 The videos compare focusing (using same lens) between the Pentax K-M and the Pentax K20D. My first thought was, "holy smokes, that is what I am experiencing!!" I created a new posting about this. Originally posted by volosong realistically, for a dedicated sports camera, Canon is the best of the bunch. The AF is just too slow for very fast action. I just take pictures like they did in the old Okay, I am going to do an about face... A number of people have stated that the Pentax K20D is no good for sports action... but this left me thinking.. wait a sec.... I was a sports photographer in high school, back in the day when auto focus was something one heard about on Star Trek (the one with Captain Kirk and Spock). I never needed no stink'en auto focus to get perfectly focused photos. Was I a genius? Well maybe... but that's not the point... () Focusing seems to be a lost art these days... It is not hard to do with a little practice. Just use a bit of aperture and one will have a fair bit of latitude when focusing. Bottom line, don't let the camera be your excuse for not getting a good photo. Originally posted by volosong forgot to mention...when I'm shooting sports, I turn off RAW and only go with JPEG. The JPEG files are pretty good as they are and RAW really isn't needed. I get the faster write speeds and with continuous mode, grab all the frames I want/need. I agree! In my experience, most sports photos wouldn't benefit from RAW anyway. Even with a Class 6 SDHC card, JPG is always going to be faster.

02-21-2009, 05:20 AM	#22
jmc7104 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rock Island, Illinois 61201 Photos: Gallery Posts: 436	Originally posted by pentaxmz Weird... I must be going blind. I didn't see that posting until now. Okay, I see RiceHigh's little unnecessary jab at Pentax (re: down grade from Nikon); but you know... some people in this group have a terrible time with jokes at the expense of Pentax. Yet, no one ever objects to the fairly constant putting down of other camera manufacturers or their respective owners. Come-on... tit for tat (silly expression!). Anyhow, off my soap box... I do believe RiceHigh brought up a valid issue, in case, AF speed is a concern. I watched the two sample videos found at the Korean site:??? \| ?????? ?? OR reference RichHigh Blog article: RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: AF Speed Difference of K-m Vs K20D The videos compare focusing (using same lens) between the Pentax K-M and the Pentax K20D. My first thought was, "holy smokes, that is what I am experiencing!!" I created a new posting about this. Okay, I am going to do an about face... A number of people have stated that the Pentax K20D is no good for sports action... but this left me thinking.. wait a sec.... I was a sports photographer in high school, back in the day when auto focus was something one heard about on Star Trek (the one with Captain Kirk and Spock). I never needed no stink'en auto focus to get perfectly focused photos. Was I a genius? Well maybe... but that's not the point... () Focusing seems to be a lost art these days... It is not hard to do with a little practice. Just use a bit of aperture and one will have a fair bit of latitude when focusing. Bottom line, don't let the camera be your excuse for not getting a good photo. I agree! In my experience, most sports photos wouldn't benefit from RAW anyway. Even with a Class 6 SDHC card, JPG is always going to be faster. Also as well as shooting with just jpg in fast action sports shooting it is advisable to turn off IS if panning. At least seems to work for me. jim

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02-20-2009, 11:41 AM	#16
Sundance62 New Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Lake Tahoe, CA Posts: 6 Original Poster	My sports needs are modest, and not high speed or professional in nature. I have had no trouble at all with any of my Nikons, D100, D200 and D300, even though I was aware Canon had the best overall performance and lenses for sports shooting. I may try to get the local camera store to pop a newer, faster Sandisk card in the K20D to make sure the write speed and LCD display are not problematic. I do not need instantaneous display, just something less than 2 seconds or so would be acceptable.

02-20-2009, 05:31 PM	#17
er1kksen Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Forestville, NY Photos: Albums Posts: 1,801	Could you just bring one of your own cards? Or are you a CF shooter?

02-20-2009, 06:06 PM	#19
Stratman Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: St Louis, Missouri U S A Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,464	RiceHigh was NOT joking when he said it was a downgrade....Just another way for him to put Pentax down. That is what his life has become. Any opportunity to smear Pentax, and he pounces , like a cat on a mouse.

02-20-2009, 07:50 PM	#20
rfortson Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Houston TX Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,129	Originally posted by pentaxmz Weird... I must be going blind. I didn't see that posting until now. No, you're not going blind. I didn't see it either for at least two days of following this thread. This was the first time I've seen RH's response. And I don't think I have RH blocked as he doesn't really bug me that much. Something weird is going on with the software, I think.

02-20-2009, 08:28 PM	#21
FunkyMonk Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Alexander City, AL Photos: Gallery Posts: 67	Originally posted by Sundance62 thanks for all the good input....everyone seems to agree this is an SD card issue, compounded by a demo camera that is probably in need of a serious 'system reset'. It also seems the K20D is adequate for most non-pro level sports photo use, both in terms of AF and FPS. I never used the full speed FPS of my D300 anyway - a few frames a second is good enough for my intended purposes. I am still debating between the D90 and the K20D. The video features of the D90 are cool for a quick demo, but without any form of autofocus, the feature is limited to usage where I'd probably opt for still images anyway. One thing I won't be doing is waiting for a new Pentax DSLR - the price will be too high, and I don't really need megapixels or full-frame. Thanks again I shoot weddings with the K20D along side guys with the D300. The camera has performed really well. It does have a few issues with the AF in low light but they aren't a real problem. If you know what you are doing you can get around that. Overall the quality of the pics are just as good as a D300 if not better. You'll have to fine tune the camera settings more so than you will with the Nikon but you can get some really nice results for half the price of a Nikon system. The file sizes are huge at 4* level in jpg. We are talking 10-14meg so get a big SDHC card that is class 6. An 8gb card will hold around 600 images. If you get a flash be sure to get the Metz 58.

02-21-2009, 12:32 PM	#23
pentaxmz Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 659	Originally posted by rfortson No, you're not going blind. I didn't see it either for at least two days of following this thread. This was the first time I've seen RH's response. And I don't think I have RH blocked as he doesn't really bug me that much. Something weird is going on with the software, I think. I have been noticing other weird problems with this forum. Multi-quote seems to work sporadically and when quoting (non-multi-quote), sometime other text appears, that wasn't part of the original message. Strange... I wonder if it is Firefox or vBulletin that is the problem.

02-21-2009, 04:19 PM	#24
julianactive Guest	Sports photography at a high level might cost more than you are willing to pay. Lenses are probably the key and the good fast ones are pricey. As far as I am concerned the guy who gets high on rice is a jerk. Trust me if he was on a Canon forum, saying the same things, he would have been booted a long time ago. It seems to me the Canon folks have a short fuse. I know cause I posted about my Canon XS focus issues before I traded it in for my Pentax.