K-7 Face detection feature ?

Confused · 05-29-2009, 01:03 PM

Hi

Anyone have any idea how the new Pentax K-7's Face detection feature is likely to operate...something along the lines of say Fuji's FinePix S6500fd camera, perhaps ?

Best regards
Richard

Arpe · 05-30-2009, 03:05 AM

I know all the compacts have it, but what is it supposed to do after detecting a face?

and · 05-30-2009, 03:12 AM

Focus on it, since its an AF mode, not an exposure mode.

Arpe · 05-30-2009, 03:21 AM

Ahhhhhhhh.

Bart · 05-30-2009, 04:46 AM

Originally posted by Confused

...Anyone have any idea how the new Pentax K-7's Face detection feature is likely to operate...

And more importantly: can you switch it off?

blende8 · 05-30-2009, 10:02 AM

Face detection is an option in Lifeview only.
Here you have three AF options:
You can select phase-detect AF (via AF button), contrast-AF and contrast-AF with face detect:

panoguy · 05-30-2009, 11:37 AM

Face-detection activated (I guess it was already switched on) while I was trying out the K-7's Live View in Toronto recently. The rep was saying something when all of a sudden a yellow-ish box appeared around a guys head as he walked through the frame! It moved across the frame and stayed with him even as he walked behind a glass display case (this was on a photo expo floor).

Kinda freaky to see it, actually, as I've never had a P&S with this feature and it was a full profile that it recognized. Not sure how useful this is, but it might keep focus where you want it in some situations...

Confused · 05-31-2009, 04:51 AM

Hi blende8

Re your observation:

Quote:

Face detection is an option in Lifeview only.

I'm afraid I don't quite get this ! Precisely what use would Face detection be if it only functioned in Live-view mode ? Anyone else care to elaborate further……

Best regards
Richard

blende8 · 05-31-2009, 05:01 AM

Originally posted by Confused

I'm afraid I don't quite get this ! Precisely what use would Face detection be if it only functioned in Live-view mode ?

It's for technical reasons.
The phase AF sensor is not suited for face detection.
You know that the sensor/shutter is closed when you look through the view finder in normal mode. How should face detection work, then?
This is only possible by evaluating the complete image on the sensor.
And you get this image in Life View only.

Not sure if this answers your question.

pcarfan · 05-31-2009, 05:22 AM

Does it work this way ?, if so, then it would probably be useful.

You leave the camera to choose where to focus (auto focus mode). Then choose face detection. Now when you focus, the camera will know where the face of the person is, and then choose the appropriate focus point to choose and focus the face. If it works fast (I think it doesn't in a DSLR), then it could be useful.

Also, the face doesn't have to be on any of the 11 focus points, as the focus is done with the live view image.

Confused · 05-31-2009, 06:10 AM

A few P&S compacts and advanced Bridge-Cameras still possess viewfinders (obviously electronic ones), so you can visually see these 'boxes' tracking a person's face. I'm interested to learn what will happen in the instance of the K-7's optical TTL viewfinder ?

Best regards
Richard

blende8 · 05-31-2009, 07:36 AM

As I said, you will see nothing in the viewfinder, since it's an optical one.
You can see it only on the screen at the back of the camera in Life View mode.
If the camera catches a face, you will see a yellow square around it.
The camera can follow this face, if it moves around.

Confused · 05-31-2009, 08:32 AM

Hi blende8

Thanks for confirming my initial suspicions, so it seems that you'd have to compose a photo using the rear LCD in Live-View whilst holding the K-7 at slight arms length, as one typically does with a viewfinder-less P & S compact. IMHO this severely limits the potential usefulness of the K-7's face-detection feature !

Best regards
Richard

mattdm · 05-31-2009, 11:53 AM

It'd also be okay on a tripod, of course.

But I don't think it affects the metering, which is the most useful part of this feature on P&S cameras.

JCPentax · 06-02-2009, 08:43 AM

Originally posted by Bart

And more importantly: can you switch it off?

Defenitely.

05-29-2009, 01:03 PM	#1
Confused Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London Posts: 1,067	K-7 Face detection feature ? Hi Anyone have any idea how the new Pentax K-7's Face detection feature is likely to operate...something along the lines of say Fuji's FinePix S6500fd camera, perhaps ? Best regards Richard

05-31-2009, 05:22 AM	#10
pcarfan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Dayton, Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,978	Does it work this way ?, if so, then it would probably be useful. You leave the camera to choose where to focus (auto focus mode). Then choose face detection. Now when you focus, the camera will know where the face of the person is, and then choose the appropriate focus point to choose and focus the face. If it works fast (I think it doesn't in a DSLR), then it could be useful. Also, the face doesn't have to be on any of the 11 focus points, as the focus is done with the live view image. Last edited by pcarfan; 05-31-2009 at 05:28 AM.

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05-30-2009, 03:05 AM	#2
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	I know all the compacts have it, but what is it supposed to do after detecting a face?

05-30-2009, 03:12 AM	#3
and Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,476	Focus on it, since its an AF mode, not an exposure mode.

05-30-2009, 03:21 AM	#4
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	Ahhhhhhhh.

05-30-2009, 04:46 AM	#5
Bart Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: WW community of Pentax users Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,646	Originally posted by Confused ...Anyone have any idea how the new Pentax K-7's Face detection feature is likely to operate... And more importantly: can you switch it off?

05-30-2009, 10:02 AM	#6
blende8 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bremen, Germany Photos: Albums Posts: 1,521	Face detection is an option in Lifeview only. Here you have three AF options: You can select phase-detect AF (via AF button), contrast-AF and contrast-AF with face detect:

05-30-2009, 11:37 AM	#7
panoguy Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Washington, D.C. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,327	Face-detection activated (I guess it was already switched on) while I was trying out the K-7's Live View in Toronto recently. The rep was saying something when all of a sudden a yellow-ish box appeared around a guys head as he walked through the frame! It moved across the frame and stayed with him even as he walked behind a glass display case (this was on a photo expo floor). Kinda freaky to see it, actually, as I've never had a P&S with this feature and it was a full profile that it recognized. Not sure how useful this is, but it might keep focus where you want it in some situations...

05-31-2009, 04:51 AM	#8
Confused Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London Posts: 1,067 Original Poster	Hi blende8 Re your observation: Quote: Face detection is an option in Lifeview only. I'm afraid I don't quite get this ! Precisely what use would Face detection be if it only functioned in Live-view mode ? Anyone else care to elaborate further…… Best regards Richard

05-31-2009, 05:01 AM	#9
blende8 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bremen, Germany Photos: Albums Posts: 1,521	Originally posted by Confused I'm afraid I don't quite get this ! Precisely what use would Face detection be if it only functioned in Live-view mode ? It's for technical reasons. The phase AF sensor is not suited for face detection. You know that the sensor/shutter is closed when you look through the view finder in normal mode. How should face detection work, then? This is only possible by evaluating the complete image on the sensor. And you get this image in Life View only. Not sure if this answers your question.

05-31-2009, 06:10 AM	#11
Confused Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London Posts: 1,067 Original Poster	A few P&S compacts and advanced Bridge-Cameras still possess viewfinders (obviously electronic ones), so you can visually see these 'boxes' tracking a person's face. I'm interested to learn what will happen in the instance of the K-7's optical TTL viewfinder ? Best regards Richard

05-31-2009, 07:36 AM	#12
blende8 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bremen, Germany Photos: Albums Posts: 1,521	As I said, you will see nothing in the viewfinder, since it's an optical one. You can see it only on the screen at the back of the camera in Life View mode. If the camera catches a face, you will see a yellow square around it. The camera can follow this face, if it moves around.

05-31-2009, 08:32 AM	#13
Confused Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London Posts: 1,067 Original Poster	Hi blende8 Thanks for confirming my initial suspicions, so it seems that you'd have to compose a photo using the rear LCD in Live-View whilst holding the K-7 at slight arms length, as one typically does with a viewfinder-less P & S compact. IMHO this severely limits the potential usefulness of the K-7's face-detection feature ! Best regards Richard

05-31-2009, 11:53 AM	#14
mattdm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,948	It'd also be okay on a tripod, of course. But I don't think it affects the metering, which is the most useful part of this feature on P&S cameras.

06-02-2009, 08:43 AM	#15
JCPentax Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 146	Originally posted by Bart And more importantly: can you switch it off? Defenitely.