[SloPhoto]

First off, let me say that I absolutely LOVE some of the pictures that come out of my k10d. The 40mm and 43mm lenses are absolute gems.

But,

I was photographing some at my cousins wedding last night, and there were times when I could hold down the shutter for 1 minute before it would find focus and click off a shot. This was in an area with mediocre lighting (not the worst I have seen), I tried every lens I had (31mm limited, 40mm limited, 43mm limited), and I was trying very hard to make it easy for the camera.

I had the 540 flash attached, so the AF assist light was helping some, but not enough.

Today, I will be photographing at a confirmation in even worse light, and I am just trembling at the thought.

Ohh, and my 31mm backfocuses, so that kills my joy of that lens (it is amazing when it gets it right, and the new firmware makes it much better, but not 800$ reliable)

I am very , as I like the UI, lenses, and images far better than my old canons.

[GaryML]

I was photographing some at my cousins wedding last night, and there were times when I could hold down the shutter for 1 minute before it would find focus and click off a shot. This was in an area with mediocre lighting (not the worst I have seen), I tried every lens I had (31mm limited, 40mm limited, 43mm limited), and I was trying very hard to make it easy for the camera.

I had the 540 flash attached, so the AF assist light was helping some, but not enough.

Today, I will be photographing at a confirmation in even worse light, and I am just trembling at the thought.

Yes, poor AF in low light and with fast moving subjects is a weakness of the Pentax system. From what I've read, low light AF isn't totally reliable with any system, but Canon and Nikon may do somewhat better. I experienced this problem myself just a few days ago at my daughter's graduation ceremony, when the AF mis-focused in the poorly lighted auditorium and I missed a few shots. (I was using a K10D with a Pentax FA 77 f1.8 Limited, which I know to be a slow-focusing lens but it was the right focal length and aperture.) And I've had problems with the slow and inaccurate AF when photographing my son's soccer games (in bright daylight). I have considered selling all my stuff and getting either a Canon or Nikon system to address these issues.

BUT, I survived for many years without any AF at all, using manual cameras with manual focus and lever film advance. And I seemed to get a lot of good shots. So perhaps the answer is to improve our technique and switch to manual focus with a fast prime lens when the circumstances dictate. It is a poor craftman who blames his tools when his technique is at fault. (However, if I improve my technique and I still have problems, I'll probably sell all my old tools and buy new ones anyway!)

[dmdctusa]

No camera's perfect....just read about focus problems with Canons newest EOS 1D Mk III a $5,000 camera!

On a hot sunny day its autofocus gets about half the images in focus. Just what a pro shooting a summer afternoon baseball game need.

I have never trusted auto focus and the main reason I bought the Pentax K10D it was it was the first DSLR, below the $2K price range, that had a real glass prism and a finder view that I could reliably use for manual focus.

If you really need low light focusing all the time, then the Leica M8 is probably the digital camera of choice.

I thank we have all become to reliant on auto everything. 30 years ago with my first 35mm rangefinder, an Argus C3 - the ultimate manual camera, I could not afford an exposure meter and I learned, just like Cartier-Bresson, to judge my exposure by eye. Eventually I moved up to a Leica M-2 and still did not need a meter.

Ultimately my peers shamed me into getting one....I have forever regretted doing so. Even today with my K10 I don't believe my percentages are any better than they were in the meterless and autofocusless days.

[regken]

First off, let me say that I absolutely LOVE some of the pictures that come out of my k10d. The 40mm and 43mm lenses are absolute gems.

But,

I was photographing some at my cousins wedding last night, and there were times when I could hold down the shutter for 1 minute before it would find focus and click off a shot. This was in an area with mediocre lighting (not the worst I have seen), I tried every lens I had (31mm limited, 40mm limited, 43mm limited), and I was trying very hard to make it easy for the camera.

I had the 540 flash attached, so the AF assist light was helping some, but not enough.

Today, I will be photographing at a confirmation in even worse light, and I am just trembling at the thought.

Ohh, and my 31mm backfocuses, so that kills my joy of that lens (it is amazing when it gets it right, and the new firmware makes it much better, but not 800$ reliable)

I am very , as I like the UI, lenses, and images far better than my old canons.

I think we all accept there are faster cameras in low light but at what cost. After deciding what camera you would be satisfied with you should do two things.
1) Price out what an equivalent kit will cost you.
2) Try that kit out under the conditions you are having problems with.

My guess is the new setup will cost at least $2,000.00 more than you spent on your Pentax kit. My second guess is the improved performance will not be that much better unless you spend even more money.

So if you are a professional and make money off these low light situations, you should probably buy something like the Canon 5D and spend another $4,000.00. If you are a hobbyist and have unlimited disposable funds, by all means switch.

You have one other alternative. Keep your Pentax system and wait a little while for the new lenses to come out which should take care of your problem. When the upgraded body comes out it will most likely also address this problem. Granted this solution will cost, but not as much as a switch.

Best of luck in whatever you decide.

Regards,

[TDN]

there's an easy way out of a situation where the AF is too slow...switch to MF

You'll probably do better than the AF algorithm in a situation like that...+you can select what you want in focus yourself.

Tom

Oh boy, I'll get flamed for this for sure. But, here goes.

AF, in my opinion, is the worst thing to ever be done to an SLR. Understanding the DOF parameters of the lens that is being used, and using it to your advantage, outweighs the benefits of AF.

If my camera even acts as if its going to be hunting for focus, I immediately switch to MF. Yeah, you'll miss a few perfectly in focus shots but you'll gain, in spades, the missed shots waiting for the camera/lens to do the work for you.

My $ .02

Ed

addendum:

Keep your Pentax gear.

[PDL]

By the tenor of your post it appears that you have already made up your mind to sell. Have a nice time with your new equipment.

As for AF - I use it as a tool - I have also de-coupled AF from the shutter button on my K10D to use the AF button. Now when I want to focus - I select the thing to focus and push the button. I set the exposue, frame and press the shutter button.
What do you want to bet - the next image will be at nearly the same spot (especailly at a wedding - unless the people are at a dead run). Next image ------ just push the shutter button. Done. Why force a refocus on every image? With Pentax lenses you can tweak the focus manually as needed. But why force a refocus for each image - makes no sense.

AF coupled to the shutter button is one of the most stupid things to ever design into a SLR -- along with the removal of DoF scales.

PDL

[davemdsn]

One.... Don't be so sure that C and N are that much better. Although they may focus faster in good light it is only noticably faster with the more expensive lenses. I have read just as many complaints about C and N in low light as I have about Pentax. As has been said, learn to focus manually and you will get more good shots, no matter what camera you are using.

Two.... You should sell that K10D. It isn't worth a darn and should be sold cheap to some unsuspecting soul as soon as possible. I am unsuspecting. And cheap. I'll take it.

[barondla]

Low light shooting is a tough situation for any photographer and any camera system. No matter what brand you use it will be pushed to the limit. Years ago wedding photographers did without af at all. Same for sports photographers. It would have to be awfully dark for me to miss focus with the 31 on mf. All the automation is fine but it only goes so far. My car can't use cruise control in town, on ice, or going in reverse (yes I tried). Did I trade it? NO. Use what works when it works. Looks like the new wonder Canon can't focus at all. For manual focus nothing beats the Leica rangefinder. Waiting for the price to drop a little on that one.
thanks
barondla

[Stratman]

Two.... You should sell that K10D. It isn't worth a darn and should be sold cheap to some unsuspecting soul as soon as possible. I am unsuspecting. And cheap. I'll take it.

Well, I am even more unsuspecting, and even cheaper !! I 'll take it

[rhermans]

Not planning to talk you out of selling or into keeping the k10d, I only find it funny that people expect that the camera can have a AF lock when you yourself have problems finding a manual focus.

When the AF doesn't work (or the lens I'm using doesn't have it) I gladly change to manual focussing.

Now the competition AF might be better, but they use the same type of sensors and those things don't see better than the pentax's one so I very much doubt it that they are better.

Just my personal opinion

[pentaxshooter]

It's tough and can be frustrating...but I have two K10D bodies...and I shoot weddings and yes, there are missed shots and yes, sometimes it can be annoying....but I love the quality of my photos, I love the color and I know that if Pentax brings out a more professional body, it will probably address these issues as stated above.

Remember, PENTAX cut some costs on purpose to get this camera out at a specific price point...but cmon...didnt they do a great job? These cameras are performing much better than what we had 12-years ago...and we got through it.

hang in there....enjoy the camera.....

On the other hand, I'll give you $50 more than the other two .


PS- here's a copuple of photos from a recent wedding.

[matix]

No camera's perfect....just read about focus problems with Canons newest EOS 1D Mk III a $5,000 camera!

On a hot sunny day its autofocus gets about half the images in focus. Just what a pro shooting a summer afternoon baseball game need.

I have never trusted auto focus and the main reason I bought the Pentax K10D it was it was the first DSLR, below the $2K price range, that had a real glass prism and a finder view that I could reliably use for manual focus.

If you really need low light focusing all the time, then the Leica M8 is probably the digital camera of choice.

I thank we have all become to reliant on auto everything. 30 years ago with my first 35mm rangefinder, an Argus C3 - the ultimate manual camera, I could not afford an exposure meter and I learned, just like Cartier-Bresson, to judge my exposure by eye. Eventually I moved up to a Leica M-2 and still did not need a meter.

Ultimately my peers shamed me into getting one....I have forever regretted doing so. Even today with my K10 I don't believe my percentages are any better than they were in the meterless and autofocusless days.

I could not agree more, we are so impatient these days, and if the camera does not do a perfect shot in a second we lose the plot. Yes I do agree the K10D is lousy when focusing in low light, but I do recognize that now and work around it.

Years ago, 25 or so, I shot a wedding, showed up with my 35mm film gear and turned on my camera.. the meter battery was dead.. no chance on a Sat afternoon in suburban Australia in those days to get one, shops closed at noon!!

I called on my brain, shot the whole series using mental calculations, and what really surprised me was that the majority of the images were better exposed than they usually were with the in camera metering!!

The moral of the story is, practice in manual, test to see how many you get right and learn from it. Even focusing, can be manually calcuated, you just have to develop the ability to calculate distance, which is actually harder than exposure guesstimates, but can be developed as a skill.

But that being said, I too think that Pentax could do a better job with the low light focus, I had two P & S Sony cameras that had laser holographic focusing, rarely missed a shot, that feature in Pentax would polish an othewise brilliant camera.

Phil

[carpents]

I have never trusted auto focus and the main reason I bought the Pentax K10D it was it was the first DSLR, below the $2K price range, that had a real glass prism and a finder view that I could reliably use for manual focus.

Ummm...the *ist D and *ist DS both had the same glass pentaprism as the K10D. So did the Minolta Maxxum 7D.

(Yes, they are all good.)

[Buddha Jones]

If yhoure gonna sell, I call dibs on your AF540!