I'm getting sick and tired of unreliable AF (rant)

magkelly · 07-28-2012, 11:25 AM

You know I never thought much of the AF on most digital cameras including my K-x until I actually started using the AF points and adjusting them to suit what I was photographing a lot. I used to just use center focus or default focus and leave it at that. But having finally learned how to adjust them as I like I'm finding it can be a lot more accurate than I initially gave it credit for. One of the reasons i do want the K-30 though is because I need the AF points in the viewer, not just via the LCD. But you can program them even in the K-x. It's just a bit more work that's all. But not relying on a general camera setting camera to select the point for you can make a big difference I've found.

Zafar Iqbal · 07-29-2012, 12:20 PM

Oooohohoho, I had my first proper shooting day today with K-30. Photographed a newly wed couple at a park. Came home with 501 shots and about 20 are bad due to bad focus.

My keeperrate just went through the roof!

Alizarine · 07-29-2012, 08:00 PM

@Zafar

Congrats! Hopefully all K-30 users will experience the same or better number of keeper rates... Some pro's using the K-5 were a bit dismayed with their units, perhaps due to QC issues, but I think they've done a good job with the first batch of K-30's so far!

@magkelly
same here, my K-x is always on center-mode - primarily because I don't see them light up on the VF anyway, so I'm not that sure if the camera guessed the focus point I want right, at least in the Auto5 and Auto11 mode

Zafar Iqbal · 08-14-2012, 12:11 PM

I've used the K-30 a lot since my last reply. I'm up at about 8k exposures now and the impressions still holds. I've used it in many different types of lighting conditions and it simply delivers - not every shot is perfect, but my keeper rate is far superior to what I'm used to with K-x.

Finally got my K-5 back today. Haven't had much time to try it but current impression is, that it's still bad in day light

**PPPPPP42** · 08-14-2012, 12:36 PM

Well if the K30 is considerably better than the K5 in AF accuracy (way more important than AF speed) sounds like the K5 replacement is going to be an absolute gem. I'm already saving up for the eventual FF though. I suppose its not really critical anyways since I still have all old MF A series lenses to avoid this sort of crap. Nobody but me to blame if I blow the focus.

Zafar Iqbal · 08-14-2012, 12:56 PM

Indeed - and if the K-5 replacement has the speed factor on top of it as well then it's it's going to be a heck of a camera. I haven't done any sports photography with the k-30, but I've shot plenty of people dancing in very low light. I had AF-S setting changed to release priority and I could get rather good shot at the moments I wanted them. It did lack in speed when people spontaneously posed in front of my camera, but now I'm being picky.

bossa · 08-21-2012, 06:36 AM

Here are several examples of the 'crappy' AF of the Pentax K-5. Each shot was separately focused in quick succession using S mode. I only took 4 shots before the bird flew away. Damn shame the focus is such crap.

Pentax K-5 & FA*300 F4.5

kenafein · 08-21-2012, 07:27 AM

Originally posted by bossa

Here are several examples of the 'crappy' AF of the Pentax K-5. Each shot was separately focused in quick succession using S mode. I only took 4 shots before the bird flew away. Damn shame the focus is such crap.

Pentax K-5 & FA*300 F4.5

A difficult shot for any AF system. Good work.

audiobomber · 08-21-2012, 07:47 AM

Originally posted by bossa

Here are several examples of the 'crappy' AF of the Pentax K-5. Each shot was separately focused in quick succession using S mode. I only took 4 shots before the bird flew away. Damn shame the focus is such crap.

As we've all heard, Pentax AF points are as big as a house. Your camera must be backfocussing.

SKwan · 08-21-2012, 08:19 AM

Originally posted by Zafar Iqbal

Came home with 501 shots and about 20 are bad due to bad focus.

Congratulation! ... You have finally got a good camera and a good copy that can fulfill your requirement on AF!

JinDesu · 08-21-2012, 08:23 AM

Originally posted by audiobomber

As we've all heard, Pentax AF points are as big as a house. Your camera must be backfocussing.

I just calculate the distance to the bird, aim at an object that will provide me that subject distance even with the angular deviation counted in, and shoot. Easy peasy~!

vonBaloney · 08-21-2012, 08:28 AM

I hear a lot of complaints about the supposed big focus points, but as long as there is sufficient light (I don't have the fastest AF lenses) I rarely have trouble autofocusing on a little twig or whatever tiny point I want to, at least with the center point.

JinDesu · 08-21-2012, 09:10 AM

Originally posted by vonBaloney

I hear a lot of complaints about the supposed big focus points, but as long as there is sufficient light (I don't have the fastest AF lenses) I rarely have trouble autofocusing on a little twig or whatever tiny point I want to, at least with the center point.

I find - with my k-x - that I can do the same, but I just gotta "tweak" what the camera is looking at exactly.

It doesn't seem too bad - but I was amazed that my k-x could actually select the purple flower I wanted instead of racking back and forth (the front was actually a lot of leaves, it's the DOF that makes them practically disappear).

When trying to shoot it, I realized that moving my center point slightly, it would help a lot in figuring out what it was looking for.

When shooting under pressure, this can be detrimental. But it's worked for me most of the time.

**PPPPPP42** · 08-21-2012, 10:13 AM

I never had any complaints about the camera selecting the wrong point myself, with proper experience you can usually make it do what you want just fine. I just never learned to rely on it since it did show an occational tendency to screw the focus up at random even after telling me with the red dots that it saw what I wanted to focus on. Never consistent enough to make an adjustment either.

The only focus on any camera that always picks the right focus point is manual focus, otherwise you either let it guess or fiddle around, neither of which I have time for. There is a reason the A series MF lenses still cost so damn much and it isn't just because of film cameras.

vonBaloney · 08-21-2012, 10:25 AM

Originally posted by PPPPPP42

I never had any complaints about the camera selecting the wrong point myself, with proper experience you can usually make it do what you want just fine. I just never learned to rely on it since it did show an occational tendency to screw the focus up at random even after telling me with the red dots that it saw what I wanted to focus on. Never consistent enough to make an adjustment either.

The only focus on any camera that always picks the right focus point is manual focus, otherwise you either let it guess or fiddle around, neither of which I have time for. There is a reason the A series MF lenses still cost so damn much and it isn't just because of film cameras.

I always have it on SEL so never have the problem of having it choose the wrong point because it doesn't choose. I don't know how in the world it is supposed to guess what I want to focus on in a complex scene...

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07-28-2012, 11:25 AM	#121
magkelly Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,901	You know I never thought much of the AF on most digital cameras including my K-x until I actually started using the AF points and adjusting them to suit what I was photographing a lot. I used to just use center focus or default focus and leave it at that. But having finally learned how to adjust them as I like I'm finding it can be a lot more accurate than I initially gave it credit for. One of the reasons i do want the K-30 though is because I need the AF points in the viewer, not just via the LCD. But you can program them even in the K-x. It's just a bit more work that's all. But not relying on a general camera setting camera to select the point for you can make a big difference I've found.

07-29-2012, 12:20 PM	#122
Zafar Iqbal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229 Original Poster	Oooohohoho, I had my first proper shooting day today with K-30. Photographed a newly wed couple at a park. Came home with 501 shots and about 20 are bad due to bad focus. My keeperrate just went through the roof!

07-29-2012, 08:00 PM	#123
Alizarine Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Manila Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,185	@Zafar Congrats! Hopefully all K-30 users will experience the same or better number of keeper rates... Some pro's using the K-5 were a bit dismayed with their units, perhaps due to QC issues, but I think they've done a good job with the first batch of K-30's so far! @magkelly same here, my K-x is always on center-mode - primarily because I don't see them light up on the VF anyway, so I'm not that sure if the camera guessed the focus point I want right, at least in the Auto5 and Auto11 mode

08-14-2012, 12:11 PM	#124
Zafar Iqbal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229 Original Poster	I've used the K-30 a lot since my last reply. I'm up at about 8k exposures now and the impressions still holds. I've used it in many different types of lighting conditions and it simply delivers - not every shot is perfect, but my keeper rate is far superior to what I'm used to with K-x. Finally got my K-5 back today. Haven't had much time to try it but current impression is, that it's still bad in day light

08-14-2012, 12:36 PM	#125
PPPPPP42 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Wisconsin Photos: Albums Posts: 947	Well if the K30 is considerably better than the K5 in AF accuracy (way more important than AF speed) sounds like the K5 replacement is going to be an absolute gem. I'm already saving up for the eventual FF though. I suppose its not really critical anyways since I still have all old MF A series lenses to avoid this sort of crap. Nobody but me to blame if I blow the focus.

08-14-2012, 12:56 PM	#126
Zafar Iqbal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,229 Original Poster	Indeed - and if the K-5 replacement has the speed factor on top of it as well then it's it's going to be a heck of a camera. I haven't done any sports photography with the k-30, but I've shot plenty of people dancing in very low light. I had AF-S setting changed to release priority and I could get rather good shot at the moments I wanted them. It did lack in speed when people spontaneously posed in front of my camera, but now I'm being picky.

08-21-2012, 06:36 AM	#127
bossa Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Adelaide Posts: 4,546	Here are several examples of the 'crappy' AF of the Pentax K-5. Each shot was separately focused in quick succession using S mode. I only took 4 shots before the bird flew away. Damn shame the focus is such crap. Pentax K-5 & FA*300 F4.5

08-21-2012, 07:27 AM	#128
kenafein Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Southern California Photos: Albums Posts: 4,082	Originally posted by bossa Here are several examples of the 'crappy' AF of the Pentax K-5. Each shot was separately focused in quick succession using S mode. I only took 4 shots before the bird flew away. Damn shame the focus is such crap. Pentax K-5 & FA*300 F4.5 A difficult shot for any AF system. Good work.

08-21-2012, 07:47 AM	#129
audiobomber Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806	Originally posted by bossa Here are several examples of the 'crappy' AF of the Pentax K-5. Each shot was separately focused in quick succession using S mode. I only took 4 shots before the bird flew away. Damn shame the focus is such crap. As we've all heard, Pentax AF points are as big as a house. Your camera must be backfocussing.

08-21-2012, 08:19 AM	#130
SKwan Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Hong Kong Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 95	Originally posted by Zafar Iqbal Came home with 501 shots and about 20 are bad due to bad focus. Congratulation! ... You have finally got a good camera and a good copy that can fulfill your requirement on AF!

08-21-2012, 08:23 AM	#131
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	Originally posted by audiobomber As we've all heard, Pentax AF points are as big as a house. Your camera must be backfocussing. I just calculate the distance to the bird, aim at an object that will provide me that subject distance even with the angular deviation counted in, and shoot. Easy peasy~!

08-21-2012, 08:28 AM	#132
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	I hear a lot of complaints about the supposed big focus points, but as long as there is sufficient light (I don't have the fastest AF lenses) I rarely have trouble autofocusing on a little twig or whatever tiny point I want to, at least with the center point.

08-21-2012, 09:10 AM	#133
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	Originally posted by vonBaloney I hear a lot of complaints about the supposed big focus points, but as long as there is sufficient light (I don't have the fastest AF lenses) I rarely have trouble autofocusing on a little twig or whatever tiny point I want to, at least with the center point. I find - with my k-x - that I can do the same, but I just gotta "tweak" what the camera is looking at exactly. It doesn't seem too bad - but I was amazed that my k-x could actually select the purple flower I wanted instead of racking back and forth (the front was actually a lot of leaves, it's the DOF that makes them practically disappear). When trying to shoot it, I realized that moving my center point slightly, it would help a lot in figuring out what it was looking for. When shooting under pressure, this can be detrimental. But it's worked for me most of the time.

08-21-2012, 10:13 AM	#134
PPPPPP42 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Wisconsin Photos: Albums Posts: 947	I never had any complaints about the camera selecting the wrong point myself, with proper experience you can usually make it do what you want just fine. I just never learned to rely on it since it did show an occational tendency to screw the focus up at random even after telling me with the red dots that it saw what I wanted to focus on. Never consistent enough to make an adjustment either. The only focus on any camera that always picks the right focus point is manual focus, otherwise you either let it guess or fiddle around, neither of which I have time for. There is a reason the A series MF lenses still cost so damn much and it isn't just because of film cameras.

08-21-2012, 10:25 AM	#135
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	Originally posted by PPPPPP42 I never had any complaints about the camera selecting the wrong point myself, with proper experience you can usually make it do what you want just fine. I just never learned to rely on it since it did show an occational tendency to screw the focus up at random even after telling me with the red dots that it saw what I wanted to focus on. Never consistent enough to make an adjustment either. The only focus on any camera that always picks the right focus point is manual focus, otherwise you either let it guess or fiddle around, neither of which I have time for. There is a reason the A series MF lenses still cost so damn much and it isn't just because of film cameras. I always have it on SEL so never have the problem of having it choose the wrong point because it doesn't choose. I don't know how in the world it is supposed to guess what I want to focus on in a complex scene...