K10D focus

MattMatic · 2007-11-20T09:51:01+0000

Just thought I'd share my little experience here... Having used the K10D for a year now, there were situations where it just wasn't getting the shot I'd imagined. Particularly with the 12-24 I wasn't getting the clarity I'd have expected, which was a real shame. I took a little run with the trusty old *ist-D and the SMC-FA 24-90 and got pin sharp results. While testing my recently defungussed SMC-FA 80-320 I'd realised that the 12-24 on the K10D wasn't getting it in focus. I had to focus at around 1/2 way into the scene to get the infinity in focus. Very odd. Then, while at London Zoo and using the SMC-F 50/1.4 I was getting back-focus while shooting at f/1.4. In the end I was focussing and then moving myself back a smidgen to try and get shots in focus. :roll: So, I scared myself silly reading the depressing revolt site, read a few more things, and decided to run the focus test chart test ( http://www.focustestchart.com/ ) this morning. So, I setup a tripod and the chart and tested with all my lenses. Guess what? They all back-focus :( No wonder I've had problems :roll: Good news is, though, it's sorted, AFAICT. A little digital tweak was enough to sort out the issue and now I've got spot-on accuracy. DOH! I've only been having this for a year! :oops: (I'm not going into how I did the tweak on this forum. PM me if you need any guidance though ;) ) In addition, thought I'd share these tidbits I gleaned from this test: * Centre focus point is within the circle of the spot meter area. * The four corner focus points are very wide and tall. They actually seem to spread down to the middle horizon - which is not what I'd imagined. But they are bounded by the rectangular marks in the viewfinder. (Imagine them occupying the whole corner, rather than just where the LED sits) * The two focus points to the left and right of centre are about the same height as the centre focus. Again, they don't spread out of the bounds of the box. Now, I'm going to put the K10D through its paces again... :D Matt

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MattMatic MattMatic

5870 posts
24 years
Sussex,
UK

Posted 22/11/2007 - 09:28 Link

Quote:
So are you saying you reverted back too firmware 1.10 or just hacked 1.30?

From what I've read on the Internet, you need version 1.10. And I've also read that the K10D needs a little encouragement to get version 1.10 in there.

Quote:
Should i be asking this here?

I'm merely relating what I've read elsewhere

Here are some links (let the reader use some discernment ):
http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2007/01/focus-calibrations-for-pentax-dslr.html
http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2007/02/secret-firmware-menu-of-k10d-v110.html
http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2007/09/how-to-get-back-to-older-version-of.html

Quote:
But do remember try everything at your own risk and you should be the one who knows what you are doing, and why you need to do so, the risk involved and the possible consequence(s) thereafter!

Matt

http://www.mattmatic.co.uk
(For gallery, tips and links)

MattMatic MattMatic

5870 posts
24 years
Sussex,
UK

Posted 22/11/2007 - 10:46 Link

And if you need it, there's all K10D versions here:
http://www.pentax.ca/digital/digital_slr/k10d/firmware_110.php
http://www.pentax.ca/digital/digital_slr/k10d/firmware_111.php
http://www.pentax.ca/digital/digital_slr/k10d/firmware_120.php
http://www.pentax.ca/digital/digital_slr/k10d/firmware_130.php

Matt

http://www.mattmatic.co.uk
(For gallery, tips and links)