K5d or D300s

To be honest I wouldn't believe anything written in a DP review, even if it said the K5 was better than the D300, my Son called round today with his recently acquired compact (a Fuji EXR600) the DP review said it handled noise well, HA! The noise levels at ISO400 were akin to my K5 at ISO3200, even with the camera set to idiot mode and using flash the noise levels were abysmal, Reviews are largely a waste of time.

As for focus reliability I have sat amongst both Canon and Nikon users in bird hides and heard their curses as their lenses fail to lock on to the subject and they miss the shot, and they've heard mine when the K5 fails to lock on.
Knowing both your subject and your equipment and also how to use it has a lot more to do with getting the shot than focus speed.

Pick the camera that feels right and learn how to use it.

+1. Having enjoyed the OP's gallery posts, I'm not so sure he really needs a 'sport' camera. But, if it is now a priority you have got to look at that Sony - speed is 'off the chain' as some might say. DR looks good too for more considered shots.

Have you tried shooting in Shutter priority mode rather than Focus priority mode when birding ? The focus lock will still beep when you hit focus, however if you have to take the shot before confirmation you will still get some sort of shot and it may well be in-focus, or at least near enough that with a little judicious PP and not printing above 8x10 you'd never know the difference.

Of course you will still need to MF a lot of the time but then you have to do that anyway when birding in wooded areas.

MM . . .What have I started? I must apologise to th OP. Was only trying to show him straight out of the camera.

I wouldn't worry Felix, most threads on here end up this way in the end

OK. Mike. Thans to everyone who pointed out my "vlurred"pics after being downsized.

I might give it a try, but will probably end up with just putting the shutter count up on the camera

I changed digital systems and replaced my K20D with a D300s after the chance of a great deal on a complete Nikon system (my film systems are still Pentax). I don't regret it. Sure, there are a couple of things I miss about the Pentax but the pros far outweigh the cons. The D300s is an outstanding piece of equipment. I never really used the K5 though, only fiddled with it in the shop, but why would I want to when I have a D300s?
51 AF points is sublime and the camera is solid, without being too heavy/bulky. Dual card slots is nice too, etc, etc. I also seem to do a lot less PP now.
Hope that helps.

How do 51 AF points help?

G

I only use centre point on the K5 as it is, 51 would be just another 50 chances for the camera to select the one I don't want

Agreed. But I hate missing anything "sublime", so I am hoping to be enlightened.

Mind you, I am still waiting to hear from Dannyboy on how you can avoid post-processing and still produce perfect images.

Methinks I will need to be very patient.

G

I don't think we should rule out other systems being more reliable in terms of selecting the correct focus point Although I must admit it's a moot issue for me, as I shoot MF so much anyway. I can see a K-01 in my future sometime for that reason.

But how does it decide?

I don't pay a lot of attention to other brands, because it would be ridiculous for me to even contemplate switching, but my understanding (which may be wrong) is that Pentax AF is not less accurate than that of other brands, but can be less rapid.

No doubt you will tell me that my understanding is flawed.

G

its the "every" that i disagree with George.

It's the tracking more than the speed of the AF that is not so good on Pentax. On my 50D I can pick centre spot (for instance) use AF-C and move the camera all over the place and it will lock every time .. instantly. With the K-5 it will lock 3 or 4 times then just give up.

That can be bloody annoying when shooting something coming towards you or if you are tracking a subject that behaves erratically.

The K-5 is a lot better than previous Pentax bodies though.