New Pentax Firmware updates for 6 cameras

As usual though I had to walk away while it was updating the firmware as I had a really bad urge to switch the camera off halfway through ... just to see if they are telling the truth

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. My Flickr

Mine just done, without any glitches. Thanks to Mannesty & Smeggypants for the heads up.

All my camera needs now is a user that isn't the visual equivalent of cloth ears.


Bernard

I tested the PDAF speed in low light on specific targets at different distances indoors, moving between them, BEFORE the K-30 ver1.02 update and worked at it until finding repeatability, all with the 35/2.4. Then I updated and checked AF again.
No difference.

However, one thing I didn't check before the update because movies aren't really my thing, was movie AF. I know it was pretty useless in low light though on the few times I've tried it. After the update it didn't seem quite as useless as I remember, but....who knows?

Anyone else had issues with the original K5?

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Alan


PPG
Flickr

Hmmm, just with that lens Gareth? Although I'm guessing the rose was shot with the 16-45mm. :-/

If it's just the 18-55 that's giving you consistently underexposed images, I'd be tempted to think it's an aperture problem with that lens, although normally things would be overexposed if that were the case.

Be interesting to see how you, and other K-5 owners get on - I haven't updated my firmware yet (need to charge my batteries up).

Dan

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K-3, a macro lens and a DA*300mm...

Well, I've just done mine. Charged the spare battery up (as the one that was in the camera was showing partially depleted the other day). Took some test shots before the update; a ruler next to my monitor, partly in shadow, and the dark brown cupboard in the dark hallway (was doing this without the card in the camera, so don't have these images, was just zooming in on the quick review image).

About half the shots taken then were out of focus - significant blurring in these cases.

I then updated the firmware. Just as it started phase 2 of this, I realised the freshly charged battery was still next to the keyboard...

All went well however, and then I took more test shots. I hadn't moved, the lighting hadn't changed (artificial light). All these shots were sharp (albeit looking like I need to update the AF adjustment slightly). Consistently focused. The ones of the cupboard were in a different league to those prior the update.

I was skeptical about AF improvement claims with this update - now I'm not.

Just hope it hasn't messed up the exposures.

Dan

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K-3, a macro lens and a DA*300mm...

I spent several hours a few days back, playing with the K30's AF micro-adjust feature with three zooms - a 18-55mm MK2 kit lens, SMC F 35-70mm, SMC FA 100-300mm f/4.7-5.8. All three were front focussing significantly and needed an adjustment of -3 to -7.

Yesterday, I updated the firmware on the K30 and, "just for fun", decided to re-check the focus adjustment. All three had to be re-adjusted. The 18-55mm kit lens is now spot-on at zero - and the other two needed only a small -ve adjustment.

Yes, I think there must be something in the new firmware affecting focus accuracy.

Andrew

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Flickr photostream

Many a true word said in jest

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Alan


PPG
Flickr

Movie AF is definitely better now I've tried it in better light, compared with last time I tried it. I still wouldn't use it though.

Updated my K5 last night, and although I didn't do any pseudo-scientific tests beforehand, I played around with it last night under dim lighting and it does seem to be more accurate with AF. A few shots this morning with lenses that usually have a few more focus issues than others again seemed to show an improvement.

I'm off to the shops to get some Tippex to paint '-II' on the body

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LennyBloke

Nothing like a free upgrade is there?

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fluidr : Airplane-Pictues : redbubble

If Pentax had improved the AF by firmware they would have shouted it from the rooftops, not just said added stability... I will update both my mki and mkii later toy and dont expect any improvement in AF. The AF on the mki I believe is limited by hardware not software.

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PPG Wedding photography Flickr
Concert photography

Currently on a Pentax hiatus until an FF Pentax is released

I have never noticed any significant change after an upgrade, but after this one my hit rate appears to have improved significantly - as I said in my earlier contribution I didn't do any pre-tests (as I didn't expect any difference) but I'm much happier with focusing on a number of lenses (particularly in poor light) - perhaps I have my rose-tinted spectacles on again

It'll be interesting to see the experiences of more users as they upgrade

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LennyBloke

Updated mine last night, no problems...having checked FF/BF of lenses yet but did do a before and after focus test with the DA17-70...no obvious difference as far as I could see

Simon

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Took some shots of my daughter over at the park this afternoon, having been there with her last week. Massive (and I do mean massive) improvement in hit rate for me, the vast majority were correctly focused today, even the ones with her running towards the camera.

Previously I used to try it, knowing that it would be unlikely to keep up, today, one series (11 shots) was mostly in focus, 4 were slightly soft, but still usable. One series lost it after a couple and the camera then struggled to keep up. Last series was seven, two of which were soft, one unusably so. I'd say I'd be lucky to get 50% usable previously. This was with my FA50mm 1.4, shooting at f/2.4.

Low light shots are just better, far more in focus.

Sorry if others aren't getting this, but I assume that part of the K-5II upgrade to AF is through software, and that has been passed on. Would Pentax trumpet that, given that it might dent K-5II sales?

Dan

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K-3, a macro lens and a DA*300mm...