What's the deal with Pentax's Liveview?
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Posted 20/07/2014 - 17:56
There are 3 autofocus modes for live view ... Phase detection, contrast (face), contrast (normal). You need to set these in the camera menu before activating LV. For most situations contrast (face) is good. Its slower than phase mode (where the mirror flips up to allow light onto the af sensor), but you get an uninterrupted view.
I find it best to use the af button specifically for focussing in LV using contrast mode, then shutter button to fire.
I do find LV very useful for some situations, as you say it shows 'exactly whats falling on the sensor', but don't forget the K5 viewfinder is 100% so you also see everything there as well. But LV and then using the info button to jump in magnification steps is very good for focus finetuning.
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
I find it best to use the af button specifically for focussing in LV using contrast mode, then shutter button to fire.
I do find LV very useful for some situations, as you say it shows 'exactly whats falling on the sensor', but don't forget the K5 viewfinder is 100% so you also see everything there as well. But LV and then using the info button to jump in magnification steps is very good for focus finetuning.
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
Last Edited by McGregNi on 20/07/2014 - 18:07
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Posted 20/07/2014 - 18:34
Then it's just me being silly. I can't find where you change the focus mode for LV.
Last Edited by mikedefieslife on 20/07/2014 - 18:34
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Posted 20/07/2014 - 19:23
Press the menu button while in 'photo taking' mode - I believe the item is in the first menu - move through the numbers at the top, look for the item 'Live View', scroll down to it and press the right four-way-controller button to open up this Live View item. Now you should see the autofocus settings also - highlight and click OK and you will see the three options.
Let us know how you get on ... on a DSLR phase detect is perhaps not so useful for some situations (portraits for example, where the clicking of the mirror disturbs the subjects and makes them think you've taken the picture). But is faster and more accurate, especially in lower lighting or low contrast surfaces.
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
Let us know how you get on ... on a DSLR phase detect is perhaps not so useful for some situations (portraits for example, where the clicking of the mirror disturbs the subjects and makes them think you've taken the picture). But is faster and more accurate, especially in lower lighting or low contrast surfaces.
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
Last Edited by McGregNi on 20/07/2014 - 19:24
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Posted 20/07/2014 - 20:59
Excellent. Just what I was looking for.
I'd seen the setting before, but the icons didn't meant anything to me. Seems so obvious now. Cheers.
I'd seen the setting before, but the icons didn't meant anything to me. Seems so obvious now. Cheers.
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Posted 20/07/2014 - 21:42
You have a lot of control over the placement of the autofocus position in contrast AF .... When you first see the picture on the LCD there will be a single green box in the centre. Press the OK button and you will see 4 triangles appear around the box - these are direction indicators. Now you can use the four-way controller buttons to precisely move the box to where you want it. Press the AF button and the contrast AF will operate and focus on the box area. If anything moves you can reposition the box or just press AF again.
Pressing the info button at any time in LV will quickly zoom into the picture (4x, 6x, 8x, 10x - you can control exactly what zoom factor is first applied in the custom menus!) ... now you can use the four-way controller to move you zoomed image around to get your subject more precisely focussed. Once you get to 10x zoom another press of the info button returns to full sized view. Then just take the picture.
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
Pressing the info button at any time in LV will quickly zoom into the picture (4x, 6x, 8x, 10x - you can control exactly what zoom factor is first applied in the custom menus!) ... now you can use the four-way controller to move you zoomed image around to get your subject more precisely focussed. Once you get to 10x zoom another press of the info button returns to full sized view. Then just take the picture.
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
Last Edited by McGregNi on 20/07/2014 - 21:46
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Posted 20/07/2014 - 23:03
I've never found that focus area select to be practical, unless you're doing a stationary tripod shot. Even then from memory you can do the zoom in trick and actually move that zoomed in point around, over to the point you're interested in. Add focus peaking onto this and it's more accurate in my opinion using manual focus anyway.
As a laugh, the K-30 makes the shutter fire when you're in video mode at the start and stop of every clip. This seems silly as you're in live view anyway, so there shouldn't be a need. Turns out it doesn't do this if you've selected f4 aperture, but anything else will fire the shutter...
As a laugh, the K-30 makes the shutter fire when you're in video mode at the start and stop of every clip. This seems silly as you're in live view anyway, so there shouldn't be a need. Turns out it doesn't do this if you've selected f4 aperture, but anything else will fire the shutter...
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Posted 21/07/2014 - 00:06
Ah yes, there must be a custom setting for that ... 'Activate shutter firing (f4.0 only) at start of video mode'. 
I appreciate the point about the focussing box during LV, and it's true that I too have used it mainly on a tripod. But that might just be an old fogey habit I can't shake off 
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
I appreciate the point about the focussing box during LV, and it's true that I too have used it mainly on a tripod. But that might just be an old fogey habit I can't shake off My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
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Posted 21/07/2014 - 01:54
Not saying it doesn't work, just saying with the live view zoom and confirm method I haven't found the need to do the focus point select thing any more. You're also limited to the available focus points on the Pentax unit, whereas the live view zoom, peak, confirm approach means you're free to do this wherever you want on the screen.
Live view is not very nice for bright daylight sun (check out the hood loupe lcd screen covers) so it's not a catch all situation.
In all cases though, as you say Nigel the Pentax viewfinders are excellent. Seriously I tried another companies offering the other day and was taken a back by how tiny the viewfinder was. And that's before we come to EVF units...
Live view is not very nice for bright daylight sun (check out the hood loupe lcd screen covers) so it's not a catch all situation.
In all cases though, as you say Nigel the Pentax viewfinders are excellent. Seriously I tried another companies offering the other day and was taken a back by how tiny the viewfinder was. And that's before we come to EVF units...
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mikedefieslife
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It seems that you can't auto focus in liveview without the camra dropping the mirror, and you only have the default focus grid available.
Sounds very much like its using phase detection.
If that's the case doesn't it just completely defeat the point of having liveview anyway, since more people use liveview for improved focus accuracy (using contrast detection) since what you see is exactly what's falling on the sensor.