1.13

Dan

In response to this post by Cabstar, here's a shot I took soon after updating my firmware on my K-5.




Obviously this isn't as sharp as Cabstar's shots. And it took two attempts for my K-5 to lock focus. But it was at ISO800, f/1.4, 1/20s. And then it needed +1.3 exposure correction in Lightroom to get it this bright. So I think that means the lighting was about 2.5 stops darker than it was for Cabstar. Which is why I feel my K-5's lowlight focusing has never been better.

Again, I'm not saying the focusing is faster. It's simply not hunting as much, and when it says it's focused, it usually is, even in very low light. I do need to fiddle with the focus adjustment, as it is still as it was before, so I should zero it all and recalibrate.

Dan

I was updating from version 1.13. Mine has never had great success focusing in dim artificial light. It does seem a lot better now, from my admittedly brief testing. I don't know why.

Dan

Quicker to go south to Park Cameras in Burgess Hill?

Dan

No, doesn't do it automatically in AF-S, that would be a PITA when it got it wrong. Perhaps Pentax's thinking is that someone with a K-5 would want to be in control of what mode it uses, and not leave it down to the camera to pick.

I tend to advise Canon users to leave theirs in AF-Focus (AF-A), but always change it to AF-Servo (AF-C) if they know their subject's likely/going to be moving, as there will be a slight delay before the camera switches from AF-S to AF-C, and that might be enough to lose the shot.

Dan

I wouldn't say focusing is any quicker, and I still have the same adjustments as before. But accuracy in low light especially is better, and it seems to follow moving subjects better. That is with limited and unscientific testing, which I know won't please you Smeggy.

My 'before-' and 'after-update' shots were literally sat in the same spot, same low light from shaded 60W equivalent low energy desk lamp, and the 'before' ones followed this sort of sequence:

Shoot, check, out of focus
Shoot, check, out of focus
Shoot, check, not bad
Shoot, check, out of focus
Shoot, check, out of focus

Whereas after the update it was:

Shoot, check, wow, bang on
Shoot, check, wow, another bang on
Shoot, check, er wow, bang on again
Shoot, check, oh, a bit off
Shoot, check, ah, bang on again

I can't think of any other reason for this, other than something in the firmware.

Dan

Well, if they'd like to point out where, that would be nice.

The AF Settings in the K-30 menu (which includes AF-A on/off) covers things that are in the custom menus on the K-5/K-5II, but AF-A isn't one of them. No mention of it anywhere I can see in the camera's menus or the manual.

Dan

Might take you up one that... Just had a look for it in the K-5II manual and no sign of it there either.

Dan

I would also point out, that I was as skeptical as I usually am when I heard people saying that AF was improved. Just had a look back through shots of my daughter, today's ones of her on the move are just so much better than I've ever had before.

Dan

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