It is some little time since last I posted on this site so I think a re introduction might be in order. Previously, I had a Pentax K-50 plus a 55-300mm Pentax lens, if my memory serves. I was finding it very difficult to get good shots of birds in flight with said 'stuff'.

I relinquished my Pentax gear and went over to what I have at the present, Canon 760D plus Canon 70-200 f4 'L' lens plus Canon 1.4 III converter. And rather good they are as well. However, still in my mind I have always had a drive for a Pentax. So, as I post this, I am awaiting delivery, in the A.M., of a Pentax K-50, with 18 -55 kit lens and the older version of the Tamron 70-300mm f4-5-5.6 lens.

Armed with this 'stuff' I am determined to take decent shots of birds in flight. I have managed to gain a little photographic knowledge about my 760D and have also tried to keep pace with using the best settings with my Tamron lens to get decent BIF shots. Apparently, it might be best to set centre spot focusing and possibly f8 or f11 to get the best results. I shall find out over the weekend, I hope.

Meanwhile, as always, I would value immensely any assistance that anyone can give me. Muchly thankings.

PS, Nearly forgot, how do I change my temporary password back to a permanent one, please?

richandfleur, the faults are.

1. Unable to access 'M' mode.
2. 'Tav' mode takes up it's own space and that of
'M' mode.
3. Firmware confirmed as installed correctly but it has not.
All faults confirmed by seller and instructed to return.

Blythman, I agree with all that you say. However, I have not had any problems with other cameras when using shutter and or aperture priority. Indeed ninety per cent of all my BIF shots have been in focus and good to look at.

To prove to myself that I can do it, this morning I took some BIF shots using my Lumix FZ200 bridge camera. Even in the wind and rain I took thirty shots and twenty one were half decent.

However, you are perfectly correct, I need to learn a lot. My main problem is that due to intermittent and random health issues I can't get out nearly enough to consistently improve. I shall however not give up, just not with a Pentax and that really does make me sad.

As always, I can't thank all of you enough for your assistance et cetera, it really has been appreciated.

Daronl,
Your post is of immense importance to myself. Yesterday my camera manifested two faults. As a result it has been returned and I am not going to get another Pentax. I have chosen something else.

Over the weekend I shot literally hundreds of shots of BIF and have no more than twenty that are presentable and even fewer that are fit to be seen. I still think the Pentax cameras are superior to the Canon but they really need to get the auto focus, tracking system sorted out, so it can at least be the equal of the other brands.

I am so sad to have deserted the ship but I want to take decent BIF shots often and not have to spend a lot of time trying to get things focused. Your information about the DA* series of lenses is also sad. For around £800-£1000 for a lens, I would certainly expect very good focusing. My thanks.

My thanks to you all, as always and to johnriley especially. Your input always gives me a little more encouragement and confidence with my new K-50.

Jan,

I ask because up until this afternoon I have left it switched on without realising it. After I switched it off I find that the few shots of BIF that I took, it was getting a little darker and colder, were far more in focus.

I am hoping that my 'discovery' is correct and it now only remains for me to concentrate on focusing as well as I can.

Jan.

Ok! Back again.

walt. I now have metering set to centre weighted and AF focus to spot. I also have seen the shadow and put mine onto medium, does that make sense? Thanks for the assistance.

richandfleur. Birds in flight. I have only got to this stage early this afternoon.

1. I have turned off the in camera shake reduction. I think that is correct. Up until then I had it turned on. What I found in the dozen or so shots that I took can be seen in my gallery. It is a seagull landing facing away from the camera. This bird was about eighty yards or so away. I have zoomed in by about 30%, otherwise the shot is as taken.

2. I have also found that on the first attempt to focus with the Pentax 55-300mm lens, the lens will hunt. Let it do it and on the second hunt it will focus. Keep your shutter button half pressed and when the subject is in the screen, take the shot.

I've only done this a few times so I'll have to have another go to make sure. It seemed to work with the seagull shot. Thanks for your help as well.
Jan.

Wow! walt and richandfleur. Thank you very much for the information. I shall come back to it after the 'footy' on the tv.

For now, I've been out this morning and took 218 shots. Of these around 190 were BIF. I got only around five in focus. I have posted my best 'still' and 'moving' shots, only one of each, into the galleries.

Just one question for now. When I'm doing BIF shots I have the camera anti shake option on. I have a feeling it should be off. Help!

Jan.

And I wonder why I struggle! Thanks johnriley.

Jan.

[quote:3496ace15f="JohnX"]It could be we are both on the same page, but 'spot' and 'centre weighted' refers to metering; I'm talking focus [/quote

Oops! I wonder if that is part of my problem. I'm a little confused about how to set up metering as distinct from focusing, if you see what I mean. I don't see spot focusing in the manual although I'll bet that it is there, somewhere.

As today as progressed so some of my shots have. I'll put one or two in my gallery. Many thanks for your assistance. I'll get there in the end, won't I?

Jan.

JohnX, I started out using spot focus but then went over to centre weighted. All my shots this morning are with centre weighted. I'll go back to spot and see what happens.

I would imagine that the two cameras focus modes are set up differently but I don't really know.

stu62, Forgive my ignorance but what is a k-5 variant?


Jan.