When you get the new issue of AP you'll see that AP are rather down on Pentax this week.

All sorted now, thanks Hyram.

Some comments edited to remove technidiot's real name.

As far as I can see, your real name is not known, so I'm not sure what you mean? Where are you trying to remove it from?

Amin, the quote was from a comment on another thread today. Rather than divert the thread I thought it was interesting enough to challenge and explore the preconception.

Mike, the point was that at one time not so long ago (10 years) Pentax was considered cutting edge so why not in 2010 when AF speed does not seem so different from others, and I have seen that the others can actually be much slower sometimes.

There is a physical limit as to how fast AF can be and we seem to be close to it in many circumstances.

Already suggested, passed on, and for various reasons can't be done.

Apart from anything else, it's not very often a problem, and it is watched very closely.

I don't know, I haven't heard of any. However, a theoretic risk.

I always felt the AF/MF switch was a bit vulnerable, but the design of that has not been changed so I suppose it's proved to be OK.

I'm puzzled by this to some degree. Through the 1990s magazine reviews were full of praise for the snappy, cutting edge AF of Pentax cameras. I can say this because I've just been reading them all. Currently I have quite a few new Pentax lenses for my DSLRs and they all snap happily into focus. The only exceptions are very low light (too low for accurate manual focusing), some sorts of subjects (turn to manual for these) and sometimes fast moving wildlife (keep practising John!)

I was looking at a Tamron 70-300mm on a Canon 350D on Thursday and the focusing on this was positively lethargic. No zip at all.

It makes me wonder where this change in perception has originated as 99% of the time AF does what it days on the box.

I don't doubt for a moment that the tests everyone has done have given them the results they report. What I would say is that the instructions are quite explicit "turn SR off when on a tripod" so maybe they knew that would give the best results. If they had only said why we wouldn't have a debate!

I can think of other possible factors, some simple, and also that some of us would think they didn't matter.

At least on the K20D when SR is off the sensor is clamped into position. In theory this would ensure maximum resolution for macro work.

Turning SR off would save power, however insignificant.

Turning SR off would save unecessary wear on the SR mechanism.

I'm sure there are plenty of other possible reasons. It isn't difficult to switch SR off when on a tripod, so that's what I do providing I remember to. As I use the 2 second self timer quite often, it's remembered for me most of the time!

This has already recently been covered in another thread.

As for people joining to sell, well there's nothing to stop them doing that, and of course exisiting members will be more careful when dealing with an unknown person. Caveat emptor. For sellers, it's not the best way to say hello as you are unknown and the sale will probably be less likely to happen.

As there are no significant problems, doing something about this is finding a cure for something that doesn't happen.

I've moved this to General Chat so that new members don't feel pressurised in the Just Joined? forum. Hardly the best welcome to see words like "mandatory".....