I was brought up on manual focus SLR cameras, inheriting my father's interest in photography but, like him, ending up with technically good, poorly composed snap shots no matter how hard I tried. 😥

What we both used for fast moving objects was manual focus, with the lens set at the appropriate hyperfocal setting for the aperture. Unfortunately AF seems to be seen by manufacturers as a good reason to remove the need for manual focus aids on lenses, and by photographer's as the only way to achieve good focus.

So, a long winded way of asking does no-one use hyperfocal settings any more? Once set, all that's left to adjust is ISO and shutter speed, then wait to press the shutter as your target enters the in-focus zone. Agreed, however, that this method won't always isolate the subject from the background, but I doubt using AFC will either.

Good luck with your 4/3 kit.

I had the same soul-searching period last year, but bought a K-S1 and DA Ltds, so equally light weight as your 4/3 kit plus kept all my Pentax gear too!
Not too late you know! K-S1 is cheap.

You haven't told us how your camera is set up (focus points, etc) nor in what circumstances you get hunting.

All cameras and lenses will hunt at some time or other.

For example, if it's just the bif and the sky behind it, I'd say you'd be very likely to get hunting as the system alternates between the bird being in the af target zone and when it's not. I don't 'do' birds in flight, but I imagine they're very difficult to track through the viewfinder, which would explain why some birders use the equivalent of rifle sights with their long lenses.

Take a look here;

http://thenewcamera.com/pentax-k-70-unboxing-and-first-impressions/

Nice portrait Vic.

Wishing your wife a speedy recovery.

Bit of poetic licence on my part.

I appreciate your further comments.

Thanks for the comments, folks.

As I understand it then, if I mount a Pentax flash on my K3II, I will get P-TTL.

The considered view, however, points to P-TTL being a bit of a waste of time, and I should go manual either on or off camera, or better yet full 'son et lumiere' with multiple off camera flash units fired via an on-camera trigger device , (with corresponding flash receivers).

A post elsewhere prompts me to ask, what about PTTL, etc, with these latest flash-less models?

I do plenty of one day courses, and thoroughly enjoy them, and occasionally get a good shot or do, but find I enjoy them more for the social interaction. That said, I also get a lot out of seeing how everyone on the course sees things differently to each other, so same subject, infinite interpretations.

They have the K-S1 for less, which despite the naysayers when it was launched is a great little better specified camera.

What lenses do you have already? Do you really want/need a DSLR?