Eurgh! I had planned a 2-prong approach to dealing with my focus issues. One was to get the split screen. The other was to get a flashgun and use wider apertures. Now it seems a split screen affects flash metering? Oh dear

I'm also talking to SRS and Pentax about the problems I'm having. We'll see where I get.

Yeah I looked at Katz Eye but thought it was quite expensive for an "experiment".

What's especially reassuring about that article is that I bought my split screen from that vendor too I guess it won't arrive this week though

I notice that SRS sell various focusing screens for the K10D. Is there a Pentax one with a microprism collar and split screen, or are we left with the Katz Eye and Haoda screens only?

I've got a chinese ebay cheapy one on order which I hope will be fine, but would like to know about others in case this one isn't very good.

OK so it's obvious, tripping the shutter before focus has been achieved will result in out of focus images So thanks for bearing with me whilst I embarrassed myself with that.

It's still significantly slower and less accurate than the 20D, but I think I can live with it. The SR lets me close down the lens a bit, so I can get in the ballpark of what I could achieve with the 20D, sharpness wise.

I need to be really careful about this. You know how it is... it's new gear.... you're frustrated.... you jump to the conclusion that it's not working right.

I'm going to take my time and test this carefully tonight. I've been out with it in broad daylight this lunchbreak, and don't have any complaints about the speed of focus in those circumstances. Most of my targets at lunch were distant (>3 metres) of course, whereas the ones I've struggled with have been quite close (e.g. 1 metre) and lit only by low energy indoor lightbulbs.

I presume SRS aren't going to have a problem with me reporting an issue with the camera/lens on Tuesday after having received it on Saturday, so I'll give it tonight, and report back.

Interesting! Thanks for the feedback, that's really useful. Perhaps I should try to persuade my friend to let me borrow one of his DA lenses.

Thanks all for your input. I'm using centre focus point only. I have focus turned off on the shutter button, and use the AF button to focus. I think perhaps I've been tripping the shutter when the red light shows up, and not waiting for the focus confirmation beep.

I took a few shots tonight and it did seem that if I'm just patient and wait for the focus confirmation beep, it's focusing "ok". Still not sure it's brilliant, but it's much better. I need to change my habits! Focus is still slow in low light though

Hi,

I could use some advice. I've had an MX and ME Super for a while, and built up a small collection of M and A primes. My DSLR has always been a Canon, with 50mm f/1.4 and 35mm f/1.4 lenses (shortly to be sold). A friend recently switched from Canon to Pentax, and I've been very impressed by the colours from the Pentax K10D, so I decided to follow suit and make the switch.

On Saturday, I took delivery of a K10D and 43mm limited from SRS. My thinking was that I'd pick a single AF lens (the 43mm), and then use my existing primes in MF mode.

I've found that the Pentax system is not really reliable with AF, even with apertures as small as f/2.8 (I do a lot of stuff at close distance). MF seems to be fine, although until I get a split screen focusing screen I won't know for sure. Is this typical?

I'm thinking about asking SRS to take the 43mm back, and just staying MF only. Is there any reason to assume that the newer lenses coming will be more accurate in their AF (as well as quicker)?

I've also been thinking hard about whether to keep the 43mm for MF only. It seems like a lovely lens, but it's also a shame to spend that money and not get reliable AF when I already have a 50mm M 1.4 which is wonderful.

In my position, what would you do?

Not so far, but it's possible that will come in a separate letter later (has happened before)