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Continuous focus on the K5

jonoslack

Active member
Okay okay okay, I know it isn't a D3, or even a D700.

Still, today I thought I'd give it some freedom, these were all shot with the D60-250.

This first one was of a housemartin (like a small swift for those that don't know) hunting for flies. They fly incredibly fast, so much that at 250mm it was really impossible to keep them in the frame, however, on a couple of occasions I did keep them in the frame - I had the autofocus set to 11 point, auto select, the focus set to continuous - when I shot this I could see the focus tracking around the focus points. it really was fast:

boring shot, but point made (not cropped):



Damn dog had legged it into a field of barley - he would appear for half a second here - then another half second there.

I caught a glimpse here:



here is a crop



this is another full frame shot:



the point being that when leaping out of 3 ft of barley, you don't get long to grab the focus and get the shot, and the apparently lugubrious 60-250 actually did a really grand job.

Sorry about the boring photos!

I think that the point here is that a little practice and knowledge of how the camera actually works can get good results - I'm not an action photographer, but it's nice to be able to grab a bit of action, and it seems to be able to do it!
 

Knorp

Well-known member
Jono, exactly what I did Friday evening with my 200 !
Unfortunately I had the exposure all wrong and should have compensated more than just +0,7 or so. It's getting late now, but I'll post some of my results (Lapwings) tomorrow - oh well I mean a bit later today :sleep006:
Anyway, using AF-C is the way to go for action shots !

Now where is that Woody ?

Kind regards.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Now where is that Woody ?

Kind regards.
Well, a woody is always what one needs late at night, but one doesn't usually discuss it! :ROTFL:

What surprised me was how well the auto-focus points worked (considering how badly they work as selected focus points).

off to bed (Woody or not!)

all the best
 

Knorp

Well-known member

Knorp

Well-known member
Well, a woody is always what one needs late at night, but one doesn't usually discuss it! :ROTFL:

off to bed (Woody or not!)

all the best
FCOL - Mr Jonathan Slack, what are you driveling about ?
Why are you making fun out of your American cousin, huh ?
:p

Poor Woody ...
:ROTFL:

Kind regards.
 

Knorp

Well-known member
Some samples of my AF-C attempts from Friday evening (first normal size, second cropped)
As said elsewhere, I had the exposure wrong and should also have selected a higher ISO, but alas.









Kind regards.
 

Knorp

Well-known member
Excellent shots, Ario !
The flamingos are good, but that vulture is quite something.

Kind regards.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Thanks Jono for starting this thread.....

I have been playing around with AF-C.....and also AF-S with "release priority", like described here.

http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/how-to/shooting/boost-your-af-performance.html

I'll try to post some pics.

R
HI Rich
I've always had AF-c on release priority, and AF-s on shutter priority - have to say, there's not much of a delay on the K5.

In this instance those housemartins/swallows were flying so fast that it was impossible to track them in any meaningful way - just a case of luck if one flew into the viewfinder - and using all the focus points to grab it.

It's an interesting article - although it all seems fairly obvious (even to an absolute non-birder like me). Never did like having the AF on the rear button personally (i like it to have AE lock there).

I wonder how the Image Stabilisation remarks relate when you have in body IS?

Good though.

Bart -
your birds look fine - what kind of bird are they? Were they zipping?

all the best
 

MalcolmP

New member
Hi guys,
thought I'd offer my 2cents on this subject.
I personaly have had more luck with single spot focus in AF-C than 5 spot and 5 spot more than 11 spot,i found it liable to hunt too much,although i am using slow cheapish glass.Just read the article linked by RichM(cheers for that:salute:)and by luck on my part it seems i may have been on the right lines.Although i've yet to try the release priority mode but i certainly will give it a go in future:)
Jono-couldnt you have picked something fatter and slower than a housemartin:ROTFL:talk about a challange:)
Even Canikon would struggle I'd guess?:)
I think the K5 will do it but the keeper rate wont be as high maybe.
Perhaps we will get the af system to match canikon on the next model:thumbs:eek:nly thing the Pentax K5 lags behind on now imho.
Something fatter and slower-
Regards
Malc
 
Last edited:

benroy

Subscriber Member
Fine bird pictures, Malc...(woodpecker and owl)...welcome to the Pentax crowd...always supportive and encouraging.

Roy Benson
 

Knorp

Well-known member
Hi guys,
thought I'd offer my 2cents on this subject.
I personaly have had more luck with single spot focus in AF-C than 5 spot and 5 spot more than 11 spot,i found it liable to hunt too much,although i am using slow cheapish glass.Just read the article linked by RichM(cheers for that:salute:)and by luck on my part it seems i may have been on the right lines.Although i've yet to try the release priority mode but i certainly will give it a go in future:)
Jono-couldnt you have picked something fatter and slower than a housemartin:ROTFL:talk about a challange:)
Even Canikon would struggle I'd guess?:)
I think the K5 will do it but the keeper rate wont be as high maybe.
Perhaps we will get the af system to match canikon on the next model:thumbs:eek:nly thing the Pentax K5 lags behind on now imho.
Something fatter and slower-
Regards
Malc
Hi there Malcolm,

a warm welcome from me too !
Excellent shots, both woodpecker family and the owl, with great detail that really impresses me a lot.
I'm very interested in your experiences with the BIGMA (50-500).
Looking for a long tele-zoom I've got an eye on the Sigma 50-500 or 120-400, but find it difficult to decide.
Hope you can show us some tele shots in the 400-500 range.

As for "fatter and slower" I quite agree that Jono tried his hands on a very difficult bird: small and fast !
That's why I suppose 5p-AF will give you a higher hit rate tracking such fast bird as with 1p-AF on something slower that might proof the better option.
Anyway, all very exciting stuff and lots to look forward to.

All the very best.
 

MalcolmP

New member
Thank you very much Bart:)
yes,affordable,long glass is a bit of a dilemma for a pentax shooter is'nt it!:confused:
Yes small fast birds are probably not best tackled with spot focus(unless youve got all day:)
I'll share my thoughts on the new bigma with you if you like by all means:)
untill then,
Regards
Malc
 
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