K-1 AF performance

<p>Any thoughts? Currently, I'm using K-5 for 5 years and still have disappointing about AF accuracy and speed especially for recomposing that I usually get blur images with 16-50mm(Optical quality is not good at F2.8). I never ever used other AF points cause I can't rely on it that much due to AF accuracy. <br>

Well, after 5 years, Pentax K-1 is finally showed up. Any thought about K-1's AF performance?</p>

Not based on experience but if you can't take a well focussed picture with a K-5 a K-1 won't be an improvement.

Remember, it's the photographer who makes the picture, not the camera.

<p>At least the basic performance is require to take pics since it's DSLR. </p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/pentax-camera-forum/00e2DO</p>

<p>My experience and most of the criticism that I've read over the years is mostly concerned with speed & tracking more than accuracy when comparing against other makers' SLRs. Pentax seems to favor accuracy over speed with their AF logic. Even greater accuracy should be possible with live view contrast-detect focusing, and the newer models have continued to improve in this regard. I believe the K-7 had the first more-or-less fully-featured live view implementation, and the K-5 and K-01 made significant speed improvements to contrast-detect focusing. Possibly later models may have improved this yet further but I don't know to what extent.</p>

<p> </p>

<ul>

<li>K-7 (SAFOX VIII+), 11 points, rated to 0EV like all SAFOX VIII models before it. I'm forgetting what the '+' was for here, I suspect it started to incorporate white balance into the AF?</li>

<li>K-5's AF module (SAFOX IX+) 11 points, rated to -1EV</li>

<li>K-5ii's AF improved a bit (SAFOX X), the sensors became more sensitive to lower light (I believe to -3EV?) but still had 11 points. I skipped from K-7 => K-5ii, I found this change noticeable, and I think this also helps with slower lenses like zooms.</li>

<li>The K-3 (SAFOX 11) added a few more points (totaling 27 points), and maybe a slightly faster & more powerful motor (?)</li>

<li>K-1 added yet more points (SAFOX 12, with 33 points), but (probably because it's sharing some components designed for APS-C models) the spread of the points covers less of the frame (appear more concentrated in middle). The reviews I've read seem to suggest it's not a dramatic improvement over K-3.</li>

</ul>

<p>Other possible accuracy issues can be lens and aperture-specific. Focusing is normally done with wide-open rather than shooting aperture, and particularly with phase-detect AF, there may be calibration issues between a particular lens and body.</p>

<p>Taking a well focused picture with K-5 is not that easy, unless one uses a manual focus lens on a static subject. K-5 is a great camera, except for autofocus accuracy, it's even "capable" of occasionally misfocusing a static object under good light.</p>

<p>I've had few focus problems with my K-5. Much also depends on the lens used with it. I do not own the DA* 16-50, but I do own the DA* 50-135mm f/2.8 without noticing AF difficulty. A couple of other lenses did not do so well with moving subjects. My K-5IIs has proven to be a definite improvement for more reliable AF with all my lenses.</p>

<p>Some test reports state the K-1 AF to be fast but not as fast as some other brands. Some test reports state the K-1 AF does not do well tracking moving subjects, while other test reports state the K-1 AF tracks moving subjects just ok. The camera is too new for very many user reports at this point.</p>