RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: Continuous Reports of K-5 still Mis-Focused under Tungsten even with the Latest Firmware 1.03

Friday, May 06, 2011

Continuous Reports of K-5 still Mis-Focused under Tungsten even with the Latest Firmware 1.03

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=38366802

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=38365268

Test photos are posted and the following is quoted from one of the K-5 users above:-

"I bought a K-5 which was clearly having trouble with AF in tungsten light. Focus worked fine in daylight, so I loaded v1.03 and did some testing. Unfortunately the new firmware didn't help.

I know some people have a K-5 that works in tungsten light, but I decided to give up for now and returned the camera.For those who can't be bothered to look, tungsten AF on both older cameras outperformed the K-5 by a margin that doesn't require pixel peeping to spot."

Well, it seems that the low light tungsten Front Focusing issue is a real and newly introduced one with Pentax latest AF system of the SAFOX IX, which used in the K-5 and K-r. Too bad.. >:-(

All Related:-

http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/search?q=SAFOX+IX

Comments (11)

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+1 Vote up Vote down

Denis · 723 weeks ago

Yes, I have this issue. But it looks like AF module defect. On the other hand, it's just strange to see so poor QC for one the most expensive crops on the market.

2 replies · active 723 weeks ago

0 Vote up Vote down

RiceHigh 110p · 723 weeks ago

I don't think that it is a QC issue afterall. If it is, the "affected" K-5 could not even focus properly under bright and white light. So, it should be a design defect, but not a QC one.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Denis · 723 weeks ago

It is. I tested a couple K-5 of my friends, they work OK unlike my copy.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Toomas Kadarpik · 723 weeks ago

ridiculous post, mine at least works under 100W modelling light and also in dim church with candles. It is definitely not 1D but the price is different as well. In those posts someone is even comparing K5 with K20D ..... uhhhh, those two AF engines does not compare at all, K20D is very slow and does not work in dim light at all, I mean 1 candle.

-5 Vote up Vote down

Boris · 723 weeks ago

It may work for some, but it is clear that there is large number of cases (see all the complaints on user forums like dpreview) when it does not work and consistently front focuses. So, this means a clear case of unreliability, for such a high priced camera. In fact Pentax is quickly becoming known as the landscape camera or outdoor camera, in spite of its high ISO sensor. With unreliable low-light focusing, it is risky for event shooting. With poor AF tracking and lack of fast long AF lenses, as well as sub par image stabilisation, it is not good for actions, even in good light. With choice limited ultra wide lenses, and no effective shift and tilt lenses for APS-C, it is not so goodfor architecture, You can do portraits, but it does not have the best bokeh and you do not want to do it with low-light due to this focus accuracy problem. And of course if you need to use flash for some catch-light and to light up the surroundings, Pentax has only old out of date flash units that are not as accurate or as well featured as all the other major brands. That rules it out for weddings. Of course, there are people who still do it, but like Crocodile Dundee said," You can eat it, but it tastes like shit."

So, what is really good for? Still objects, wildlife, especially the slow moving and predictable type, but for most it is best for just landscape. Sure it is a cheap way of getting weather proof equipment. Does everybody need that? The really special feature it has is the Sony sensor. As that sensor gets used in more cameras, even cheaper ones like the D5100, you have to worry about this company.

2 replies · active 723 weeks ago

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Mr Big · 723 weeks ago

There's no doubt there was an AF issue with a few people in forums, but these hardly put a dent in the overall K-5 user-base per say. That's the main issue with problem tracking, in that it only takes a few to make it seem as though a bunch of people are having specified issues. However, if you do a tally, you'd find that there was a handful of people who were affected by low light AF issues and so that's hardly what we could call a large number of cases now is it.

Aside from that, your second "fact" is even more unsubstantiated than the first!
Do you know how many people are using K-5's in the studio atm? And if so, I'd love to see those numbers?
I've put two K-5's through their paces in the past few months and I can say without a doubt that your claims are nothing but self indulgent ideas without a single shred of reality under them.

The rest of your post is completely residual to the root of my criticism and so I won't bother addressing it.
What's sad though is that you actually invested and entire paragraph with claims and ideas that are completely false.

0 Vote up Vote down

muzx · 722 weeks ago

If you want a good portrait bokeh, you should try some old manual lenses, like the 135/2.5 or 85/1.8

-5 Vote up Vote down

Boris · 723 weeks ago

Sorry, Mr Big, if you are one of those with a lot of Pentax lenses and or otherwise locked in the Pentax system. Read the latest K-5 review on
www.photoreview.com.au

Quoting the conclusion/recommendation:

Don't buy this camera if:
- You're upgrading from a digicam and want a simple DSLR camera.
- You don't have a suite of Pentax-compatible lenses.
- You want autofocusing while shooting video clips.
- You're not interested in in-camera processing to obtain special effects with JPEG files.

Most buyers do not have a suite of Pentax-compatible lenses!

That is a recommendation against the brand, if you don't get it. With less than 5 % of the camera market, Pentax could be going the path of Olympus. One of the signs of that is the fierce defenders of the brand, disregarding logic, for which Olympus DSLR users are also known for.

2 replies · active 723 weeks ago

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chris · 723 weeks ago

i very much hope that pentax and olympus ( and a few others ) will survive in the dslr / serious camera market. it will not be good for us all if canon and nikon, and maybe a little sony, are the only players left. that would lead to a lack of knovation and high prices. ( and bulky systems )

+3 Vote up Vote down

Ying · 722 weeks ago

Dude! You do understand what 'Editor's Choice meant' do you?

The K-5 is the editor's choice ;) And let me say it's not because they choose it because it's carp.

+3 Vote up Vote down

Richard · 722 weeks ago

Photoreview's verdict was that the K-5 is a capable dslr. Concerning focussing problems, read the Cameralabs conclusions of the Nikon D7000: back-focussing and reports from users of this problem. Not to mention consistent over-exposure with matrix metering, which is stated to be not unusual for Nikon.
Much as I like my Nikon D40, especially its 1/500 flash synch, I have to admit that -.7 exposure compensation is required most of the time.
Pentax is not alone in having users experience difficulties.

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Friday, May 06, 2011

Continuous Reports of K-5 still Mis-Focused under Tungsten even with the Latest Firmware 1.03

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