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Thursday, December 10, 2020

Confirmed SAFOX 13 Layout (in K-3 III)



13 x 9 AF point matrix with 16 points omitted near centre, 41 selectable points

Source: Chinese Pentax Quick News
(with also some dissection photos of the new body in article)

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Derek's avatar

Derek · 223 weeks ago

Looks like it is a rigid compact block just for the center of the frame. The lower density in the center of the block indicates, that the block itself is probably kept quite small. Another observation: There are no "outliers" on the far left and right from the central block any more?
7 replies · active 223 weeks ago
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ToetSFX's avatar

ToetSFX · 223 weeks ago

Related to AF speed I do not like Pentax. It it a big problem for me with birding (tele lenses). I don't want to sell this lenses...This is the reason I can not move to another brand.Is the AF of the K3III faster / better? Or is this a (very) big illusion????? Can you please give advice?
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Derek's avatar

Derek · 223 weeks ago

I don't have a Sony, but if I were you, i.e. a birder with Pentax glass, I would
- wait for the Monster adapter in 2021, and wait for its initial reviews
- Go for a recent Sony with animal eye AF. According to https://www.sony.com/electronics/animal-eye-af#Pr... these models are: a7c (but annoyingly small viewfinder), a7 S III (but hard to get right now, everyone seems to want it), a9 II (very expensive).
So I would probably wait for the a7 IV in your situation. Because due to the K-to-E Adapter to become available, you would have to wait for 2021 anyway. If the current small a7c already has the animal eye AF, then all future a7 will get it as well, including the a7 IV, along with the other recent improvements (e.g. a new menu).

I would insist on animal eye AF, because this makes your lens focus reliably on the bird's head, not on its wing tips or so. The infinite AF point density and coverage will also help tracking of course (such is a prerequisite for animal eye AF anyway).
+2 Vote up Vote down
Derek's avatar

Derek · 223 weeks ago

I don't have a Sony, but if I were you, i.e. a birder with Pentax glass, I would
- wait for the Monster adapter in 2021, and wait for its initial reviews
- Go for a recent Sony with animal eye AF. According to https://www.sony.com/electronics/animal-eye-af#Pr... these models are: a7c (but annoyingly small viewfinder), a7 S III (but hard to get right now, everyone seems to want it), a9 II (very expensive).
So I would probably wait for the a7 IV in your situation. Because due to the K-to-E Adapter to become available, you would have to wait for 2021 anyway. If the current small a7c already has the animal eye AF, then all future a7 will get it as well, including the a7 IV, along with the other recent improvements (e.g. a new menu).

I would insist on animal eye AF, because this makes your lens focus reliably on the bird's head, not on its wing tips or so. The infinite AF point density and coverage will also help tracking of course (such is a prerequisite for animal eye AF anyway).

You should skip the a7 III, because its processor seem a bit older and limited for such high-end tasks, it will probably never get animal eye AF via firmware (it didn't even get Sony's "real time tracking", where the camera switches seamlessly in "realtime" between eye AF and regular tracking modes, depending on if it detects eyes or not)
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Derek's avatar

Derek · 223 weeks ago

Sorry for the repeated post; Blogspot just timed out, repeatedly, without having given feedback if the post was successful or not
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Derek's avatar

Derek · 223 weeks ago

OOPS a correction: the a7 III DID get animal eye AF via firmware update already. But as of now, it isn't yet bird competent, so for birding, Canon R has the lead currently. But Sony (as the inventor of the animal eye AF) might want to take back the lead in 2021 again. By the time the Monster lens adapter will be available, then you should asses, what firmware the a7 III has by then, and in particular, if Sony had introduced bird eye AF to the standards of Canon R.
-1 Vote up Vote down
ToetSFX's avatar

ToetSFX · 223 weeks ago

Thank you for your advice! Then I will indeed wait for this hopeful adapter. So I switch to Sony for telephoto lens / bird photography. I will study Sony bodies much better now. I had never heard of animal eye AF (that sounds very good). But I did not follow developments like this anymore. For the normal lenses I can continue to use Pentax (but not with a K3III body ...). Thank you again for this advice !!!
-1 Vote up Vote down
Derek's avatar

Derek · 223 weeks ago

I don't have a Sony, but if I were you, i.e. a birder with Pentax glass, I would
- wait for the Monster adapter in 2021, and wait for its initial reviews
- Go for a recent Sony with animal eye AF. According to https://www.sony.com/electronics/animal-eye-af#Pr... these models are: a7c (but annoyingly small viewfinder), a7 S III (but hard to get right now, everyone seems to want it), a9 II (very expensive).
So I would probably wait for the a7 IV in your situation. Because due to the K-to-E Adapter to become available, you would have to wait for 2021 anyway. If the current small a7c already has the animal eye AF, then all future a7 will get it as well, including the a7 IV, along with the other recent improvements (e.g. a new menu).

I would insist on animal eye AF, because this makes your lens focus reliably on the bird's head, not on its wing tips or so. The infinite AF point density and coverage will also help tracking of course (such is a prerequisite for animal eye AF anyway).

You should skip the a7 III, because its processor seem a bit older and limited for such high-end tasks, it will probably never get animal eye AF via firmware (it didn't even get Sony's "real time tracking", where the camera switches seamlessly in "realtime" between eye AF and regular tracking modes, depending on if it detects eyes or not)
+3 Vote up Vote down
ToetSFX's avatar

ToetSFX · 223 weeks ago

Derek: Thank you for your advice! Then I will indeed wait for this hopeful adapter. So I switch to Sony for telephoto lens / bird photography. I will study Sony bodies much better now. I had never heard of animal eye AF (that sounds very good). But I did not follow developments like this anymore. For the normal lenses I can continue to use Pentax (but not with a K3III body ...). Thank you again for this advice !!!

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