Interesting comment on Pentax and Canon auto focus

[simdavid]

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...ssage=22780124

Personally, after handing 3 years on Dpreview, Roland Mabo is a voice that I find credible. That's just my opinion.

[airconvent]

Interesting. If what he says is true, then Pentax AF spends to much time trying to be perfect. The end result is "slower" focussing, apparent "hunting" and higher occasions where objects will not focus but any image take would be more accurately focussed, hence sharper as compared with Canon? Is that good or bad?

[longko]

Originally Posted by airconvent Interesting. If what he says is true, then Pentax AF spends to much time trying to be perfect. The end result is "slower" focussing, apparent "hunting" and higher occasions where objects will not focus but any image take would be more accurately focussed, hence sharper as compared with Canon? Is that good or bad?

From what I notice comparing DA 50-200mm & Sigma 70-300, DA 50-200mm takes about 25-50% lesser time to AF than Sigma 70-300. IMHO I rather have a sharper shot than a fast focusing shot, because I don't shot much fast moving subject.

[airconvent]

Originally Posted by longko From what I notice comparing DA 50-200mm & Sigma 70-300, DA 50-200mm takes about 25-50% lesser time to AF than Sigma 70-300. IMHO I rather have a sharper shot than a fast focusing shot, because I don't shot much fast moving subject.

If you have kids like Feng Wei, you will understand what is "fast moving target"..
I do notice that my old Pentax istDL tended to hunt in low light, eg when I was at the night safari. The camera kept on hunting but unable to find the focus. I could hear the focus mechanism hit the end stop at both ends! From what I observed, such situations would be best to set to manual focus and set to infinite...

[longko]

Originally Posted by airconvent If you have kids like Feng Wei, you will understand what is "fast moving target".. I do notice that my old Pentax istDL tended to hunt in low light, eg when I was at the night safari. The camera kept on hunting but unable to find the focus. I could hear the focus mechanism hit the end stop at both ends! From what I observed, such situations would be best to set to manual focus and set to infinite...

Kids I can managed with DA lens as I take quite a few shots with my nephew Ya I agree Pentax is not good with AF in low light Kinda sad can't use flash for night safari...

[airconvent]

So is it a general statement that Pentax lens' AF are faster than third party brands like Sigma and Tamron?

[longko]

Originally Posted by airconvent So is it a general statement that Pentax lens' AF are faster than third party brands like Sigma and Tamron?

My only other AF lens is the Sigma 70-300mm Been trying to get the Tokina 100mm macro with no luck anywhere

[Vulpix0r]

Originally Posted by longko Kids I can managed with DA lens as I take quite a few shots with my nephew Ya I agree Pentax is not good with AF in low light Kinda sad can't use flash for night safari...

I condemn people who insist on using flash in night safari, never considered how the nocturnal animals would feel or how its eyesight would be affected.

Imagine using a powerful and firing it at you after forcing your eyes open in the middle of the night...

[longko]

Originally Posted by Vulpix0r I condemn people who insist on using flash in night safari, never considered how the nocturnal animals would feel or how its eyesight would be affected. Imagine using a powerful and firing it at you after forcing your eyes open in the middle of the night...

lol relax lah. I only said "Kinda sad can't use flash for night safari..." We know why cannot use flash, that's why most locals normally won't use flash. Those who uses flash tend to be tourist.

[airconvent]

Originally Posted by Vulpix0r I condemn people who insist on using flash in night safari, never considered how the nocturnal animals would feel or how its eyesight would be affected. Imagine using a powerful and firing it at you after forcing your eyes open in the middle of the night...

yup..quite irritating...to see the MC kept on reminding people not to use flash and simultaneously the flashes are firing.
But I do I think some like retired aunties may not understand what is being said (only in english) and some may not even know how to switch the flash on the cameras to "off"...

[southernoise]

I find DA lens focus much faster than FA lens. My Tamron focus pretty fast too but I never really did compare.

[fengwei]

This is my first post in one week

If you are looking at fast AF, Canon is the one for you. Pentax still has a long way to go to catch up w/ Canon on this. But for most cases, Pentax AF is fast enough. As far as I know, many pros shoot w/ MF for moving target or shooting in low light, even w/ a Canon Besides, a little bit focus speed difference won't make any difference at all for most use.