Warning, why not jumping to Pentax anymore

[Batdude]

I had a very very interesting day today and maybe this info might be helpful to some.

I went to a store to go try the K1 with 24-70 lens. I started my AF "test" in the store and the camera/lens would not lock on focus on any of the people that were there that were walking/passing by me. The AF is so poor that the camera simply would not lock focus on the subject. And the issue is not just with that lens but it looks like pentax has poor AF in general.

I came back and opened a thread with the results and I stated my clear disappointment, and some posters started saying that they too have problems with AF and is a very well known issue. Of course before I was asking about the system because I said that I was "in love" with the IQ everybody was all cool as usual, but after I came back to discuss the trouble I had at the store with the AF some were not happy at all and of course my post gets deleted. classic.

The K1 IQ is incredibly beautiful, it really is, but the AF is completely useless to me. Is really embarrassing because I think my XE1 can lock on focus on moving subjects indoor, in this case, something so simple as someone walking by you in a store with the available light, and I'm talking about AF-S, not AF-C.

Anyway, just in case anyone is interested in a K1 or all their cameras in general, I suggest you make sure your application matches the system's abilities. But, for pure still photography the K1 RAW/DNG files are DROP DEAD GORGEOUS and I'm very sad that I'm not going to be able to get this camera. So I'll continue shooting with what I currently have.

Thanks.

 

[Canadianguy]

Guess you didn't see this topic

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4193817#forum-post-59990254

I have friends who switched from Pentax K3 MkII to Nikon D500 - who shoot birds and they all say how much easier it was using the Nikon compared to their Pentax to focus track.

Of course - one of them complains about the colours from Nikon compared to Pentax all the time. So pick your poison.

Guess you have one more brand to try out - Canon.

 

[Batdude]

Guess you didn't see this topic

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4193817#forum-post-59990254

I have friends who switched from Pentax K3 MkII to Nikon D500 - who shoot birds and they all say how much easier it was using the Nikon compared to their Pentax to focus track.

Of course - one of them complains about the colours from Nikon compared to Pentax all the time. So pick your poison.

Seriously. There just isn't a perfect system out there.

Guess you have one more brand to try out - Canon.

No I'm staying the heck away from canon. I'll be staying put where I'm at right now.

 

[akin_t]

Lol, hyperbole?

No way is anything worse than the X-E1 when it comes to focusing on moving subjects.

 

[Batdude]

Lol, hyperbole?

No way is anything worse than the X-E1 when it comes to focusing on moving subjects.

I have taken lots of photos of my kids with the XE1 in a panning motion and AF does lock on the subject. The K1 does not. Is a trip.

Yeah the XE1 is bad too hahahahaha but the K1 doesn't do anything and the AF square doesn't even light up, it just doesn't know what to do.

 

[Lobbamobba]

That's a well known issue of most forums Im afraid. Its the same when we try to discuss the shortcomings of Fuji as well. People get so defensive its impossible to have a normal discussion.

The only one that looses are ourselves. If we dont voice the negatives the companies won't know to fix them.

 

[JS Burnie]

Did you check out the review of the K1 before going shopping? It notes "hesitant" single AF and poor continuous AF. Are you interested in the Nikon D850? If you are happy with a bigger, heavier system then it might be your dream camera.

 

[Cena]

Wow! You had disappointing experience.
I hadn't expected your - let's say - "express return"!
I also learnt readings tests - and blogs - is not the same as own operating experience!

 

[nptech]

Just adding in my 2c - I'd rather have an in focus shot with arguably inferior colors, as opposed to arguably better colors and not in focus

 

[iblackwood]

I have a friend who owns a K1 and he used it on a recent wedding and complained about the autofocus, especially during the low light moments of the day. He does use it for landscapes and they turn out incredible, but that's a whole different area of photography.

 

[third son]

Really?

 

[Batdude]

That's a well known issue of most forums Im afraid. Its the same when we try to discuss the shortcomings of Fuji as well. People get so defensive its impossible to have a normal discussion.

The only one that looses are ourselves. If we dont voice the negatives the companies won't know to fix them.

AMEN.

Unfortunately there are company representatives here and because of the way these forums work these days sometimes it is impossible to do that. If we say something negative it is inconvenient for them and DPR and the MOD's job is to eliminate that.

That's one of the reasons why I don't like Yelp. I posted my review on two toyota dealerships saying how they rip customers off by cranking up repair prices in the service department, and I'm not talking about parts, I'm talking about the labor, just because you own a higher end car, and I gave my story explaining how they were charging $10K and wanted to replace the entire top section of a lexus engine, and some independent guy from a rinki dinki shop fixed it for $500 bucks, and the next day my review was taken down, deleted. These days you can pay anybody to do stuff for you as long you show them the cash.

The truth hurts doesn't it?

 

[grazuncle]

I had a very very interesting day today and maybe this info might be helpful to some.

I went to a store to go try the K1 with 24-70 lens. I started my AF "test" in the store and the camera/lens would not lock on focus on any of the people that were there that were walking/passing by me. The AF is so poor that the camera simply would not lock focus on the subject. And the issue is not just with that lens but it looks like pentax has poor AF in general.

I came back and opened a thread with the results and I stated my clear disappointment, and some posters started saying that they too have problems with AF and is a very well known issue. Of course before I was asking about the system because I said that I was "in love" with the IQ everybody was all cool as usual, but after I came back to discuss the trouble I had at the store with the AF some were not happy at all and of course my post gets deleted. classic.

I guess you are socially unaware of other's feelings then. I'm not surprised if someone on any forum and comes in and tells them what they perceive to be the 'TRUTH' and disses what others have and have probably their own workaround.

You ignore a few things.

Forums generally have loyal following and implying that they are all idiots because their gear has an aspect that is unusable, is not fun. You probably got many 'complaints' via the Flaming option.

Others in that forum will have had more experience in using that camera and setting it up for the particular scenario than 'trying it in the store' (This is true here too, remember; we have workarounds for situations where defaults don't work well and some newbie telling the experienced that Fuji 'stink' because of lack of experience is naive)

Using hyperbole like it is worse than a lower level Fuji XE1, IS flaming. Even some here dismiss that as very unlikely.

The K1 IQ is incredibly beautiful, it really is, but the AF is completely useless to me. Is really embarrassing because I think my XE1 can lock on focus on moving subjects indoor, in this case, something so simple as someone walking by you in a store with the available light, and I'm talking about AF-S, not AF-C.

Anyway, just in case anyone is interested in a K1 or all their cameras in general, I suggest you make sure your application matches the system's abilities.

That suggestion has a ring of irony here....

But, for pure still photography the K1 RAW/DNG files are DROP DEAD GORGEOUS and I'm very sad that I'm not going to be able to get this camera. So I'll continue shooting with what I currently have.

Next time, and i guess there will be a next time, try to look up the facts first then decide in your own mind what is or isn't THE camera/software and you will not be upset... as you patently are right now.

all the best with it.

Thanks.

 

[stevo23]

Speaking of the K1 image files - I noticed that the pixel shift ones are terrible - lot's of pixelated artefacts wherever there's movement. Perhaps you need something special to deal with it. Did you find anything out about that in general?

I still hope this can work out for Pentax's sake. Maybe a firmware fix will take care of it?

 

[DarnGoodPhotos]

Guess you didn't see this topic

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4193817#forum-post-59990254

I have friends who switched from Pentax K3 MkII to Nikon D500 - who shoot birds and they all say how much easier it was using the Nikon compared to their Pentax to focus track.

Of course - one of them complains about the colours from Nikon compared to Pentax all the time. So pick your poison.

Seriously. There just isn't a perfect system out there.

Guess you have one more brand to try out - Canon.

No I'm staying the heck away from canon. I'll be staying put where I'm at right now.

I'm sorry to hear that; it does sound like a big disappointment after you were excited about the IQ.

 

[Jerry-astro]

Unfortunately there are company representatives here and because of the way these forums work these days sometimes it is impossible to do that. If we say something negative it is inconvenient for them and DPR and the MOD's job is to eliminate that.

You clearly have absolutely no idea how moderation works on this forum (or any DPR forum for that matter). Our job is to keep the peace, not to control the message. We generally don't comment on moderation here, but you really need bag the conspiracy theory stuff and recognize that no one is trying to intercede and eliminate negative messages.

BTW, just scan the forum. If that really were DPR's and our intent, we're doing a pretty crappy job of it. You won't have to look hard to find negative messages.

Oh, and good luck in your search. I'm sure there's a camera out there for you somewhere.

--
Jerry-Astro
Fujifilm X Forum Co-Mod

 

[left eye]

I had a very very interesting day today and maybe this info might be helpful to some.

I went to a store to go try the K1 with 24-70 lens. I started my AF "test" in the store and the camera/lens would not lock on focus on any of the people that were there that were walking/passing by me. The AF is so poor that the camera simply would not lock focus on the subject.

I wouldn't expect it not to lock focus on anyone. I assume the camera was TRYING to focus? Just to rule out,

you're sure the lens wasn't set to MF?

or the shutter AF was disabled (set for back-button AF)?

otherwise very curious, the K-1 doesn't have the greatest AF performance, but it's not that bad, or maybe it is - in a camera store refusing to focus on people walking up to the Nikon and Canon counters!

Movement though, can disrupt AF locking, not only low light, but the subject shifting under the AF point. Undoubtably the K-1's biggest strength is product and landscape photography - in that AF is fine, and that's also when you'd be using the camera's pixel-shift feature.

I read from your posts on the Pentax forum...

"I shoot dancing events and people are dancing/moving right in front of me. Half the time this people turn the lights off and they only leave a few rinky dinky ugly colorful spot lights on, and then I would do my thing."

...the K-1 isn't for you, even the Fuji's may struggle in those conditions. You need Nikon or Canon if you want best AF performance for action.

And the issue is not just with that lens but it looks like pentax has poor AF in general.

I came back and opened a thread with the results and I stated my clear disappointment, and some posters started saying that they too have problems with AF and is a very well known issue. Of course before I was asking about the system because I said that I was "in love" with the IQ everybody was all cool as usual, but after I came back to discuss the trouble I had at the store with the AF some were not happy at all and of course my post gets deleted. classic.

The K1 IQ is incredibly beautiful, it really is, but the AF is completely useless to me. Is really embarrassing because I think my XE1 can lock on focus on moving subjects indoor, in this case, something so simple as someone walking by you in a store with the available light, and I'm talking about AF-S, not AF-C.

Anyway, just in case anyone is interested in a K1 or all their cameras in general, I suggest you make sure your application matches the system's abilities. But, for pure still photography the K1 RAW/DNG files are DROP DEAD GORGEOUS and I'm very sad that I'm not going to be able to get this camera. So I'll continue shooting with what I currently have.

Thanks.

 

[Batdude]

Unfortunately there are company representatives here and because of the way these forums work these days sometimes it is impossible to do that. If we say something negative it is inconvenient for them and DPR and the MOD's job is to eliminate that.

You clearly have absolutely no idea how moderation works on this forum (or any DPR forum for that matter). Our job is to keep the peace, not to control the message. We generally don't comment on moderation here, but you really need bag the conspiracy theory stuff and recognize that no one is trying to intercede and eliminate negative messages.

BTW, just scan the forum. If that really were DPR's and our intent, we're doing a pretty crappy job of it. You won't have to look hard to find negative messages.

Oh, and good luck in your search. I'm sure there's a camera out there for you somewhere.

 

[Batdude]

I have a friend who owns a K1 and he used it on a recent wedding and complained about the autofocus, especially during the low light moments of the day. He does use it for landscapes and they turn out incredible, but that's a whole different area of photography.

One of the sales ladies from the samy's camera where I was told me that her friend sold his sony mirrorless FF and got the K1 and he LOOOOOVES it and she has seen his images, but he only uses it for portraits. That's it. And yes, from what I experienced as long as your subject is not moving so much the camera does focus well.

If I had the money and luxury to buy this camera just for fun, I would, because the images are pretty damn gorgeous. That's the part that doesn't add up with this camera. Hopefully Ricoh will fix this with the next model because I still want one.

 

[Batdude]

Speaking of the K1 image files - I noticed that the pixel shift ones are terrible - lot's of pixelated artefacts wherever there's movement. Perhaps you need something special to deal with it. Did you find anything out about that in general?

From what I understand you have to use special software for that, like silkypix or something. That's how it works.

I still hope this can work out for Pentax's sake. Maybe a firmware fix will take care of it?