Some days ago, the 21st of May, I asked this question to the list:
I have been thinking about getting an *ist D or DS, so in the last few
months I have read the messages about both cameras written by the PDML
members (thanks to all who have contributed such information to the
list), and also other sources of information. In that process, I have
read the PDF manuals for both the *ist D and DS present in some Pentax
websites.
Today, when reading the manual of the *ist DS, I have found the
following text about how AF works when using Continuous shooting:
"The focus is locked in the first frame position and used for subsequent
continuous frames if the focus mode lever is set to AF." (in the last
version of the downloadable user's manual)
I have found it strange, as I remembered that the information I had read
some months ago in another *ist DS wasn't the same. So I checked one of
the CD-Rs where I have saved some downloaded manuals, and in such
version of the manual, in the same page, says:
"The focus is adjusted each time the shutter is released if the focus
mode is set to AF." (in the first version of the downloadable user's
manual)
So I would like to know what the users of the *ist DS have found about
this issue in their real world use of the camera. This is not the only
deciding factor, nor the most important, to make up my mind about buying
one of those DSLRs or waiting to see what Pentax is going to offer in
the future, but I find this contradiction in two versions of the same
manual worth a discussion here in the PDML.
If the last downloadable version of the manual is correct, the camera
behaves such as the MZ-S does when using continuous film advance and
AF-Single, but if the first is right, the *ist DS would do the same than
an MZ-5 or 5n does in AF and continuous advance, that is, first it
focuses and only then shoots, it refocuses for the next frame and
afterwards it fires, and so on.
Carlos
I didn't get any answers for this question, but now I have an *ist DS,
and in case someone is interested, the first and oldest version of the
downloadable manual is the one which describes better how the AF system
works when in continuous shooting mode.
Carlos
