Hi Bruce ... I agree about the finder. It is pretty nice and it does allow manual focusing to be pretty easy. I've started compiling a compendium of features and attributes that I like and dislike about the camera, and the finder, especially the diopter correction, is in the OK category. Actually, with the diopter correction I can use the camera without need for wearing my glasses, and that's a BIG plus. I don't think I can do that with any of the other Pentaxes that I own.
Of course, as I use the camera more with AF lenses it'll be clear when/when not to use the AF feature. Thus far I like it for photographing buildings and other inanimate objects while on walkabouts. Here the AF seems to work great, especially when the light is good and there's enough contrasty stuff in the frame to assist the AF. It's fast enough for the subject <LOL> and it's one less thing to think about. Of course, for such subjects it's not really needed, but I guess I like seeing a scene pop into focus without my having to do anything. A big drawback is the noise the lens (or is it the camera?) makes when focusing. I like to take pics of cats and other pets, but when the camera is focusing it startles them and the shot is sometimes ruined. Any way, it's kind of fun - and an eye opener - using this camera. I'm at the point where I'm fighting it and cursing it at almost every shot. However, I'm determined to give it a chance. Shel > [Original Message] > From: Bruce Dayton > > Two comments here. First, you are using an AF camera that has a > liveable viewfinder - not great, but ok by AF camera standards. That > means that it is possible to MF with the camera. Some of the AF > cameras have such lousy finders that you are pretty much stuck with > working with the AF and the imprecision that you have discovered. I > remember going through all the pics that my niece did on one of her > paid shoots - she is a wedding/portrait photographer by trade. She > was shooting a Nikon D1 at the time - fairly high end body and I was > surprised at the large number of images that had the focus just > slightly off - pretty much the imprecision that you see. It wasn't so > noticeable unless you blew the picture up to an 8X10 or so. > > Second comment - for me, I only ever use AF when I know that I can't > do quite as well manually focusing - there are only a few occasions > when this occurs and I know exactly what they are. So mostly I > manually focus and don't worry about the AF. It does mean that right > near the top of my list is a viewfinder that works well for manual > focus. > > -- > Best regards, > Bruce > > > Saturday, August 6, 2005, 4:10:21 PM, you wrote: > > SB> I spent the afternoon with the camera and an AF lens. Mostly I used spot > SB> AF. It's OK, but there are clearly limitations, and they pop up (for me) > SB> unexpectedly. Perhaps after using the camera for a while I'll be able to > SB> anticipate when AF will work to my satisfaction. But then, the idea of > SB> carrying a camera around for quick shots and stopping to check what mode > SB> it's in, and maybe having to change the mode, seems like a self defeating > SB> exercise. Leaving the camera in MF mode makes the most sense for me based > SB> on current experience. That said, what's the point of using an AF camera. > > SB> No, I'd not made up my mind - how could I, I'd not even run a single roll > SB> of film through the camera until just now. > > SB> Shel > > > >> [Original Message] > >> From: Igor Roshchin > > >> Shel, have you been using your with a spot focus ? If not, - try > >> it again. Although you seem to have formed your opinion, you > >> might find it working better anyway. > >
