New Pentax user

[vollov]

Doesn't help. It tells you to use the AF switch and turn it to auto. It's now at auto. I also changed it back to 'prohibited' for aperture ring and it also does not work.

You have gone through the manual? If it is due to some setting that you have made but have since forgotten, how about resetting everything back to factory default?

I'm a tad confused by what you meant when you say it tells you to use the AF switch and turn it to auto. That only changes the selection of the focus point, not whether the K5 focuses (or not). You mentioned earlier that you selected M. Is this M on the Mode dial or the MF on the side of the camera?

There's also a setting in the camera that deactivates half-presses for focusing by the shutter and only activates focusing by pressing on the AF button. Maybe that's selected?

For the PP side of things....I'm lazy and went from have a RAW workflow to not bothering and just shooting in JPEG. I do have tweaks using the Vibrant profile with +2 Sharpness, +2 Contrast and +1 Saturation. WB I set according to the situation but that's about it. Why not try shooting in JPEG first before messing with RAW since it seems you are fussing over the PP instead of enjoying the K5?

 

[MarineX]

he is too accustomed to his canon that he can't learn to appreciate and learn new things which is of course, better.

 

[CorneliusK]

Corneliusk, thanks for your help. That's what I did but I still get only the center point. After 3 days, I still find navigating the K5 tougher. Like the AF button, I dont have finger nails and I find it difficult to rotate that little switch. Canon has one button to select either 1, centre or all the points by rotating the wheel. I need to get accustomed to K5 and I should not have any problem.

Oh I missed this part about the AF Lever. I agree that its a bit hard to use at first.

What I do is to use two or three fingers to twist it, try gripping the lever + the wheel from the top and twist.

It does loosen up over time though, and it will become second nature eventually.

I am not sure what is the exact reason why you are stuck with only using center point AF though, not without my K-5 in my hands anyway. Let me get home and see if I can figure it out lol.

 

[Anthony Lee]

Oh I missed this part about the AF Lever. I agree that its a bit hard to use at first.

What I do is to use two or three fingers to twist it, try gripping the lever + the wheel from the top and twist.

It does loosen up over time though, and it will become second nature eventually.

I am not sure what is the exact reason why you are stuck with only using center point AF though, not without my K-5 in my hands anyway. Let me get home and see if I can figure it out lol.

Hi CorneliusK,

Took the K5 out to a birthday party. Turned it on, suddenly the multi focus points work. I didn't do anything, just power it on. Strange?

 

[fengwei]

Any advise from the seniors here. Otherwise I may have to go down to Emjay. Real interesting week in Pentax.

Sometimes it's hard to explain how to solve your 'problems' I think it's better we get together again instead of you making a trip to Emjay Once you get used to the camera, it'd be like a glove attached to your hand, the operation is soo much easier than a Canon (because I'm not familiar w/ Canon, that's why )

 

[CorneliusK]

Could be your AF selection lever was not fully pushed into position, hence the camera did not fully switch from "SEL" to ÄUTO"?

Thats the only explanation I can think of.

Anyway, I hope you can persevere in learning the K-5. If you throw a 5D to me now I will likely struggle with it also.

 

[Anthony Lee]

Could be your AF selection lever was not fully pushed into position, hence the camera did not fully switch from "SEL" to ÄUTO"?

Thats the only explanation I can think of.

Anyway, I hope you can persevere in learning the K-5. If you throw a 5D to me now I will likely struggle with it also.

I will definitely gain control of the camera, and I have to do this fast as many of my Canon friends are waiting for the first chance to ridicule me.

 

[Anthony Lee]

Once again, many thanks to those who have been so kind for your generous support. I have gone through the K5 quite thoroughly and I feel I can control it sufficiently now. Looking forward to meet all of you in the forth coming gathering. Cheers.

 

[detritus]

I will definitely gain control of the camera, and I have to do this fast as many of my Canon friends are waiting for the first chance to ridicule me.

honestly anthony, no offence meant to your friends but if the equipment works well for u, who cares what other pple think?

imo, the most important thing is to determine if the interface, functions and image quality works for you and meets your needs.

at the end of the day, buy canon, nikon ridicule u, buy nikon, kena swan by canon, buy sony, pentax, olympus, kena left right and center also. no end one lah :bsmilie: take more pictures and have fun. thats the most impt.

 

[wilb87]

I will definitely gain control of the camera, and I have to do this fast as many of my Canon friends are waiting for the first chance to ridicule me.

I have friends like that too yadah-ing whole day about their FF cameras and everything. Don't worry, just stay positive. Congrats on being comfortable with your K-5, have fun shooting.

 

[Anthony Lee]

honestly anthony, no offence meant to your friends but if the equipment works well for u, who cares what other pple think?

imo, the most important thing is to determine if the interface, functions and image quality works for you and meets your needs.

at the end of the day, buy canon, nikon ridicule u, buy nikon, kena swan by canon, buy sony, pentax, olympus, kena left right and center also. no end one lah :bsmilie: take more pictures and have fun. thats the most impt.

I have a regular group of very serious photographers who love alternate lenses either on Canon or Nikon bodies. We enjoyed testing and shooting with the Leicas and Zeisses, sometimes an odd Pentax, Olympus, Mamiya (including MF lens), old Nikkors, Minoltas, Voightlanders and others. When I decided to switch, I had to sell my whole collection of lenses where I spent years handpicking and testing them. I was extremely comfortable but all my equipment were old especially my 4 year old 5D. So, it was not a simple matter of upgrading, and many of my friends in this group think I will be going backwards. I will find out eventually and my initial experience thus far is still not encouraging. Honestly, the current out-of-camera IQ of my first lot of images is a far cry of what I used to get with my old 5D. When I put them side by side, there is completely no comparison, and I am being very patient, still believing that it's my knowledge of the K5/FA 31f1.8 Ltd that's not right. I will be able to tell in a few more days. I was very gutsy when I made the switch. If anyone here reading this post has the same experience like me and is now enjoying your Pentax system, I will like to hear your story.

 

[pinholecam]

Anthony, I'd suggest you try not to hit the ground running with the new camera.
There are lots to juggle; camera; system change; software; optimizations for all
Stick to the basics.
Shoot in-camera JPEG first.
Get to know the camera then after that, get to know the software.


ATM, it seems like you are going against your heart (familiarity of 5D). Your mind will not heed if that is the case, there will only be frustration and harking back to the 'good old days of 5D'.
Really, just slow down the learning curve.
The things that make a picture good does not change. Light, Composition, Passion.
Just shoot more photos and the familiarity with the camera will phase in.
My few cents.


If you stay near Yishun, I can show you a bit on the camera over the weekend. Drop me a PM.

 

[Anthony Lee]

Anthony, I'd suggest you try not to hit the ground running with the new camera.
There are lots to juggle; camera; system change; software; optimizations for all
Stick to the basics.
Shoot in-camera JPEG first.
Get to know the camera then after that, get to know the software.


ATM, it seems like you are going against your heart (familiarity of 5D). Your mind will not heed if that is the case, there will only be frustration and harking back to the 'good old days of 5D'.
Really, just slow down the learning curve.
The things that make a picture good does not change. Light, Composition, Passion.
Just shoot more photos and the familiarity with the camera will phase in.
My few cents.


If you stay near Yishun, I can show you a bit on the camera over the weekend. Drop me a PM.

Thank you for your invitation and this is what I need. I am very glad that there are people like you around in the Pentax family and I have already sent you a PM.

 

[nangbuetinang]

Hello and good morning fellow Pentaxians,
just got my 1st DSLR(K-r) after using a Sony H9 for a few years..am very new to the DSLR world and hoping to learn and grow with my new pentaxian friends..Well, lots of questions to ask,pictures to get commented on..but 1st things 1st, my daughter needs a bath..so see ya around
cheers

 

[MarineX]

Hello and good morning fellow Pentaxians,
just got my 1st DSLR(K-r) after using a Sony H9 for a few years..am very new to the DSLR world and hoping to learn and grow with my new pentaxian friends..Well, lots of questions to ask,pictures to get commented on..but 1st things 1st, my daughter needs a bath..so see ya around
cheers

what you really need is this: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/threads/858776-Pentaxians-March-2011-outing-Harbour-Front-Boardwalk-on-19-03-2011

 

[jasonlel]

anyone heard of this New (silent) K5 firmware v1.02.21.10 that somehow fixed low light issue? Saw a couple of forum discussing this.

Rumours of a new firmware 1.03 to address K-5 AF issues

Finally there is some hint of progress on this issue. Lets hope it is released sooner rather than later.

 

[CorneliusK]

I haven't heard of any significant differences between these silent firmware updates and the official ones.

There is another supposed fix out there which says that the AF problem is fixed if you reset all custom functions as well as all AF adjustments.

It seems to work, surprisingly, for me, although it may be a placebo effect, I have my doubts on whether this is a real fix.

All signs point to it being a problem which is fixable by firmware, so its only a matter of time.