Pentax K 10

[jx2mad]

I have a Pentax K10 digital camera and it has an annoying habit. Occasionally it takes a picture which is out of focus. It doesn't happen often but it is usually the photo I have no chance of taking again. I usually run the camera on full auto for these occasions so I don't muck up photos. Any suggestions why it does this? Jim

[simonmelb]

Hi Jim,

Better asked in the Camera Corner discussion, but the cause could be how you have set the focus settings. The camera can be set to focus on the centre of the image, the whole area or parts of it. I have set my K200d to focus on the centre only - so you then half press the shutter with the viewfinder centred on what you want to focus on. You'll then hear a beep that its in focus, and can then move the camera to adjust what's in frame, then fully press the shutter.

Cheers
Simon

[jx2mad]

Thanks. Mine is centre focus but I don't usually press half down. I usually look and press. Jim

[vnx205]

With centre focus, you would likely finish up with the two people out of focus as the camera would focus on the fence behind them. You would need to use Simon's technique; centre one of the people in the frame, press halfway down and then compose the picture the way you want.

How serious the problem would be would depend on how much depth of field you had.

I don't know if the Pentax has a safeguard against this, but it used to be the case with some older cameras that if you just stabbed at the shutter button, the picture would be taken before all the automatic adjustments were correct. I think modern cameras don't let that happen.

[Bushie]

One of the other things to check is focus mode is set to AFS and not AFC, in AFS the shutter won't release until the camera has a focus lock. In AFC it will continually focus as the camera moves.
Try setting to aperture priority and with a small aperture (high f#) let depth of field assist with focus.


Martyn

[dmdigital]

The K10D has 3 AF detection modes AUTO, SEL and CENTER. If you're using AUTO then the camera will focus on what it thinks is the point of interest. This is not always ideal or desirable and so if you are using this mode it may pay to read up on the other two options. SEL is the best as you can choose where the focal point is. CENTER is as described by vnx205.