Looking to upgrade from the K-r

Aerlind · 10-25-2016, 10:07 AM

Hello, knowledgeable friends!

I've had a K-r since 2011, and it's showing it's age...in the sense that the iPhone 7 has the same megapixels (which I know isn't everything) and I think it's only 6 fps shutter speed. It's not bad, but I'm itching for an upgrade...

The trouble is, I have no idea what to pursue! Photography is 100% a hobby, so I can't justify spending thousands on equipment. My general thought at the moment is to get a new-er used body...but what do I get? I'd love to stay in the $300ish price range, and a couple of years old is fine by me, it'll still be an upgrade for me!

I shoot mostly landscapes and horses: however, horses move fast so frames-per-second is something I look at.

Any suggestions?

**BigMackCam** · 10-25-2016, 10:12 AM

For that kind of money, you could get a low-shutter-count, well-looked-after K5II (I see them going for $300-$350, and there's always a little wiggle room

). There's at least one I can think of in the Marketplace right now, I think it's $350 but has a crazy low shutter count - less than 1000 shots, if I remember correctly - and has obviously been extremely well cared for.

The K5II is a flagship-quality body, so a good example should last you a long, long time - and the image quality from all of the K-5 cameras is superb. The only sticking point is AF tracking performance, which isn't as good as some other brands' comparable models... but it works pretty well.

You might find a quite-heavily-used K-3 for that kind of money, too... But I'd rather go for a lightly used camera, personally

VoiceOfReason · 10-25-2016, 10:20 AM

Look for a used KS2 if you can find it, otherwise a used K5.

**UncleVanya** · 10-25-2016, 10:42 AM

K-30, K-50 - consumer grade 16mp, 6 frames / sec, weather sealed. Remote flash control via on board flash.
K-S2 - consumer grade, 20mp, 5.4 frames / sec weather sealed. No remote flash control via on board flash.
K-S1 - as above without weather sealing.

See this comparison: Pentax K-30 vs. Pentax K-S2 vs. Pentax K-50 - Pentax Camera Comparison - PentaxForums.com

The K-5, K-5ii, K-5iis series is also great.

czhao1009 · 10-25-2016, 11:22 AM

I upgraded from a K-r to a used K-5 and am quite happy. The K-5 feels more premium than the K-r, as it should. And the K5 shutter sound is less noticeable.
For your budget you could probably look for a K-5iis.

redrockcoulee · 10-25-2016, 11:45 AM

Originally posted by czhao1009

I upgraded from a K-r to a used K-5 and am quite happy. The K-5 feels more premium than the K-r, as it should. And the K5 shutter sound is less noticeable.
For your budget you could probably look for a K-5iis.

I went from the K-r to the K5IIs and it is a good upgrade. But I bought the K-r as I was tired of larger cameras having used Nikons, D1X. D2H, D2X and D200. And I had to get the K5iis as my wife got the K5

.

OP, I would look at the K5II/IIs or K3 as you do not sound like a person who upgrades often and might as well go with a better built camera for that period of time, unless you prefer a smaller body like your K-r.

**UncleVanya** · 10-25-2016, 11:49 AM

I went from K100D Super to K-50 to K-3. The K-50 was quite a nice camera but the K-3 is even more so. However a used K-3 is likely a bit out of the projected price range.

ChristianRock · 10-25-2016, 11:57 AM

I would stretch the budget a little bit and get the K3 as it has a great buffer and more fps along with better image quality - the things you mentioned as important in your original post. Well you didn't mention the buffer but if you actually use the FPS, you will be glad to have a large buffer

I think it would be an improvement in all areas that would justify the upgrade. The K-r is no slouch so a smaller upgrade might not feel as significant, honestly.

Adam · 10-25-2016, 12:16 PM

If you really want to see an increase in image quality, go for the K-70. I know it's a bit more expensive, but it's a nice modern camera that's an upgrade in just about every way over the K-r, and in some ways better than the aging K-3. Plus, you get wi-fi, which is nice to have.

Pentax K-70 Review - Introduction | PentaxForums.com Reviews

If that's too much, go for the K-S2 (essentially the same but with 20 megapixels and missing a few features) or K-3 used (outgoing flagship, but very durable and higher FPS).

Aerlind · 10-25-2016, 12:30 PM

Thanks for the input! I'll weigh all of my options and maybe put "money for a new camera" on my Christmas list...I do love the small size of the K-r, when combined with my 18-55 kit lens (which I like way more than I thought I would) it fits perfectly in my saddle pack on my mountain trail rides. There's no reason I can't still do that as the K-r works, I'm mostly looking for an upgrade in frames-per-second and image quality.

Follow-up question: do I need to worry about lens compatibility? I have 3 lenses I use heavily, the 18-55 kit lens that came with the K-r, a DA 55-300 that I picked up for a steal at an open box show, and an ollllllld 28-200 (72mm diameter) lens from the film days that's just barely new enough to be fully compatible (AF and all!) witht he K-r.

**jrpower10** · 10-25-2016, 12:30 PM

If you want better than 6 fps you're going to have to step up to the K-3, which will be more than $300. For $300, a 2nd hand K-5 or K-50 is realistic, either of which should outperform the older K-r.

Edit: K-5 will give you a little better (7) frame rate than the K-r. Lens compatibility is not an issue. Your lenses will work with any Pentax body.

**UncleVanya** · 10-25-2016, 01:31 PM

Originally posted by jrpower10

If you want better than 6 fps you're going to have to step up to the K-3, which will be more than $300. For $300, a 2nd hand K-5 or K-50 is realistic, either of which should outperform the older K-r.

Edit: K-5 will give you a little better (7) frame rate than the K-r. Lens compatibility is not an issue. Your lenses will work with any Pentax body.

You know I somehow missed that - I don't recall the specs on the K-r that well and read it as 6mp not fps. DOH! Obvious now.

---------- Post added 10-25-16 at 04:44 PM ----------

Originally posted by Aerlind

I think it's only 6 fps shutter speed. It's not bad, but I'm itching for an upgrade...

So I missed this the first time around. The K-30/K-50 is also 6fps. The new K-70 as well. To get faster the only options in Pentax are:

K-5, K-5ii, K-5iis; 7fps
K-3, K-3ii; 8.3fps

This article at least shows that the base K-3 seems to come in just above 7fps with the stock battery: Pentax K-3 Review - Performance

I recall reading that the grip with Ni-MH AA batteries may be needed to reach the 8.3fps plus a very fast UHS-1 95mbs /s card is needed to clear the buffer as quickly as possible or the bursts will be short lived.

Aerlind · 10-28-2016, 08:47 PM

Sigh, now I want a K-3! There's a few on Amazon for just over $500...that's still not too bad.

What's considered a "good" shutter count for a used camera? I couldn't figure out what mine is with my K-r because I can't be bothered to dig it out at the moment, but I have 15,000+ photos in Lightroom alone, and I started using that more than a year after I got my K-r.

10-25-2016, 10:07 AM	#1
Aerlind Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Colorado Posts: 116	Looking to upgrade from the K-r Hello, knowledgeable friends! I've had a K-r since 2011, and it's showing it's age...in the sense that the iPhone 7 has the same megapixels (which I know isn't everything) and I think it's only 6 fps shutter speed. It's not bad, but I'm itching for an upgrade... The trouble is, I have no idea what to pursue! Photography is 100% a hobby, so I can't justify spending thousands on equipment. My general thought at the moment is to get a new-er used body...but what do I get? I'd love to stay in the $300ish price range, and a couple of years old is fine by me, it'll still be an upgrade for me! I shoot mostly landscapes and horses: however, horses move fast so frames-per-second is something I look at. Any suggestions?

10-25-2016, 12:16 PM	#9
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,595	If you really want to see an increase in image quality, go for the K-70. I know it's a bit more expensive, but it's a nice modern camera that's an upgrade in just about every way over the K-r, and in some ways better than the aging K-3. Plus, you get wi-fi, which is nice to have. Pentax K-70 Review - Introduction \| PentaxForums.com Reviews If that's too much, go for the K-S2 (essentially the same but with 20 megapixels and missing a few features) or K-3 used (outgoing flagship, but very durable and higher FPS). Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Looking at the K-01 to replace my K-r	kamicota	Pentax K-01	17	07-24-2016 12:42 PM
K-5 owner looking to upgrade to K-3 or K-3ii	LeDave	Pentax DSLR Discussion	17	08-07-2015 06:31 AM
Looking to upgrade my K-r	lavascript	Pentax K-30 & K-50	24	07-20-2015 06:09 AM
Considering upgrade from K-r to K-5	Matchete	Pentax K-5 & K-5 II	4	12-22-2011 07:18 AM
Upgrade from K20d to K-7/K-r to shoot video of upcoming baby?	K206	Pentax DSLR Discussion	3	02-17-2011 09:16 AM

10-25-2016, 10:12 AM	#2
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,673	For that kind of money, you could get a low-shutter-count, well-looked-after K5II (I see them going for $300-$350, and there's always a little wiggle room ). There's at least one I can think of in the Marketplace right now, I think it's $350 but has a crazy low shutter count - less than 1000 shots, if I remember correctly - and has obviously been extremely well cared for. The K5II is a flagship-quality body, so a good example should last you a long, long time - and the image quality from all of the K-5 cameras is superb. The only sticking point is AF tracking performance, which isn't as good as some other brands' comparable models... but it works pretty well. You might find a quite-heavily-used K-3 for that kind of money, too... But I'd rather go for a lightly used camera, personally

10-25-2016, 10:20 AM	#3
VoiceOfReason Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Mishawaka IN area Photos: Albums Posts: 6,124	Look for a used KS2 if you can find it, otherwise a used K5.

10-25-2016, 10:42 AM	#4
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,403	K-30, K-50 - consumer grade 16mp, 6 frames / sec, weather sealed. Remote flash control via on board flash. K-S2 - consumer grade, 20mp, 5.4 frames / sec weather sealed. No remote flash control via on board flash. K-S1 - as above without weather sealing. See this comparison: Pentax K-30 vs. Pentax K-S2 vs. Pentax K-50 - Pentax Camera Comparison - PentaxForums.com The K-5, K-5ii, K-5iis series is also great.

10-25-2016, 11:22 AM	#5
czhao1009 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: North Carolina Photos: Albums Posts: 101	I upgraded from a K-r to a used K-5 and am quite happy. The K-5 feels more premium than the K-r, as it should. And the K5 shutter sound is less noticeable. For your budget you could probably look for a K-5iis.

10-25-2016, 11:45 AM	#6
redrockcoulee Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Medicine Hat Posts: 2,306	Originally posted by czhao1009 I upgraded from a K-r to a used K-5 and am quite happy. The K-5 feels more premium than the K-r, as it should. And the K5 shutter sound is less noticeable. For your budget you could probably look for a K-5iis. I went from the K-r to the K5IIs and it is a good upgrade. But I bought the K-r as I was tired of larger cameras having used Nikons, D1X. D2H, D2X and D200. And I had to get the K5iis as my wife got the K5 . OP, I would look at the K5II/IIs or K3 as you do not sound like a person who upgrades often and might as well go with a better built camera for that period of time, unless you prefer a smaller body like your K-r.

10-25-2016, 11:49 AM	#7
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,403	I went from K100D Super to K-50 to K-3. The K-50 was quite a nice camera but the K-3 is even more so. However a used K-3 is likely a bit out of the projected price range.

10-25-2016, 11:57 AM	#8
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	I would stretch the budget a little bit and get the K3 as it has a great buffer and more fps along with better image quality - the things you mentioned as important in your original post. Well you didn't mention the buffer but if you actually use the FPS, you will be glad to have a large buffer I think it would be an improvement in all areas that would justify the upgrade. The K-r is no slouch so a smaller upgrade might not feel as significant, honestly.

10-25-2016, 12:30 PM	#10
Aerlind Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Colorado Posts: 116 Original Poster	Thanks for the input! I'll weigh all of my options and maybe put "money for a new camera" on my Christmas list...I do love the small size of the K-r, when combined with my 18-55 kit lens (which I like way more than I thought I would) it fits perfectly in my saddle pack on my mountain trail rides. There's no reason I can't still do that as the K-r works, I'm mostly looking for an upgrade in frames-per-second and image quality. Follow-up question: do I need to worry about lens compatibility? I have 3 lenses I use heavily, the 18-55 kit lens that came with the K-r, a DA 55-300 that I picked up for a steal at an open box show, and an ollllllld 28-200 (72mm diameter) lens from the film days that's just barely new enough to be fully compatible (AF and all!) witht he K-r.

10-25-2016, 12:30 PM	#11
jrpower10 Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Richland, Washington, USA Posts: 935	If you want better than 6 fps you're going to have to step up to the K-3, which will be more than $300. For $300, a 2nd hand K-5 or K-50 is realistic, either of which should outperform the older K-r. Edit: K-5 will give you a little better (7) frame rate than the K-r. Lens compatibility is not an issue. Your lenses will work with any Pentax body.

10-25-2016, 01:31 PM	#12
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,403	Originally posted by jrpower10 If you want better than 6 fps you're going to have to step up to the K-3, which will be more than $300. For $300, a 2nd hand K-5 or K-50 is realistic, either of which should outperform the older K-r. Edit: K-5 will give you a little better (7) frame rate than the K-r. Lens compatibility is not an issue. Your lenses will work with any Pentax body. You know I somehow missed that - I don't recall the specs on the K-r that well and read it as 6mp not fps. DOH! Obvious now. ---------- Post added 10-25-16 at 04:44 PM ---------- Originally posted by Aerlind I think it's only 6 fps shutter speed. It's not bad, but I'm itching for an upgrade... So I missed this the first time around. The K-30/K-50 is also 6fps. The new K-70 as well. To get faster the only options in Pentax are: K-5, K-5ii, K-5iis; 7fps K-3, K-3ii; 8.3fps This article at least shows that the base K-3 seems to come in just above 7fps with the stock battery: Pentax K-3 Review - Performance I recall reading that the grip with Ni-MH AA batteries may be needed to reach the 8.3fps plus a very fast UHS-1 95mbs /s card is needed to clear the buffer as quickly as possible or the bursts will be short lived.

10-28-2016, 08:47 PM	#13
Aerlind Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Colorado Posts: 116 Original Poster	Sigh, now I want a K-3! There's a few on Amazon for just over $500...that's still not too bad. What's considered a "good" shutter count for a used camera? I couldn't figure out what mine is with my K-r because I can't be bothered to dig it out at the moment, but I have 15,000+ photos in Lightroom alone, and I started using that more than a year after I got my K-r.