Pentax K-3 II Review

Highlights

Before embarking on the review proper, we present some of the highlights that set the Pentax K-3 II apart from its predecessors, and in many cases also from the competition.

Pixel Shift Super Resolution

The K-3 II's sensor can use microscopic vibrations to greatly enhance image resolution, eliminate artifacts, and reduce noise.  It is one of only a handful of digital cameras that natively include this technology.

On-Board GPS and Astrotracer

You no longer need to purchase a separate accessory to enjoy GPS functionality with the K-3 II.  Astrophotographers will be delighted to know that the on-board GPS also supports the astrotracer features which can deliver sharp star photos at long shutter speeds.

Advanced Sensor Features

The Pentax K-3 II's 24-megapixel sensor is complemented by advanced features including sensor-shift image stabilization up to 4.5 stops and an AA (anti-aliasing) filter simulator option that microscopically vibrates the sensor to significantly reduce moire.  This feature continues to be unique to Pentax DSLRs. Ultrasonic vibration (Dust Removal II) can also be used to keep the sensor clean. Note that all the features that follow are shared with the K-3.

Large Rear Monitor

The size of the rear monitor is 3.2 inches diagonally with a resolution of 1,037,000 dots. On paper this is but a minor upgrade over the earlier models, but reality is different. The aspect ratio of the monitor is 3:2, thus matching the image format. This means that the image during live view and playback is significantly larger than on the older 4:3 monitors, and it fills the screen without any black bars.

K-5 3.0" LCD (left) vs K-3 3.2" LCD (right)

8.3 FPS Shutter and Mirror Mechanism

The shutter has been upgraded to now be rated at a 200,000-actuation life span. The shutter as well as the mirror mechanism have also been refined to allow for the high frame rate of 8.3 fps. A special damper has been developed to reduce vibrations and make the mirror mechanism ultra silent and smooth.

This shutter life rating continues to be class-leading and is only matched by the new Canon 7D II within the APS-C market segment.

Wireless Tethering

The K-3 II can be controlled remotely from a PC, tablet, or smartphone with the optional "FluCard" wireless SD card from Pentax (model number O-FC1). The remote device can view the live image, release the shutter, change the focus point, and adjust basic shooting settings.  Wireless file transfers are also supported.  

The FluCard concept was revealed alongside the original K-3 in October, 2013. In the US, it can be purchased for $99 but it may already be included with your K-3 II as part of a promotional bundle.

Unlike the K-S2, and contrary to some rumors, the K-3 II does not feature built-in Wi-Fi.

See our in-depth review and guide to the Flu-card for more information on how it works.

27-point Autofocus Module

The K-3 II sports the latest Pentax autofocus module with 27 focus points of which 25 are of the cross type. Three focus points in the center are optimized for lenses with large maximum apertures.

This module has class-leading low-light sensitivity down to -3 EV like the previous Pentax flagship.  The increased number of points, combined with firmware tweaks, allows for improved continuous shooting performance.

Light Meter

The K-3 II also has a class-leading metering system that incorporates a 86,000-pixel RGB sensor.  This rivals the hardware in the latest full-frame cameras from competitors, and as with saw when we reviewed the original K-3, it greatly improves metering performance and color accuracy in difficult lighting.

Superb Lens Compatibility

Like previous Pentax bodies, the K-3 II is compatible with every Pentax lens ever made, as well as with thousands of third-party lenses.  This includes old manual lenses, and if you have the appropriate adapter, M42 lenses.  This tutorial shows you how to meter with manual-aperture lenses on the K-3 II.

Movie Mode Enhancements

The K-3 family of cameras offers the greatest video flexibility among current Pentax models.  The K-3 II has an audio output jack for headphones so that sound can be monitored during video recording. Providing space for this additional jack led to a characteristic bulge on the front.

Manual adjustment of the sound from the microphone is also available with feedback on the rear monitor in the form of a left and right channel VU meter.

Finally, all exposure parameters can be set manually and on-demand autofocus is available during recording. All this and more is covered on the movie page of our K-3 review.

Processing Engine

The K-3 II has the PRIME III processing engine which facilitates its impressive burst performance of up to 8.3 FPS, supports USB3 file transfers, and can leverage UHS-I SD card speeds.

Two Card Slots

The K-3 II has two SD card slots.  This is particularly handy given that wireless tethering requires a Flu-card to be inserted. One can thus have the Flu card in one slot and a high-capacity/high-speed card in the other.

With two memory cards inserted, the options for image storage are:

• When card #1 runs full, writing continues on card #2
• Write to both cards in parallel (thus creating a backup)
• In RAW+ mode: Write RAW to one card and JPGs to the other card

In movie mode, you can select which of the two cards is used for file storage.  You cannot do so in sequential mode for stills, however: a strange omission carried over from the K-3.  To force the camera to switch to a specific slot, you must remove the card in the other slot and power cycle the camera.