[Steve.Ledger]

Well I think it looks great and what I've read so far has me 'chimping'..
I skipped the K5 and the K5-II, so I might well be a K-3 owner by Christmas.

To those who love to wallow in negativity - "Just because you can post doesn't mean you should.."

[thibs]

Because you still pay for the Video functions.

Really? so we can bitch against Video but they guy not using the X-sync port, USB port, DC port and all, no problem because this is photo related?

[bossa]

So where's the actual spec list? And the fact we're not allowed to see the other side of the camera (and underneath) hints at a few more surprises. The Dual card slots aren't a surprise anymore due to that pair of icons on the back but there must be more to it.

How can anyone be disappointed until they've seen the actual spec sheet?

[thibs]

How can anyone be disappointed until they've seen the actual spec sheet?

Well there's are a couple moaner/whiner pros here, but you knew that.

[Fogel70]

Edit: I still do like it if it is just like shown in picture. Much more easy to get video on. I wonder if they have now new mode in shooting mode dial up on the camera, if movie is down here.

They probably put all 3 user modes directly on the mode dial. With movie mode removed, and going from 5 users mode on K-5 to 3 users modes on K-3, makes it possible to fit all user modes on the mode dial.

[Bolt]

I do not see what the big deal is. Pentax is introducing video features into its flagship DSLR. This is a good thing, and in no way takes away from its ability to take photographs.

Firstly, those of you who are saying these video features are 'the worst move Pentax have made'- You sound just like those who doubted the 5D Mark II when it was announced that it had video capability [Which is one of, if not the most successful semi-pro DSLR to have ever existed and reshaped the DSLR market: How many DSLR cameras had video features before the 5D? 1 [and it was garbage]. And after? Essentially: all of them.]

What Pentax is doing is EXACTLY what Pentax should be doing. Other than producing a Full-Frame, it is creating an APS-C Flagship that will dominate the entire market spectrum. Adding professional video features to the K-3 brings it up to industry standard, and [depending on how they implement it] makes the model competitive in the 2013 market.

You want the K-3 to be the best APS-C camera to date? That simply cannot be done without meeting the market demand: which includes video.

[repaap]

I do not see what the big deal is. Pentax is introducing video features into its flagship DSLR. This is a good thing, and in no way takes away from its ability to take photographs.

Firstly, those of you who are saying these video features are 'the worst move Pentax have made'- You sound just like those who doubted the 5D Mark II when it was announced that it had video capability [Which is one of, if not the most successful semi-pro DSLR to have ever existed and reshaped the DSLR market: How many DSLR cameras had video features before the 5D? 1 [and it was garbage]. And after? Essentially: all of them.]

What Pentax is doing is EXACTLY what Pentax should be doing. Other than producing a Full-Frame, it is creating an APS-C Flagship that will dominate the entire market spectrum. Adding professional video features to the K-3 brings it up to industry standard, and [depending on how they implement it] makes the model competitive in the 2013 market.

You want the K-3 to be the best APS-C camera to date? That simply cannot be done without meeting the market demand: which includes video.

Not much to add for that.

[repaap]

Btw, I like button placement. Especially LV-button, now moved away, so one can't press it by accident anymore(like me). Also green button, af button looks good for my style of shooting. It is not so crowded.

[beachgardener]

I have the K-5, looking forward to adding the K-3 into the mix

[RobA_Oz]

There's a little wheel or segment on the right side of the viewfinder, with what looks like a tick and a cross markings on it. Any ideas what that's for?

BTW, I've seen nothing here to deter me from getting one of these…

[K David]

I'm jazzed. I don't care much for the headphone jack, because that would either mean I'm doing very focused video recording or really reviewing the video on the camera, the latter seeming silly to me. But, I like how similar the interface appears to be to my K-7. The dual memory card button on the back looks promising, too.

Prediction: Body only in my hands first day available. I'm not ever an early adopter on things (I bought my Galaxy S3 six months after release -- maybe the soonest I've ever bought tech after release,) but I'm picking this up day one. That assumes that some kind of spec isn't a ridiculous deal breaker and that the price is somewhere around the $1,300 everyone keeps talking about. That sounds like a fair price to me.

So why would I buy this one day one? If it is as good as everyone thinks it might be, I'm happy to spend a few extra bucks to give Ricoh an 'atta boy' (as my dad used to say) for making another great product.

As for the Ricoh logo on the back, big whoop. They're the parent company. It stands to reason that the Ricoh logo would appear on the back.

[beachgardener]

There's a little wheel or segment on the right side of the viewfinder, with what looks like a tick and a cross markings on it. Any ideas what that's for?

BTW, I've seen nothing here to deter me from getting of these…

that would be the eye sight diopter adjustment wheel.

[Bolt]

Little comparison for y'all.

[RobA_Oz]

that would be the eye sight diopter adjustment wheel.

The markings don't accord with that function and, if so, it's a departure from practice to date, where adjustment was by a slide at the top of the eyepiece.

Edit: on second viewing, you're probably correct, as it isn't a tick at all: it's a curved arrow and the cross is actually a plus symbol.

[wigelII]

OK than.
Good luck with the new Pentax, you all

Olympus ... here I come.