[Uluru]

By photokina, the announcement of the k-3 will be 11 months old. if i recall correctly, there were 13 months between the k5ii and the k3. so it's possible, they might speed up their cycle to have a new model each year, 3 months before christmas.

only saying it's possible - i think though there's going to be a new model either below or above the k3 at photokina. 2 months is too short a time to sell those 2000 prestige-k3s

I sincerely doubt it. K-3 will stay for a while. I mean, what in regards to extra hardware that camera lacks? Nothing — all is already there, and possible improvements are possible in software only. We would welcome those.

We may see a model or two below the K-3 in following months, and just maybe a 35mm K-mount camera.

But the K-3 is the center of the Pentax universe for a while. Just remember the Canon 7D — it is still sold as new, and it is by all means a very old camera. Times of frantic teary "upgrades" are over. Future cameras will be updated every few years (3-4 years is my rough estimate, and only if the sensor tech necessitates), and the focus will be on improving details through the software.

This is the DSLR ground, not some pointless annual mirrorless fad; DSLRs are built to last, and stand the test times.

[H. Sapiens]

It looks cool! My first thought when I saw it was, this is how it should have looked right from the launch of the original. That said, good looks is not going to get me to buy anything right now. My K5 do look pretty worn even though it hasn't been dropped or bumped into anything - much more so than my lenses. My second thought was, in my hands it would not be going to stay pretty for long :-)

Didn't they (Ricoh exec.) talk about having to work on the video part in some interview lately? I know it is not really a popular feature around here, but that is where they have work to do (I don't expect much is going to happen on the AF-front - they have talked about that as long as I have owned a DSLR) and where they actually CAN do something. I can't say I find my K5 a pleasure to use.

Like Uluru I don't really see a need for more APS-C bodies.

[RonHendriks1966]

By photokina, the announcement of the k-3 will be 11 months old. if i recall correctly, there were 13 months between the k5ii and the k3. so it's possible, they might speed up their cycle to have a new model each year, 3 months before christmas.

I think market developement makes it more believeble if we keep the K-3 a year longer.

The only logical upgrade to the K-3 in top tier would be if it would get a new processing engine that can handle 4k video and more stuff. I don't think that it will be the case. The electronic infrasturcture is one of the most expensive parts in a camera and I think we will keep the PRIME III for a few more years.

[Pål Jensen]

But the K-3 is the center of the Pentax universe for a while. Just remember the Canon 7D — it is still sold as new, and it is by all means a very old camera. Times of frantic teary "upgrades" are over..

The Canon is also a very strong seller. Possibly the worlds most sold camera targeted at enthusiasts. No need to replace something that sells itself....

[jlstrawman]

Unfortunately, I've been a Pentax user long enough to know that we easily have the whiniest user base of any camera brand, which is sad, given a) how many great Pentax products there are b) how small a brand it is.

+1. Whiny ad finitum.

[RonHendriks1966]

It is an admittedly small sample to go by, but I wonder if they will continue what they did with the K-5 and do small yearly revisions in between major updates to the flagship every 2 years or so. Something similar to a software release cycle with incremental releases between the major ".0" releases.

Between K-5 and K-3 is three years. So likely the next one will be coming Photokina 2016 with maybe an inbetween K-3 II upgrade next year.

---------- Post added 26-07-14 at 16:15 ----------

Wel the new K-3 didn't got a lot of trafic on DPReview. Not in the top 10 over the last 5 days (yet):

http://www.dpreview.com/products/slrs/statistics

Only the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 makes a big splash. More popular then any other camera. Because it is the only real new camera with new futures for a while.

[Kunzite]

The K-3 is a new. Fat chance we will se an upgrade anytime soon....

I sincerely doubt it. K-3 will stay for a while.

Yep; the K-3 can't/won't be replaced this year. I'd say Pentax/Ricoh will rather work on the other segments, than on updating their most modern camera
I'm not expecting any kind of "flagship" at Photokina, by the way

[Kunzite]

What's interesting is the discrepancy between DPReview's "metrics", where the K-3 is nowhere to be seen, and Imaging Resource's - with the K-3 on a steady #7 for quite a long time(*). Sure, they're using different "metrics"; but then there's another interesting thing: DPReview managed to get their review when people were bored with the camera already, while Imaging Resources started publishing parts of their review right away.

(*) Now that's no longer the case.

[derekkite]

Looks nice, but also looks desperate. And their marketing still sucks.

The name is awful. Very cheesy. In the UK, Prestige = kitchen appliances.

Saw the tweets on my mobile and followed the links. The Ricoh Imaging website says nothing whatsoever about the model, just a copy and paste of the regular K3 page, with different pictures. The UK tweet links to the website that doesn't even mention it.

Desperate? They have just come off of a very successful release of the 645Z.

[mee]

Basic advertising won't be too beneficial for Ricoh in 'selling' Pentax to new customers... You have to realize the traditional market is already fixed on Canon vs Nikon. And it is much easier to explain to someone they should get a Canon starting out than a Pentax when the Canon has so many small things that interest a new user and is sold at the local department store. They aren't marketed to us because those people buy a dSLR with a kit lens, PSE or LR, and maybe a 50mm 1.8 and call it a day. The IQ is far superior than what is cranked out of all small P+S and most compacts out of the box.

Right now if someone is new to dSLR photography and wants to get started.. I say look at the Canon if you want a camera that does good video too or the Nikon if you are more into photography instead of video.

A Pentax what? They don't sell those in Walmart. But they do sell entry level Canon and Nikon bodies and lenses on the shelf. In the USA, at entry level, that is a HUGE plus for them. Because people buy what is comfortable and what is comfortable is what they know and what they know is what they see on the shelf.

I think any brand, not just photographic, is similar. It is a 2 person party -- Coca Cola vs Pepsi, Ford vs Chevrolet, Apple PC vs Windows PC, Sega vs Nintendo (Nintendo 'won'), Campbells vs Progresso.. The other side is that people, who don't like to think, like to have 2 choices. Because that means they can remove one and have a 'right' choice. Less thinking. Less effort. Done.

We have to slip on the shoes of Joe Q Public (in the USA at least) and realize they don't know or care about aperture, ISO, MTF-50 charts or any of that. They figure a big camera is a big camera and what I see on the shelf and is popular must be the 'right' one!

[totsmuyco]

It looks good. I hope they've addressed the mirror problem on this edition. Then I would consider one.

[Nicolas06]

For me all is fine their flagship is arround 8 months old and they want to get some discussion on it again... Especially out of PentaxForum

It is a way to say, hey remember that K3, this DSLR of the year it is still here, and you have a nice classy version available if you want!

As it sucking resources from Ricoh, I really think people thinking of that have no idea what they are saying. This prestige edition is the job of a designer (to get the look right), the job of some factory (to change the color of some components) and finally logistics. Who really think that the opticians, software or electronics engineers have to be involved on this? One should understand that we are now specialized as a society (since a few thousand years I think). In terms of design, theirs need at Pentax is so low that they can just pay an agency from time to time or have a few on board, The factory... It is not like using a different paint is that complex! Likely their factory is not even used at 100% capacity anyway!. The logistics finally that no more than one more K30 model, no more than K5-II & K5-IIs options. Nothing special.

The reality is that for APSC, there is no reason to change model yet. Other maker doens't change their flagship every year neither. What Ricoh could do through is to update the K50, something like 24MP Sony sensor, K5-IIs AF module and K3 processing engine. They have something like that of course but still they do not want to release it too soon as it would impact the sale of K3 of course.

Me kinda like to keep a K500 very low priced APN, without any change, a K70 and finally K3. Make sense.

So maybe they could announce the new K50 in a few months, or they could present some new lenses in the line up (like the 70-200 f/2.8, the longer telezoom, the replacement of 12-24, the new DA transtandard). Thoses could be all WR to position Pentax-Ricoh more consistantly.

[RonHendriks1966]

The reality is that for APSC, there is no reason to change model yet. Other maker doens't change their flagship every year neither. What Ricoh could do through is to update the K50, something like 24MP Sony sensor, K5-IIs AF module and K3 processing engine. They have something like that of course but still they do not want to release it too soon as it would impact the sale of K3 of course.

Very true. The K-5 did some years to get the majority of Pentax camera's replaced. After a year a lot of K-7/K20D/K10D and some older camera's where replaced by the K-5. But now the K-3 takes longer to replace most K-5's since that is stil a great camera. The biggest market for Pentax is the own crowd that replaces camera's at an average slower rate then Nikon owners do. So the K-3 can keep around for some time and stil sells.

[Cynog Ap Brychan]

Very true. The K-5 did some years to get the majority of Pentax camera's replaced. After a year a lot of K-7/K20D/K10D and some older camera's where replaced by the K-5. But now the K-3 takes longer to replace most K-5's since that is stil a great camera. The biggest market for Pentax is the own crowd that replaces camera's at an average slower rate then Nikon owners do. So the K-3 can keep around for some time and stil sells.

This makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately, there is a vocal minority always hungry for the latest developments, whether or not it actually helps their photography (and I'm not particularly talking about this forum). I would guess the majority of photographers are content with their current gear, and upgrade only when it makes sense to them to do so.

[Arjay Bee]

I was happy to keep using my K20 even up to now. Have an RX100 for daily snap and travel use but the K20 was fine for set shots and occasional paid shoots and also allows use of my collection of Takumars and other lenses. This is just as Cynog describes above. People upgrade when they chose to see fit.

Lately the K20 has been having issues with write errors (possibly card error), and the AEL button is locking on intermittently which causes exposure errors and the camera to fail to turn off automatically and the battery to drain away at inconvenient moments. The grip battery as well.

So tome to upgrade. And probably will not wait for the mythical FF. Especially now that the new colour has come available. Quite liked the silver bling but not for my photography context. Black is too boring, and quite like some of the colours of the K30 - my son has the white model. The platinum has come at the right moment.

Spent a few hours reviewing some Sony models including RX1 but too much like the RX100 and the A7 models will be too crippled for all my lenses... in effect they would all be like using K mount lenses and I can experience that on a Pentax. That's my thinking anyway.