[JimC1101]

It looks like people are taking the lack of pop-up flash pretty well. I thought they'd start crashing the server in rage.

Nope, people who don't like it just wont buy the camera. A Nikon of that caliber camera has a pop up so I would think Pentax could have had one. I am always under the feeling that it is to not need it but still can use it in a pinch as opposed to give no option with the camera is a fail. GPS would never be something I would use but that they added it is fine to me, because it is not need but available is always there in case I change my mind. We will see how this is released in DPR and then you will see other Canokin users see the K-3II and say Pentax is still the same as before, take a K-30, change the body, and they now have a new camera, a K-50.


Besides, the K-3II specs are not that great so I don't think people really care about missing a pop up because it is not that much of an upgrade. I don't think they will think to upgrade to it anyways.

[markku55]

It mentioned control with smartphone or tablet! I think that is much better than tilt display, especially when taking photo in low light condition.

I have only two hands and I use tripod very seldom

[Black_Wizards]

What a let down


Specs don't seem particularly better than K3,
I for one am Not impressed,
what happened to the tilt LCD, better AF I don't think this is much of an improvement
we could get some of the functions on a FW upgrade for the k3


I will wait a few weeks to see the price,
but it does look like I will be ordering the Prestige Gunmetal K3.
I hope the k3 comes down a bit more in price


its so disappointing if This is what Pentax call a newer K3ii
Tom G

You guys are so rude.
It's a K-3 II, not a K-2 or really new model. I think many of you waited for too much with this new iteration of K-3.

[thibs]

Standalone GPS.

No regular GPS devices actively communicate with the satellites - they are just passive, one-way receivers of satellite signals. And not all GPS systems need to rely on a data network link. Think of your car GPS, for example.

Some mobile phone GPS (A-GPS or 'Assisted GPS') may need a network link to work, but not all GPS devices have that requirement.

Yep. A real 'vanilla' gps needs no wifi. It only needs 3(minimum) signals from satellites, the Said satellites basically broadcasting a single thing : time. That is all.
Rest is computed by the device.

EDIT: saw Jatrax post after mine.

---------- Post added 22-04-15 at 06:33 ----------

Besides, the K-3II specs are not that great so I don't think people really care about missing a pop up because it is not that much of an upgrade. I don't think they will think to upgrade to it anyways.

I dunno what you were thinking but without even knowing all the real specs I think you should wait and btw ask yourself why Ricoh would sell you a hypothetical D400 on steroids but name it K3-II and sell it for usual K3 price. Just saying.

Oh and btw, specs not interesting to you might interest others, not that you'd care.

---

Last edited by thibs; 04-21-2015 at 10:30 PM.

[Rorschach]

Yep. A real 'vanilla' gps needs no wifi. It only needs 3(minimum) signals from satellites, the Said satellites basically broadcasting a single thing : time. That is all.
Rest is computed by the device.

Yes and that is the beauty of it.Simplicity and works very well, minimal data volume, data transfer and calculation needed.

The accuracy of the GPS drastically improves with extra satellites although three is already enough. In my experience, especially the altitude reading improves from extra satellites.

Some units can use both the GPS system and Russian GLONASS and obviously these units are superior because they can lock on extra satellites when conditions are challenging (i.e. not many GPS system sats in view) in some areas of the world or down in a canyon/crevice.

[markku55]

To what I have been very fond of is a touch screen, it is really easy to compose the picture in the screen and then only point to where you want to have the focus.
All new cameras should have a tilting touch screen!

[thibs]

Yes and that is the beauty of it.Simplicity and works very well, minimal data volume, data transfer and calculation needed.

The accuracy of the GPS drastically improves with extra satellites although three is already enough. In my experience, especially the altitude reading improves from extra satellites.

Some units can use both the GPS system and Russian GLONASS and obviously these units are superior because they can lock on extra satellites when conditions are challenging (i.e. not many GPS system sats in view) in some areas of the world or down in a canyon/crevice.

Exactly. Altitude needs 4+ satellites but altitude is always huh... a bit messy. Altimeter is way more precise.
I guess WGS84 can't be a excellent approximation on every spot on the planet.

Very interesting to understand the GPS functioning. Really cool

[Ishpuini]

- GPS: cool, I could really use that. Not just to have coordinates for my pictures (very practical when traveling) but also to have the camera's clock set accurately. I hope they would allow synching the clock, would save me the trouble of adjusting to time zones "all the time" (sth I always forget).
- GPS vs Wifi: great. I bought a flu-card and used it a few times. Not enough to justify the purchase really, but this way it can continue to "pay for itself". The astrotracer module was always on my list, bit its adding bulk on top of the camera always made me decide against it, even though I could use it for astro-landscapes in the bush...
- Improved SR: Great!! Esp with my purchase of the DFA150-450 around the corner.
- High resolution sensor shifting: hmm, don't know. Would depend on the output I guess. If RAW this could be nice in some cases, though mostly 24MP is more than enough for me. Extra resolution would allow extra cropping, but the subject would need to be static I expect, which in *my* case would be rare as cropping capacity is practical for wildlife and that's hardly ever static.
- No flash: funny thing that Pentax was the first to include built-in flash in high level SLRs (in the SF-series?) and will now be (among) the first to take it out again... Initially I felt some disappointment, but when I reflected on when I last used it... Well, I couldn't remember... I always carry a flash in case and when I need a controller I use my second flash (good I have two) which is more powerful and gives me more reach/direction for control.

So in all: more relevant changes *for me* compared with the K-5 to K-5II transition in book. Still... wait and see. It's going to be an expensive year as it is!!

Wim

[xmeda]

No build-in flash means NO wireless flash control.... I really do not want to carry TWO flashes. That was pretty bad "improvement" for a hi-end camera. OMG

Give me small easily portable flash fed from camera shoe without battery able to control other flashes, otherwise I'm sticking with K5..

[Pruneau]

Why do they always just skip things that seem so logical if they want to grab market share? I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the engineering conference room.

"Yes, we think wifi, articulating screens and video is just a passing fad". "Ok, let's skip them again and give them something everyone needs, an astro tracker!"

A lot of people complaining here but your complaint is the funniest one

[kenspo]

Because of money? Exclusive contract even for a short period time cost big money, avoid your competition to get something maybe give you an edge on new camera buyers... just my opinion.

Nikon has taken som big hits last years. So they are not in the same financial place as just a couple of years ago. And no, they do really not have a contract like that with Sony.

[Black_Wizards]

Pentax K-3 II First Look Review Leaked Online | Camera News at Cameraegg

[saladin]

No one will give a rats tossbag about the flash etc if this thing has a new sensor that kicks arse and even better AF than the k3. Its not going to sell as an upgrade path based on ancillary functions, it will be more traditional improvements that will get pentaxians seeking it out.

[Black_Wizards]

I like this K-3 II reading thi first look review. Can't wait for the real word review of the pixel shifting and SR and AF-C upgrading.

[jaad75]

The Advanced SR detects panning - that's the only thing we didn't know so far...