[monochrome]

There are a lot of ideas, in this post and others.

But after I've read all of them, and parts the manual of K-3II, I have a strange idea that this camera wasn't build by some photographers, but by some engineers, good engineers, but not photographers. But still, I hope I'm wrong.
.

I'm just curious what gives you that idea. Is the K-3II enough different from the K-3 that you think someone in management thought, "OK - let's just turn the engineers loose on this one and see what they come up with?"

I would have thought marketing people actually asked some target groups of photographers (remember, photographers are not alike and do not rank all features in the same order) and asked, "What feature would you most like to add, and what would you give up to get it?"

• Pixel Shift technology for better resolution and color rendition
  • New IBIS (see above) adds a stop of EV as a side benefit for wedding
  • one fast standard zoom and we suspect a short standard zoom for wedding
• GPS Logging / AstroTracer aligns with true 'Field Camera' users
  • apparently superb superzoom for same
• Improving AF technology with each release / generation is a fairly well understood goal
  • especially tracking AF for BIF and Nature

What didn't they add?

• Truly fast camera for Sports / Action
• Industry-leading flash, since they keep improving low-light compensation

It seems to me Ricoh is making market decisions and directing engineers to design cameras and lenses that serve those target markets. I suppose some of us find ourselves no longer the center focus point, which is frustrating.

[monochrome]

Sagitta just made a Post in the FF forum regarding mounting a Pentax Red Dot Sight on a Weaver rail (rifle scopes) to cut all the alignment time out of locating the star you want for AstroTracing.

That's a common setup for Qusers with long lenses, but in the case of the FF (and K-3II) it would really only work if the O-GPS1 isn't already on the hotshoe.

[Winder]

There are a lot of ideas, in this post and others.

But after I've read all of them, and parts the manual of K-3II, I have a strange idea that this camera wasn't build by some photographers, but by some engineers, good engineers, but not photographers. But still, I hope I'm wrong.
.

Its does seem like they simply integrated several unrelated external pieces of technology into the body. If they would have only integrated WiFi and the ability to transfer RAW files over WiFi. I know its just a Mark II body that is supposed to be minor upgrade, but with the K-5II you got a new AF system that you benefited from with every shot you took. With the K-3II you really get specialized technology that most people won't really need. From a spec sheet point of view, the K-3 looks like it have a lot of cool tech. From a day to day photography point of view, there isn't anything there for me to get excited about.

Since it has the same AF hardware I expect the K-3 will get the AF improvements via firmware.

[One3rdEV]

Not an astro photographer myself. And I'm also not aware to what extent that Pentax / Ricoh has yet integrated these features.

But for the astro interested- imagine the potential gain of integrating the new 'pixel shift' feature with the O-GPS1 tracking capability?!

Yes I understand that the pixel shift requires no subject movement and the two movement platforms are likely to be exclusive of each other, but ultimately I imagine it will be possible for them to integrated (at least within some future product). I imagine those fun images that presently show surprising features from just amateur equipment will take yet another noticeable leap forward.

[Nicolas06]

Its does seem like they simply integrated several unrelated external pieces of technology into the body. If they would have only integrated WiFi and the ability to transfer RAW files over WiFi. I know its just a Mark II body that is supposed to be minor upgrade, but with the K-5II you got a new AF system that you benefited from with every shot you took. With the K-3II you really get specialized technology that most people won't really need. From a spec sheet point of view, the K-3 looks like it have a lot of cool tech. From a day to day photography point of view, there isn't anything there for me to get excited about.

Since it has the same AF hardware I expect the K-3 will get the AF improvements via firmware.

I tend to get the same feeling... But I'd say for Ricoh defense, it is more and more complex to add feature that would benefit everybody, all the time.

Still there likely a few things that could really change photography and are quite possible. I'am sure. But we don't have any Steve Jobs or Larry Page in the photography industry. If Ricoh/Sony are supposed to be the most innovative, we see how far from very innovative ideas

[Zygonyx]

Let's state that inbuild pop-up flash is not an expert cam feature, whereas inbuild GPS+Ogps-1 is.

[Medomare]

Its does seem like they simply integrated several unrelated external pieces of technology into the body. If they would have only integrated WiFi and the ability to transfer RAW files over WiFi. I know its just a Mark II body that is supposed to be minor upgrade, but with the K-5II you got a new AF system that you benefited from with every shot you took. With the K-3II you really get specialized technology that most people won't really need. From a spec sheet point of view, the K-3 looks like it have a lot of cool tech. From a day to day photography point of view, there isn't anything there for me to get excited about.

Since it has the same AF hardware I expect the K-3 will get the AF improvements via firmware.

K-3 got AF improvements via K-3 II I am happy that K-3 II was released as the price of K-3 has fallen (cca 100€) after it was brought to the shelves of (also) european sellers on May 22nd.
K-3 will soon be in my hands, hopefully it will be a bug free copy

Can't wait to start the new experience ...

Marko

[Nicolas06]

Let's state that inbuild pop-up flash is not an expert cam feature, whereas inbuild GPS+Ogps-1 is.

Basic GPS feature or OBF are not expert features. The astrotracer feature can be considered expert but its usage is limited to a very specific practice.

[jatrax]

The reality to me is the trade wasn't GPS vs OBF, the two could co-exist easily but more astrotracer vs OBF. I do understand people than prefer it to OBF, no issue but to say that astro tracer is something you always want except for a few very dedicated night sky photographers is a bit overstated.

I said nothing about the astrotracer. I've never used it. Please do not put words into my mouth to further whatever agenda you have.

[derekkite]

Photo gps tagging is the equivalent of the date. Anyone who takes a large number of photos faces the difficulty of sorting through them all. Any data point available is useful, and I can confidently predict that after a period of time using the K3II or any other GPS capable body it becomes an expected feature in any future purchase. I wish all the wildlife photos I took were geotagged, it would take an enormous amount of time to do it.

[mee]

Photo gps tagging is the equivalent of the date. Anyone who takes a large number of photos faces the difficulty of sorting through them all. Any data point available is useful, and I can confidently predict that after a period of time using the K3II or any other GPS capable body it becomes an expected feature in any future purchase. I wish all the wildlife photos I took were geotagged, it would take an enormous amount of time to do it.

You are assuming your point of view for others.

[derekkite]

You are assuming your point of view for others.

No. Making a prediction.

[mee]

No. Making a prediction.

Based on?

[Nicolas06]

I said nothing about the astrotracer. I've never used it. Please do not put words into my mouth to further whatever agenda you have.

Don't try to think I need or want to change what you say for yourself like I would need you to speak for me, thanks. It might be strange but actually I was replying to you and your comment. No more, no less.

As apparently it was not clear: A GPS device could have been put in the body keeping the OBF, while the whole astrotracer need more place and it took the place of the OBF. This really as nothing to do with GPS feature. Many camera have both GPS and OBF, even Smartphones do have flash and GPS.

The OBF was removed for the astrotracer and as you explained yourself, you never used it, neither do I. I wonder how many actually used one or plan to use one one day outside of a few shoots to try it because it is bundled in their new camera. Sure some are interrested, I just wonder how many.

[Nicolas06]

To bring some clarification on the subject, I have made a poll to get a better idea on how PentaxForum users stand on this topic of having an astrotracer feature: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/296084-do-y...s-1-k3-ii.html